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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
With that second missionary journey completed, Paul rests at his home base of Antioch, but not for long. Soon he is off again, visiting the fellowships of disciples in Asia. Concern and compassion and care for these new believers flow from this man.
He wants only to do one thing - strengthen them - encourage them - and build them up in the faith. There is a pattern here. Paul always went back to his home church, reporting how he got on, and giving something of what he and the team had experienced - greeting the church - thanking them for their prayers - and all that comes over in the letters he was later to write.
He has this desire - this longing - to visit the people he has led to faith in Jesus Christ - to see how they are doing - and how they are growing. His aim is to help them and look after them, and, he wants to feed them with the Word of God, which will enable them to grow. He wants their knowledge of the Word to become firmer and fuller. It is good that we return to this time and time again. We need to see what built up these young disciples of Jesus Christ.
Paul teaches. He does not seek to impress - nor entertain - nor amuse - nor does he accommodate certain tastes giving people what they might like to hear - and all that comes over so vividly in his letters.
God does not want us to be ignorant of the Scriptures. This is a living Word - a challenging Word - a healing Word - a saving Word - a satisfying Word - and as we feed upon nourishing spiritual food we will become healthy - which in turn will create an appetite for more and more.
Meanwhile, God was working away in another area, preparing another situation for Paul to become involved in, but that must be for another day.
But what is God preparing for you in these present days? Do you know? Are you aware of how and where God would have you serve profitably and prophetically? If you ask Him, He may reveal something of what He has in store for you - but usually it is only one step at a time. Very few of us could cope with more!
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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