Acts 18:9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
Paul had patiently waited in the city of Corinth for the Lord to allow him to preach the gospel. When Paul reached Corinth, he understood that it was not the perfect timing […]

Acts 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Paul was in a period of waiting of his life. Paul understood that he had been sent out by the church as a team with Silas. Silas was still working with Timothy in […]

Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy were preaching in Berea. When the Jews heard that Paul was in Berea, they came to Berea to stir up some trouble. Paul left for Athens while […]

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Are you a Berean? The Berean were ready to hear the Good News preached by Paul and Silas. We are told that they searched the […]

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
This is the story of a jailer who thought he was a dead man who found a new life. Paul and Silas had been beaten and sent to prison to spend the night. Rather than cursing God for their difficult […]

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Paul and Silas were in prison because they were doing the perfect will of God. Yes, that is correct, they were fulfilling the perfect will of God and they found themselves being persecuted for righteousness sake. In […]

Acts 16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
Paul and Silas were in Thyatira. In this city there was a young lady who was possessed with a devil. This young lady followed Paul and Silas […]

Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
It was Barnabas who was first called to be a missionary. When the Christians in Jerusalem had heard about the Christians in Antioch, they sent Barnabas. Barnabas arrived in Antioch saw the need, and when and called Paul […]

Acts 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The apostles in Jerusalem are sending a message to the Gentile Christians. They send this message by the hands of Paul, Barnabas, and Silas. In sending this message, they recognize how Paul and Barnabas have risked their lives for the […]

Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
Understanding the will of God means you wait when God desires you to wait and you proceed when God gives you the green light. In this passage, we see that […]

Acts 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Paul left Athens and went to minister in Corinth. Silas and Timothy were still in Berea ministering to the people there. Because he did not have the accountability and help of Silas and […]

Act 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
The Philippi jailer had seen the faith of Paul and Silas in action and he desired what they had. He was willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal […]

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Paul and Silas did not try to share the gospel with their prison guard. However, the light of their life was so bright that when the prison guard faced a trial, he came to Paul and Silas and asked them […]

Acts 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Paul and Silas were in prison and they started to praise God. God sent a great earthquake that opened every door and loosed every man from his chains. Paul and Silas had a chance to escape, but […]

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Paul and Silas had just been beaten and thrown into prison. Some would say that they had every right to grumble and complain. However, Paul and Silas understood that because they were servants of God, they needed […]

Acts 16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
Paul and Silas were being beaten because Paul healed a woman who had demon spirits in her. Paul and Silas were doing good in the name of Jesus Christ and as a result they […]

Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Paul and Barnabas had been waiting for God to send them out into the mission field once again. Their opportunity came when they received word that there were men teaching the gentiles […]

Psalms 63:5-6 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Are you satisfied with God? Are you content with where God has you today? Are you at […]

Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

Paul had already been taking the time to preach in the synagogue every Sabbath. However, now that help had arrived in Corinth, God opened the door for Paul to go do what Paul desired to do, preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. God understood that the people in Corinth were ready to hear the truth, but he had Paul wait until help arrived.

Why God waited to press upon Paul that he could now preach the gospel is not known. However, what is known is that God�s perfect timing corresponded with Paul receiving help. It could be God did not want Paul to work on his own because God did not want Paul to become proud in how God was working through him. It could be that God knew the harvest would be abundant and that Paul could not handle the harvest on his own. Whatever the reason, God caused Paul to go through a period of waiting before HE released Paul to fulfill God�s purpose for his life.

Acts 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Paul left Athens and came to Corinth. He was still waiting for Silas and Timothy to arrive from Macedonia. While he waited, Paul stayed with Aquila and Priscilla and worked with them as a tentmaker. Paul was called to be a great missionary yet he was willing to do manual labor. Paul�s calling to be a missionary did not cause him to become proud and refuse to do manual labor. Instead, Paul was willing to humble himself to earn wages while he waited for the Silas and Timothy to come.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Paul and Silas left Thessalonica by night to go to Berea. Paul and Silas had been called to be missionaries to the Gentiles and while they were in Thessalonica, the unbelieving Jews tried to persecute them by making many false reports. Because the Jews could not find them, they instead persecuted those who housed Paul and Silas. Even though they were called to the Gentiles and the last time they preached to the Jews they were driven out of town, this did not stop Paul and Silas from going to the synagogue in Berea to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the Jews.

Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

When Paul and Silas reached Thessalonica, there was a synagogue there for the Jews. While Paul may have been called to preach to the Gentiles, he took the opportunity to preach the gospel to the Jews by preaching the Old Testament scriptures to them. Paul reminded the Jews that scripture shows that the Messiah was going to die and be raised from the dead. Paul did have some conversions among the Jews but the greatest harvest came among the Greeks.

Just because God had called Paul to preach to the Gentiles, this did not stop Paul from preaching to the Jews. Paul understood that when he preached the gospel to the Jews, he had to use the authority of the Old Testament. Because of his training, Paul understood the texts that the Jews put all their confidence in and he was able to have results converting some Jews into believing that the Messiah had already come.

Acts 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Paul and Silas were locked in a prison cell and while they were praying and praising God, God sent an earthquake and caused everyone�s shackles to be loosen and the prison door to be opened. When the earthquake woke the guard, he immediately saw that the prison doors were opened and believing that all the prisoners had somehow escaped, he was going to kill himself before the magistrates found all the prisoners gone and killed him.

Put yourself in Paul�s shoes. Here you are beaten and put in prison for doing the will of God. You have the right attitude towards God and God sends an earthquake that sets you free. However, there is only one thing between you and your freedom to go back and do the will of God and that is the guard. God seems to be taking care of the guard by causing the guard to be hasty in taking his life before he even counts to confirm that the prisoners are all gone. Think about it, isn�t God good, HE is just taking care of everything and HE will be the one who receives all the glory for this miraculous escape.

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Paul and Silas had just cast out a devil that dwelt in a damsel. The girl�s masters were upset because they saw that they were not going to be able to make any more money off of this girl�s fortune telling. The girl�s masters had Paul and Silas thrown into prison. Paul and Silas may have been in prison, but they did not allow the dark cold cell of a prison to stop them from praying and praising God.

Paul and Silas did not pray in silence. They did not pray so that only they could hear. Instead, they prayed so loud that their fellow prisoners heard them. Paul and Silas did not care what others thought of them. They understood that it was God�s will for them to be in prison and as such, they did not temper their voice but instead, ensured that all in the prison understood that these two men trusted in God and that God was the source of their hope. Paul and Silas probably figured that someone would hear the prayer and praise and accept God�s gift of salvation.

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

Paul, Silas and Timothy were traveling city to city preaching the good news of Jesus� birth, life, death and resurrection. It became their desire to go and preach in Asia, nonetheless, God forbid them from going to Asia. No reason is given; all they knew was that God shut that door.

Paul desired to preach the gospel. What better desire to have then that. However, even though the desire of Paul�s heart was to preach the gospel, it was not the will of God for Paul to go to Asia at this time. God thus shut this door by very clearly speaking to them and letting them know that they were not to go. Paul probably wrestled with God on this issue. You could imagine him praying the Psalm of David, �Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.� Paul probably reminded God of how HE was called to be a missionary to the Gentiles. However, the most important thing is that Paul obeyed God and did not go into Asia until God permitted him.

Acts 18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Paul came to the city of Corinth and while he waited for Timothy and Silas to rejoin him, he was faithful to serve God every week at the synagogue. During the rest of the week, he worked with Aquila and Priscilla on tents. Once Timothy and Silas arrived, Paul was pressed by the Spirit to testify that Jesus was Christ. The Jews rejected this message.

Paul heard from God that he was supposed to preach that Jesus was Christ, yet this message was not accepted. Paul did not doubt that God had told him to preach that message, but instead, he took the rejection that he received while pursuing the will of God as a sign from God that he was not called to preach to the Jews any more. Paul did not allow this huge rejection to distract him from pursuing the will of God.

Acts 17:11-12 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Paul and Silas came unto the synagogue in Berea and they preached the gospel of Christ. The Bereans were not like the Jews in Thessalonica who did not believe and made life hard for those who did believe. Instead, they heard a new doctrine and they studied it. Because they were diligent and studied what Paul and Silas had to say, they realized that these men were speaking the truth. Because the words were confirmed, they believed.

Acts 16:23, 25 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: � And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Paul and Silas were persecuted for doing that which is right in the eyes of God. They were beaten because they cast a demon out of a young lady. They were thrown into prison because they preached the gospel of Christ. God allowed evil to happen to them while they were doing HIS will. One would naturally think that Paul and Silas reaction would be one of rebellion. Nonetheless, Paul and Silas prayed so loud that the prisoners heard them pray. Paul and Silas let their voices be heard in song at midnight.

Acts 16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

Paul and Silas are in Philippi, the chief city of Macedonia. For many days, a certain damsel, who was possessed, followed them and cried out that they were �servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.� Wherever he went, this girl was following him. While this girl was speaking the truth, the problem for Paul is that everyone knew that this girl was possessed. It grieved Paul to watch this young lady in bondage to the devil proclaiming the truth but not being able to be free of her sin.

Acts 16:4-5 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Paul and Silas traveled from city to city announcing the result of the resent meetings in Jerusalem about how the Gentiles did not have to be circumcised. In addition, they also shared how the Gentiles should �abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.� As they shared the decrees of the elders, the churches were established in the faith. By being established, it increased daily.