--The Lord Knows Where He Wants Us To Go. Also To Whom He Wants Us to Minister~~

-"They tried to enter Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus would
not allow them to."
-(Acts 16:7)--

--Twice in Acts 16 Paul and company were redirected by God. First, they were "kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia" (V.6) Then, "When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to" (V.7). Unknown to them, God had other plans that would be right for His work and workers. His 'no' to the previous plans put them in a position to listen to and be confidently led by Him (VV. 9-10).

Who among us hasn't grieved what we initially thought to be a painful loss? We've felt wounded when we didn't get a certain job, when a service opportunity didn't materialize, when a relocation got derailed. Though such things can momentarily be weighty, time often reveals that such detours are actually 'divine diversions' that the Lord graciously uses to get us where He wants us, and we are grateful.

--ODB/AJ
-[**Perhaps there is unconfessed sin in our lives. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 JOHN 1:9). The guilt beneath the surface will show itself by the Lord halting some work we may think is of Him. "For whom the LORD loves He chastens, (Hebrews 12:6) . We take this to the Lord in prayer, and allow Him to cleanse us, so we can go on forward being used by Him.
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" -(Romans 3:23). There is no sin that He will not forgive if we sincerely repent of it. "You are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are His everlasting arms." ~~
/-"Shine On Us" / Phillips, Craig and Dean ~ -<https://youtu.be/i51ZYgVFCUo>
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