Carla

We live because Jesus died and rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures!

Eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Believers are changed precept by precept by the power of Holy Spirit into living testimonies for Christ Jesus. We need to question past decisions that hindered the progression of our witness and ask forgiveness. God is faithful to forgives us when we confess our sins. We need to have empathy and compassion for those who are in the process, including ourselves. As the martyr Stephen  said… they know not what they do!

God will never leave you as He found you!

Some have concluded that Paul must have been a member of the Sanhedrin at some time, since he mentions casting a vote. However, Paul was probably too young to belong to such a body of aged men or elders. Paul may have been the Sanhedrin’s chief prosecutor, urging a verdict of guilty against those Christians he had hunted down in the course of his campaign of persecution. The imperfect tense of the verb compelled does not tell us whether or not Paul had actually been successful in causing believers to blaspheme their faith, only that he had tried to compel them to do so. NKJ Bible.

Acts 26:9-11

9 “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Matthew 10:17 | But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

John 16:2 | They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Acts 2:22 | “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—

Acts 8:1 | Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 8:2 | And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.