July 14,2025 Summarized Weekly Devotional Notes from the Book of Acts 16KJV
For Mithcah Bible Baptist Church – Bahrain
Online Morning Devotional Bible Study and Group Prayer Fellowship- July 15, 2025
“4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.”
Lesson: Establish in the Faith
Acts 16:1-10 KJV -
1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Established in the faith.
The church increased in number daily.
They obediently accepted the apostles decree.
Then through Paul’s ministerial journey in Lystra and Derbe, has he met Timothy.
Whom was well reported in the faith by the brethren, a son of a Jewish woman , but his father was a greek. A disciple whom Paul had to circumcised in observance of the Jewish traditional law.
Of whose faith has been one among the pillar of the early church’s leadership; to whom Paul entrusted the righthand of his apostleship, even the ordination of new testament pastoral and bishopry.
Thus, Apostle Paul’s ministerial journey in church planting started; as The HOLY GHOST through visions has led him. The LORD enabled those men who were stablishedin the faith, for him to mentor and has become among the chief of the church Paul started.
The trail of how the churches grow in numbers even until today in diverse places is thru the mission works of Apostle Paul; from where we are molded, and our faith in the LORD is stablished.
From thence, GOD’s words continue to be preached, so that people may come to the saving knowledge.
Acts 16:11-18 KJV -
11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.”
Two distinctive women:
* Lydia a purple seller who believed and was baptized with her household came to Paul and pleaded him to abide with them in their house during Paul and Silas’ ministerial journey in Philippi.
* the damsel who is a soothsayer; used by her master for much gain.
The merchant Lydia received and hosted them at herhouse; took care of their needs, the damsel soothsayer prophesied about them that they are the servants of the most High GOD who will teach them the way of salvation, whom Paul casted away the unclean spirit which possessed her; which gave her power to heal, also predicted her clients’ future, that made her master to gain wealth by means of her wizardry; causing her master to falsely accused Paul and Silas, that he forcefully caught them and brought them to the magistrate, accusing them of teaching things they “should not”, that resulted Paul and Silas to be punished with lashes.
These clearly conveyed to us that in the LORD service, servants of GOD have these ahead of them:
They experienced GOD’s love and providential grace through people whom GOD prepared. endured, they speak the truth about GOD’s power to save through JESUS CHRIST The LORD. All of these, they counted them as the grace of GOD; rejoicing, for their service to Him was counted worthy to share His sufferings, that for them it is gain.
In the ministry to which we all were called and are being called, there is not only sustenance, but also sufferings. GOD allowed both for us to rely on Him in prayers and supplication with thanksgiving.
May we also have the boldness to continue sharing and teaching GOD’s words not only in the presence of the applauding audience but even in the presence of adversaries as well. Praying that we have the courage to endure, counting all our sufferings for Christ as gain; for through these we have the favor from GOD; giving us strength to do His will: the will of our LORD JESUS CHRIST our Redeemer.
Acts 16:19-34 KJV
“22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”
Paul and Silas after receiving lashes ordered by the magistrate; believing false reports without investigating the master of the damsel soothsayer, the whom Paul freed from unclean spirit’s possession, they were casted into the inner prison.
And while their feet were locked up in the stocks, they sang hymns from their heart. And then an earthquake loosening them from being locked up, and the doors of the prisons opened. Then the guard presumed that they fled, draw his sword, about to kill himself. But Paul yelled and said: “do yourself no harm for we are all here!” And the guard brought them out asking: “what must I do to be saved?” And they answered: “31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
And the guard took them to his house, clean up their wounds and got baptized even all his house. And that household greatly rejoiced for the salvation they received.
Take note of these thoughts from how Paul and Silas reacted despite their circumstances:
He and his household got saved and baptized. Greatly rejoicing for he and his household without doubt instantly received the precious gift of salvation; should it were not from the miraculous encountered with these falsely accused imprisoned ministers, he and his house will never have known that the LORD and Savior is the CHRIST JESUS the Redeemer.
As it was said by the LORD:
John 8:32KJV
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
As JESUS said: I am the way the truth and the life..He meant it, that He, even if He ascended already to heaven, He actively involved in the affairs of all His believers. He is not just sitting there still. His power is everlasting that it mightily works even until today.
We may have had experienced hardships and sufferings, but we must hold on; we must be also establish in the faith, of The LORD; for JESUS CHRIST our Redeemer is alive and He still care.
He works in His very own mysterious way. And on the process of preparing Himself to come again, for us to be free from all of our anxieties and fears.
Wait patiently and be still, keep the faith. His help and justice is soon coming our way!
Acts 16:35-40 KJV -
“35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.”
If you know the law you know your rights stated by the law.
Just as how Paul respond to the sergeant to whom the order from the magistrate was given: “let Paul and Silas go.” That the magistrate could do nothing but to come and plead from them to go and depart from the city. We must know our rights. Not because the LORD commanded us to be meek and humble, we will never answer our accusers. That is not what the LORD wanted for us as His called-out ministers. He has not given us cowardice, but courage and boldness to speak for the truth, much more our right to be judged according to the law of the land. That indirectly imparted to us that, as we were called to serve to the place where we are planted, we must also have knowledge about the law of the land; not only for these instances, but for ourselves also to be warned. When do we have to be silent and when do we need to speak.
These events also imply to us that, even in difficulties and sufferings emotionally, mentally and physically, if we know the truth, should we being asked, we must speak the truth, and we walk in the truth. And if we are confident we are in the truth no matter what happen we will not be easily get distressed nor disappointed; for if we suffered, and get hurt because we stand for the truth, we may shed tears and feel the pain from the hurt inflicted on us, but there is peace and rejoicing; because we know that we too are being counted worthy to share the sufferings of CHRIST. The true church of CHRIST since then, even in this present time are established in the faith. We are just becoming a channel of blessings if we partake to fulfill the great commission of sharing the Gospel. Our church, even all true Church of CHRIST will keep on growing if submissive disposition will be within every Christian’s character. From henceforth, let nothing hinder our growth as we obey our Loving GOD and Almighty Father, in wholeheartedly doing His blessed will.
Let GOD and our LORD Savior JESUS CHRIST be our joy and the source of our comfort. For we are confident that His love never fails, and His grace will carry us along the way.
Have a blessed morning!
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