The day with dianne Louise

They went through the region of Phygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. when they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bythinia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, bypassing Mysia, they came to Troas. during the night a vision appeared to Paul; a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, 'cross over to Macedonia and help us.' Acts 16:-9 Paul had set out to evangelise the then known world. There were needs everywhere he passed but the Holy Spirit prevented him from speaking. How would Paul take that in the natural? Would he be frustrated? what did the prevention by the Holy Spirit look like? When God gives us a commission we are not told of the barriers but these are there. Why are we not told? Perhaps the barriers are there to test us and to protect us. Test us in that we discover what our responses are to barriers, protect us from going and doing that which might harm us or others, or waste out time an...

Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul did not think it appropriate to take along the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. Then Paul chose Silas and departed.....Acts 15:37-40 Even great leaders can become anal about their opinions. Paul was unwilling to give John another go because he had let him down. However, Barnabas was a more gracious soul and perhaps he could see a light in the young man. Choleric (drivers) individuals are not too keen to associate with someone who has failed them. In fact they can be quite impatient with them. That is until the Lord gets a hold of them and kneads them a little with His grace. Barnabas was the one who gave Paul a go when the apostles in Jerusalem were unsure. Barnabas took risks with people because he could see with grace. God used both men and when they separated they...

And God who knows the heart, testified to them by giving the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary , we believe we are saved through grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are. Acts 15:8-11 It is so easy to put a yoke on someone else. The first disciples thought salvation was for the Jews but had to learn it was for all men and women. This would smack at their pride and while they had to deal with this truth they then had to deal with the fact that this new crowd didn't even have to sacrifice like they did, getting circumcised. Last Sunday I watched a church be given by my now former pastor to a 35 year old man. There will be a lot of dealing with attitude as this young man changes things and oh I pray he does. This young man has not done the years t...

Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses you cannot be saved.' Acts 15:1 Circumcision would have come to be a form of holiness to the Jews. It was a huge price paid by an individual to show that that person would follow God. We can see from the passages around this scripture that circumcision was enshrined in the Jewish faith and Jewish Christians valued it's sanctity so much they fought for it. We have, all of us, parts of our Christianity that are sacred to us. It depends what faith we are in before we come to know Jesus as a living friend as opposed to a mystical thought out there that we follow. Before I had asked the Lord into my life I was a catholic. The catholic faith has a lot of rituals and beliefs associated with godliness. After conversion I had to go through a time when I needed to learn what was law and what was grace. the words 'I should do' became suspic...

When the crowd saw what Paul had done they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language 'The gods have come down to us in the form of men'. Paul said, 'Men, why are you doing these things? We are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God.' Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium , and when they won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. Acts 14: 11,15,19,20 Crowds of people can be so fickle. I watch on the news how the reporters in Syria believe that there is a canned crowd. In other words we are seeing what the politicians want us to see. We see protesters everywhere. People are rising up and protesting against the governments for this decision or that decision. In Australia we had a recent protest against live animal exports to nations where the animals are abused. Yet I see how ...

So they stayed there for some time and spoke boldly in reliance on the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace by granting that signs and wonders be performed through them. Acts 14:3 It is interesting that the first word 'so' comes after the preceding verses about opposition. Isn't it funny how some forms of opposition cause you to dig in and rely on the Lord, this is especially true when you know you are where the Lord wants you. They spoke boldly in reliance on the Lord. This is the only boldness worth having. Note that the gospel is a message of grace. Grace undoes all legal thinking, all performance based godliness, breaks down all barriers, cuts through the darkness and sets captives free but best of all it releases the power of God. Signs and wonders back up grace, miracles are found in grace because relationship with the miracle giver is there. Miracles did not stop the opposition, rather it intensified to the point of stoning. However those who believed...

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Acts 13:47 As Paul and Barnabus found, their job was to take the message of salvation not to the fat, fully content babies inside the existing synagogues, but to the lost. Churches everywhere have many spoilt believers who don't know how to share the good news, it is all about them. (sounds harsh I know but true) One of the biggest frustrations in church leadership is motivating those who do not want to be motivated. Those who do not want to give of themselves will not change. Paul and Barnabus brought a message of hope yet is was rejected by the established gatherings and fierce opposition rose to protect the status quo. Those who belong to the Lord and desire to build His Kingdom have to go outside the gates and feed the hungry, the poor, seek and save that which is lost. Verse 48 says: 'when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorifi...