Acts 16... Keep going... A chapter a day, and we are at Day 16...

In this chapter we are introduced to Timothy of the epistles later on 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.

We also see how Paul (now travelling with Silas) is being lead by the Holy Spirit where to go.  He is allowed to preach in some areas, but not others.  He even has a dream about going to a certain area to preach where he does find people waiting to hear the Gospel, and he does lead people to Jesus, and then he even baptises them.

And there is this other interesting story, and reading it, it struck me how in the situations we live through we must stay close to God and hear his voice in it.  If we see the obstacles we can get discouraged, and I know that sometimes these people in the Bible get discouraged.  But if we keep our eyes on Jesus and we do things to help encourage ourselves and others we will keep staying in step with the Spirirt.

So there is this demon possessed girl.  She is a slave and is being used to make money for her owner.  She seems to have the ability to see the future.  Paul and Silas come into the city and she see them and says, "Look at these men! They serve the Most High God! They are going to tell you how to be saved!"  This goes on for a few days, and Paul becomes annoyed and using the gift of discernment it, he casts the demon out in Jesus' name!  INSTANTLY it goes!  Now the girl is free, but her master's source of income is gone.

Was the truth being spoken by the demon?  Yes.  But what would happen if people listen to the demon and see it a a source of truth?  How long would it be before the 'truth' it was speaking was only half true?  It could lead people away from those preaching the Gospel.

Of course, God does something and people react and get in a tizzy.  Paul and Silas are beaten publicly, and put in the inner parts of the prison, and chained.  Not exactly what they would have been expecting.... But in it they manage to find a way to stay strong in their faith.  They sing and pray, and even the other prisoners are listening to them.  There is a big earthquake and all the doors swing open, and the chains fall off all the prisoners' arms.  No one runs... Odd.  But God uses this to save the jailer from killing himself, and he and his family choose to follow Jesus.

Then there is the issue of the public beating.  See, there were some assumptions made about Paul and Silas becuase they were preaching Jesus.  In fact, though, they were Roman citizens, and were beaten without trial... publicly.  Some of the leaders tried to shoo them out quietly, but Paul insisted on a proper apology.  He got it, and then Paul and Silas left town.

Even in their suffering, God was working to call more people to himself!