Today's Passage - Acts 15:36-41

Acts 15:36-41   Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."  Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.  They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.  He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.   God does prepare His vessels just by giving them a one-time training.  Human beings by nature like to be independent, but God wants us to depend on Him.  Not just to depend on Him once, but to depend on Him continuously.  That's why God never tells us what's going to happen say after five years, because we all hope to prepare for the future as early as possible in our own ways, not in the ways that God will prepare us.  Our greatest weakness is the desire to depend on ourselves; it's not that God doesn't want us to be prepared and plan ahead, but He wants us to depend on Him and obey Him daily.  When God is preparing a vessel, He values how we follow Him daily, so may the Lord help us to humble ourselves and learn to follow and obey Him daily.   God did not equip Paul only during the time he was in Damascus or the ten lonely years in Tarsus; rather, Paul was equipped with new lessons and discipline from each ministry journey.  This passage mentioned about how Paul started his second missionary trip; I believe that when Paul started planning this trip, he thought it'd be easy because he's done it before.  Also, the previous experience of ministering with Barnabas was very fruitful.    In verse 36, we saw that Barnabas wanted to call Mark back to go with them, because Barnabas was good at encouraging people and give them a second chance; Paul, on the other hand, was strong-willed and inpatient, and he couldn't tolerate God's ministry being delayed by people.  Therefore, they argued about this and ended up parting their ways.   This event had tremendous impact on Paul.  God used this opportunity to teach Paul the lesson of not depending on his past experience but to renew his dependence on God; at the same time, God also wanted to reshape his ministry.  After chapter 16, when he started his second missionary trip, Paul started to assemble his coworker team and selected those he wanted to follow him.  This is the lesson that God wanted Paul to learn - He needed to not depend on himself, but learn to depend on God, and to collaborate with other coworkers.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, please give us a tender and humble heart so that we may be shaped like how Paul was.  Soften our hearts and teach us to collaborate with you and with other brothers and sisters, so that you will may be done.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!       Participate in Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - by Donating a Seat for a future new believer!