Hello and welcome back to the Selah study! Today I'm doing something a little different. I'm posting a video discussing today's reading selection because I just don't have the time to type it all out. Nothing fancy, just me in my back yard working against the wind and sunshine. :)

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Welcome! Thank you for joining me this week! This week's reading was much shorter than last week's. (And wait'll you get a load of how little you'll be reading for NEXT week! There may be fewer words, but the words that are there pack a punch!)

Reminder: I will be writing each week as if you've already read this week's section. You can download a FREE PDF of Selah HERE. Use "SELAHDEVO" to receive your copy free. 

Let's launch into discussion, shall we?

The Men with Saul...at a glance, there really isn't much to say about them. However, if you dig in a little, you'll learn a lot about them...and yourself!

Saul had asked for permission to travel over 130 miles from Jerusalem to Damascus to arrest any Christ following members of The Way. He had men traveling with him to aid in that effort. Saul (Seemingly) had no idea how many prisoners to anticipate, so he had to be prepared. We aren't told the exact number of men that he had with him, but that isn't a critical point. 

What we do know is that when the blinding light (Phos) shone around Saul, it also shined around the men with him. In fact, Saul wasn't the only one knocked to the ground. The men with him were as well. The interesting thing we learn is that the men were able to hear something as Jesus spoke to Saul, but they couldn't understand what they heard. They also couldn't see Jesus. 

The Scripture tells us that Jesus spoke to Saul in Aramaic, a nod to Saul's Jewish heritage. Could that be why the men couldn't understand what Jesus said or did the Lord choose to keep His and Saul's conversation private? I'm thankful for the times the Lord gently and privately redirects me. He's merciful in that He doesn't air my sins for the world. His goal is never to humiliate me, but rather to humble me. 

The men watch Saul seemingly go crazy as he speaks to someone they can't see or understand. They watch him grope about, unable to see anything and then heed his directive for them to take him to Judas' house on Straight Street. I imagine these men shaking their heads in disbelief as they try to make sense of the scene that just unfolded before them. What had just happened? 

The Bible tells us that Saul spends 3 days at the house of Judas, but what we don't know is what happened to the men traveling with him. Did they hang around with Saul? Did he share with them what Jesus had said to him? Did they ask? Did he give them marching orders? Did they go to the Damascus synogogue or head back to Jerusalem? I want to know more! It's times like this when I want to sit at the Lord's feet and ask Him many questions. For our purposes, however, we're finished learning about the men traveling with Saul. 

These men held the hands of the greatest religious celebrity of their time, the noted Christian killer Saul, and watched him stumble and grope his way to Damascus, to the door of his enemy...not to arrest, but to stay! Can you IMAGINE what their conversation was like after they deposited the out-of-his-mind Saul and moved on?

What do you take away from this selection of Selah? Have you ever watched a noted leader stumble and fall? How did you react? 

Have you ever had the Lord speak to you (impress something on your heart) that no one else "heard" or understood? How did that make you feel? Did their doubt or lack of understanding affect how you responded to the Lord?

Up next week...Ananias. See you next Saturday!

Welcome to Week 2! We're going to talk about Saul this week. There is so much to say!

Saul was a Jew, born a Roman citizen. This was prestigious. His dad was a Pharisee and as was Saul. He carried on a rich legacy of being the keeper of the Law, the man who could argue and refute those opposed to the Scriptures better than anyone else.

I plan to write here as if you've read the devotional, so make sure you download your FREE PDF HERE. 

In the "Saul" section of Selah, we meet this dogged, tenacious man. 

Here's what struck me to the point of shivers...Saul knew the Law inside and out. He practiced the strict customs and traditions to the "T" (and there were many!) From the moment his eyes opened to the moment he laid down again at night, there was not one prayer, action, or custom that he did not faithfully observe. Decades of his life had been devoted to this practice. He ate, slept, and breathed the Law...and yet, he completely missed Jesus as Messiah. He knew the prophecies and Scripture pointing to Jesus better than most and yet he stood with confidence, approving of those being killed for preaching and believing in Jesus' name.

That is sobering. 

I can relate. Too many times I've been walking along in my life, sure and settled in what I believed, only to have my eyes opened. The emotion involved in that is often too much to bear. Couple that with leading others astray in their beliefs and it's a perfect concoction for regret and shame. Saul was amazing in that his response wasn't to wallow. He spent 3 days not eating while he undoubtedly considered all he had ever believed, been taught, and taught others. The blood of countless others was on his hands. The realization that he had people killed for proclaiming the Truth that he had himself missed was probably crushing. 

But...from the moment Ananias laid hands on him and his sight was restored, Saul ate and then began preaching Jesus! That is the kind of dedication I want. He had to realize the ripple effects that would happen as a result: The talk amongst the Pharisees and even Saul's own family. How did Saul's father feel? 

Saul risked his reputation, his family, and his culture because when you come face-to-face with the truth, there is no other reasonable option.  

Saul's face hit the dirt and he PAUSED. He spent three days at the house of Judas to PROCESS. And then, the moment he was able, he RESPONDED and began preaching Jesus as Lord. 

Where are you on your road to Damasus? Have you encountered Jesus? If so, how did you respond? If not, are you ready? What will your response be?

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Welcome! I am SO excited you're here! Let's jump in!

First...have you purchased your printed 8.5X11" copy for $6 or downloaded your FREE PDF yet? 

You have? Great! Let's get right to it...

The Introduction:

I took some creative liberties with the Introduction as far as Saul's emotions and thoughts as he traveled the road to Damascus in AD 35. The Bible gives us enough information about Saul to surmise what he may have been thinking and what his mood may have been. Allow me to stop here and say this:

***Disclaimer*** Alawys check everything I say against Scripture. I am a very flawed human being and I make mistakes. The Word of God, however, is infallible and inerrant. The Scriptures for each section are included at the beginning and within each section. I MORE than encourage you to read them FIRST. This is actually a non-negotiable. The Word of God MUST be the bedrock of our faith and should be the foundation upon which and the lens through which any of my thoughts are considered. 

Now...

Saul had an impressive pedigree. His resume was bursting with prestigious accomplishments: A Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, born a Roman Citizen, star pupil of the revered teacher Gamaliel...  He was certainly not lacking in the "things to brag about" department. 

He was so good, in fact, that he considered it his personal mission to chase down and capture the outlaw band of believers who wouldn't stop preaching Jesus. And in AD 35, that's exactly what he set out to do. Armed with the appropriate credentials, he began the 130+ mile journey from Jerusalem to Damascus. 

Where does the term "Selah" fit into all of this? Surprisingly, it not only makes sense when considered alonsgide Saul's journey, but also when considered in our own lives as well. This week, let's take some time to read the Introduction and the section titled Selah to get us started.  We'll reconvene here next week to talk about what God is saying to us through His word. I'm looking forward to that!

Bible study can be intimidating, especially if you don't know where to start. Allow us to help you begin (or continue) your pursuit to know Jesus better!

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*Discounted pricing ends October 7, 2017.

Hello all!

Starting in a little over 2 weeks (September 23, 2017) we will be hosting a FREE Online Bible study for Mandy Pagano's new devotional Selah: On Your Road to Damascus. This is a 6-week study focusing on Saul's conversion and how the interesting word "Selah" applies to him and us. Below is a summary of the study:

For all who are interested in joining, for a limited time, you can either purchase a printed, perfect bound, 8.5x11" copy for $6 OR you can download a PDF version for FREE using the code "selahdevo"*

We're really looking forward to this study and hope you'll join us!

We are very excited for 2017 and all it holds. DW has been hard at work praying about and thinking of ways to dig deeper into the Word and bring our online friends additional ways to connect with the Lord. So far, here is what we have to offer:

*A NEW Memorization Plan for 2017 that will bury 50 different scripture selections in our hearts. {Our Hide Your Word Group can be found HERE.}

*A BRAND NEW Deliberate Women Devotional will be published in early 2017, on the heels of She Heard. We're VERY excited about this!

*A FUN, NEW Challenge that will make it EASY to reach out to those in your community and in your circle. We're working to remove the difficulty and fear when it comes to following the Great Commission to GO And preach the Good News to all creation (Mark 16:15).

We are SUPER excited for what 2017 holds and how we can grow our community here, but more importantly, grow in our relationships with Christ!

Are you with us? Click HERE to read about our Hide Your Word Challenge HERE.

I stared at the underlined verse in astonishment. One simple sentence can pack a punch.
 
For nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

Nothing. That covers pretty much everything, I thought. 

I couldn’t remember when I had underlined it. The squiggly black line was faded, but was there just the same. It occurred to me that it was just one prompting of the Spirit years before. One thread in my tapestry, one line in my story. Yet, He knew…He knew that I would look back with new eyes and clearly see how He had been preparing me for what was coming.

The story of Elizabeth, I have to admit, had never quite captivated me. In my days as a young woman without children, I dismissed it as the puzzling side story to Mary’s headliner. In the days when I struggled myself to conceive, I bristled at Elizabeth’s joy in receiving an answer to prayer that I hadn’t. But having recently walked some deep valleys with the Lord, I see how the warmth in Elizabeth’s heart must have become a full blaze as she watched her God bless her more abundantly than she could have imagined. 

I see how warmth toward God is kindled in the intentional ways that He works in our daily life. I have come to know Him this way – through a lone purple tulip (one of my favorites) on my path on a particularly difficult day. In a word of life spoken to me when there wasn’t much life in me left. When the intense love I feel as a mom reminds me of how deeply He loves me too. I feel a kinship to Elizabeth when I think of Him knitting the frayed edges of her heart, expanding it a bit, making room for what was to come. They say that once you come to know and love an artist, you begin to recognize their work. I bet she saw Him everywhere. I know I do. 

Elizabeth’s calling was a high one – to be a vessel for the one who would usher in the Savior – and to experience the Holy Spirit itself – after years of anguish, social disdain, and I'm sure, a nagging uncertainty about His goodness. When delay disguises itself as a denial, doubt swirls and faith can waver. Yet, by grace, Elizabeth persevered and was faithful (v. 6). 
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Something beautiful takes place when we take our doubt to the Lord – a holy exchange - where He takes our wondering and replaces it with Truth. How tenderly He must have ministered to her. I imagine her heart throbbing at the sight of a busy mother brushing her child aside in the hustle and bustle of the day. She must have relied on His strength as she celebrated the newborns in her community, or helped those around her give birth, as was custom for women of her time. I imagine Him close to her in the marketplace, providing her an extra measure of grace to endure the judgment, spoken and unspoken, due to her barrenness. I cringe when I think of the searing pain she must have felt when she watched men work and play with their children. Yet, considering her faithfulness, I wonder what bits of truth comforted her most. How did she manage the desires that continued long after they were even reasonable?

I have personally experienced delay in my life the past two years. When the husband that I loved left, refusing to reconsider, I was left with crippling debt, the need to move, a deeply hurting little girl, pressure to start a career after being home 6 years and the very real possibility that I would never have more children. Doubt didn’t just swirl, it blew at hurricane force. The family and business I had dreamed of now seemed impossible. Survival mode set in. I began to make God small so He would fit into what I could see. Thankfully, He loved me (and still does!) enough to show me that His plans for me had not changed when my marriage fell apart –that no delay is a surprise to Him - and that my dreams are much safer in His hands than in mine.

You see, God knew. The whole time. He knew Elizabeth’s future just as surely as He knows yours or mine. He spent decades shaping her will and her thoughts, digging up the soil of her heart, weeding and planting and tending. Testing and strengthening. He needed her to know, before He fulfilled her calling, that He was enough.

Imagine the JOY that He felt as He watched her experience His Spirit – His very breath – for the first time. His gift, her son, leapt inside her in response to an unborn Christ. Do you have chills? He loves doing the impossible! He goes above and beyond! And – don’t miss this – He lets us in on it. It's not “enough” for Him to see a need and fill it. He has no need for good enough. His “enough” is bigger than we can imagine. It is lavish. It is unexpected. 

I don’t know where you are on your walk, dear sister. I don’t know if you are struggling to hold it all together or struggling to let it all fall into His capable hands. I don’t know if you are aching with Him or aching for Him. I don’t know if you are in a season of delay, or one of seemingly indefinite denial. What I do know - what He reminded me today with a squiggly black line -  is that nothing is impossible with God. And that in that nothing is where we find our everything.

SHE HEARD is the first for-purchase devotional published by Deliberate Women. Over the next eight weeks, we'll be reading reflections written by our readers of the eight Biblical women featured in SHE HEARD. Up today: RAHAB.