Series: Advancing
Message: All I Do Is Win . . .
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Reflection: Sam Millen
Live Wonder: Jessyka Albert
Live Adventure: Jessyka Albert
Live Purpose: Jason Calvert
Editor: Becky De Oliveira

Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.

Read: Acts 9:1–9 in the New International Version (NIV). Note 1–3 insights or questions. 

Reflect: I have lived in five countries (and five U.S. states). Being born in Eastern Europe before communism ended meant obtaining refugee status along with my family when I was just seven years old. I don’t want to exaggerate my plight or any persecution we faced in our country of origin, but my first-grade teacher announced to the entire class at the beginning of the school year that I had been brainwashed by my religious parents to believe in superstitions. None of my classmates were permitted to associate with me, lest I influence them negatively. I wouldn’t exactly call it persecution. Discrimination perhaps—state sponsored. My father was constantly threatened and harassed by agents of the state assigned to monitor religious groups. He was an Adventist pastor in Eastern Europe for eight years. My grandfather was fined for not sending my mother or her sister to school on Saturdays. He also lost many opportunities for employment and advancement as a concert violinist. But others were imprisoned. Many were sent to labor camps. Many lost their lives. We were spared the worst during communism, and when I was seven, we got out.

My ability to identify with the believers in Damascus is somewhat limited, but, like my family, they were looking for a safe place to worship Jesus freely. F.F. Bruce points out that, ““The violence of the persecution drove many of the disciples, especially the Hellenists, out of Judaea, but even so they were not necessarily out of reach of the Sanhedrin” (Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, p. 72). He goes on to share that Acts 9:1 says, “Paul in his crusading zeal resolved that the high priest should exercise his right of extradition [granted by Rome] against the fugitives, and procured from him ‘letters to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

Damascus was not safe. But is there any safe place in this world for a follower of Jesus? There may be no government sanctioned suppression in some areas, but there are enemy spiritual forces always at work (see Ephesians 6:12). I will never forget a sermon I heard in my native tongue, given by the Adventist church president from my country of origin. He was speaking to a group of us—all expatriates gathered in Canada some time ago. He congratulated us on moving to Canada, a great country, and then added light-heartedly how he heard New Zealand was even better—reportedly the best place to live. Then his tone changed, “Keep in mind,” he said solemnly, “even New Zealand has hospitals and cemeteries.” Evil has reached everywhere. No place is spared. That’s the bad news. There is good news as well. God is everywhere too.

Recalibrate: Is a lack of persecution in the West also dangerous for Christianity (resulting in apathy or complacency)?

Respond: Pray for the persecuted church.

Research: Review the World Watch List published annually by Open Doors.  

Recharge: Wonder/Adventure/Purpose

What are some measures you take to keep your child safe? Car seats and seat belts? Warnings and rules? Not too much candy? Not letting them run into the road? Talk to your child about the measures God takes to keep all of us safe.

Have you ever known someone, maybe at the park or at your school, who was really mean and you didn’t like them, but later you got to know them and they became your friend? Saul was very mean and hurt a lot of Christians, but when he met Jesus, his life turned around and he became a great follower of Jesus!

Once Jesus got Saul’s attention, He told Saul to do something: “Get up and go and then you will be told what to do.” Jesus gave him instructions . . . but only in part. Jesus only gave the first instruction, which would lead to further instructions. Jesus didn’t give him the whole picture at once but broke it down into smaller, easy-to-digest portions. Jesus could have given all the instructions to him at once, but He didn’t. Why? Have you ever wished God would give you the full picture? Maybe you’re wishing that now. What if He did? Is it possible that Jesus provides guidance and instruction for our life in small portions for our benefit? How is that looking in your life?