07.28.15 

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” - Acts 9:1-5 NKJV. 

Saul answered, “Who are You, Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus, the One Whom you are working against. You hurt yourself by trying to hurt Me.” - New Life Version (NLV). 

Puskar Nepal has set a new world record. A lot of strange records have been set, and this one is pretty strange as well. Puskar has set the record for the number of times a person is able to kick themselves in the head in 60 seconds. Puskar's new record: 134 times! He lives in Nepal, and it was in Kathmandu that the record was set, and will now be recorded in the Guinness World Records. This is the eighth time that the Kicking Yourself in the Head record has been broken since 2003. The first record was set by Michael Lloyd with 42 kicks to the head in 60 seconds. Amazing! I can't even make my foot touch my head....  

Before the apostle Paul was the apostle, he was known as Saul the persecutor of Christians aka the Way. Saul was on his way to Damascus to try to destroy the followers of this Jesus who lived there. He was consumed with hate, his every thought was of the killing out of this sect that had arisen. It took something drastic to change the course of Saul's life. It took something never heard of before to gain his attention. It took Saul being struck blind, and for the risen Lord Himself speaking to him. What was it that Jesus told Saul? Jesus told Saul that by attacking those of the Way, by trying to attack Jesus, Saul was just hurting himself. Jesus told Saul, “You hurt yourself by trying to hurt Me (NLV).” Gamaliel had warned in Acts 5:39, "...if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” Saul had been fighting against God Himself. He had just been kicking himself in the head. 

Which side are you on? Are you on the side of God? Or, are you on the other side? If you are not on God's side, you are just hurting yourself; you are just kicking yourself in the head over and over and over again. Saul finally came to an understanding of the truth, and changed sides. What about you? Have you become a part of the Way? Have you joined the side of Jesus Christ who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)?”