The Opening of God Acts 16: 25-34

Read the passage Acts 16

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16&version=ASV

v.25 1. Prayer undaunted by circumstances.

(And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed,)

v.25 2. Praise unquenched by despair.

( and sang praise unto God …) 

v.25 3. Proclamation unquieted by indifference.

(and the prisoners heard them)

v.26 4. Power unstoppable by man’s confinement.

(and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were 

shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.)

v.27 5. Persuasion unsuppressed by human authority.

(And the keeper of the prison awaking our of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open,

he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had

  been fled.)

v.28 6. Patience undefiled by man’s irresponsibility.

(But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, do0

v.28 7. Protection unsurpassed by the enemy’s deception.

(do thyself no harm: for we are all here.)

v.29,8. Proof undeniable to a seeking heart.

  30 (Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul

  and Silas.) (And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do

to be saved?)

v.31 9. Provision unmerited to the undeserving.

(And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.)

v.31 10. Propitiation unequalled for a repentant sinner.

(the Lord Jesus Christ.)

v.31 11. Promise unshakeable by doubting accusation.

(thou shalt be saved)

v.32 12. Preference unchangeable by God’s own choice.

(And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his

house.)

v.33 13. Profession unashamed before others.

(And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes: and was 

baptized, he and all his, straightway.)

v.33 14. Promptness unabated in fellowship.

(the same hour)

v.33 15. Priority unequivocally for other’s needs.

(he and all his,)

v.34 16. Praise unseparable from God’s glory.

(And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, 

believing )

v.34 17. Presence uninterruptible with God forever.

(believing in God with all his house.)

Christ's Teachings-Caesar's Rules Luke 20: 22-25

Read the passage Luke 20

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+20&version=ASV

v.22 1. No love, nor care for the individual.

(Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?)

v.22 2. No rule above the state.

3. No promotion above state interests.

4. No fixed standards.

v.24 5. No concern for true justice.

(Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They

   answered and said Caesar’s.)

for just weights and standards; in fact, this is not possible without fixed

standards

v.24 6. No conviction, no truth recognized but the state is truth.

v.25 7. No hope, no deliverance, only increasing bondage.

(And He said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be

  Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.)

Fishing with Jesus Luke 5: 4-7

Read the passage Luke 5

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+5&version=ASV

1. Many times in a believer’s toil there is nothing he can do to bring fruitfulness to his task, though he be faithful in toiling.                                          

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

2. Jesus is fully aware of man’s limitations.  V 5

3. There is but one provider of need, one who quiets the storms, one who fulfills, keeps His promises to His servant, one who conquers, one who comforts ….                 

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

4. All wait for/upon Him. V 6

5. Many times a servant is just doing all he knows to do; he isn’t doing a wrong action.   Fishing was what Peter knew to do.

6. The believer just needs Christ’s visitation.

7. What a blessing is God’s visitation to His disciple.                           

 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

The Voice of the Lord Psalms 29: 3-9

Read the passage Psalms 29

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalms+29&version=ASV

v.3 1. God speaks in an undeniable manner.

(The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thundereth: the 

Lord is upon many waters.)

v.4 2. God speaks with matchless authority.

(The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord)

v.4 3. God speaks with matchless grandeur, majestically.

(the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.)

v.5, 4. God speaks and the earth yields.

   6 (The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breath the

  cedars of Lebanon.

(He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young

unicorn.)

v.7 5. God speaks and fire is unable to consume.

(The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.)

v.8 6. God speaks and dry places yield fruit.

(The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the 

wilderness of Kadesh.)

v.9 7. God speaks and barrenness flees.

(The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, …)

v.10  God speaks and ends it all  (the Lord sitteth King for ever.)

The Door God Opens Up Luke 11 10

Read the passage Luke 11

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+11&version=ASV

(For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh  findeth; and to 

him that knocketh it shall be opened.)

1. It is obviously God opening, because man couldn’t open.

Gates often are very heavy in scripture.

2. It has sufficient accompaniment of time for the believer to pass through.

Example- Israel crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 14

3. It has sufficient margin of width, heighth, breadth, for the believer(s) to pass

through.

4. It is held open by God, no man can shut it.

Isaiah 22: 22;  Isaiah 45: 3  Acts 16: 23-31

5. In the same manner should God close it it will be closed.

Gates are a protection as well as a free passage way.

6. Gates represent a passageway to another place of opportunity, not a way

of ease or careless persuasion for the believer.

Revelation 21: 25.  God wants us to partake of Him.

7. Through the gate that God opens up, there will be added Godly gain, Godly 

insight, Godly nurture, the privilege of knowing more from the Master.

The Door That God Closes or is Closed Luke 11: 10

Read the passage Luke 11

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+11&version=ASV

(For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh  findeth; and to

  him that knocketh it shall be opened.)

1. It might be the enemy was attempting passage.

i.e. Egypt crossing the Red Sea were drowned; it wasn’t open for them.

2. It might be there is no faith on the part of the believer.

3. It might be the believer is trying passage under his own power, that is, not

waiting for God to open the gate.

4. It might be that God is waiting for the group to arrive at the gate.

Again Israel had to be gathered.

5. It might be the door only had a time or season for faith’s response.

6. It might be that God is working out or allowing a plan that is covered by

His sovereign authority but He is allowing present change.

as in oppression of men or of the gospel or persecution to occur

7. It might be that God can get glory more through the gate’s closing and his

people’s being shut up to Him.

Gen. 7: 16;     Exodus 14: 3; Joshua 2: 7; 1 Samuel 23: 7;  Daniel 6: 22 (shut 

lion’s mouths); Acts 5: 18-23;

The Size of the Giants Numbers 13 33

Read the passage Numbers 13

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers+13&version=ASV

(And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: 

and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their 

sight.)

If not measured by faith, they will seem insurmountable.

1. God wants His people to see the giants in the land.

2. God wants His people to know of the challenge to faith that exists.

3. God wants His people to know that His promises require the place of man

being defeated.

4. God wants His people to know that faith is the way of victory.

5. God wants His people to understand how life is measured, what is its real

size?

6. God wants His people to follow, not faint, nor reason with men.

7. God wants His people to gain all He promises.

Blessings for Sure Romans 8: 28

Read the passage Romans 8

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+8&version=ASV

(And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, ...)

1. God's blessing may not be quickly identifiable.

The blessing of trial.

2. God's blessing may not provide advance warning.

3. God's blessing may require suffering.

4. God's blessing may lack predictability.

5. God's blessing may exhaust human resources and strength.

6. God's blessing may include the purification of adversity.

7. God's blessing will manifest its true, sure character.

The Trial of Your Faith-I 1 Peter 1: 5-7

Read the passage 1 Peter 1

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+1&version=ASV

v.61.The rule of salvation in the heart is a rule of joy.

(Wherein ye greatly rejoice,)

Note the security and honor of true faith.

v.62.Seasonal disruption may come through trial and testing.

(though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness...)

v.63.The trial of faith may be very weighted.

(ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:)

v.74.The trial of faith is a refining work that is either God permitted or God initiated.

(That the trial of your faith,)

v.75.True faith will not perish, it is more precious than gold.

(...being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,)

That which is not of faith will be consumed.

v.76.Testing does not injure the substance of true faith, but only purifies it. (though it be tried with fire,)

v.77.True faith is committed to the attainment of the glory of Christ.

(might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:)

That is true presently, also true forever.   It will last until His appearing.