Prayer Circle

Have you ever been shown the door? I mean, sent out or away because you offended someone?

Well, that happened to Paul. What determination he showed in the midst of it.

But some Jews arrived there from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the people and won them over, they stoned Paul and afterward] dragged him out of the town, thinking that he was dead.

But the disciples formed a circle about him, and he got up and went back into the town, and on the morrow, he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

When they had preached the good news (Gospel) to that town and made disciples of many of the people, they went back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch. (Acts 14:19-21, AMP)

Paul preached the Gospel of Christ, then was stoned and dragged out of town. Stoning is an awful way to die. I won’t describe the methods here but you can research it for yourself. Unfortunately, some countries still practice it.

Paul survived this stoning. I wonder if that circle of disciples had something to do with it.

By standing around Paul they protected him from further stoning but surely as they stood there, they were also praying.

So then Paul gets up and trots right back into that town! What a display of courage in Christ.

So dear friends, though we are unlikely to be stoned, what will we do when the chance to share Christ is ridiculed and someone shows us the door?

I leave that up to you and the discernment of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer- Father God, tell us what to do in the midst of sharing Christ. You sent us in…give us the courage to do what you ask of us. Amen.

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