{"id":1800,"date":"2019-09-11T09:18:12","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T17:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1800"},"modified":"2019-09-11T09:18:12","modified_gmt":"2019-09-11T17:18:12","slug":"devotion-acts-166-10-the-leading-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1800","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Acts 16:6-10 The Leading Of God"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acts 16:6-10\u00a0<\/b>\u2013<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/span>Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia\u00a0and Galatia,\u00a0having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.\u00a07\u00a0When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus\u00a0would not allow them to.\u00a08\u00a0So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.\u00a09\u00a0During the night Paul had a vision\u00a0of a man of Macedonia\u00a0standing and begging him, \u201cCome over to Macedonia and help us.\u201d\u00a010\u00a0After Paul had seen the vision, we\u00a0got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel\u00a0to them.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cPaul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia\u00a0and Galatia,\u00a0having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 Paul and company were kept from preaching the Word in the province of Asia. (See the below map.)\u00a0 We can see that from Iconium they were traveling west right toward the regions of Phrygia.\u00a0 Some suppose that the group meant to go through Phrygia to Ephesus.\u00a0 But the Holy Spirit did not let them go into Phrygia so they were led north.\u00a0 With Phrygia on the West and Galatia on the East of them, they were clearly being led to a specific destination.\u00a0 They travelled north to Bithynia, but again the Spirit of God, here noted as the Spirit of Jesus (our triune God is One), did not allow them to enter it.\u00a0 We see how specifically God guided them, having them thread their way north and not entering into areas to their right or left, but to head north.\u00a0 Hemmed in they came to Bithynia and were stopped from going into it as then they had to turn left (West) and travel in that direction to Troas.\u00a0 Again they were being directed on a very specific path that did not allow them to turn north or south.\u00a0 They were led to Troas.\u00a0 As we are given further details we can see the hand of God not only by the fact that they were very specifically led by God, but also by what happens in Troas.\u00a0 If they had been allowed to follow their own plans, they would have hit the coast of the Aegean Sea at Ephesus and not Troas.\u00a0 But the Lord directed them to Troas for very specific reasons.<\/p>\n

The question that begs to be answered is how was the Holy Spirit leading them?\u00a0 How was He directing them from not going one place to going to another place? \u00a0Luke does not say how this was being done, so we can\u2019t say for sure.\u00a0 We must always remember that if Scripture does not tell us, then we must honor that.\u00a0 Not that we cannot indirectly deduce, but we should not be dogmatic about what we consider to be facts but which scripture does not clearly verify.\u00a0 Some believe that the Holy Spirit spoke audibly to them.\u00a0 Even the Cessationists believe that the God communicated in such a way then.\u00a0 Also we can safely believe that the Lord used someone to give a prophecy, since we know that God did use New Testament prophets to speak to Paul (Acts 21:10-11<\/b>).\u00a0 Possibly the Lord created some unknown (to us) circumstance that prevented them from going in the directions they were not to go.\u00a0 Although we are not directed, all these are certainly possible.<\/p>\n

Interesting is that while the venerable doctor has been writing in third person, in\u00a0V10<\/b>\u00a0he switches to first person, as he then includes himself as part of the group by the use of \u201cwe.\u201d\u00a0 Here let us also remember that Paul was not the kind of person to take \u201cNo\u201d easily.\u00a0 He was stoned in Lystra (Acts 14:20<\/b>) and then went right back into it.\u00a0 He was warned by the prophet Agabus of the danger he faced if going to Jerusalem, Paul went anyway.\u00a0 So what would dissuade Paul from going into Phrygia, Galatia and Bithynia?\u00a0 How strong was the direction he was receiving?\u00a0 Was Paul just listening better now than he had been when he was stoned at Lystra?\u00a0 Or was there a strong reason he did not enter these cities?<\/p>\n

Many Bible scholars believe that on this trip Paul was struck by an Asian fever that was so severe his eyesight would be permanently damaged (Galatians 4:13-15<\/b>).\u00a0 Now, since Paul was so overcome by this illness, the Lord led him to Troas, where Luke lets us know that he is now a part of the group.\u00a0 We know that Luke was a doctor.\u00a0 So Paul became sick and was led on a specific path to Troas where he met Dr. Luke who could travel with him and treat him.\u00a0 Later, Luke who was a great scholar, would write the Gospel according to Luke and also the book of Acts.\u00a0 God wanted these two to meet.\u00a0 As a result, Paul\u2019s illness could be treated and Luke would have the benefit of knowing and traveling with Paul and would later write two books of the New Testament.\u00a0 Family and Friends, that certainly looks like a plan of God coming together.<\/p>\n

We are not told that Paul and his company knew what God was doing as He was directing them.\u00a0 They merely obeyed.\u00a0 In order to obey, first they had to hear.<\/p>\n

Some may think that God wouldn\u2019t work that way because it would not be a part of God\u2019s plan for Paul to get sick.\u00a0 That thought is not in line with all of scripture.\u00a0 It is also not in line with God\u2019s word.\u00a0 Nor is that in line with the contemporary evidence we have.\u00a0 Joni Eareckson Tada became a quadriplegic after a diving accident.\u00a0 Through her suffering and pain she has been greatly used by God. God has used her injury.\u00a0\u00a0 Pastor Jon Courson relates a story of when he was a freshman in high school.\u00a0 Although not gifted to be long distance runner like his brother, he worked hard to try to be.\u00a0 Before his first meet he got sick and developed pneumonia that scarred his lungs.\u00a0 He had to drop off his high school team long distance team.\u00a0 Then he saw the discus throwers.\u00a0 He figured he could do that so he tried out for that and excelled at that.\u00a0 In fact he broke records and even got into college on a scholarship.\u00a0 He had not been a gifted runner, but was a gifted discus thrower.\u00a0 So God blessed John by allowing him to get sick and thereby leading him to be the discus thrower he was meant to be.\u00a0 Family and Friends, we worry over the immediate, God is concerned with our greater and our eternal benefits.\u00a0 Jon is happy that he got sick and found discus throwing.\u00a0 He praises God for His using sickness to lead him.<\/p>\n

We must always be open to God\u2019s leading.\u00a0 If we do not know how to be led by the Holy Spirit, then spend time alone with Him and do a lot of time both praying and also listening. \u00a0Get to know the voice of God (John 10:27<\/b>). \u00a0Understand and know Him by spending time with Him and reading the Word concerning Him.\u00a0 Besides, He is the one who inspired men to write all of scripture (2 Peter 1:21<\/b>).\u00a0 And concerning that, the men who wrote the Word of God did that as guided, as directed, as told by the Holy Spirit of God.\u00a0 Although the Bible is completed and only a heretic would add to it, still the Holy Spirit is faithful to His mission in leading, teaching and speaking to us.\u00a0 God does not love us less than first century Christians.\u00a0 He does not want them to have a deeper understanding than us.\u00a0 In fact utilizing what they gave to us (The Word) we should know at least as much.\u00a0 All by the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 All by the Word which has bequeathed to all of us.<\/p>\n

Also Family, God uses each of us to enlighten each of us.\u00a0 Get with someone who does hear from God.\u00a0 Don\u2019t join a pack of those who cannot hear and adopt them as your pack and let that be your guide.\u00a0 Trust God.\u00a0 Desire His promises and grasp onto them, never letting them go.\u00a0 Let the promises of God define your walk with Him. \u00a0We are all called to hear God in a very special way that God has for all of us.<\/p>\n

Family, draw near to God and He will draw near to us (James 4:8<\/b>).\u00a0 Jesus died so that we would have an eternal and intimate relationship with God.\u00a0 Jesus gave us a personal invited in\u00a0Matthew 11:28-30<\/b>.\u00a0 Jesus has said His people would know His voice.\u00a0 If we haven\u2019t yet learned how to that only means that we have yet to learn.\u00a0 Not that it is not meant for us.\u00a0 The only thing that blocks us from hearing God\u2019s voice is our giving up, or worse, our own obstinacy. \u00a0And oh, we all know, how obstinate we can be!\u00a0 Yes, all of us!\u00a0 But God keeps open the invitation to speak and listen to Him.\u00a0\u00a0 He wants that for all of us.\u00a0 Praise God and hear His response.\u00a0 Praise God!<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s Second Missionary Trip<\/b><\/div>\n
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Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acts 16:6-10\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia\u00a0and Galatia,\u00a0having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.\u00a07\u00a0When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus\u00a0would not allow them to.\u00a08\u00a0So they passed by Mysia and went down…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[82,1969,1700,100,101,94,1874,90,17],"class_list":["post-1800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-galatians","tag-james","tag-john","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-peter","tag-psalm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1800"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1801,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1800\/revisions\/1801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}