While Paul preached in Damascus, some people in the city conspired to kill him. But Paul found out about the plot, and with the aid of his supporters, he was lowered in a basket through an opening in the city wall, escaping death. (Acts 9:23-25)
There had to be a few men holding the rope that lowered Paul to safety. We don’t know who these men were, but you can imagine the responsibility of their actions on that night.
In their hands they held the life of probably the greatest evangelist in the world.
Paul, who brought Europe to Christ, and through his actions in Europe, eventually brought Christianity to all continents.
If these men did not decide to help Paul escape, or if the rope slipped through their hands, would we be living in a different world today? Possibly a pagan world? Personally I believe God had complete control of all the events in Paul’s life, and Paul was brought safely through every danger he faced, until the last person he witnesses to, came to Christ.
We can parallel what the rope holders did in Acts 9:25 in Paul’s day, to what partners do for evangelists and missionaries today. We hold the rope while the Preacher, Minister, Priest, or evangelist we support brings people to Christ.
We should support these people in any way we can, and especially financially. It takes money for these people of God to broadcast on TV and radio - to travel - to run churches - to get as many into God's Kingdom as possible.
I know Paul’s partners were rewarded 100 times over by God for their actions that night, and I know all of us today who are partners to, and support a ministry that brings people to Christ, will be well rewarded. To be a supporter or rope holder, means you cannot let go 24/7. It's a lifetime job. It's not only your financial support that keeps these ministries active, but your prayers also.
If you are interested in being a supporter to an evangelistic ministry, but don’t know who, just watch a Christian television station and pick out the one you can relate to. I notice the amount of people in the crusades these TV evangelists preach to are getting larger and larger. Crowds of over 1,000,000 people per service are being recorded in Africa and India. There is more of a hunger now, to find Christ than ever. This is also part of the End Time predictions, as it states in Matthew 24:14, "And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come."
Paul preached to everybody he ran into, whether it was one on one, a dozen, a few hundred, or a few thousand. I would imagine he would be amazed today to see the 5, 6, and 7 figure audiences that are attending world-wide crusades and services that he and the Apostles started almost 2000 years ago.
And it all started when a few men held a rope that lowered Paul to safety.
Apostle Paul
Many years ego, there was a man named Saul
Who persecuted Christians, before receiving the call
On his way to Damascus, he was blinded by a light
And fell to the ground, losing his sight
He heard a voice call out, "Saul why do you persecute Me?"
Saul replied "Who are You Sir?" as he could not see
"I am Jesus" said the voice, "Whom you are persecuting"
Saul was then converted, and started a life of recruiting
For the Lord saw something, inside of Saul
And made him an apostle, changed his name to Paul
Inside of this man, there now burns a flame
Once you are called by Jesus, life is never the same
A short man in stature, is this man Paul
But in the Eyes of God, he is the tallest of all
By George Konig
March 6, 2005
www.georgekonig.org
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