GUIDANCE – Keep it Simple and Trust the Lord.
The example we looked at yesterday in Acts 1, choosing Judas’ replacement, is important because it was the First Corporate Decision of the body of believers on earth. Peter knew what the scripture called for, so they were obligated to get on with it;
‘May another take his place of leadership.’ (Psalm 109:8)
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witnesswith us of his resurrection.” Acts 1
Peter gave some important directions, it would have to be someone who’d been with the Lord and all of them from the beginning. WE USUALLY NEED A DIRECTION TO BEGIN to look and the Lord can redirect us as needed. (A moving ship is easier to guide than a stationary one!) The famous Irish missionary, Amy Carmichael, went to Japan at first and thought that would be the destiny for her life’s work but it was with the young girls of India. Right Work and Right Heart, but wrong location.
Our Part and God’s Part, mostly we need both!
23 SO THEY NOMINATED (took a first step) TWO MEN: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 THEN THEY PRAYED (brought God into the centre of their decision), “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two YOU HAVE CHOSEN 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
They prayed and trusted God for the right outcome. This was a momentous decision regarding the foundation of Christ’s Church here on earth and yet it seemed to have been quite a simple process.
Derek Prince described how he met and married his second wife, Ruth. He’d had a vision of her sitting at the bottom of a steep hill, with a winding path to the summit. She was in an unusual coloured dress and sat in a strange pose because of pain in her back. They’d both prayed about their future relationship, very important for man of God with a significant ministry. There were some hindrances for a time to their intended relationship. They each agreed to put it on God’s altar and pray, without contact for three months. At the end of that time they went ahead with their marriage.
Two things, our emotions can be very powerful in personal situations. Sometimes it’s good to wait and let God choose. He also said that one of the best bits of non-scriptural advice he’d heard was, ‘If you don’t know what to do, DO NOTHING’. BEST TO KNOW WE’RE ON THE RIGHT PATH ‘BEFORE’ STEPPING OUT.
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