"The Lord said, "Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas."
Acts 9:11
Acts 9:11
My imagination runs away with me with I think of things that must have gone through Ananias' mind when God gave him the command to "Go." Then I read Ananias' "But Lord." I would have been saying the same and more. But God gave assuring words to Ananias'. Ananias' believed God and allowed His words to calm his fears. With assurance, he went to the house of Judas.
Has God ever asked you to go to "the house of Judas," to do something that did not make sense? Did you do it? I went to "Straight Street and the house of Judas" one day. With fear and trembling I obeyed.
I had been at the home of one of my friends. She had given me a bag of clothes for my son that someone had given to her son but were too big. They were actually too big for me son but she insisted that I have them.
I went home another way, by way of "Straight Street.' This was not the closet route home but I followed my instincts. This way lead us to pass a home that a burned several days prior and outside the home stood a family. As I passed by the Lord instructed me to turn around and give this family the clothes that my friend had given me.
I quickly retorted arguments back to the Lord giving sound reasons why a mother should not stop at such a place in the evening with her young children in the car. As I challenged the Lord, my car was turning around-almost by itself.
The only member of the family that spoke English was a young man who looked to be the perfect size for all the clothes in the bag. Hmmm? I left the clothes in the name of Jesus and with His love. This confirmed once again: My obedience matters to someone else besides me.
Tell us about a "Straight Street trip to Judas' House" that you have experienced. Perhaps you were the one at "Judas' house."
11 Comments:
Wendy, God and I have been up since 3:30am this morning having this discussion. I had read this passage of scripture before going to bed last night and when I woke up early this morning my heart was saddened that I haven't had a recent "Straight Street" summons. It can't be because there isn't a "Saul" who needs to receive God's love and His Word. So, am I not available? Have I lost spiritual sensitivity? Am I not hearing? Am I refusing? Ananias said "Yes, Lord!" before he even heard about or knew the assignment. Such eager obedience. Am I not willing? Do I respond with excuses?
With the example of Philip and the Eunuch I saw the same thing. God said "Go", "So he started out..." Then the Holy Spirit told him to "Go over and walk..." and "Philip ran over..." Enthusiasm and willingness.
I have walked "Straight Street" and visited "Judas' house", but my footprints there have long been covered and forgotten. I don't want to live on yesterday's God story. Praying the Lord will extend a fresh invitation and like Ananias I will reply "Yes, Lord!" and go.
Before I visited your blog this morning, I had decided to write about Saul's conversion. Quickly, without sharing all, this is what I noticed:
1. No one can be saved apart from an act of God.
2. No one can understand, seek God or know God without divine intervention.
3. No one is too far gone or outside of God's saving reach.
4. God uses people who are sensitive to the Holy Spirit to touch lives for eternity; those who listen and follow even when it doesn't make sense and even when it appears dangerous.
5. God can take a self-promoter and make them a Christ-presenter.
6. Saul went from causing suffering to bearing suffering.
7. God can change a life from destructive to instrumental. I love how it says, "Saul is my chosen instrument..." Acts 9:15 He chooses His own - love that! Saul didn't decide for Christ, Christ decided for Saul. Saul was not seeking Jesus. How encouraging that is for me when I see family members and friends who want nothing to do with the Lord.
Like Peter told Simon, God's gift cannot be bought. Salvation is a gift, not a commodity. It's about life-change, not life-insurance.
Oh girls, there's just so much in God's Word. Lord, thank You for Your Word. May each one reading this know today that His Word is "alive and active in me" (Beth Moore).
Blessings,
Joy
I have experienced both! When I was a teenager my Mom and I were on hard times, being prideful we did not let anyone know even our closest friends. We had gotten to the point of not having groceries in the house. One day we came home from school and work to find a large bag of groceries on our front step. My Mom's very good friend had a message from God that we had nothing to eat. It had a canned Ham and Potatoes and eggs and bread and lots more - Thanks Lucky for listening to God.
Mom and Lucky are both in Heaven now. :)
Then one of my Staight Streets was I was working and there was one of our customers that came in that was a friend of my daughter. Now I work in the office and don't usually wait on customers but because he knew my daughter I said hi and asked how he was. He told me he was in the National Guard and was being deployed over seas. WELL... I went to my office and God said "Does he know Me?" I"m not sure - God said "You need to make sure he knows Me"
Well I argued in my head and then God gave me a vision - What if something happened to him and I was too shy to go share with him. I left my office and went out to his pickup to catch him. I talked with Him made sure he was saved and told him I would pray for his safe return.
Yes he is home safe.
Those are a couple of Staight Streets in my life.
Blessings to all -
Lynn, OR
PS Thanks Jan for your help yesterday!
I'd like to start off by saying that I appreciate Joyful's list about Saul's converstion. It gave me some ideas that could help a girl I have been witnessing to. I had a "Straight Street" experience just this past Sat.
Now normally, when I get on facebook to check my messages, I don't always make myself availible to chat. I often get on there in invisible mode. (I too had that converstaion in my head: "I don't want to." "But I need you too.") I personally wasn't in the mood to chat on Sat evening either b/c Hubs and I were starting a movie together & enjoying the peace & quite. But I felt very strongly to turn on the visible mode. I am so glad I did. A girl I used to go to school with popped up immediatly and being to talk to me about my religious beliefs (as she called it). I haven't seen or heard from this girl in 12 years! Said she was recovering from something, had been to meetings, & talked with councilars, etc. but knew there was still something missing. Said she was searching for God. I laid out the plan of Salvation to her and chatted, there on FB for a full 50 minutes. Though she didn't commit to Jesus Christ, she's searching and closed with "please pray for me". I can't get her out of my mind. I even sent her the link for Prov. 31 daily devotions b/c when I asked if she owned a Bible, she didn't reply. I have also thought of sending her the link for BibleGateway, an online Bible that I love to use.
Please pray for her. She even knows that by being with some of her friends isn't helping her search for God, but she doesn't want to break bonds with them and wonders if she could help them in the long run. It concerns me, b/c I've read some of their comments and I feel just in that they are pulling her down. So please pray as I try to encourage her and lead her in the right direction.
I also appreciate JnL4God testimony on being on the receiving end of the "Straight Street". I too have been on the receiving end when no one knew about my situation, but God. He is always faithful in taking care of His sheep! Praise His Holy name!
Jules, you might contact Giddons... they would get you a Bible for your friend. Will be praying for your friend...you planted the seed...the Word...God will water it and in His time will come to fruition...
Jan TN
My "Straight Street" story is still in progress. God sent me to my new job, community and church to do his work, and his purposes for me are still unfolding as his blessings abound.
May I be like Philip and run, not walk when God whispers his plan to me.
May I be like Tabitha, whose acts of kindness endeared her to many.
May I be like the believers of the early church, preaching the Good News wherever I go...in deed and speech, may my life be a testament.
Blessings to all today ~ love & prayers from AK,
Liz
ps - thanks to Joyful for these quotable words "it's about life change, not life insurance." Amen!
Good Morning all.
I just had to pop in to let you know that my husband just got a new job this morning! :)
We want to thank all of you for praying for us.
Joy, you had a Straight Street moment two weeks ago when you sent me that email. I was so encouraged by what you said, it gave me the strength to hold on.
The sermon at our church on Sunday was called "prayer works".
Amen!
My Straight Street is not a quick instruction at the moment. To date it has been a series of directions that are leading me either down or toward Straight Street. I'm not sure exactly what God has waiting for me there, but I must continue to say obediently respond....but it is not without questioning along the way....definitely makes life interesting. This was reassuring to read and to remind me that I am not alone! Thank you!!
Hi all! What a gloriously beautiful day we're having in MN! Our October weather has arrived in November. Oh well, we'll take it! Finally the farmers are able to do their work.
My straight street moment was feeling "led" to send a certain amount of money to my missionary cousins in Guatemala. I find out this past Sept when they visited America and spoke in a nearby church, that the amount I sent was exactly what they had needed at the moment to put windows in their House of Hope. wow! Glad to be part of God's plan!
bless you all
Morgen
Good Afternoon Dear Friends! Doing a quick post today before heading out to lunch with the girls! Tuesday's is my 'lunch bunch,' afternoon, which is a weekly treat to look forward to! Several of us Christian ladies from many different churches in our community meet to eat and encourage each other!
Oh, I will have to agree with you dear Joy that there is just so much in the Word! I find myself re-reading it in to soak it up some more! I loved what you noticed about Saul's conversion!!! I too am encouraged because there are so many unsaved relatives that do not believe in God in my family.
My most recent "Straight Street," moment was when I heard a whisper telling me to change up our annual Thanksgiving plans. Most of you know by now how routine I am! :) Well, this year we're not doing Thanksgiving according to my wants, but then again it's not about us, right?! More and more it is just God that I'm truly seeking to please. If he takes the time to bend down and whisper to little old me, then, I'm going to obey! I'm afraid not to!
Are we pretending to be Christians who show evidence in our day to day happenings of the love of Christ? Or do we really have His self-sacrificing love? Those that seem hard to love, may someday be saved if we express the love of Christ to them, just like Stephen did to his persecutors.
Why do we witness to others today?
Acts 9:42 "The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord."
Why did the people live in peace?
*they lived in the fear of the Lord
*The encouragement of the Holy Spirit guided them
Acts 9:31
And...don't ya just love verses that we've read in the O.T.?
Act 8:32-33 ---Is 53:7,8 (The prophesy of Isaiah had been fulfilled in Jesus.)
oops out of time...I hope all of you are having a blessed day!
Lots of love coming your way! Lori-AZ
PS Praise you Father for Patty's husband's job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I 'thought' I knew what I was going to write about today, until my day happened. I highlighted the same verse I felt God speaking to me, but it took an altogether different path.
"Saul is my chosen instrument..." Acts 9:15
Ironic how God would take me from "Overlooked" yesterday to "Chosen" today. I'm starting to think that sometimes being overlooked is OK.
Longing to be chosen.
Wanting to hear my name, I stood waiting. I knew I wouldn't be in the first "draft pick" as the captains requested players for their teams. Not being athletic at all, I hated spring, gym class and baseball practice. By default, not decision, one poor captain would finally, reluctantly resign to calling my name. It was always said with such defeat, assuming that whichever team had me, had the loss. How I longed to be chosen.
Don't we all wave our hands, yelling "pick me, pick me" when some glorious opportunity presents itself? But, do we always want to be chosen?
Just today I've received messages from two moms. Both were chosen. One to walk a path of happiness, the other a path of heartache. One to walk a road of miracles, the other a road of mourning. One was chosen for a path of healing, the other heaven. One son returned. One son taken.
I'm not saying the choice of heaven isn't wonderful, but it is hard for those left behind. I'm sure this mom is asking, "Lord, why did You choose me for this? I didn't want to be chosen. I don't want to play this game. The weight of the 'bat' is too heavy and the 'ball' came too fast and unexpectedly. I'm running 'bases' right now, trying to hang on until the final inning, but I just want to be declared 'out' so I can go sit on the bench and have a good cry. My life has received a 'foul'. I'm jealous of the other mom who got her 'strike' and everyone is cheering and high-fiving. Why isn't that me? I want it to be me. Why was I chosen for the 'strike out'? Why?"
Beth Moore says that if God should choose us, or call us to a death that demands courage, then somehow death itself must be a great part of our destiny story. I believe that is true, both for those taken, and those who remain behind.
Will I surrender to whatever God may chose for me? Is my hand still waving in the air as I jump up and down repeating, "Lord, whatever You have for me, pick me, pick me."
Saul is my chosen instrument.
_____________ (fill in your name) is my chosen instrument.
Whatever path God has currently chose for you, play on,
Joy
I LOVE your obedience! Wow!
Guess what was on my front porch after carpool today??? I am soooo excited!! My new chronological Bible for your January Bible study!! It was just like Christmas morning! I can't wait to begin. Thank you for leading this again online! It is such a beautiful gift that you have to share with us!
Hugs!
Susan
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