Acts 17:1 (KJV) Why Am I Here?

Acts 17:1 (KJV)

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 

We have previously seen that the Apostle had interest in certain areas where the Spirit of God expressly forbade him to go. Here, we see two cities he “passed through” without any apparent desire to preach in them. Each of these cities is approximately 30 miles from the other—a day’s journey in those days.

Gill believes it is reasonable that Paul and those with him spent the night in Amphipolis and the next in Apollonia before finally reaching Thessalonica. Barnes, Benson, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all remark that the reason he passed through the first two and settled in Thessalonica was precisely because there was a synagogue there—implying there were none in the other two.

Gill, on the other hand, writes, “…why these two last places should be passed through by the apostle, without making any stay at them, cannot be said; it is very likely he had, as in some other instances before, some particular directions from the Spirit of God, there being none of the chosen vessels of salvation to be called there, at least, at this time, when there were many at Thessalonica.” In other words, Gill places the focus on the Spirit of God rather than the presence of Jews. Paul’s custom was to use the synagogue as a starting place for his preaching, but he wasn’t bound to it. That’s not what he did in Athens or Philippi.

It is the impulse of men to reduce the work of faith to a thing of the flesh. It is, rather, a spiritual discipline to elevate it back to its proper place—a reliance upon the Lord and His guidance.

#Acts18 #ApostlePaul #BibleStudy #GodsGuidance #ChristianFaith

Why Am I Here? Discovering Your Purpose

Take action today by trusting God's guidance, just as Paul did in Acts 17. How has God led you in your life? Share your story in the comments below! Want to dive deeper into God's Word and learn how to follow His direction? 

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To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

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Acts 17:1 (KJV) Why Am I Here?

Acts 16:7 (KJV) Serving God in the Spirit, Not the Flesh

Acts 16:7 (KJV)

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 

In verse 6, they were “forbidden of the Holy Ghost.” In this verse, “the Spirit suffered them not.” I believe these are two ways of expressing the same thing. Though they did not yet know what the will of the Lord was, they did know what the will of the Lord was not.

Sometimes, that’s more important than the other.

Sometimes, our flesh wants to serve God so strongly that we end up serving God in the flesh rather than in the Spirit.

Knowing the mind and will of God is a difficult matter to discern. I think we are easily led astray in this. We have come to believe that if we want something, it must be the will of the Lord. But I believe we learn from David how to discern God's will: through the Bible, through the preacher, and through the house of the Lord. Paul was not in a place to hear from his church. Certainly, he would have been sensitive to the others in his team, but outside of that, how would he have known?

I can say that in my ministry, there have been times when I was absolutely certain I was not supposed to do something, go to a certain place, or move in a particular direction. Interestingly, there were often Christians pushing me to do exactly what I was sure I shouldn’t do. I know the flesh can be fearful and hesitant to enter into difficult things. But I also know that if a thing is truly of the Lord, He makes us willing.

Consider the issue of desiring the office of a bishop. It’s a good work, but the qualifications are more exclusive than permissive. In other words, the Bible gives reasons why a person should not be a bishop. Many will desire the office, but these qualifications provide the reasons they should not pursue it.

When it comes to these things, our problem is usually not hesitation but rather getting ahead of the Lord. It’s a good idea to wait on the Lord until you may “assuredly gather that the Lord” has called us to the thing.

#SpiritLed #GodsWill #WaitOnTheLord #Discernment #WalkingInTheSpirit

Serving God in the Spirit, Not the Flesh: God’s Will vs. Our Desires

Are you struggling to know God's will? Stop guessing! Open your Bible, seek counsel from your pastor, and ask your church family for guidance. Don't walk this path alone—God provides direction through His Word and His people!

When has God closed a door in your life, and how did He lead you in a new direction? Share your story in the comments!

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Acts 16:7 (KJV) Serving God in the Spirit, Not the Flesh

Acts 15:5 (KJV) Pharisees of the Faith

Acts 15:5 (KJV)

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 

The question at hand was raised by a particular group of Christians who had not yet let go of the tenets of their past. These Pharisees could have followed the apostles' example and surrendered those teachings to the will of the Lord. It is intriguing to consider that they most likely knew Paul or were at least familiar with him as a former leader among the Pharisees.

I’m not questioning whether these particular Pharisees were saved—I believe they were. They had a legitimate argument, especially so early in the Christian faith. The Bible was not yet complete (though I find it notable that James rested his decision on the authority of Scripture). Asking questions is not wrong. What would be wrong is refusing to be content with the answer.

I have no idea what became of these Pharisees after this meeting. What I do know is that men with their sentiment continued to hound the apostle Paul throughout the rest of his ministry. That same sentiment persists even today.

While I do not question the sincere faith of these original questioners, their failure to relinquish these concerns led to a movement that I am certain is filled with false professors. It has also prevented multitudes of believers from uniting with God’s one institution intended for the perfecting of the saints—a local, independent (and I believe, Baptist) church.

#PhariseeDebate #LawOrGrace #Acts15Discussion #BiblicalAuthority #LocalChurchTruth

Pharisees of the Faith: Early Christianity’s Struggle with Legalism

Are you clinging to tradition over truth? Acts 15:5 shows how even believers struggled to let go of the law. Don’t make the same mistake—take action today! Obey God’s Word and fully commit to the local church.

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Acts 15:5 (KJV) Pharisees of the Faith

Acts 14:6 (KJV) Spiritual Battles

Acts 14:6 (KJV)

They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 

I am struck by just how many times Paul was attacked for his faith. It began in Damascus, immediately after his salvation, and continued everywhere he went—except in Antioch, the one place he couldn’t stay.

The Bible practically promises that those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It’s a reality we cannot avoid.

I am also struck by the fact that Paul always seemed to be “ware of it.” Some may not agree, but I believe it was the Holy Ghost providing protection for the servant of the Lord. Paul did not always heed the warnings or flee from confrontation. He was sensitive to the Holy Spirit—knowing when to stay and when better judgment dictated that he should “get while the gettin’ was good.”

Paul experienced judgment and frustration even among those who loved him because they didn’t understand why, at times, he chose not to run.

I’ve been attacked a number of times over the years in ministry. It comes with the territory. Most of the time, it had little to do with whether I stayed in a particular ministry or not. But there were three times when I knew—it’s hard to explain how, but I knew—it was time to leave. More often, the issue wasn’t whether to leave, but whether I ought to confront the attacker.

King David was a man of war, unafraid of battle. But David never entered a fight to defend himself. I have learned in ministry—though I never did it perfectly—to listen to the Holy Spirit, to confront when necessary for the good of the ministry, but to let those who attacked me personally have their way and trust God to defend me in His own time.

#ChristianPersecution #SpiritualDiscernment #HolySpiritGuidance #FaithUnderFire #TrustGodsTiming

Spiritual Battles: When to Confront and When to Walk Away

Are you letting God fight your battles or trying to handle them yourself? Comment below! Take action—pray for wisdom in a tough situation and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. 

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Acts 14:6 (KJV) Spiritual Battles