Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Often we’re so preoccupied in the challenges and emotions of the moment we have a hard time maintaining objectivity. We might under such circumstances find it hard to make decisions, let alone wise decisions. God, however, often chooses to talk to us and encourage us at such times during the night. Without the normal distractions and in the quiet of the night we often hear the Lord better. Acts 18 finds Paul in Corinth. He initially was well received, but soon some opposed him and became abusive. He decided to change his target audience. God blessed, but no doubt he wondered how long it would be before opposition would force him out of the city. This happened before, like in Thessalonica in Acts 17:8 and Berea in Acts 17:13-15. But in Acts 18:9-10 it says: “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’” What an encouragement that must have been to Paul! It says in verse 11, “Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the Word of God.” We learn from the Corinthian letters that there was a sizeable group of believers in Corinth. God had blessed. Not that there weren’t problems and persecution. There were, but Paul was able to go on from there to continue his mission of taking the Gospel to those who had never heard. God might not give you a vision or speak to you audibly, but the Holy Spirit can impress upon your heart a God directed burden.