What have you been reading lately?
George Whitefield. Saul’s Conversion. Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library, June 11, 2020. 24 pp.
4 out of 5
Free: Chapel Library
Purchase: Amazon
Can God use the persecution of Christians for the good of bringing nonbelievers to Christ? Christians would know the right answer is yes yet many would not to be persecuted if they don’t have to be. In this booklet famous preacher and evangelist George Whitefield wrote us something encouraging and edifying with a look at Saul and how God changed this man that persecuted the church to become an Apostle and incredible Gospel preacher name Paul. While George Whitefield delivered us his words hundreds of years ago (he lived from 1714 to 1770) I think what he has to say is relevant for 21st Century believers as the world gets more secular and persecutions of Christians is on the rise worldwide.
This booklet was adapted from a sermon by George Whitefield. It is a message based upon Acts 9:22. It is meant to encourage Christians who are persecuted to realize that God uses our persecution including bringing persecutors to come to trust in Christ as Savior. The booklet looks at Saul before he was a Christian, how he was a zealous persecutor of the Church of Christ. Then it looks at Saul’s conversion experience. Finally it looks at Saul displaying fruits of a Christian and becoming the person we now know as the Christian Apostle Paul. The message end evangelically with a strong appeal to trust in Christ for salvation. I love that!
I appreciate Whitefield’s insights. I did not think much of what it was like for Saul during the three days he was blinded; how he must have been so tortured and convicted! I also thought Whitefield gave a great insight that we can sometimes think God cannot save evil people like Saul; but what a reminder of God’s amazing grace! The author sharing about how he’s been persecuted was without any details but it was a powerful reminder that famous Christians used by God in the past faced persecution as preachers. Whitefield’s awareness of the heart’s motivation to obey God must be driven by biblical truths was also evident and I thought it was pastoral. The overall motivation Whitefield gave for Christians to be Christ-like when they are persecuted is that God uses our experience of persecution to bring enemies of God to Christ. That is very power and the right focus (of course all things is for the Glory of God). I think as the 21st Century start becoming more post-Christian in the West, this booklet might be more relevant for Christian readers today!
The Domain for Truth 
This is a great review. Thanks for making it happen.
I remember a sermon by MLJ in which he encourages the church to read biographies of faithful Christians in order to strengthen our own walk, and give us courage in the midst of every circumstance, including persecution. Seeing how God’s amazing grace is at work in the lives of the church past and present renews our hope “that God uses our experience of persecution to bring enemies of God to Christ.” Hallelujah!
~Dora
We were writing at the same time: thank you for your prayers. Will be starting a new treatment soon and hope it will bring needed improvement.
Wow MacArthur has said something similar he probably got it from MLJ; but yes I find that true that we have so much encouragement from Saints in the past with their courageous stance. Blessings to you Dora. Please keep us updated with your treatment, yes?
So blessed by you, J. Thank you. 🙏🙂
I never get tired of that story. Side note: I like the trivia that no one changed Saul’s name to Paul. That error isn’t felonious, but it is widespread. I love this verse for how it explains it and also for how in-your-face Paul is with a false teacher.
Acts 13:9–10 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
Good point! How are you doing brother???
Plodding along, thanks! The lower right leg is still paralyzed from the tumor pressing on the sciatic nerve, but immunotherapy/chemotherapy clinical trial is moving along. Finally got pain meds regulated to minimize the searing pain. Still feeling blessed throughout all this and praying for opportunities to witness to and encourage others.
Thank you, Jim, for continuing to share from Chapel Library, free to all who desire to read more than the average books on the market today. Blessings.
So grateful for Chapel Library!! I have read so many hours of sound writings that are biblical and free because of Chapel Library!!!
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I love reading books like that. There used to be published by Barbour Publishing a “Heroes of Faith” series, with over forty books including John Bunyan, William Carey, Fanny Crosby, D. L. Moody, George Whitefield and many others. These books were easy to read and very inspiring. I had some of those books, and wanted to get the whole set, but it had been discontinued.
So many good books discontinued; newer books for kids are not necessarily better sadly. God bless you have a blessed Friday Elder Mike!
Thanks for the good review. This is very relevant in light of the growing animosity towards the church.
Thanks for the good comment! I think Whitefield living it out with being persecuted before with his open air preaching makes it all the more compelling to read about this topic. How did your day at work on Friday go?
RE: Friday
It was busy, but the rest of the weekend will be slow. We’re past the big end-of-quarter bow wave so my last month at work shouldn’t be bad.
How did your Friday go?
Good point: “The overall motivation Whitefield gave for Christians to be Christ-like when they are persecuted is that God uses our experience of persecution to bring enemies of God to Christ.”
Thanks for reading this; this really impacted me to realize persecution and others being difficult to us in ministry is something God can use!
Good review. Thank you. Blessings.
Thank you Maw Maw for reading this!!
:))
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Chapel Library has been making really nice covers with their recent published booklets
I’m reading Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, by John Bunyan
I love John Bunyan!! Thanks for sharing that!!