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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
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 us to have our own way. Jesus Christ does not spoil us by letting us get our own way, and when we choose our own way it is usually sad and tragic and disastrous.
Lydia welcomes this missionary team into her home. Once a heart is open to the Lord Jesus, you begin to open up in all sorts of ways and areas, and arms open to welcome people you never thought you would ever welcome. Your home may open to minister to the needy. Your life may be laid down in some form of real and costly service.
Your wallet and purse and cheque book open as you desire to give to the work in the Kingdom of God. Lydia had received so much through Paul, through his ministry, and all so suddenly. She so wanted to minister in the Name of Jesus to Paul and his friends.
We are reading here of how the early Church did its work, and this is how we are to do ours. One reason why we study The Bible is to steep ourselves in God's thoughts - learning God's Ways and God's Methods - learning to begin to think as God thinks - and also learning how to respond to the preaching of The Word of God.
In what new ways does God want you to open up not only to receive blessing but to bless and minister to others?
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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