Most of the time, we are so focused on “our usual route” that we fail to take advantage of the new experiences and blessings of a detour that God arranges so that He can use us to minister to those with whom we don’t ordinarily cross paths.
“Believers should have Thanks-Living” because the LORD God is the Source of all good things which He freely and graciously sends our way—for which we should be exceedingly thankful every day of our lives!
Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ today have exactly the same power available from God the Holy Spirit that was available to believers in the 1st-century, so it is not His fault that we do not see similar results!
Human effort will give a certain amount of energy, but it is unsustainable in spiritual matters. Remember the “stony ground” and the “thorny ground” in the parable of the sower? No Fruit! Only “Holy Spirit power” is consistently sustainable.
“A strategic setup move” may be quite intentional on our part—like paying off a loan early, or we may be completely oblivious to “a strategic setup move” until after the fact.
“A strategic setup move” may be quite intentional on our part—like paying off a loan early, or we may be completely oblivious to “a strategic setup move” until after the fact.
Along the way, Paul could have questioned the Lord’s promise to him that no one would harm him. The Lord never is late, and the Lord never is early. We always, always, always, always can trust His timing.
God the Holy Spirit led Paul from the Roman province of Asia across the sea to Macedonia, where God the Holy Spirit led him to various cities for short times until leading him to remain in the strategically placed commercial city of Corinth for long-term evangelism.
Some people attempt to “spiritualize” everything in Scripture, rather than understand it as history. Sometimes we skim a passage and miss blessings.