Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Paul, Silas and Timotheus set sail for Macedonia the next day.  They went through Samothracia and then Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.  Having felt called to Macedonia, and without any specification as to where in Macedonia, Paul and his group went to Philippi.  If we feel called to country to preach the gospel, and we don't know exactly where in that country, we would do well to go to one of the chief cities.  While on the subject of being called to a country, we as the church, have almost made a call to a mission field a secondary requirement. Someone may feel led, but before they are sent, certain criteria must be met.  First, they must have the right educational requirements to even be considered.  Most of the disciples would never have met the requirement.  Second, they must learn the language.  I know it is important those we are preaching to understand what we are saying, but again, most of the disciples would not have qualified.  Then, they must commit for a specific period of time.  Philip would have never met the Ethiopian eunuch under this criteria.  Those three criteria are pretty much a must, and if the person feels called, that is a plus.  If we look at the early disciples, they were led by the Holy Spirit, and when they were led to go, they went.  We see no example of them saying that as soon as they had everything right they would go.  Philip went the desert and Paul,Silas and Timotheus went to Macedonia without question or delay.  We need to be the same way.  When the Holy Spirit directs us to go, then we must go and rely on God to equip us for the mission.

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