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As we move into Acts 18, we read of Paul leaving Athens - moving on - and arriving in Corinth. Paul is moving on - he is not giving in - nor giving up - nor 'chickening out'!

We so need these truths - may they come to us fresh. May this be to us a fresh word from God.

Paul continues on his mission in the service of the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ. God has called him, and God is showing him how to do it, and it is very simple, having various ingredients. Preaching, teaching, riots, ensuring those who came to believe in Jesus Christ were properly…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 17:22, Paul accepted the invitation to contribute at the Areopagus in Athens, the philosophical centre, in the University city, where they enjoyed philosophical arguments, debates and discussions. Paul discerns the situation as he rises to speak - "Men of Athens - I see in every way that you are very religious - superstitious.

If we get the first two commandments wrong, we will have difficulties and problems with the other eight. Note carefully what is being taught - 1. Only ONE GOD and - 2. No graven images. If your ideas of God are wrong, you'll get…  ( Click for more )

Acts 17:16. Here is Paul in the great University city of Athens - one of the centres of man's learning and wisdom and knowledge.

All the great brains are here. All the foremost philosophers and thinkers. So what!

In the U.K., we have had all the so-called great brains transforming education over these past years, and now they are searching, for some basic guidance to try and teach children the difference between right and wrong - and failing miserably. Wander away from the Word of God and you will soon be in deep and serious trouble.

Athens was so full…  ( Click for more )

Acts 17:14-34. We read here of the apostle Paul - a man of God exercising a prophetic ministry - with apostolic power and authority - with prophetic insight - with that ability to discern what was of God and what was of the evil one - with gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in his life - and the fruit of the Holy Spirit so visibly obvious - and he has to flee to Athens for his own safety.

This was all the result of a vision. "O God give us a fresh vision". Be careful when you pray that. The consequence of that vision given in Troas was - Paul in prison in Philippi…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 17:10 - Paul and Silas are sent off from Thessalonica to Berea, and again they go into the synagogue and preach Jesus Christ - same place - same method - same message.

We read that the Bereans were more noble, and they readily received the Word of God. Their minds were open to God - to His Word - and to His servants.

These people did something highly interesting and significant - and important. They went home to check up on what was being preached and taught. This they did every day to ensure that what was being said was true.

Many believed -…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 17, Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica. For three Sabbaths Paul is reasoning with these Jews from the Scriptures. He is opening up the Word of God and teaching the people that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and be crucified and rise again from the dead.

When Paul is speaking to Jews he quotes from the Scriptures. His desire is to ground his preaching and teaching upon The Word of God. Paul has a great love for The Word of God, and he seeks to impart that to people, everywhere he goes.

Paul preaches that it is this Jesus Who was crucified and…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 17, we read of Silas and Paul arriving in Thessalonica, and they look for the synagogue. They looked for the place of prayer. They looked for that setting where people at least had a belief in God. "As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue."

This man has had bad experiences among the Jews, and with the Jews, but still he realises that this is where he is to begin. Paul does not permit the past to colour his present, and like His Saviour, Jesus Christ, Paul goes back to the synagogue.

Do not allow anything from your past limit your service for Jesus…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:35f. Daylight came in Philippi, and Paul and Silas were still prisoners, despite everything that had happened to the senior prison officer and his family. The magistrates had decided to release Paul and Silas - "Go. Off you go - out of our road - off our patch - go in peace." But Paul said - "NO. They have beaten us openly - we are untried - illegally imprisoned - and now you want to dismiss us quietly and privately - as if it had never happened. No - No - No - Let the magistrates come and meet us."

Paul is not standing upon his dignity here. There is…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:30. When that senior prison officer in Philippi called out to Silas and Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" What did Paul say? Keep the Ten Commandments? Be kind. Come to our fellowship in Lydia's home? NO! Paul stated and proclaimed from prison, "Believe in the Lord Jesus - and the people in your home can be saved too." You can almost hear the jailer say - "Tell me more." Imagine taking top security prisoners into your home - what a risk to run - but he so wanted to hear more, and that was worth any risk. "Bring a sponge and warm water. Let me…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:25f. Paul and Silas have been praising and worshipping the living God - the only God there is - in that prison cell - and God honours their testimony. The jailer falls trembling before Paul and Silas. He brings them out and asks - "What must I do to be saved?" I do not want to perish. What do I have to do to escape what is awaiting me - and receive what you have received?

Verse 31. They replied. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household." It is significant that this is said to a man - to the head of the house - "Believe,…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:25. In a way Paul and Silas appear to be in a mess. In that Philippian prison they are hurting and scarred and sore, yet they are singing - "Jesus is Lord - Thou art worthy - Hallelujah, Hallelujah, give thanks to the risen Lord - Exalt the Lord our God - How great thou art!" And God joined in and shook everything!

Suddenly there was a great earthquake. The foundations of the prison were shaken - all the doors flew open - everybody's chains fell off - and nobody ran away.

Here we see the greatness of the power of God. It shakes the whole jail…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:25-40. These two men of God, Paul and Silas, are in this Philippian prison, as a direct consequence of their ministry in the Name of Jesus Christ, and in the Power of the Holy Spirit. That girl had been delivered from an evil spirit - a python spirit.

None of us in our fellowship in Scotland has experienced being in prison for our faith - yet! How would we face up to that if it became a distinct possibility? How would we react and respond if we were confronted by some kind of threat, because we claimed to belong to Jesus Christ?

We saw how the ministry…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:18, Paul sets a girl free from an evil spirit which was controlling her. She was released from that evil spirit which controlled and dominated her life. This too can be part of mission, but how often is that taught today?

She was a slave in more ways than one. Now she is released but release for her meant financial loss to her owners. When the hope of personal profit is gone, trouble usually comes.

Some people want to make money and they do not mind how they do it. They exploit human weakness, and when the Holy Spirit moves, such men are going to lose…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:17, this girl who was deeply involved in the occult and who was owned by pimps, followed Paul, shouting and screaming - "These men are servants of the most high God who are telling you the way to be saved." Every word is true. She is being fed the truth about Paul, but from a wrong source. It has been said that today she would have been welcomed as a founder member of the fellowship in Philippi.

This went on for a number of days. Paul ignores it and puts up with it for a few days.

Paul is not going to be diverted suddenly. He wants to preach the…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:16, we have read of Paul and Silas making their way to the place of prayer. They were concentrating their ministry where the interest was keenest. God began to work with those who were gathering for prayer.

All of a sudden, a certain young girl who had an evil spirit met them and followed them. It is amazing what can happen to you on the way to the Prayer Meeting - to prevent, hinder, delay, distract, or stop altogether.

Sometimes the hardest part of the Prayer Meeting or the Worship service is getting there - getting from your place to the place of Prayer…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:16 - God has led Paul and Silas over to Europe. They are based in Philippi, and this business woman, Lydia, has come to faith in Jesus Christ and so has her household. After they have been baptised, Paul and Silas are invited to her home. They are given hospitality of the highest quality.

This was God's best for Paul. We read of how he was prevented from going north to Bithynia in modern day Turkey, when he has this vision to come over to Macedonia and preach the Gospel in Europe.

God does not let Paul have his own way, and neither will He permit…  ( Click for more )

We are in Acts 16:11. Now these men of God, led by the Holy Spirit, have crossed over into Europe and are in the central city of that region, Philippi. The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been proclaimed there before. What are they to do? Where is the best place to begin ministering? Where are the most interested and likely people?

There was no synagogue! The situation is real virgin territory. You needed ten Jewish men to have a synagogue and there were not even ten men who believed in God in the whole city. But there were some women meeting on the Sabbath…  ( Click for more )

As we read on in Acts 16:9,10 let me just remark that this is Study 100 which I have prepared on the book of ACTS. The missionary team sail from Troas - just beside Troy - over to Europe - and they make for Philippi - the main city of that part of Greece. Philippi had a strong Roman colony, and there was also a famous medical school, which gives rise to the question - "Was this where Luke did his medical training?"

Permit me one further personal remark. Many years ago when I was only eight years old, God called me to serve Him. The following Sunday at Sunday School…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:9, we see that having prevented Paul and the missionary team from going north, God has something else for Paul. God always has something for His servants. Paul receives a vision. One night a man appears to him and says - pleading with him - "Come over into Macedonia and help us."

Now, they realised why they had been prevented from going north. Jesus had to close a door before He could open this door, and sometimes that is upsetting and distressing when God closes a door, but through that vision God met with Paul and spoke with Paul and made some things clear.…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:7, we read of how God has to close certain doors sometimes - doors which we desire to go through - and our motives can be high and pure and worthy - but GOD HAS SOMETHING ELSE FOR US. We don't always see that at the time, and when HE says "NO", He doesn't always give us the reason and full explanation. We just have to accept what HE says, and that HE is Sovereign. Jesus Christ is LORD and our calling, role, task and joy is to serve HIM. Come to terms with this hard challenging lesson. That is the best way to live!

The missionary team came to…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:6, we are reading of Paul and Silas setting out on what has become known as The Second Missionary Journey. They visit Christian Fellowships - strengthening the believers - reassuring and confirming the disciples - giving encouragement to each individual believer in Jesus.

We can never over-emphasise this aspect of mission. We need to be strengthened continually - in the service of Jesus Christ - and for the service of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God. Over the years I have met very few confident, strong, reassured, disciples of Jesus.

We saw how…  ( Click for more )

At the end of Acts 15 we read of rift between Paul and Barnabas, resulting in two missionary teams instead of one! Now, I am not saying the rift was good, but we do see that God used it for good. Is there anything which separates Christians worth holding on to? Is there anything worth dividing over?

This rift arose and Paul and Silas move off to Syria and Cilicia. They go, confirming the churches, strengthening every fellowship, reassuring them, grounding them in the faith, and encouraging each group.

When they come to Derbe and Lystra Paul meets a young…  ( Click for more )

Acts 15 describes how a horrendous situation was avoided and how men of God who were leaders in the church of Jesus Christ handled a potentially explosive situation in the city of Antioch. Paul and Barnabas are back there too, and note their work - teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord - with many others also.

This is what moulds our characters. This is what gives us quality, and transforms us into the men and women Jesus Christ wants us to be.

All this is New Testament reality. It is real. This was how the Church of Jesus Christ should have remained -…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 15, we read of how The Church of Jesus Christ dealt with that serious problem which could have caused such deep division.

The Church faced up to the problem. We too must do this at times. The Church was open to listen to the leaders - to those in positions of responsibility - and also open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Listening to men - sensitive to the Holy Spirit - and arriving at a unanimous decision.

Notice how the whole church welcomes the leadership of the leaders, and did not question their judgment. The solution to the problem was a blend…  ( Click for more )