February 3
The Apostle Paul was a man who had had his value system turned around. He had once focused entirely upon his status among his people. He specifically concerned himself with maintaining and representing his own steadfast integrity in matters concerning the law, which was, of course, the religious law.
It was not so much that he desired to please God above all things, as it may have appeared to the observer of his life, but that Paul wanted the observers of his life to find no fault in him. He was climbing the ladder of success and he didn’t intend to slide off in his ascension because he’d faltered in any matter of compliance with the religious law.
It was not until Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-16) that he realized the insignificance of all he’d valued and the value of all he’d despised. It was the revelation of the glory of Christ that blinded him physically and caused him to see the spiritual truth he thought he understood but had never truly seen.
When he came away from the encounter with his spiritual eyes opened, he became the greatest proponent of Christ who has ever lived! He was then able to declare, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing in Christ,” (Ephesians 1:3), the only blessing there is.
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