{"id":1975,"date":"2019-12-21T13:44:15","date_gmt":"2019-12-21T21:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1975"},"modified":"2019-12-21T13:44:15","modified_gmt":"2019-12-21T21:44:15","slug":"devotion-acts-2013-21-availability-and-doing-out-of-love-and-appreciation-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1975","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Acts 20:13-21 Availability And Doing Out Of Love And Appreciation Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"
Acts 20:13-21\u00a0<\/b>–\u00a0We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.\u00a014\u00a0When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.\u00a015\u00a0The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.\u00a016\u00a0Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus\u00a0to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,\u00a0for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,\u00a0if possible, by the day of Pentecost.\u00a0 17\u00a0From Miletus,\u00a0Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders\u00a0of the church.\u00a018\u00a0When they arrived, he said to them: \u201cYou know how I lived the whole time I was with you,\u00a0from the first day I came into the province of Asia.\u00a019\u00a0I served the Lord with great humility and with tears\u00a0and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.\u00a020\u00a0You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything\u00a0that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.\u00a021\u00a0I have declared to both Jews\u00a0and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance\u00a0and have faith in our Lord Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201c<\/span>We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 It seems that Paul chartered the ship so that it could make specific stops as was needed.\u00a0 If he had merely gotten tickets on a charter ship he could not specify their stops.<\/div>\n

All of Paul\u2019s companions traveled by ship, whereas Paul walked the approximately twenty miles, and this after being awake all night!\u00a0 Why did Paul want to walk alone?\u00a0 Luke doesn\u2019t say but it is easy to believe that Paul wanted alone time with the Lord.\u00a0 Walking and being alone with God is a good time to pray and a great time to listen.\u00a0 God ordained to for us to edify and care for each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11<\/b>).\u00a0 It is key.\u00a0 Yet, the first person to rush to, to talk to, to listen to is none other than Jesus.\u00a0 It is who we most want and need to talk to and hear from.\u00a0 God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit is whom we most need to be our counselor and comforter.\u00a0 Let us remember that.\u00a0 It is good to be encouraged by each other.\u00a0 It is best to be encouraged directly by God (Matthew 11:28-30<\/b>).\u00a0 Praise God!<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.\u00a015\u00a0The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.\u00a016\u00a0Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus\u00a0to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,\u00a0for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,\u00a0if possible, by the day of Pentecost.\u00a0 17\u00a0From Miletus,\u00a0Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders\u00a0of the church.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 As was previously determined Paul met up with his companions at Assos and then continued to Miletus.\u00a0 From there he called for the leaders from the church at Ephesus.<\/p>\n

Remembering that these pastors, leaders, elders also worked at their occupations \/ jobs, it was inspiring that when Paul called for them they came.\u00a0 Today I read \u201cIt has been rightly said that one of the greatest abilities in the kingdom of God is availability.\u201d\u00a0 There are many people who say that they serve God but then they only give to God scraps of time to be available for Him.\u00a0 It is common in the church that people will not cut back on work times, or hobby time, or sport time, or entertainment time to answer the call of God to do His work.\u00a0 When He is looking for people to step forward, they step backward. \u00a0God is looking for people who step forward to volunteer to be used (Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 53:2<\/b>). \u00a0It is common for pastors to humbly bow and say it\u2019s okay, I understand.\u00a0 Yes they understand, they just don\u2019t contest. \u00a0They want the willing, not the forced.\u00a0 Extremely common is for those Christ died for (all) to scrape time that is regularly set apart for God to attend a child\u2019s sporting event, or organized outing.\u00a0 Now family time is important, but God\u2019s time is more important.\u00a0 Family time should be worked around God time.\u00a0 Family time should be a priority, just not above God.\u00a0 We should not worry that God will overwork us to attend to His business.\u00a0 We should be led by His Holy Spirit in the decisions and trust that God knows what is best.\u00a0 Surely these statements will offend the pampered or naive, but those who keep their nose to the grindstone understand.\u00a0 Those that love God above all else, above self, above every worldly interest, and even above beloved family, understand.\u00a0 Jesus taught \u201c\u201cIf anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters\u2014yes, even their own life\u2014such a person cannot be my disciple.\u00a027\u00a0And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple<\/i>.\u00a033\u00a0In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples<\/u>.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 (Luke 14:26-27, 33<\/b>)\u00a0 Family and Friends, God does not ask for us to give up some things and withhold other things.\u00a0 No, Jesus who gave up all for us expects us to love Him first and most and hold nothing higher than Him.\u00a0 Holding anything before or higher than God is idolatry.\u00a0 So when we are talking about when God is calling to us to serve Him and we choose a sporting event first, or an additional time of study (not the Word), then we should consider whom we are refusing.\u00a0 Those who say that \u201cGod will understand\u201d I must agree with.\u00a0 The question is whether we understand.\u00a0 When Paul called, then the leaders came.\u00a0 When God called then the leaders came.\u00a0 If fact the great quality of availability is a chief requirement for those who will be used by the Lord.\u00a0 Let\u2019s ask the world to \u201cunderstand\u201d as we serve God and not ask for God to \u201cunderstand\u201d as we serve ourselves, our work, our family and the world.\u00a0 \u00a0If need be, repent.\u00a0 If no need to repent, then praise God and continue on.\u00a0 Trust God to guide.\u00a0 He loves us so and knows how take care of all of us much better than we do.\u00a0 Be thankful!\u00a0 Praise God!\u00a0 Always love and praise God!<\/p>\n

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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acts 20:13-21\u00a0–\u00a0We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.\u00a014\u00a0When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.\u00a015\u00a0The next day we set sail from there and arrived…<\/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":[82,103,106,101,94,1874,17,757],"class_list":["post-1975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-isaiah","tag-luke","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-psalm","tag-thessalonians"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975","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=1975"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1976,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975\/revisions\/1976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}