Missions Paul

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!

Stengthened

Acts 16:5 “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”

There are times when I am weak through living this life and weakened by others who live in this life.

In fact as I get older I seem to acknowledge how weak I am more often.

Weakened by questions, doubt, fear and the stupidity of life.

Weakened by disappointment, isolation, loss and the unfairness of life.

Weakened by tears, pain, hopelessness and the emptiness of life.

My weaknesses become greater rather than smaller. Weakness is all around me. I am small, slow and soft. Everyone wants a man to be big, fast and tough.

So I sit here weak, waiting for someone to come and make me strong.

Is this you? Have I described you correctly? Hold on.

Your strength will come to you. God is seeing to it.

Deliver on the decision.

Acts 14:4 “As they travelled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.”

Paul, Silas, Timothy and the ‘team’ are on their journey sharing the gospel in every town they pass through but also instructing the churches that circumcision is not necessary for salvation. They delivered the decision of the Jerusalem Council.

Last year the UK citizens made a decision to leave the European Union. Now we wait for the UK government to deliver on that decision.

We make decisions all the time, many of which remain as decisions, some we deliver on.

Most people can see what needs to happen.

Most people can choose the right way forward.

Most people can put a plan of action together.

But we need people who can deliver on those decisions. This is the mark of leadership.

Paul’s team held to these principles:

1. Who needs to hear? Everyone needed to hear of the decision, ‘from town to town’, this was for anyone who was interested in the gospel and so no one was left out.
2. Who made the decision? They were happy to be under the accountability of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
3. What does the decision mean? The decision called for obedience, that was the delivery and it could be easily monitored.

 

What decisions have you made or have been made that you are serving? Will you follow through on those decisions today? Can you put the plan into action? Make the decisions and stick to it.

It hurts.

Acts 16:3 “Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”

We get hurt in many ways. The cut can take our breath away. We can collapse under the weight of it. However, it all sits in the plan and purpose of God for our lives.

 

The circumcision was not to prove Timothy’s salvation. Paul was concerned only for the reason that with Timothy’s Gentile background then the gospel may not have been received with him being uncircumcised. So the circumcision was in order to further the gospel. The pain to Timothy was worth it for he was moving into a new chapter of his life. He was going on a journey of the gospel with Paul.

 

If God takes you on a new journey there needs to be a cutting. Whether that is a cut of your flesh or of your heart there will be pain.

It will mark a new day, a new journey, a new direction, this is a moment of change, you will never be the same again and all that sounds wonderfully exciting, but it begins with a cut.

Yesterday was the funeral of David Tinnion, my friend and journeyman for 22 years. His death has hurt me, it cut my heart. During the days leading to his death as I was crying I said to Bobbie, his wife, “this really hurts”.

This morning she is cut in a way that only those who are also grieving over a loved one truly know.

You may have said “My life will not be the same again.” The pain is the gap now in your life. Yet the pain of losing a loved one heralds a new journey.

Today you may be hurting. The cut has hurt you.

But God is calling you for a new journey with Him in this life.

Maybe He just had to cut you. It had to happen for reasons beyond you. It was part of a much bigger picture. So even in your hurt be obedient to Him.

In your hurt embrace this new day. Don’t be swallowed by your hurt but rather move with it with also the passion that the journey requires.

David Tinnion: ‘the believers spoke well of him’

We continue through Acts verse by verse …

Acts 16:2 “The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.”

This is not the negative ‘when everyone speaks well of you’ from Luke 6:26. This is not ‘everyone’ in our verse today, this is ‘the believers spoke well of Timothy’.

I am sat in my hotel room this morning knowing today will be a very difficult day. My friend of 23 years, David Tinnion, barring a miracle, will probably go to be with His Saviour today. Though my heart is broken and I grieve with his amazing wife Bobbie, I marvel at the messages that come in from around the world.

From central and south America to Europe, Africa and the many eastern and Asian nations, the believers ‘spoke well of him’.

Messages saying how David influenced, shaped, fathered, led, guided, encouraged and empowered them in some way have come flooding in. One leader said David had done more for missions in his retirement than some have done their whole life.

The believers spoke well of Timothy and Paul took that as a guiding reference to bring him onto his team. What believers say about an individual in private can be very helpful for wisdom. Their own encounter with that individual, their own personal stories and truths that perhaps no one else knows, these are the bits of information you need when searching for character issues.

Of course, it is so important to ‘speak well of someone’ to that person in order to encourage them and to keep on doing what they are doing. Through my tears this morning I am thankful that even in the 3 months of this year I remember being able to speak well of David to David on a number of occasions. Even at 70yrs of age a man needs to hear someone speak well of him.

Often we wait till someone has died to speak well of them. It is of course the right thing to do in order to honour their life. But let us use these life-giving words in life as much as we can.

I recommend David to you, the world of Elim and beyond speak well of him, he will be a good friend and help to you. However, the Saviour is calling him today, so your opportunity has gone but David’s has just begun.

For me, I am glad I have an Elim Global representative on earth (Bobbie) and an Elim Global representative in heaven making sure we get our requests in! The Bible tells me a yes on earth is a yes in heaven and a no on earth is a no in heaven. So I just need David to go along with what Bobbie says and Elim will continue to do well around the world!!!

Mentor someone younger than you.

Acts 16: 1 “Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believerbut whose father was a Greek.”

Here we are with the start of a new chapter comes the start of a new relationship. Timothy becomes Paul’s student, disciple, friend and son in the faith. They stay together for well over 15 years. Paul mentors Timothy and pours his life into him.

Jesus’ task was to change the lives of people thousands of years after He had gone back to heaven. He didn’t write books, set up schools and colleges. He mentored. He did it this way:

By Invitation: Mark 3:14 – He appointed twelve–designating them apostles –that they might be with him

Imagine with me a scenario. A leader within a local church, makes an arrangement to take a young person, (maybe you some years ago), for a coffee in the town. After the initial opening conversation that leader looks into your eyes and says this:

“I know a lot of young people. And of all the young people I know at this point in my life, you are one of the most outstanding. I have been praying about it, and I would like to become one of your life mentors. What I mean by ‘Life Mentor’ is very simple. I want to be one of the people, whether you become the prime minister or a prisoner, who cares whether you live or die and wants to see you win for the rest of your life. I want to help you in any way I can. I want you to do life with me. I want you to spend time with me. Where I go I want you to come with me. What I do I want you to try. I want to put you on my lifelong prayer list, and when you have children, I want to hear about every one of them. I want to know when they arrive, even if I’m living two thousand miles away. If you run into problems or just need a friend to talk to, I’ll be available any time, day or night. I want to stay in contact with you no matter where you go or what you do for the rest of your life; I want to be one of your life mentors. Whenever we get together in the future, this year or in thirty years, I will ask you two simple questions: “What are your priorities?” and “How can I help?”

Imagine how you would have felt. Imagine what that would have done for you?  Now imagine you doing that for someone else.

By Instruction Matthew 5:1 – Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

With a few words a guilty man is sentenced to death; a child cowers in a corner forever traumatised; a reputation is destroyed forever. The power of the spoken word is enormous.

In a small country church is a novice altar boy serving the priest at Sunday mass accidentally dropped the glass of wine. The priest struck the boy, knocking him to the ground. Standing over the young servant, the angry priest shouted, “Get out and don’t come back.” That boy became Tito, the Communist President of Yugoslavia and great Stalin supporter.

In a city cathedral, a young altar boy serving the bishop at Sunday mass accidentally dropped the glass of wine. With a warm twinkle in his eye, the bishop hugged the young boy to his side and gently whispered, “Someday, you will be a wonderful priest.” That boy grew up to become Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Bishop of New York and the 1^st American TV preacher in 1957 – 30 million viewers ‘Life is worth living’.

With a few words you can make history, you can create a future, a destiny, a few words you can erase the past, bringing about the most amazing miracle, the healing of the soul.

Can you remember stepping into someone’s pain, loss, leaving your road of victory and stepping into their road marked with suffering, to come alongside someone and to say, “I believe in you, you will make it, you may be in a pit but you’re not there on your own cos I’m in it with you. Together we will do this.”

By Demonstration John 13:15 – I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

If you are going to demonstrate anything then demonstrate serving. A servant has a heart that is not motivated by self-interest, either from their own agenda or status or safety ahead of others.

A servant does not react out of their pride or fear when spoken to. They are not quick to judge, or take offence or blame others.

A servant is quick to forgive the shortcomings of others. Forgiveness is not a natural response to being hurt or let down, it is an act of the will. Jesus taught it, demonstrated it on the cross and gave it.