Shalom,


Acts 8:3 says:


3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

The word "havoc" is the Greek word, "lumainomai", which means: to affix a stigma to, to dishonor, spot, defile, to treat shamefully or with injury, to ravage, devastate, ruin. The Amplified Bible says this:


3 But Saul shamefully treated and laid waste the church continuously [with cruelty and violence]; and entering house after house, he dragged out men and women and committed them to prison. 

So Paul didn't just haul the believers in Jesus off to prison, he used violence against them! In fact, Acts 22:4 says :


4 [Yes] I harassed (troubled, molested, and persecuted) this Way [of the Lord] to the death, putting in chains and committing to prison both men and women, 

Now we can see why Paul said that he considered himself the chief of sinners! 1 Timothy 1:15:


15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

I have found that those who realize that they were forgiven of MUCH, have a sincere and deep and abiding love for the LORD! When we recognize that ANY sin, no matter the "size" is enough to cause eternal separation from God, then we will truly realize the absolute magnitude of the free gift of Salvation! Meditate on THAT and you will REALLY be celebrating in YOUR worship service tomorrow! AMEN!


In reading Genesis 31 we realize why we are instructed in James 1:19 to be slow to speak! Jacob, not knowing that Rachel was the one who had stolen Laban's idols, said this in verse 32:

32 The one with whom you find those gods of yours, let him not live. Here before our kinsmen [search my possessions and] take whatever you find that belongs to you. For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen [the images]. 

We will see the results of Jacob's "loose lips" in chapter 35!  Be slow to speak and then SPEAK WELL! Speak the Word of God and you can't go wrong! 


Shalom in Him!