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Topic: Acts 16:6
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epouraniois
unregistered
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posted
I don't think Luke came as Paul's doctor, more that this is just one of those places where we are reminded of whom it's writer is, Luke includes himself. Similarly, the HS directed John to write of himself as 'the other disciple, whom Jesus loved'.
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Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
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posted
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/c/1148317044-7019.html#283
2. (6-10) Paul is directed to Macedonia while in Troas
a. After strengthening the churches in the region, Paul seeks to go next to the immediate west, towards the important city of Ephesus - but is prevented by the Holy Spirit
i. It is difficult to say exactly how the Holy Spirit said no; it may have been through a word of prophecy, or by an inward speaking of the Holy Spirit, or by circumstances
b. Then, Paul seeks to go north, but is again prevented by the Holy Spirit, and he ends up in Troas
i. Paul is being guided by hindrance; the Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors
c. In Troas, God makes Paul's direction clear: in a vision, Paul is "invited" to Macedonia, westward across the Agean Sea
i. This moves him from the continent of Asia to the continent of Europe; this was the first missionary endeavor to Europe
ii. Paul wanted a few cities in the region; God wanted to give him a continent for Christ
d. The shift from they to we in verse 10 probably means that Luke joined the band of missionaries in Troas; did he come as Paul's personal doctor?
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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epouraniois
unregistered
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posted
While it is the constant exercise and prayer of the Child of God that he may be continually led of the Lord, this is often a very difficult and humbling experience, and many souls are baffled and perplexed by the strangeness of the way. A few thoughts on this important theme may not come amiss.
The Lord guides by the application of His own Word. One can be positive in saying that no one is ever 'led' to disobey or contravene the teaching of Scripture. Instead of praying for guidance on many subjects, we should read the answer already given in the Word. For example,
1. In all thy ways acknowledge Him.
2. And He shall direct thy paths.
Without any special prayer, or special guidance, this lamp unto our feet will settle the Lord's will for us. We stand at the cross-ways of life. Which is the path for us? This road seems attractive, but it leads in a direction where it will be difficult or impossible to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways. That is the Lord's guidance; that shuts the door for us. Scriptural examples, as well as individual experience, go to show that the Lord's answers are far more frequently in a negative than in a positive direction.
Taking the case of the apostle Paul and those with him as given in Acts 16:6-10. After they had preached the word in Phrygia and Galatia, we find that they were forbidden to preach the word in Asia. Here is a negative leading; they were not told where they were to preach, but were simply forbidden to preach in that one spot. They arrived on their journey at Mysia, and here it appears they wondered whether it was the Lord's will for them to evangelize Bithynia; 'but the Spirit suffered them not'. Here again was a negative answer, there was no other course open apparently than to go straight on, so:
Passing by Mysia they came down to Troas, and a vision appeared unto Paul in the night ... immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Here was at last the positive. There is no mystery whatever about the preponderance of negatives in our experience. Just as there is one right way of doing a thing and a hundred wrong ways, so is it with the will of God. And just as there are 99 chances to 1 that we shall adopt the wrong way first, so it is highly probable that we shall attempt to preach in our Asia, or assay to go into our Bithynia instead of going straight from our Galatia to Troas and Macedonia.
The negative answers will grow less in proportion in the nearness of our walk to the Lord, and the knowledge of His will. As we grow in grace we shall sense as it were the right and the wrong, we shall ask less for those things that are not according to His will, we shall seek more to please Him than to please ourselves, and instead of experiencing a whole list of negatives, we shall approach the Divine plan for us more quickly and certainly. Our prayers are answered when the Spirit forbids or suffers us not, just as surely as when He gives the vision and the assurance of the call.
With what certainty we tread when the positive answer is given: 'immediately we endeavoured', 'assuredly gathering', 'we came with a straight course', and we find the one 'whose heart the Lord opened', (Acts 16:6-15). It is helpful in this connection to remember the Septuagint rendering of Proverbs 3:6:
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall RIGHTLY DIVIDE thy paths.
Edit In:
This brings to mind the idea to yield, and the verse which bears this readily contain the same:
2Ti 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Study is translated 'earnestly endeavor' in Eph 4:1 {practice section} while 'study' is translated "yield" and "present you".
Earnestly endeavor to yield thyne own self..to be cutting straight, (expound correctly), the Divine Expression of truth.
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Stacey
Community Member
Member # 5743
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posted
My friend and I are usting the same devotion booklet. Which means we read the same thing; however, we both thought differently about this scripture. Please read the below scripture and let me know what your thoughts are.
They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory because they had been prevented by the holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. Acts 16:6
My thoughts or lesson I took from this was that what we are about is God's will not our own and that sometimes it is about staying in the place where we are at peace.
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God Bless,
Stacey Silva
WalkingTestimony.com - Great Christian apparel, shirts, hats, gifts and more! Fun, hip, and cool! Share your faith through your clothing.
Posts: 11 | From: Spring Hill TN | Registered: May 2006
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