Studying Paul’s life after his conversion on the road to Damascus has caused me to look more closely at my life and the journey of it.

Paul was converted (born again) on the road to Damascus. That was the beginning of his ministry which would last approximately 33 or 34 years (Acts9:1-31; 13:1-28:30), culminating in Rome where he would ultimately be beheaded for his faith, witness and testimony of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and Redeemer of our soul…but that was not the end (2 Timothy 4:6-8), nor was Damascus the beginning of his journey called life. Acts introduces us to Saul before he became who we now know as Paul. Acts 7:54-8:3.

Paul speaks briefly of his life before his conversion in Philippians 3:4,6, and how whatever his accomplishments were, he considered them “garbage” compared to knowing “Christ Jesus my Lord”. Philippians 3:7-16.

We come from God, and whether we go back Home to God or not is our choice. Deuteronomy 30:11-20.

“For You created my inmost being; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful. I know that full well My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.

“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet You desired faithfulness even in the womb. You taught me wisdom in that secret place.” Psalm 51:5,6.

God created mankind in His own image. Genesis 1:26-31. Adam and Eve chose to go their own way. Rebellion is SIN. All the sins that we see, experience, are impacted by and impact others by are manifestations of SIN. So much for being “like God, knowing good and evil,” but having no idea or power in the mastery of either. God alone is good and there is no evil in Him. He is Holy. He is Righteous. Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:17,18; Luke 18:18,19; Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; Psalm 9:7-10; 89:14-18; 119:137.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away”. Isaiah 64:6.

Our journey on earth begins when we are born. We are born physically (first birth). Each one’s journey is uniquely different for better or worse, but regardless of what takes place in this leg of the journey and what it looks like, we all have one thing in common. We are all spiritually dead and our destiny is hell.

Know that satan is not sitting by in a rocking chair, biding his time, but understand this: God is orchestrating chains of people and events to come across our path. Why? Because He doesn’t want anyone to perish. 2 Peter 3:8,9. Everyone is given a chance to repent and accept Jesus as Lord. In fact, we are given many chances to be born again spiritually; to choose Life (second birth). John 3:1-21; Romans 6:15-23. As long as there is breath in your body, you have a choice to choose Life – Jesus Christ. John 14:6.

But that is not the end because this gift of Life is not for us to hoard or bury in the ground. It is for us to share. Romans 10:14,15; Matthew 5:13-16.

This is to be our way of Life, and it is to be our way of Life until God calls us Home. Matthew 25; Luke 19:11-17; Matthew 24:42-51; Luke 12:35-48.