January 5, 2025, Acts 22:14-16 (Live)

[3rd party content info at the bottom]

Acts 22:14, God appointed saved people to know His will, to know His plan for them, understand the spiritual gifts He bestowed on them, and how to use those gifts to serve Him. However, it is not uncommon for sinners to let their preferences supersede God's will.
Matthew 6:33, 'but seek ye first the kingdom of God [...] and all these things [ye have need of] shall be added unto you'. Self-denial and turning towards God is more effective.
Acts 22:14, 'hear the voice of his mouth'. God's voice safely guides believers home. Otherwise, people would be driving blind, attempting to feel their way through the darkness.
Genesis 12:1-4, Matthew 1, a bigger example of someone hearing God's voice and following God's voice, which eventually led to the most significant world event in recent history, and which will lead to even greater things in the future
Acts 22:15, God's children are and will be His witnesses of His miraculous love, so that no one will forget God's omnipresent grace and love
Acts 22:16, 'And now why do you wait?'
Acts 22:16, 'arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins'. What Paul spoke about here also reflected on what happened to him (Saul) in Acts 9:8-18 (his conversion). There is the spiritual baptism and the physical baptism. The latter is done in a public way, analogous to how a person publicly proclaims and joins a team (in ancient Israel, the different sects of Judaism also had a public aspect to member induction).

[songselect.ccli.com songs]
Forever, 3148428
Come Now Is The Time To Worship, 2430948
I Love You Lord, 25266
We Fall Down, 2437367
Jesus Paid It All, 4689508

[3rd party public domain content with CCLI license]
Do Something, 6439976 (https://songselect.ccli.com/songs/6439976/do-something, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8)