Author: missionspaul

My house

Acts 16:15

“When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.”

 

Lydia has been baptised in the river in the open place where the team had prayed and worshipped God. We may think today that the test of someone’s decision to journey with Christ is baptism. However, here it is not baptism. It is whether the team will come into her home. Peter had stayed at the Gentile home of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion and now Paul and his team are faced with the question of staying in the home of Gentile Lydia. That is the test. And apparently she had to persuade them. So perhaps a member of the team was uncertain. Was it Silas? He was from the Jerusalem Church who had battled over the Gentiles coming to faith. Anyway, they went into her home, Jews and Gentiles united in God under one roof.

This week I was hearing from a leader of a Romanian fellowship in the Church I previously Pastored how in the many Romanian homes in the town God is moving powerfully and people are being saved, healed and added to the Church.

God is in homes.

The Elim Church in Cologne, Germany is now around 400-500 people on a Sunday attendance. It started 2 years ago with the Church planter and his wife who had been sent out from Derby Elim. They began with house parties and kept moving location to bigger homes as these parties grew.

God is in homes.

Jesus spent a lot of time in the homes of people. Peter’s mother-in-law with a fever, dinner at Matthew the tax-collectors house, the Synagogue leaders home, Simon the Pharisees house and of course (“I must” ) his stay at Zacchaeus home.

What happened in these homes? We read of healings, anointings, messages of peace and encouragement, salvation and prayer.

Shepherds need to spend time in the sheep pen.

Pastors cannot pastor from behind the pulpit or in the office.

God is in homes.

May our homes be filled with dancing
May our streets be filled with joy.
May injustice bow to Jesus
As the people turn to pray.

As we cross over the thresholds of people’s homes by doing so let us announce acceptance, belonging and peace to all who live there. They are not a number, they matter to God, to His Church and to us.

“Lord open my heart as you did for Lydia”

Acts 16:14

“One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”

 

Lydia was at the place of prayer, down at the river.

Lydia was a worshipper: this Gentile lady had noticed in Judaism something that was missing in her life, and she began to worship God.

The heart of this worshipper in the place of prayer was opened by God.

God reached into the centre of Lydia’s heart, as He still does mine. My heart, which is my thoughts and attitudes of life (Hebrews 4:12) and where my passion for life comes from (Proverbs 4:23) becomes sick when I lose sight of destiny and purpose (Proverbs 13:12). My heart can be wounded (Psalm 109:22), anxious (Ecclesiastes 11:10) and it can become stubborn (2 Chronicles 36:13). My heart can be closed by any or all of those things.

I sit here in the quietness of this morning and I feel some of those things weighing heavy within my heart. I cannot remove them nor can I fix them. I can cry and complain but they won’t change. So what do I do?

I do what Lydia did.

I go to the place of prayer and I worship God and I wait until He comes and He will…

The river

Acts 16:13

“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.”

The team head to the river …

I have been to Varanasi twice now, the centre for Hinduism. It is an interesting place known for the fact that it sits on the river Ganges where the Hindus worship it as ‘Mother Ganges’. The walk down to the river from a clean hotel is a walk of dodging the filthy streets and the cows that roam randomly! The river runs from the Himalayas which probably commences with clean pure water as it flows from an ice cave but certainly by the time it arrives at Varanasi it is anything but clean. Yet millions come to be spiritually cleansed, to cremate their loved ones on the river.

Some things we can learn about the river (and I don’t mean the Ganges!).

1. In order to get to the river you have to leave first. What you leave may be your security and all that you know. Your ‘city’ may stand for authority, status and people. But you have to leave it in order to get to the river.
2. In order to get to the river you have to move towards it. There is a journey that has to be made by a pilgrim.
3. The river creates an expectation and anticipation that there will be an opportunity for a divine exchange between earth and heaven. People talk about this and the message is spread that the river becomes famous for prayer.
4. The river functions not just for prayer but we will see in a few verses it is the place for baptism. It is here where the spiritual ritual of cleansing and purity takes place. People expect to come from the river changed as a person.
5. There are always crowds at the river but there is always a place for you. At the river the people gathered are at different stages of their spiritual life, but there is always a place for you!

I am talking about a different river. The River.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.

Go to the river today. He is waiting for you!

Let us stay awhile

Acts 16:12

“From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[ of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.”

 

What will cause you to stay? The team stayed ‘there several days’. Why? Let me offer some speculative reasons that may help us in our own mission in life.

1. People – in the next several days we will read 3 stories of their time in this city. These people were Lydia, a demon possessed slave girl and a prison guard. They are amazing stories and they kept the team in the city because of what they encountered.
2. Place of Influence – Of course the capital in this region was Thessalonica. However, Luke writes of Philippi as the ‘leading city’. That could mean he was simply capturing the view of the people; or maybe it was because of its amazingly famous history of when Caesar Augustus killed Julius Caesar in this city; or perhaps because of its wealth with the gold mines and the springs it had; or was it even because of its diversity containing Greeks, Romans and foreigners who all carried with them their own gods to be worshipped. Of course no one knows whether it was opinion, history, wealth, diversity or a mixture of all four that made the city what it was. But Luke says it was ‘leading’.
3. Purpose – They were in Macedonia because of verse 9. Paul had a vision of the call to Macedonia. This was a new chapter for them. They were purposed by God to be there. They had to stay to discover why He wanted them there and then to carry out His will for their lives.

So as I reflect on what I have just written I am spurred on in my own life to organise my mission in this life around those very same 3 speculative reasons: People, the place of influence and the purpose of God.

I want my life to be about the people I encounter and their stories of transformation and to somehow play a part no matter how small to their development.

I want my life to be about being in a place of influence. I want to be able to influence the influencers and to lead the leaders. I truly believe everyone reading this blog if they looked around them would recognise that they themselves are in a place of being able to influence. It is the most exciting opportunity to influence our own children, or a friend perhaps, even our own parents and spouses. But of course the list goes on.

I want my life to be about purpose. To be right on track, focused, determined, heading in the right direction and having a sense of being here for such a time as this.

These are my 3 desires this morning. Are they yours? If so, let us stay awhile and see what God will do!

Keep sailing.

Acts 16:11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis.

 

Two years ago I had arrived at an Elim conference in a difficult country because of its terrorist activities against Christians. I hadn’t really wanted to attend but agreed because the national leader said ‘he would look after me’.

When I arrived into the town it was clear I was the only white man and wanting to keep a low profile I was a little anxious to see myself on billboards advertising the meetings.

At the commencement of the conference the national leader announced that not all the Elim churches were there in attendance. Some had given their apologies because they were afraid of the terrorists along the journey. He then went on to announce, “But this white man has risked his life to be here.” Everyone applauded but I think people may have heard my intake of breath! When he sat down next to me I said “You told me I would be safe.” His reply was shocking but made me smile, “No, I said we would look after you.” Presumably they would look after me alive or dead!

Paul and his missions team set sail from Troas across the sea. Fairly safe you might think but not back then, it was a risky way of travelling. But they did it because people needed to hear of Jesus.

Missionaries live their lives under constant threat from disease and threats. They continue because of the same passion that Paul and his team had. It is not easy. But they do it because of the love of God.

Maybe today you are facing a difficult journey. Maybe you feel alone. Maybe you are threatened by upcoming news. There is no other way if you are going to serve God but to go through this time. This is your sea.

When reading verse 11 we may focus more on the 2 places they went to, Samothrace and Neapolis. We may wonder where those places were, who lived there and what would God do. Our focus may cause us to overlook the sea travel. But maybe that is the whole point. How are we going to get through this difficult time, our ‘sea’? We do it by focusing ahead, looking to serving God and to reach others with His love.

Keep sailing today with others in mind.

Join the action. The guidance of God pt 5

Acts 16:10 “After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

Over the last 5 days I have tried to use these few verses to show some of the ways we are guided by God. Today I am saying unless you are willing to become part of that guidance then you will never know God in your own life.

Look at the verse again. Here the narrative of Acts changes.  The ‘he’ and ‘they’ now become ‘we’. The best and most accepted explanation is that it is here when Luke joins Paul, Silas and Timothy.

Quite simply, you are not called to read about mission nor to write about it or speak about it, you are called to join the team! To be able to say, “I was there!”

The guidance of God is about you getting on board with what He is doing. The ship is sailing with you or without you. This is your chance, your moment to be part of something bigger, the mission of God. So dust off the broken experiences and the hurt that has held you back and move again. Join the team. Get into the action. Make a new testimony today, “I was there.”

 

The God of the new day. The guidance of God part 4

Acts 16:9 “During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

They reach Troas. It is on the coast, their land trip has ended because there is nowhere else to go except to return the way they came. But then the Spirit breaks in. What does he say? Cross the sea. Go to new ground. Do something new. They were to go to Greece, a new frontier for the gospel.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3

Paul and his team had to be flexible enough to make the necessary changes in their plans. Within you is the ability to change: in fact you are changing.

2 Corinthians 3:18, The Message says “And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.”

You may know those changes in the way you live your life, changes in your attitude, changes to the way you remember events, changes to what you allow to dictate your thoughts, changes are necessary. But knowing that is not good enough. We need to re-educate ourselves behaviourally by simply stop doing what we were doing, stop thinking, stop speaking and begin to live differently, think and speak differently.

So today you may think you have reached the end, but you haven’t. Check your pulse. If you are still here then there is still a job to do. It may be to cross the seas (even literally!) and continue into a whole new chapter for your life and ministry.

 

Walk on. The guidance of God pt3

Acts 16:8 “So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.”

When God says no then just walk on, keep going. No matter how much you wanted God to say YES if He says NO then keep moving.

Read the verse again. God had said NO to them entering Bithynia. So they continued on. They went to Troas.

We are people who have this driving force, this momentous call to go forward, to move ahead, to the next level. The purposes of God and the ability to overcome disappointment are born in such attitude. Many focus on the circumstances of life. The call is more important than the circumstance. The Bible is full of examples of this:

Daniel said “I heard but I did not understand. My Lord what was the outcome of this?” He replied, “Go your way Daniel” (Daniel 12) And so I ask myself this question:  Can I feel the call of God on my life even when I don’t understand everything?  I have learnt never to wait outside a closed-door experience. I choose to “go your way.”

When God said to Abram, “Go to the land I will show you” – the land was inhabited by Canaanites. And so I ask myself this question: Can I feel the call of God to go and work with determination to enter into all God has for me?

God said to Moses, “Now go I am sending you to bring my people out into a good and spacious land”.  And so I ask myself this question: Can I feel the call of God to go and see many people break free of whatever limitations are on their life?

Will you join me today and say YES to these questions. Don’t look at your circumstances look at your call. Keep walking.

God can say NO and He does and that’s okay. The guidance of God pt 2

Acts 16:7 “When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”

The Spirit can close doors of opportunity.

Everyone knows the closed door experiences and the hurt it causes, particularly when you have given time and effort to something.

You know what it is like to be sitting with a friend wanting more than anything for them to live but they don’t.

You know what it is like to go for that dream interview and you do really well but you don’t get the job.

The illustrations are endless and you understand what I am saying.

Paul had travelled south-east to north-west by a strange circular route. He can’t get into Asia and he can’t get into Bithynia. They were probably somewhat disturbed as to what the plans and purposes were exactly, for so far, the guidance of God had only been negative.

They were learning that God does close doors. He does say NO.

But He is God and that’s okay.

God still intervenes today: the guidance of God part 1

Acts 16:6 “Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.”

 

I have just heard the news of the terrible attack in London where a man has driven his car into people and killed a policeman and injured many. At the same time I see on facebook many people bringing assurances to friends and relatives that they are thanking God they are alive and well. What a relief it must be if you were caught up in it but survived to be an eyewitness. I am sure there are many today saying, “I normally walk across that bridge but I decided not to yesterday.” Some will even give glory to God as the one who kept them from disaster without being able to offer an explanation for those who were not kept from it.

Why does God heal some but not others? Why does God step in to protect and at other times He doesn’t seem to appear? Why does God speak and at other times He is silent?

I have absolutely no answers to those questions and I am relieved I don’t credit myself with such divine wisdom to hazard a guess. In fact I seem to have more questions than answers as I get older.

But this is what I hold on to: through the ups and downs of this life it can be easy to think that we are alone trying to find our path down here. However nothing can be further from the truth when you are a child of God. God still speaks today. He will step into our lives to recalibrate our lives. Not all the time. But He will. For the purpose which is far higher than we would ever know on earth.

It was the most natural thing for this missions team from where they were to look south-west along a famous Roman road called the via Sebaste toward Asia. Surely this is the way to take.

But the natural choice was the wrong choice.

Our mind is small. Our best thoughts are small. We are small.

Let me reiterate again. One thing I believe: The Holy Spirit stepped in and kept them from carrying out their decision. He still does. He still steps in. He still speaks.

The Holy Spirit will speak to us generally speaking in 4 ways:

1. the Bible.
2. through experience.
3. through supernatural means – an audible voice; an audible voice to you alone; an internal audible voice:the voice of angels
4. through natural means – dreams and visions; an impression; people.

You may have gone through a dark valley and God may have been silent. But we are reminded today God still speaks. He still steps into situations and He can move into your context and reorganise your steps.

I choose to believe this even when the circumstances of life challenge my belief. Amen!