Gracious Roadblocks

 

Gracious Roadblocks

Acts 25: Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, ² where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. ³ They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. ⁴ Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. ⁵ Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

 

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After the third round of interviews, I knew I had the job. I mean, this was a very large company who needed people and I was willing to work for them. I waited a week and did not hear from them. I called and they told me that the position was put on hold. A week later the company announced they would cut 100,000 jobs.

 

• There were times when I pouted about what was going on.
• There were times when I wished something would play out the way I wanted.
• There were times when I wanted things to go my way.

 

The church leaders wanted to assassinate Paul, so they tried to convince Festus to have him moved back to Jerusalem. Festus told the church leaders to come to Caesarea instead. Little did everyone know, Paul was being protected.

 

• GOD knows the plans HE has for me, plans to prosper me.
• GOD knows when I am about to be ambushed, so HE protects me.
• GOD knows the best place for me and provides protection for me that I cannot see or understand.

 

Looking back on many roadblocks, I can see how I was being protected versus restrained. I mean, GOD opened up new paths I would have never traveled. HE changed the course of my life and protected me from fulfilling my lustful desires that would have ended up in doom.

 

When I think of a way, GOD always has a better way. HE watches over me and for that, I am truly grateful.

 

• Are you facing a roadblock?
• Does it seem like deliverance is coming too slow?
• Will you allow GOD to protect you and see the roadblock or delay as part of HIS plan for you?

Blocked

Blocked

Acts 19: ²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

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When I answered the door, my friends were outside asking if I could go to the party. “What party?” I asked nervously. It didn’t matter what their answer was, I knew I wouldn’t get permission to go. I thought of ways to escape the house, but there was no way out. I resorted to a tactic that never worked before. “Everyone else is going.”

• There have been times when I have been blocked from doing something.
• There have been times when I wanted to join the crowd but could not.
• There have been times when I simply wanted to be part of the group without knowing what was going on.

The crowd in Ephesus was not having a party. They wanted to worship the goddess Artemis so they could make money on idols. They became furious over Paul’s words of love stating JESUS was and is the only GOD. A mob formed and protests took to the street. Many people didn’t know who they were angry at, but some did and seized Paul’s companions. Paul was blocked.

• GOD wants me to have the heart to serve.
• GOD wants me to be confident in HIS protection.
• GOD wants me to use wisdom rather than emotion.

Rushing in when the situation is heated leads to hurt people and no resolution. Unfortunately, this fight had to happen. I mean, when everything was calm, the greedy people lulled others into following a false god. But the true GOD was being overlooked. GOD wants me to be ready to speak about JESUS, not just say the word “GOD.” I am glad HE enables me to freely speak about HIM.

• Are you being blocked when it comes to speaking about JESUS?
• Is the situation too volatile to say the name of JESUS?
• Will you have patience because GOD hears you and will make a way for you to continue to speak on HIS behalf?

Another Route

Another Route

Acts 19: ⁸ Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

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“There is no way to get there” were the sad words. “I’ll take you was my response. The roads were icy so many of them were closed. I tried the normal routes, only to be met with barriers. A thought popped in my head. “Try a route that is slightly unorthodox.” The back roads were open and even more treacherous. After much prayer and passing over 100 overturned trucks and cars, we made it. Now I had to make it home.

• There were times when it seemed impossible to get to the destination.
• There were times when it seemed like barriers kept popping up and I would never reach the goal.
• There were times when I felt like giving up, but was too deep into the journey to stop.

Paul spoke in the synagogue because it seemed like the right place to discuss the Messiah. He tried to reason with the church goers for months, but the crowd became obstinate. Paul and the disciples moved their gathering to a lecture hall where they could speak freely about JESUS being the Messiah. This was a better route.

• GOD wants me to know there will be barriers to speaking about HIM.
• GOD wants me to understand that obstacles will be placed in front of me.
• GOD wants me to allow HIM to provide another route to bring people to HIM.

Sometimes it feels hopeless, especially when the obstacles pile up all at once. BUT GOD shows HIS great plan and somehow clears the right path for me to follow. Time after time HE has provided when I could see no provision. I am amazed at HIS love.

• Are you facing an overwhelming number of obstacles?
• Do you feel like giving up?
• Will you allow GOD to show you another route so you can see HIS power today?

Drive and Determination

Mark 16: Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. ² Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. ⁵ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

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Ignoring all the rules, I noticed one person rise to the top. He pushed at people and ignored what they did and who they were. “Maybe I should be pushy so I can get ahead” I thought to myself.

• There were times when I wanted to be the one who pushed people around.
• There were times when I wanted to be on top.
• There were times when I wanted to “do what it takes” to be perceived as strong.

When everyone who followed JESUS was in hiding, two Mary’s were still plotting how to serve HIM one last time. They had no tomb to give HIM so they wanted to do something special for HIM even though HE was dead.

On Saturday the two Mary’s began their plan by buying the best spices they could. On Sunday, at the crack of dawn, they put their plan into action, but they ran into a snag. “Who will roll away the stone?” They did not know it was already taken care of for them.

• JESUS wants me to have drive to follow HIM especially when it seems like HE is silent.
• JESUS wants me to have determination to serve HIM even when it feels hopeless.
• JESUS wants me to have fortitude to continue especially when life puts huge stones in front of me.

Gentleness instead of pushiness is a great way to demonstrate determination. The two Mary’s, while determined, did not plot to hurt people in the process of serving GOD, Their plan took drive that only came from GOD and they would not stop until they did what they sought out to do. I appreciate their gentle example.

• Are you willing to give up when GOD wants you to continue?
• Do you think drive and determination looks like pushiness?
• Can you change your perspective of drive and determination to add faith and fortitude to continue in the plan GOD has for you?