Here are the highlights of Paul and Barnabas' journey:
Iconium: P & B preached and performed signs and wonders but the unbelieving Jews poisoned the minds of the Gentiles and divided the multitude of the city, part sided with the Jews and part with the apostles (v4)
Lystra: Paul made a crippled man well and the people upon seeing this worshipped the apostles like gods calling Paul - Hermes and Barnabas - Zeus. With this, P & B tore their clothes crying out that, God - not them - must be worshipped. However, the people were stubborn and sacrifices were still offered.
: The Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there as well and stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead. The next day, they escaped to Derbe.
Back in all the cities the converts were strengthened.
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Persistence. Paul was almost left dead due to the stoning in Lystra and yet he came back to the city after escaping to Derbe to encourage the church there. Hats off to this apostle who persevered unceasingly for the Lord. What about you? Do you think you can do the same for Him? How can you show your perseverance for God in your life today?
Say for instance, you have a brother and he is an unbeliever. You both grew up in the church but he fell away during his teens. He knows about your faith and he knows how much you want him to know Christ. He heard you so many times praying for him to come back to church. You show him how much you love him in so many different ways, in ways he could not even imagine you would do. Over and over again you try to remind him that all he needs in his life is Christ. And most importantly, you try to tell him how much God loves him and wants him back.
Still he chooses NOT to believe.
What would you do? Persistence.
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