Hey Element Church! Day 16 of One Prayer. Our prayer today is fitting. “Lord, make us patient.” That’s been tough to do lately as we’re anxious to get moving on the new location. Please pray for the churches listed on the calendar was well. Today’s reading is Acts 16. You can read it HERE online if you’d like. Here are my thoughts:
Acts 16:3 — Now THAT is a sacrifice for the Lord. OUCH!
Acts 16:6-7 — This is why it is VITAL that we are in communion with the Spirit. Testing our spiritual senses. Apparently Paul and Silas wanted to go to Asia, but the Holy Spirit prevented them from doing so. Then they wanted to go to Bithynia. I wonder how He prevented them? Sometimes I think God has to prevent us from doing things with more of a drastic measure, cause we didn’t here His still small voice. Or we weren’t listening for it. Been there before?
Acts 16:13 — This is the first time I know of that Acts records the disciples went somewhere else to minister to people on the Sabbath beside the Synagogue. What does this mean? I think it’s a GREAT example of being intentional about ministry. Why did they go to the Synagogue earlier? Because that is where the people they were trying to reach were at. Why now did they want to go to the riverbank. Because that is where the people were at. We MUST, especially as church planters, learn the ins and outs of our cities. Where do people go? What do they do? How can we reach them? This is an area I think we did well, looking back, I would have done MORE. (But that is just me)
Acts 16:14-15 — This is my prayer EVERY Sunday. It should be our collective prayer. That as people listen to the preaching of the Word, their hearts will be opened and accept what we are saying. That is our goal. We need people in our churches who do not yet know Jesus, who can have their hearts opened to the TRUTH of God’s Word.
Acts 16:16-18 — This has always puzzled me. Why did they let her go on for days. I would have been fed up after a few minutes of someone following me yelling something. If Paul could have commanded the demon to come out, why not the first time they saw her?
Acts 16:19-24 — What was the main reason they were so upset at Paul and Silas? MONEY! v. 19 “Her masters’ hopes of wealth were no shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas…”
Acts 16:25-34 — That story NEVER gets old…NEVER. First of all, in beaten, in prison and WORSHIPING? Seriously, how often is our reaction frustrating, difficult, painful times worship? Maybe it should be our FIRST reaction and the chains will come off. When our focus is on Christ we usually don’t feel the frustration, difficulty or pain as much. “Lord, make us patient in suffering!” Hmm.
Acts 16:35-40 — We don’t have to be doormats as Christians. That’s what I get from that passage. We don’t have to roll over and bed walked on all the time. They took their lumps, but when push came to shove Paul said “They can’t do this legally.” They need to be held accountable for their actions. I know, I know, the whole “turn the other cheek” quote you’ll give me. Were there not times Jesus stood up to people? Peter? Paul? This is a discussion for another day and another blog, but sometimes I feel like as Christians people think we shouldn’t have a backbone. Can’t confront. Can’t stand up to people. Defend. Etc. I’m gonna get off track so I’ll stop. We CAN have a backbone. We SHOULD have a backbone. (“Stop Jeff” the voice in my head keeps saying) lol
Trying to stop,
Jeff
