Latest / Bible Chat Devotional / February 9 - From Blindness to Boldness
Transcript
- 0:02Welcome to Bible Chat, where we have devotional conversations
- 0:06rooted in Scripture and relevant for today, February 9th.
- 0:11From blindness to boldness. Have you ever been so sure you
- 0:14were right, only to realize later that you completely missed
- 0:17the truth? Those moments can be
- 0:19uncomfortable, even painful, but they can also become turning
- 0:23points. Sometimes the greatest growth in
- 0:26our lives begins when God interrupts us and shows us that
- 0:30we don't see as clearly as we thought.
- 0:33Proverbs chapter 10, verses 13 to 14 tells us that wisdom is
- 0:38found on the lips of those who have understanding and that the
- 0:41wise store up knowledge while careless words bring trouble
- 0:44close. Wisdom isn't just about being
- 0:47confident or loud, It's about being teachable.
- 0:51It's about knowing when to stop talking, slow down, and let God
- 0:54correct your direction. That lesson comes alive in Acts
- 0:58Chapter 9 through the story of Saul.
- 1:00Saul was passionate, driven, and completely convinced he was
- 1:04doing the right thing. He believed he was defending God
- 1:08by hunting down Christians. But on the road to Damascus,
- 1:11everything changed. Acts Chapter 9, verses 4 to 5
- 1:16tell us that Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying,
- 1:19Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
- 1:22When Saul asked who was speaking, the answer shook him
- 1:25to his core. I am Jesus, whom you are
- 1:29persecuting. In an instant, Saul realized
- 1:32that his confidence had been misplaced.
- 1:34The light from heaven left him physically blind, and for three
- 1:37days he sat in darkness. No plans, no control, just
- 1:42silence, waiting, and reflection.
- 1:44That blindness wasn't punishment, it was preparation.
- 1:48God was stripping away Saul's old way of seeing so he could
- 1:51give him a new one. Then comes one of the most
- 1:54powerful moments of grace in the story.
- 1:56In Acts Chapter 9 verse 17, Ananias obeys God and goes to
- 2:01Saul. He lays his hands on him and
- 2:04calls him brother Saul, telling him that the Lord Jesus has sent
- 2:07him so Saul can regain his sight and be filled with the Holy
- 2:11Spirit. In that moment, Saul didn't just
- 2:15see again, he was changed from the inside out.
- 2:18The man who once caused fear became the man who would boldly
- 2:21proclaim Jesus to the world. This story reminds us that God
- 2:26isn't afraid of our mistakes. He's not limited by our past.
- 2:29Sometimes He allows us to be humbled so we can finally hear
- 2:33Him clearly. Wisdom often begins where pride
- 2:36ends. When we let God open our eyes,
- 2:39He doesn't just correct us, He commissions us.
- 2:42Your story, even the parts you wish you could erase, can become
- 2:46part of how God reveals His grace to others.
- 2:49Blindness can turn into boldness.
- 2:51Failure can turn into purpose, and when God changes your heart,
- 2:55He can use your life in ways you never imagined.
- 2:58Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you that
- 3:01you are patient with me even when I don't see clearly.
- 3:05Thank you for loving me enough to correct me and lead me into
- 3:07truth. Teach me to seek wisdom, to
- 3:10listen more than I speak, and to stay humble before you.
- 3:14Open my eyes where I've been blind, heal my heart where I've
- 3:17been stubborn, and use my story for your glory in Jesus name,
- 3:21Amen. What if the way you pray changed
- 3:24because you truly knew who God is?
- 3:26The Supreme God Part 1 is an 8 book devotional and prayer
- 3:30journey that unveils the power, presence and glory of God
- 3:34through His biblical names. In Elohim you encounter God, the
- 3:38Mighty Creator who forms and sustains all things.
- 3:41Yahweh draws you into relationship with the eternal I
- 3:44AM who is present and faithful. Adonai calls you to surrender to
- 3:48the Lord and Master who leads and directs your steps.
- 3:51El Elian reveals the God Most High, exalted above every power
- 3:55and authority. El Shaddai introduces the all
- 3:58sufficient God who nourishes and strengthens you.
- 4:02El Olam anchors your faith in the everlasting God whose
- 4:05purposes never fail. Elroy assures you that you are
- 4:08seen, known and cared for by a compassionate father.
- 4:12And El Gibor awakens confidence in the mighty God who defends,
- 4:16delivers, and prevails through Scripture, devotional insight,
- 4:20and prophetic prayer scripts. This series teaches you to pray
- 4:22from revelation, worship with understanding, and walk boldly
- 4:26in God's character. If you're ready to elevate your
- 4:28prayer life and rediscover the God you serve or to the supreme
- 4:31God Part One on Amazon today or visit prayerscripts.org to begin
- 4:36your. Journey Now I invite you to
- 4:39spend time with God in today's three-year Bible reading plan.
- 4:43Proverbs chapter 10, verses 13 to 14 World English Bible Wisdom
- 4:49is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is
- 4:52for the back of him who is void of understanding.
- 4:55Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near
- 4:58ruin. Acts Chapter 9 World English
- 5:01Bible But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against
- 5:04the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for
- 5:08letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if
- 5:11he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he
- 5:15might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
- 5:17As he traveled he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light
- 5:21from the sky shone around him. He fell on the earth and heard a
- 5:24voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
- 5:27He said, Who are you, Lord? The Lord said, I am Jesus, whom
- 5:31you are persecuting. But rise up and enter into the
- 5:34city, then you will be told what you must do.
- 5:37The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the
- 5:39sound, but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground, and
- 5:43when his eyes were opened he saw no one.
- 5:46They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
- 5:49He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
- 5:53Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias.
- 5:56The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias.
- 5:59He said, Behold, it's me, Lord. The Lord said to him, Arise and
- 6:03go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the
- 6:06House of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus.
- 6:09For behold, he is praying, and in a vision he has seen a man
- 6:12named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he
- 6:16might receive his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I
- 6:20have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to
- 6:23your Saints at Jerusalem. Here he has authority from the
- 6:26chief priests to bind all who call on your name.
- 6:29But the Lord said to him, Go your way, for he is my chosen
- 6:33vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings and the
- 6:36children of Israel, for I will show him how many things he must
- 6:40suffer for my name's sake. Ananias departed and entered
- 6:43into the house. Laying his hands on him, he
- 6:46said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road by
- 6:49which you came has sent me, that you may receive your sight and
- 6:52be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like
- 6:56scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight.
- 6:59He arose and was baptized. He took food and was
- 7:02strengthened. Saul stayed several days with
- 7:04the disciples who were at Damascus.
- 7:07Immediately in the synagogue's he proclaimed the Christ, that
- 7:10He is the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed,
- 7:13and said, Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those
- 7:16who called on this name? And he had come here intending
- 7:19to bring them bound before the chief priests.
- 7:22But Saul increased more in strength and confounded the Jews
- 7:25who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
- 7:29When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to
- 7:32kill him, but their plot became known to Saul.
- 7:35They watched the gates both day and night, that they might kill
- 7:38him, But his disciples took him by night and let him down
- 7:41through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
- 7:44When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the
- 7:47disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing
- 7:51that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and
- 7:54brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen
- 7:57the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at
- 8:01Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
- 8:04He was with them, entering into Jerusalem, preaching boldly in
- 8:08the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against
- 8:11the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.
- 8:14When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and
- 8:17sent him off to Tarsus. So the assemblies throughout all
- 8:20Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up.
- 8:24They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the
- 8:27comfort of the Holy Spirit. As Peter went throughout all
- 8:30those parts, he came down also to the Saints who lived at Lita.
- 8:35There he found a certain man named Aeneas who had been
- 8:38bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed.
- 8:40Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you, get up and
- 8:44make your bed. Immediately he arose.
- 8:47All who lived at Lita and in Sharon saw him, and they turned
- 8:50to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain
- 8:53disciple named Tabitha, which, when translated, means dorkas.
- 8:57This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy, which
- 9:00she did in those days. She became sick and died.
- 9:03When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
- 9:06As little was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter
- 9:09was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in
- 9:13coming to them. Peter got up and went with them.
- 9:16When he had come they brought him into the upper room.
- 9:19All the widows stood by him weeping and showing the tunics
- 9:22and other garments which Dorcas had made.
- 9:24While she was with them. Peter sent them all out and
- 9:27knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body he said,
- 9:30Tabitha, get up. She opened her eyes and when she
- 9:33saw Peter she sat up. He gave her his hand and raised
- 9:36her up. Calling the Saints and widows.
- 9:39He presented her alive. This became known throughout all
- 9:42Joppa and many believed in the Lord.
- 9:44He stayed many days in Joppa with a Tanner named Simon.
- 9:49Thanks for joining us on Bible Chat, where Scripture meets
- 9:52everyday life. If today's devotional encouraged
- 9:56you, share it with a friend and be sure to follow the podcast so
- 9:59you won't miss the next conversation.
- 10:01Until next time, stay rooted in truth, anchored in hope, and
- 10:05walking daily with Jesus.