Acts 16

http://www.esvbible.org/Acts+16/

Paul meets a man named Timothy in the city of Lystra. Timothy would later join Paul on his many mission trips and help write a few of the letters to churches, including 2 Corinthians. Paul wort 1 and 2 Timothy to this man. Paul knows that Timothy is a believer, his mother is originally Jewish, and his father is Greek. Paul really wants Timothy to join him, but he knows how some of the churches around the area he travels feel about the Greeks, so he circumcises Timothy. Together, they travel and strengthen the churches around Lystra. This story is important because it introduces Timothy and his relationship with Paul.

Paul and Silas could not travel to the region of known Asia because the Holy Spirit would not allow it. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit has to prepare people before missionaries can get through to them. If He has not done so, the missionaries could cause more harm than good. The same can be true for individuals. Listen to the Holy Spirit. You will know if He wants you to teach to a person you're talking to or not. Don't be a detrimental cause of Spiritual damage. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit can also keep you away from teaching one individual because He wants you to focus on another individual. Paul has a dream while he tries to go to Asia that a man from Macedonia calls for Paul to save the people there. When Paul awakens, he tells those who are with him, and they immediately head for Macedonia. Luke is with Paul at this point because he uses the pronoun "we."

Paul, Silas, Luke, and the others in their company ended up in the city of Philippi, which is a leading city in Macedonia. Paul usually travels to leading cities in the region because he hoped that if a leading city begins to change its ways an believe in Christ as the Lord and Savior, then the other cities will follow suit, or listen to missionaries from the leading cities more readily. They meet a woman named Lydia while they are in Philippi. She listens to them and believes because God compels her to. God sent these disciples to Macedonia, so He was not going to leave them hanging or abandon them to do the job on their own. Because God started to make His presence known there, He sent the disciples there to help. Also, this woman is important because she shows that we cannot convert people on our own. We need God to want us to be talking to these people, and to be doing so filled with and through the Holy Spirit. Soon after this encounter, Paul and Silas tried to keep teaching, but a woman, who was demon possessed, followed them around and shouted after them. Paul became irritated with this woman and cast out the demon. This demon had also told fortunes that made the woman's owners rich, so they were angry that Paul had released the demon. They had Paul and Silas arrested, beaten and thrown in solitary confinement, but God had a plan to turn this into an occasion to make something good come out. Around midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns in jail. Suddenly, a violent earthquake struck and opened all of the prison doors. The guard was so afraid that the prisoners had escaped that he planned to kill himself, but Paul called out to him and showed him that they were all still there. The guard asked what it took to be saved. The guard saw the difference between these men who had Jesus as their Savior and those who did not. That night, the guard and his family believed. The next day, the officials announced that they were releasing Paul and Silas and even apologized to them. God needed them to go to jail in order to save more people. God doesn't always do things the way you think He should,m but that is what makes Him God