On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. Act. 16:13-14
One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 16-18
The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. 27-34
Here are three instances where Paul and Silas (recorded by their accompanist Luke) reached out to others all for the GLORY of God. Each time they did...something amazing happened.
Lydia...a successful entrepreneur, was a worshipper of God, but apparently hadn't received Jesus, and upon hearing about Him, immediately received Him and shared Him with her family to which they too were saved. POINT: HOW many SUNDAY's will it take for your to respond? She responded in minutes.......you know when oatmeal sits out too long it hardens, and isn't really good. That oatmeal could be a example of either your heart, or your brain. GOD has all prompted us to give: beit of our monies (resources), our time, or our talents to be used to advance His Kingdom....have you become hard headed/hearted?
Demon Possessed Girl - whether your possession is in the vein of music, movies, or some form of media....do you even desire healing from that. They didn't follower her, but rather she followed them. POINT: Maybe it was to antagonize them.....maybe.....but if you are wallowing in your own sin are you even following, tagging along with people who are Spiritually Mature that could be a blessing to you?
The JADED JAILER - He had seen it all. His job was to house broken men, that needed punishment for their offences. As the saying goes......" We don't belong in here.....we didn't even do anything...." and truth be told, that was Paul & Silas story, but they didn't protest against their imprisonment, nope...they prayed and sang praises. POINT: When you are wrongly accused, beat up on, maligned....what's your response? Does your prayers lead you to praising GOD right where you are? This is END of YEAR Reviews for many of you....and will you play the victim or VICTOR. Will you look for opportunities to be a blessing RIGHT where you are? Because of Paul & Silas faith....it turned the heart of the JADED into the JOYFUL.
Simply put are you REACHING others? He didn't give you this day to REACH another rung on the LADDER for your glory. He gave you this day, with the expectation you'd REACH a life with His love, that would transform their moment, their day, their week......that points them to Him. LGLP247
Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. Acts 16:6-10
In the game of chess there are certain moves that can be made by certain pieces. Strategy is a key element in the game of chess of knowing when to make particular moves, so the ultimate goal of preserving your Kingdom is essential to winning. GOD is a master at the GAME of LIFE, after all HE creator of all LIFE as we know it. He knows who needs to cross paths with......and when. And like a great CHESS player He's always thinking several moves ahead.....hence HIS omnipotence.
Paul after being converted had a heart to serve and teach the GOSPEL. There were people he knew in places that needed the GOSPEL. He shared this with his cohort Silas and they set out to make GOD famous in places he surely wasn't, but there was a problem. The Holy Spirit prevented him from traveling to Asia at that time. Wait a minute is there anytime better than the present? Apparently so......cause they were not allowed to "Go There," and for many of us we need to pause here. There are people all around you that need JESUS. You feel inspired some days, some Sundays, etc. to BRING IT to them, but they won't/don't hear you. We don't know why Paul/Silas were being prevented but what we do know it was FOR THEIR GOOD, and GOD's ultimate cause.
We have been planted at 1701 North 2nd Street for 4 years. It's a beautiful body of diverse, in every way, believers housed in really old building. If we aren't careful we will miss the blessing of being planted there, because GOD has a purpose for us being there. Many churches have come and gone, and yet there is a ripe community all around us that need to SEE and HEAR the GOSPEL. While moving maybe on many of our hearts........it won't be WE HAVE fulfilled GOD's purposes in that area that we've been planted. Some of you maybe at jobs that you have grown to hate ( I say grown to, because there was a day you called it a blessing) and have been seeking another job. My question to you is....have you really REACHED the people that God has planted you around. It might be one person, it might be the whole team.....but seriously.....Has He been glorified fully through you?
After all of Paul's efforts, it wasn't until GOD revealed to Paul where he was to go, that he got the direction he needed. Stop trying to fulfill God's mission through your plans. Slow down, and let Him reveal it to you, THEN be bold enough to follow where He leads. LGLP247
