KEY SCRIPTURE: ACTS 19:11; And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.

Our key scripture says “and God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul”. Miracles are the doings of God. It is the supernatural power of God intervening in the natural course of events. In this instant God did it through Paul.

God performs miracles to proof the authenticity of the Christian faith. Miracles show that Jesus is alive. Mark 16:20 “And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following them Amen”. Some people claim miracles ended with the Apostles. Unfortunately, some people who claim to be Christians and preach the word of God also say such things. If what happened during Jesus’ time and the Apostles day, does not happen today then Christianity is fake. Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever”. If He is the same yesterday, today and forever then what He did through the Apostles must be done now as well. Indeed, he does it. How do you explain the case of a child confirmed as having sickling genotype becoming negative after prayer?

Our key scripture reads that it was God who wrought the special miracles by the hands of Paul. Miracles are not the creation of any man.

A man might have been the vessel through whom God performed that miracle yet it is always the handiworks of God. No man must claim any glory for any miracle wrought. It is the desire of God to be working miracles in the midst of his children. The lack of miracles happening in our midst is due to men placing themselves in the path of God. I mean when a man wonders within himself either about how to perform that feat or seeks glory for himself. This is what makes men get into the way of God in performing miracles.

Apostle Paul did not hinder the workings of the Spirit. He did not focus on himself either to fail or gain any glory for himself. He wanted every glory for the Lord. Whenever a man positions himself or herself this way, God would always work miracle. Allow the spirit to lead and you would know and experience miracles on a regular basis.

In the light of the fact that miracles are the doings of the Spirit of God, no man must take any glory for any miraculous deed. People of God should stop praising men of God who work miracles. They must thank God for using these men to do such things but not to praise them.

PRAYER:

Dear heavenly, father stir in your children the desire to see your spirit work His works in their midst. Grant to your children the proper knowledge as to work miracles and when these miracles are wrought may they learn to always give GOD the glory.

FURTHER STUDIES

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Mark 16:17 ,18 ‘And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

KEY SCRIPTURE: ACTS 19:12: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

The scripture said aprons and handkerchiefs were taken from Paul’s body and placed on the sick who got healed. God still does these things these days, yet we must be careful not to abuse the workings of the Spirit.

These objects through which the anointing of God is transmitted for the working of miracles are called tokens. A token Is something that serves as a sign of something else. In this case it represents the power of God. Various servants of God have been using various tokens. Some use water, anointing oils, bangles, pictures and many more. 

   A few questions arise concerning the constant application of these tokens.  Should the man of God continually give out these tokens to minister to the various needs of people? 1st Corinthians 12 speaking about the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit said there are diversities of the gifts, and there are differences of administration and there are diversities of operations. These verses simply mean God’s dealings in his servants vary from one to the other. God is not is not a one-way God. We cannot attribute just one way for the Spirit to work always There are diversities of gifts by the same Spirit with different administration by the same Lord. To administrator is the way a thing is dispensed or shared. The bible says the working of the spirit is not the same in every man of God. Even the operations of the same gift can differ.

 The real challenge about the use of tokens is when people turn their faith from God and his word to these tokens, signs and symbols. Humans can make fetish out of very holy things. Our father God relates to us on our faith. Faith is never based on anything physical. Faith is always a response of your spirit to the word of God. It must never be an object of some sort.

The object, sign, symbol must only enhance the individual’s faith in God’s word. The woman with the issue of blood touched the helm of Jesus garment as a token of God’s power and she was healed instantly.   The Lord said, your faith has made you whole.  It was the release of her faith by touching the garment. It would be wrong for her to praise the garment of Jesus, just as it is wrong today for anyone to praise an anointing water or oil or any token used.

  Dear child of God, I do not condemn or speak against the use of any token, but be careful not to put your faith in it. It only represents the real thing, THE POWER OF GOD. That is where your faith must be.

   PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, I pray for the church of God to know the truth, so Christians would experience more of God’s power and not be deceived by any man.

FURTHER STUDY

Acts 5:15    In so much that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

2nd Kings 6:6 And the man of God said, where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:9 ” But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus”.

The bible said Apostle Paul spent three months discussing the gospel with the people in Ephesus.  Some of the people were hardened and believed not, and so spoke evil of the way. Once again let’s be certain that there would be people who would not accept and may even oppose the way of life.

 Apostle Paul did not stop preaching because people spoke against the gospel and even against, he himself. He stayed in Ephesus for two years sharing the word of God with the people. The bible said all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Paul’s life remains a real challenge to us today. He was bent on making Jesus Christ known to everybody. As he said,” woe is me if I preach not the gospel. “(1st Corinth 9:16)

We must also say woe is us, if we fail to preach the gospel. In our modern times of swift communicating technology, no one should be ignorant of the good news. The sad news is that there are many villages close to us and far away who have not heard the name of Jesus before.

  A friend visited one of the villages close to Accra and inquired from one of the villagers if he knew Jesus Christ, he asked this friend of mine that is it a new kind of soap? This is rather pathetic how could a few miles from Accra where there is an overabundance of preaching bombarding the airwaves, market places, the way side joints almost throughout the day, and somebody had not heard the name of Jesus.

    Dear child of God, none of us would be able to have an excuse before the Father if we do not rethink the way we are going about the great commission. The Lord instructed us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. In Romans 15:20 apostle Paul declares ” yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation. ” This was not to say that he would not continue what another man started, but rather he seeks to get the message and the word to places where no one intends to go there. Paul achieved so much for the Master. What are we doing for the Master?  We have to fully adhere to the great commission that says go into all nations. Go where the work is needed most. Go to where everyone is not going. Many years ago some Europeans left the comfort of their countries for Africa to come and share the Gospel with us.Some did come for slaves ,yet a few were also here to share their lives with us so we Africans would know  Jesus. It is our turn to go to where the gospel has not reached.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father I pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken the soul winning spirit among Christians, and also to extend the work to places that the gospel is not getting to.

FURTHER STUDY:   

 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ” For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again”.

Acts 1:8 ” But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

 Apostle Paul continued to visit the synagogues to discuss the Gospel or the message of the Kingdom with the Jews and the Greeks. 

 I wish to explain the relationship between the Gospel and the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is about the reign of God in the life of a man. Its effect is a manifestation of the power of God to destroy the works of the devil. The reign of God marks the end of the rule of the devil and his works in the life of the man who welcomes the kingdom into his life. The Gospel is also about faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus culminating in making Jesus Lord over your life. The kingdom of God and the gospel are one and the same thing, that is Jesus becomes Lord of your life. (Romans 10:9-10). It is called good news because, it spells the total liberty to any man who submits to the lordship or reign of God over his life.  Dear readers one of the major problems of men is demonic reign over their lives. No man by himself or herself can overpower these demons. The sad truth about most people is that most of them through education and enlightenment brush off their idea of demonic influence, yet this is the greatest lie Satan has given them.

    No man without the reign of our Lord Jesus is free of demonic influence. The word demonic influence is not pleasant and many intellectuals brush it off, yet the word of God is true and the main sign that one is under demonic control, is a total rejection of the gospel or a careless attitude to the gospel.

  Revelations 12:9 says “.  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: ….”. Satan deceives the whole world.

 I wish to ask any man or woman who may be opposing the gospel the following question. My question is, do you really have peace? Dear one there is an unseen enemy who tells you to oppose the gospel, the very truth that would set you free. Please take the following scripture and consider them seriously

John 3: 16-19 ” For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his*Son into the world *to condemn the world, but the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ”

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. There is an unseen enemy draining your life subtly, but keeps telling you there is nothing wrong. The Lord Jesus says he stands at the door of your heart and keeps knocking, if you would open the door of your heart to him you would find the reality and peace of heart.

 CONFESSION

Jesus you died to save my soul from destruction. I welcome your reign over my life. Be the Lord over my life from this day forth. Thank you for saving my soul. Amen

FURTHER STUDY

 Revelation 3:20 ” Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”.

Luke 11:20 ” But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:6 ” And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

 In this passage we see Apostle Paul rightly dividing the word of truth. We must study the word of God, to show ourselves approved unto God as workmen that need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. 2nd Timothy 2:15. He had been diligent to know the scriptures and corrected these brethren.

  These brethren were baptised earlier, but after the baptism of John the Baptist. Apostle Paul went ahead and baptised them in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Was it necessary to baptise them in the name of the Lord Jesus?

    Yes, it was very necessary. Their earlier baptism had no answer to the name of Jesus. 1st Peter 3:21 throws light on this issue, ” The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection from the dead.” The essence of baptism saving us or completing our salvation is when we respond to the Gospel by confessing sincerely to the lordship of Jesus. Everyone who is baptised must give a response to the work of Jesus on the cross. This is what makes the baptism beneficial. If you were baptised and were unconscious of what happened, then it will just be proper you get baptised being conscious of what was done and a corresponding response of a good conscience to the great work of salvation.

     After baptising them in water, in the name of the Lord Jesus, he laid his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them. They were baptised in the Holy Spirit as well with an evidence of speaking in tongues

 Is it necessary for every Christian to encounter this baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues?  I would say yes. The Lord Jesus said this experience fills the Christian with power. Acts 1:8. Some have played down on speaking in tongues because they claim they do not understand what is said and so it does not make sense. It is very unfortunate for any Christian to despise any Christian experience because it does not make sense.  Our father God is supernatural and a lot of things about Him is supernatural and does not make sense. .1 Corinthians 1:21 ” For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

 Speaking in tongues is the highest and best way to pray. You do not make mistakes speaking in tongues. (1st Corinthians 1:14 “For if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful”:  Your mind has no part to play when praying in tongues it comes from your spirit.

  PRAYER

I pray for all those who have allowed their minds to lead them in relation to God, Lord may the Holy Spirit overwhelm their minds to submit to Him.

FURTHER STUDY:    

 Acts 8:16-17 “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”

1 Corinthians 14:2 “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:3 “And he said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.”

Apostle Paul encountered the brethren of Ephesus and started to ask them certain questions. He asks very fundamental questions about their faith. Apostle Paul did not want to make any assumption about the brethren in Ephesus.

  Questions, and especially the right questions ‘create doors in blank walls for access’.  Apostle Paul did not know the spiritual level of these brethren and the best way to be of proper help to them was to know what they knew. Every worker in the Gospel among every new set of brethren must employ this approach. In cases when you have been informed about what the brethren knew, don’t hesitate to probe further into their spiritual state.

With these approaches in mind one may also seek from the Holy Spirit the true spiritual state of the brethren. The Spirit remains a guide, teacher and the revealer of mysteries. The underlying point to all these things is a sincere love for the brethren and true desire to help them to the best of your ability.

   In Acts 19:3, Apostle Paul asked them about the kind of baptism they had.  These brethren said they were baptised into John’s baptism. Now considering their first answer about the Holy Spirit and their response about their type of baptism, we could easily conclude that those who introduced them to the Christian faith were probably John’s disciples who had not associated with Jesus apostles. These brethren might have gone   about talking about Jesus and so won some souls. They had very little knowledge about the doctrines of Christ.

    These developments found in this passage is rather interesting, but has a lot to teach us. There are many people who profess to be Christians but do not have the right fundamental teaching of the Christian faith. When certain individuals visit our churches claiming to be Christians, we must not be hasty to fully inculcate them into the main church stream. It would be very proper to take them through foundational programmes so that every wrong teaching, and concepts that they might be having would be corrected. In our passage these men talked about being baptised according to John the Baptist’s baptism. These brethren might not be Christians in the first place, since every Christian was to be baptised in Jesus name. Apostle Paul would have made a big mistake to assume that they were knowledgeable Christians and had gone ahead to start teaching them, the higher doctrines in Christ.

 PRAYER

 Dear father, grant us divine wisdom to be able to ask the right questions all the time. Help us to be able to discern the true spiritual state of all those that we have to deal with. May our impact be very fruitful in Jesus name.

 FURTHER STUDIES

 Titus 1:9 “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

Titus 2:1 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:2 ” He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost”.

  Apostle Paul asked the brethren in Ephesus, whether they have received the Holy Spirit since they believed, and they answered “…. we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. “

   Please note, the term Ghost is an old English word for Spirit. It has nothing to do with the Spirit of a dead person. The answers from the brethren in Ephesus was quite alarming since the church of God was birthed by the coming in of the Holy Spirit.  Although this is quite alarming many Christians although they claim to know about the Holy Spirit, do not know him in reality. One act that reveals that a number of Christians don’t know Him is the way people command him to do things for them like an errand boy. The approach has no reverence and no wonder His influence is not seen and realised. We could address Him as dear Holy Spirit, then the request may follow. Most of us just say Holy Ghost do such and such for me. The Lord calls Him my father who lives in me  (John 14:10)

   Who is the Holy Spirit?  The Holy Spirit is God. (1st Corinthians 3:16) Acts 5:3-4 reads ” But Peter said, Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained was it not thine? And after it was sold was it not in thine own power? Why hath thou conceived this in thy heart? Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God” Peter says the Holy Spirit is God. To filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with God. (1st Corinthians 3:16) In John 16:7 the Lord introduced Him as our comforter, that is our helper, counselor, advocate, stand by, guide, strengthener and intercessor.

 If you acknowledged him as God then you would fear and reverence him. Benny Hinn a world renowned healing evangelist says the Holy Spirit is Christ Jesus unlimited. The Lord Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:8 ” But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Jesus in person was limited to ministering only at one place at a time, but with the coming of the Holy Spirit the same Spirit working in the disciples could do the same work throughout the world.

The following is from Kelvin J. Corner’s book titled the foundation of Christian Doctrine page 71 ” The Holy Spirit is the third divine person of the eternal Godhead, coequal ,coeternal and coexistent with the Father and the Son  in His ministry to convict and convert men, as well as to reveal the Son and the Father to the believer.”

 The Holy Spirit is living in you. He is God of the universe. Relate with him as such and admit His power over every challenge that comes against you.

PRAYER

Thank you, heavenly Father, for giving me your Holy Spirit, by whom I am empowered like my Lord Jesus Christ to reach out to men and bless them like he did.

FURTHER STUDY:

John 16:7 ” Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you”.

2 Corinthians 13:14 ” The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:

1 Corinthians 3:3 ” For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

 Apostle Paul described the brethren in Corinth as carnal or fleshly Christians.  These people were born again, but they were controlled by their senses and not the power of the divine life. There is a divine life in every child of God, and this divine life leads the Christian when he or she is controlled by God’s word.

     A Christian is not a mere man. He is not a natural or ordinary human. He is a supernatural person. Christianity is not just observing certain doctrines, but a manifestation of the supernatural life of God in a man. The Christian is a son of God according to John 1:12 ” But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become sons of God, even to them that believed on his name.” If you have believed on the name of Jesus you are a son of God. What does it mean to be a son of God? In John 10:29-33 after Jesus had said, God was his father or the Son of God, the Jews took up stones to stone him. This was what they said in John 10:33″ The Jews answered him saying, for a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, maketh thyself God.” The Lord said he was the Son of God and the Jews also understood that by calling himself the Son of God, He is making himself God.

As sons of God we are not ordinary mortals. We are one with God who gave birth to us by His word. 1st Peter 1:23 ” Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. ” You have been born by the word of God, and so you are a divine person and must live by the word of God, and that is the only thing that must control you. You must not live to strive with one another over men of God or any carnal thing. 1 Corinthians 3:21 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours”;

    It is very miserable for a Christian to live like other humans. When the Christian lives by what he feels, sees, thinks, tastes or hears he cannot be controlled by the divine life. If the Christian accepts that he is a sinner, helpless at the power of demons, and that, the devils can easily inflict sicknesses on him, then he has chosen to live an ordinary human life. 

Romans 8:9 says ” but ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. ” You are not in the flesh and must not be controlled by the flesh. You are in the Spirit and must be controlled by the word. The word says you are the righteousness of God. Accept it and live like one. You are the healed of the Lord, and stop calling some sicknesses your sickness. Jesus took all those sicknesses in his passion. Agree with the word and accept that you are healed. THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN IS WHAT OUR LORD JESUS LED AND SHOWED TO US.

 CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly father, that you gave birth to me by your infallible word. I have your life in me, and it has made me a partaker of the divine nature. I live a higher life, manifesting holiness, wisdom, peace and dominion in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDY:

Romans 8:7-8” Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God”.

2 Peter 1:4 ” Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:1 “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,”

Apostle Paul had a great ministry in Corinth but left for Ephesus to continue with the work. Paul left the work at Corinth for Apollos to continue.

The happenings in the Corinthians church after apostle Paul had left Corinth, is seen in Paul’s letter to them. He wrote the following to them in 1st Corinthians 3 :1-3 ” And I brethren could not speak unto you as spiritual but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal, for where there is among you envying, and strife and divisions are ye not carnal, and walk as men.”  

   I believe Apostle Paul wrote this letter with lots of pain in his heart. He had spent a long period teaching these people, expecting them to understand the realities of the divine life but we’re not. These people were still living as mere men. He described them as ” …. and ye walk as mere men.”  He called them babies who could not take meat but milk. Please note; milk as we know is taken by babies who do no work. Taking milk therefore means, doing nothing with the word of God you hear. Sadly, many children of God are also taking milk. So long as you are not applying the word of God you hear, you are a milk drinker and therefore you are a baby.

   Apostle Paul says further that because they refused to apply the scriptures, it manifested in their behaviour. There were divisions, strive and envying in their midst Some of them started saying, I belong to Paul, and others claimed they are for Apollos.  In our modern era, some Christians claim we are the best church. Others say we have the greatest number and we have the best pastor.  In 1st Corinthians 3:5, apostle Paul said ” Who then is Paul, who then is Apollos but ministers (servants,) by whom ye believed as the Lord gave to every man.”

   We pastors, prophets or evangelists are ministers “one who ran errands ” or servants of God, used by God. No one must be divided because he belongs to man of God A or man of God B. CHRISTIANITY IS NOT AN ASSOCIATION TO ANY CHURCH BUT A COMMITMENT TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH HIS CHURCH.

PRAYER

Father I pray for all children of God, to be yielded to the Lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ, and doing those things that brings glory to His name.

FURTHER STUDY:

 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 ” I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So, then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase”.

Hebrews 5:12 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:11 ” And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them”.

Apostle Paul’s life has a lot to teach the modern-day Christian lots of lessons.  After the Lord told him to keep preaching in the city of Corinth, Paul quickly changed his mind concerning not speaking to the Jew’s any longer. He stayed in Corinth for one year six months.

Paul was totally given to the work of God.  He chose not to marry so he could be more effective in the Lord’s work. In 1st Corinthians 9:5 He says “Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife as well as other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas? He said he had the power to marry a wife like the other apostles but he did not, for the sake of the work.  How could he have been moving easily from one place to another if he had a family? The church and her leaders must be very cautious about the way we seek to push upcoming youth into marriage. As much as marriage is very important and some would have to marry so they do not burn, there would still be some who would be like Paul and would be able to achieve a lot for the Lord. 

The following is what Paul says concerning those that may be married. 1st Corinthians 7:32,33 “But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belongs to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world how he may please his wife”. Apostle Paul was given to pleasing his master and Saviour. He did not want any divided attention and as he says in the later part of verse 35 ” that ye may attend to the Lord without distraction”

All children of God are not called to be married.  Some would definitely be given solely to God and his work.  Many too would have to marry.  The church must promote both views, giving the youth both options. After all, life is not about what we achieve physically, but ultimately how we please the Lord. This is the kind of   consciousness that we must give the church body. It is rather unfortunate most of us Christians are earthly conscious and are rather fleshly minded.  We should be heavenly minded and earthly beneficial as well.

In Acts 18:14 apostle Paul was arrested by some Jews who brought him to Gallio the deputy of Achaia to judge him. They complained about Paul changing their way of worship from the law to God’s   grace. Gallio said he would have nothing to say about their religion. Note; the deputy set him free. At this point it was not time for him to be arrested. God our father holds the right to whatever happens to us depending on how we relate to his word.  Do not be afraid.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father enlighten the church body to learn to place you first in all things. Deliver the church from the subtility of the worldly spirit. May the church really make Jesus Lord indeed and not to play lip Lordship.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matthew 19:12 ” For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it”.

Galatians 5:24 ” And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts”.