Let me invite you to look with me in your Bible to Acts chapter 9 as we continue our study through this great book of Scripture. And my text is going to be from verse 10 down to verse 18. and I want to speak with you about Ananias, God's servant. Ananias, God's servant. Now, just to be clear, this Ananias obviously is different than the one that we studied in Acts 5, the one Ananias and Sapphira that the Lord struck dead because of their deceit. So I'm going to read as is our custom a few verses and then have you read in your local dialect. So Acts 9 and verse 10, and there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, behold, I am here, Lord. Then verses 11 and 12, and the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth, and he hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I've heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem, and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, For he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. For I will show him how great things he must And Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been, scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized." Ifo anachotha haraniya, Now I'm newbound. People are neither. I'm going to get to my email. Yes. I mean, I don't want to get on you. But you know, what would say I owe you? So you could just see what I'm doing? See what I'm doing? I don't want to go. I don't want to go. I don't want to go. Now, just to review what we've seen to this point, remember that the Lord had been revealing himself mightily in that fledgling church there in Jerusalem, causing many to be converted to the Lord Jesus Christ through the gospel. In fact, we read there that thousands were being added to the church. It doesn't mean added to the church of Christ as far as his universal church of elect, but added to the local congregation, that assembly of called out ones. That's what the church name means, the called out ones. Now it's important for us to make a distinction between what God was doing there in Jerusalem and what men claim, because men today say thousands are getting saved. That's what they say, thousands are getting saved. And what they mean is making profession. The reason why I am here today is because I want to tell you that I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian What we saw in Acts chapter 2 in verse 41 is that they that gladly received his word, you can put there received the word of God, the record of God concerning Christ, were baptized, were immersed. And the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls. There's no mention there about getting saved. The term that we see, the scripture language is they gladly received God's record concerning his son. That's not happening today. You know, I mean, you know, I mean, you know, I mean, you know, And then we read again in Acts 2 47, praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord. added to the church, the called out ones, daily, such as should be saved. We don't read anything here about men walking in an aisle and saying a prayer and sitting down with some sort of counselor and being counseled or led to a supposed Jesus. No, it is the Lord who added to the church such as should be saved. He added those that he purposed to save and he added those that he did save through the blood and righteousness of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a true work of God. Thank you. And that's why I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, when I was first with this ministry, I'm going to say this, many of us, And we can know wherein it is God that does the work because as verse 47 says, they were praising God and having favor with all the people. That's a true testimony of grace where God gets all the glory from beginning to end. I don't hear that in men's professions today. These that say they're getting saved. I don't hear them giving God the glory. They give glory to man's profession, They give glory to the preacher. They look to their own will, but not to God. Such is not a work of God. The matter of course is that I am not a Muslim. I am not a Christian. I am not a Christian. I am not a Muslim. If you want to see, you have to go to the place where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born, where you were born. just as we were talking a little while ago about God causing it to rain as He purposes and also withholding the rain as He purposes. So we see that here. There's times of God's blessing when He is pleased to call out those that He's chosen and redeemed by Christ. We have to know also that He purposes times of difficulty and persecution. The reason I am here today is because I want to speak to you about what is happening in our country. I want to speak to you about what is happening in our country. I want to speak to you about what is happening in our country. See, this is the God that this world, this religious world knows nothing of, but in Isaiah chapter 45 in verse seven, we read, I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. The Lord, I the Lord, do all these things." So we bless him in times of rejoicing when he's turning souls to Christ, but at the same time, we bless him when he does bring persecution, times of light and times of darkness. The Bible tells us that God created man in the form of Jesus, and man in the form of God, and man in the form of God, and man in the form of God, and man in the form of God, and man in the form of God, and man in the form of God. This is the reason why I am here. This is the reason why I am here. This is the reason why I am here. And that's where we see here in Acts chapter 8 verses 1 through 3 where this man named Saul of Tarsus was wreaking havoc against the church of God. And here's where we learn something again of the God of the Bible, because all the while Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church, and as it says there in verse three, made havoc of the church, entering into every house and hailing men and women, committed them to prison. All the while, he was doing that God sovereignly, was ruling and working. You see the view of the world that most have today is that on the one side you have God and the other side you have the devil and What there is is what they call a tug of war. I don't know if you have that there in Africa, but you take a rope and put it between two sides and one side pulls the other to see who's the strongest. That's the view that people have of the world, that God is pulling on one side and that's where you see blessing. But oh, wait a minute, here comes the devil. Now he's working against the church. And so on the other side, you got him pulling. But that is not what we see of the God of Scripture. I'm going to give it to you. I'm going to give it to you. And here's where you'll hear preachers or congregations or people putting out a call for prayer. They'll say we need to get together and we need to pray so that God can gain the upper hand again because the devil's at work and we don't want the devil to win and so Now they get people on God's side pulling on His side of the rope, as if God needs man's help. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not saying that I am not going to do it. I am not What we learn is that all the while Saul of Tarsus was breathing out these threatenings and persecuting the church and putting people in prison, and yes, even participating in their deaths, as we saw with Stephen there in Acts 7 and verse 58, All the while, God was directing. God was sovereignly working in and through everything that took place. Professor Saul, I would like to inform you that I have a friend, Stefano, who is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at the University of Bingo. He is a professor at Paul himself gave this testimony in writing to the Galatians in chapter one and verse 13, where he said, you've heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews religion. He was a religious man and yet hated Christ and how that beyond measure, I persecuted the church of God. And he says, and wasted it. That was his purpose to get rid of the church of God. What folly? If you are a woman, you have the right to vote. If you are a man, you have the right to vote. If you are a woman, you have the right to vote. Look what Paul says in Galatians 1.15. when it pleased God." Everything occurs according to God's good pleasure. When it pleased God, notice, who separated me from my mother's womb. That means he was already the Lord's from his mother's womb by electing grace. And it says, called me by his grace. That's what the church is. He did not know that he was actually already a member of that very church that he was persecuting, and he was already one with them in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, even though at this point he hated them. When I was a kid, I used to go to school and play with my friends. When I grew up, I went to school and played with my friends. We don't know what's going to happen. I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not saying that I am not going to do it, I am not I have friends and acquaintances today, and I know that some of you do as well, that are in congregations that consider themselves Christian and yet everything they believe and are taught is anti-Christ. Oh yes, they have a Jesus that they worship and yet when they're confronted with the Christ of Scripture, who is sovereign, who saves whom he will, and does not give credence to man's will in any way, but saves everyone that the Father gave him. All of a sudden, you see these very same people, just like Saul of Tarsus, threatening and exposing and wishing to be separated or separate out any that would believe in the way that the scriptures teach of Christ. That same spirit is in men and women today. The Lord Jesus Christ. I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian I readily confess that I was of that number. For years, I believed in a God that I loved. I believed in a Jesus that I had been taught and loved, a Jesus that loved everybody and wanted to save everybody, and it was up to me to go out there and convince sinners to believe on Him. And then, just as it says here, when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace, notice, to reveal His Son in me, the true Christ, the Jesus that actually saves everyone He came to save. Death was not an attempt to save everybody. No, it was a payment for the sin debt of everyone that the father had given him and those he saves, but salvations of the Lord. And the Lord brought Melo to bow to this Jesus, just as he did Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. So, we are going to do this, we are going to do this, we are going to do this, we are going to do this. Amen. We are going to work it. Yes, we're in there. You. I dare say, if you went into these congregations today that call themselves Christian and ask them, do you love God? Do you love Jesus? They're going to swoon. Oh, I love God. Oh, how I love Jesus. But then when you begin to talk to them about the God of the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ that he sent into this world, not to save everybody. There were many he passed by, but to save only those that the Father gave him and those he chose from eternity. All of a sudden, you see people pushing back. It's like, whoa, no, I don't believe in that God. I wouldn't, no, that's not my Jesus. You know, you know. If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God? If you don't believe in God, how can you believe in God There was a preacher with whom I met years ago, and he was talking about his love for God and his love for Jesus. And I stopped him. I said, well, let's make sure we're talking about the same God. as what the Bible declares. And so I took the time to take him through scripture and show him portions of scripture that declare God to be sovereign over all, and that he has his vessels of mercy, but he also has his vessels of wrath, and that the Lord Jesus Christ, when he paid the sin debt, only paid the debt for those that the Father had chosen, and that the rest, he passed by. And I can still remember him saying to me, I would rather go to hell than to believe in a God that distinguishes between whom he saves and whom he condemns. And I told him, I said, well, unless the Lord is gracious in teaching you of himself, that's exactly where you will go. If you want to enter Islam, you have to have faith in God. If you don't have faith in God, you can't enter Islam. If you don't have faith in God, you can't enter Islam. If you don't have faith in God, you can't enter Islam. If you don't know how to do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. Now, I say all that to say this, coming back to Acts chapter nine, here is Saul in verse three, heading to Damascus to arrest, as it says in verse one, and slaughter, notice, the disciples of the Lord. He went with authority to do that, but all the while, he was on a path to where he would encounter now the Lord Jesus Christ. This was no surprise to the Lord. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I don't know what to do with my life. I don't know what to do with my life. I don't know what to do with my life. I don't know what to do with my life. Now it was a surprise to Ananias just as it was a surprise to others as they heard that Saul of Tarsus had been converted to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why Ananias said there in verse 13, Lord, I've heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem, and here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name." In his thinking, he's saying, and you want me to go see him? I don't know. I don't know. Now, begin. this message by saying the title is Ananias, God's Servant. Here again is the thought that if someone is God's servant that somehow they live their lives perfectly for God We read biographies like that, that men have written of themselves. They're autobiographies. They like to talk about how much they pray and how much they serve the Lord and this and that. No, here we have Ananias, the servant of God, but first of all, a reluctant servant. Ah, Musa Iwale, I have a problem with Hanania. I mean, I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I mean, I don't know what's going on. I mean, I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't like Apollo Moon. I'm not mad at Hanania. I don't Now the whole world serves God's purpose and His glory, but when He is pleased to raise up preachers of the gospel and to send them forth, none of us is willing in and of ourselves. It's the Lord who makes us willing. Otherwise, we would never go. We would not preach this message. We know it's not popular. We know it's one that the world does not want to hear. And so we are, just like Ananias, reluctant servants by nature. If you don't know how to do it, you can't do it. If you don't know how to do it, you can't do it. You can't do it. If you don't know how to do it, you can't do it. You can't do it. If you don't know how to do it, you can't do it. When you look through scripture, you can see This was the pattern. Think of Moses when the Lord first raised him up. He said he didn't have the ease of speaking, of language, and he was hesitant, and yet the Lord would not leave him alone. In the name of the people of Zimbabwe, I want to ask you a question. If you were to tell me that you are a Muslim, and that you are not a Muslim, what would you say to the people of Zimbabwe? The same could be said of Joshua, the same could be said of Isaiah, of Jeremiah, or any that the Lord has raised up to send them forth to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not one a mission that any would take of themselves, but it is the Lord who sends forth his servants, even though they're reluctant. Think of Jonah. For example, if you read the Bible, you will see that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified. If you read the Bible, you will see that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified. Here again, we see the difference in the way that God is pleased to do his work versus how men would endeavor to do their work. Here again today, men think that God needs our help and so They're always asking for volunteers. They're asking people to come down front and take the preacher's hand and dedicate their lives to go serve the Lord. And then they send them out into what they call the mission field. That's not how God works. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say Our Lord told his disciples, he said, the harvest is plenteous and the laborers are few. He didn't say that by complaint, but he said that by purpose, that he purposed that it be that way, that there are those he's purposed to save and yet he's not going to give his glory to an army of volunteers. No. He will, it says, pray ye the Lord of the harvest that he send forth laborers into his harvest field. He does it. It's not up to us. It's him doing it. You know, after Kenzambi, my wife and I got married. After we got married, we went to Zambia. My wife and I got married there. After we got married, we went to Zambia. My wife and I got married there. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married, we went to Zambia. After we got married I must confess that I was one of those volunteers For years, I walked an aisle and I dedicated my life to go out and serve the Lord. And I went through graduate school and studied theology and went and learned the French language and went over to Africa as part of this volunteer army. But I can tell you, I wasn't preaching the gospel. you know. And it was just like with Saul of Tarsus, when it pleased God, who had separated me from my mother's womb, yes, but called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me. That's where everything changed. Yes, I had volunteered to go out and represent religion, and that I did for a number of years. But as far as what I am preaching now, this gospel, the glorious gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ, I didn't do it by volunteering. It was the Lord himself who directed me by his grace, and now I preach because it pleased him to reveal Christ in me. I want to say that I am a volunteer, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen, I am a citizen That was like a dog on a leash. You give a dog a real long rope. and sometimes he thinks he's free and so he's running, running, running until he gets to the end of the rope and all of a sudden it jerks him back. That was me. It was the Lord pulling me in and bringing me low to show me that it was necessary that He reveal Christ and His grace to me. Otherwise, I was lost. What do you say to the boy on the boat? If you have a car, or you have a house full of people, or you have a car full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you have a house full of people, or you Ananias was God's servant. It was God who spoke to him and said, to this Saul of Tarsus, but I would rather a reluctant servant that the Lord is teaching than a pompous servant who just boldly says, I'm going to go. I'll be ready. Oh, that's Saul. Yes. I want to be the one that converts him. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. If you don't want to go to war, don't go to war. I still receive letters today from young men who want to be preachers. They just feel like that's what they need to do, and so they want to know how they can get into the ministry. Those kind, I tell them they need to go sit and listen, because I don't see anywhere in Scripture where the Lord raised up people who were just anxious to go preach this gospel. No, those the Lord uses, He's made willing in the day of His power. but we're just like Ananias, reluctant to go anywhere or say anything or do anything but what the Lord himself is directing. I don't know. I don't know. Now years later, Paul himself testified to this in 1 Corinthians chapter two. when he was writing to the Corinthians and reminding them that his ministry was not of himself. His ministry was one of antichrist, believing and preaching a doctrine that was contrary to what God's record declared of Christ. But now this ministry of grace that he had received was not of himself. which is. There are a lot of people that think that Paul must have been a great preacher for his excellency of speech. And yet he said in verse 1 of 1 Corinthians 2, I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. Not man's testimony, God's testimony. You see, when I was a kid, I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends. I used to play with my friends There are probably many congregations today and preachers that if Paul were alive, they'd want him to come to one of their meetings and give his testimony. Well, Paul didn't do that. He didn't come to speak of himself. He came declaring, it says, the testimony of God, not his testimony, God's testimony. You may ask, well, what is God's testimony? Well, he says in verse two, I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. the person of Christ and the work of Christ. That's all of God's testimony. He purposes to give the honor to his son. But here again, just as we're looking at Ananias, God's servant, the reluctant servant, so now Paul, because he says in verse three, I was with you in weakness, and in fear and in much trembling. Some might scratch their head and think, this is the same one who slaughtered and breathed out threatenings against the disciples of the Lord, now saying that he comes in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling? What happened? I don't know. I'm in a set up. What happened is that God laid him low and brought him to see that he was nothing but a vile sinner before a holy God and that all of his salvation was in this one Jesus Christ alone who came and paid his sin debt. No wonder he was a trembling sinner. No wonder he was filled with weakness and wonderment. That's what that word fear means. It wasn't fear of men. but the wonderment that God should save a sinner such as he. So, I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do. That's why it says in verse 4, my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." And who is the power of God other than the Lord Jesus Christ? Today preachers are judged as popular because of how they preach and how they speak and what they call the power that comes through their preaching. I would rather hear a servant of God who stutters every word and yet does nothing but preach Christ and Him crucified. I could sit and listen to a man like that other than one up ranting and raving and carrying on and blood vessels bursting off the side of his neck and people applauding. That's not a servant of God. And I'm really was a casino. I even she to your way loser as we can't wait. I'm a. I'm. I need to draw this message to a close, but coming back to Acts 9, And verse 15, you can see how it is the Lord encouraged and directed Ananias, this reluctant servant. What did he say? The Lord said unto him, go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. Here's the Lord saying to Ananias, just like we know is true of any that the Lord saves, that they've all the while been his chosen vessel, and that it's just now that it's pleased God to reveal Christ in him. And you know, those are the Lords. They can rejoice in that. I want to tell you that I have been working on this project for 14 years. I started in 2015. I have been working on this project for 4 years. I have been working on this project for 4 years. I have been working on this project for 4 years. I have been working on this project for 4 years. For example, if you have two children, and you don't know how to raise them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them, you don't know how to take care of them. I'm thankful the Lord so stopped me, arrested me, because I was on that same path as Saul of Tarsus, looking to build my own name and build a ministry and do it as I thought best. And yet, when it pleased God to reveal Christ in me and laid me low, caused me to see my lost estate and showed me that my salvation was in Christ alone, as I preach today, It's not numbers. I care not whether the world hears or not. I am God's servant on the trail of God's sheep. And if he brings just one, his name be praised. It's all I have any more than that. Well, we just pretty much saw the introduction. We'll come back to it next time here in Acts 9. as far as Ananias, God's servant, some of the points I had written down, the reluctant servant, but the separated servant, one that God separated out, a skeptical servant, he was skeptical initially, but the Lord directed his thoughts, and finally, the submissive servant, God making him willing in the time of his power. So a lot more to see here, and Lord willing, we'll come back to it next time. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. This is the only way we will be able to protect our land and our people.