Author: Melissa Lynne

Yesterday someone had a Word for me. They said it was a Word from God and so I was excited to hear. But then…

It was a word that contained one phrase so troubling to my heart that it immobilized every part of me for the better part of the day. Every part except my tears. My tears were all that moved freely and the only prayer I could even utter (whether it be from God or even if it wasn’t). Honestly I wanted to rail against it and my first reaction was to say, “well that’s not of God!” Don’t some believe a Word is always supposed to be encouraging? Hmmm….I surely wasn’t encouraged. However, I also know this person doesn’t normally come to me with Words from God so I felt I had to consider it.

I have been taught in all things to test what is said and done. Test to see if it stands the tests of Scripture, sound reason, and the nature and example of Jesus Christ. Test ALL things whether it is something I disagree with or even something I agree with. Test all things regardless of the vessel. All means ALL.

So I am testing. I know that the Bible and teaching of Jesus are full of difficult truths that often trouble our emotions. Our emotions are often troubled greatly before they change or before we can make even a little change. I also know Truth doesn’t exist to keep me happy or unhappy. It just is. Truth will set me free. Truth spurs me toward something higher and deeper in God than my current place. Jesus is Truth!

If indeed a Word of truth can change my life and maybe help me to look more like Jesus…then I guess though in the moment it is troubling ultimately it will be a very encouraging Word. Right? So I don’t dismiss it at all – not even a little bit. I appreciate it and try to ponder without distress and I listen for the Holy Ghost to speak regarding it. I will hold fast to that which is good in Him whether it gives me warm feelings or sharp pain. If it is a Word from God and it is Truth I can’t pick His words.

Sometimes parts of this path are more trails of tears than an actual path. Jesus knows!

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ~ John 8:32

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.~ 1 John 4:1

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:21

I’ve been studying Acts 16 all week and I’m still there! What follows is taken mostly from a commentary on Blue Letter Bible with a few of my own thoughts added. I put them here because they have encouraged me greatly and I want to hold on to them. In this text Paul was forbidden by the Holy Ghost to do what he was called to do and he was forbidden more than once. Sometimes you feel like you have done something wrong when God shuts doors, when His plan isn’t real clear or you are in that “waiting” time. In reading this I see that God shut doors for the Apostle Paul…not because Paul’s desires were wrong but He closed the doors for His greater purposes. I am encouraged as I wait for my own Macedonian Call.

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God knows what He’s doing when He says “NO!”

Acts 16:6-8 The Holy Spirit forbids Paul to go towards the province of Asia Minor. (WHAT?)

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. After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 

a. They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia: After strengthening the churches in the region, Paul sought to go next to the south-west, towards the important city of Ephesus. Yet, Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go there.

• We note with interest that the Holy Spirit actually forbade Paul to do something we normally think of as good – preaching Gods Word to those who need it. Yet the Spirit of God directed this work, and Paul wasn’t the right person in the right place at the right time to begin bringing the gospel to the Roman Province of Asia Minor. There was certainly nothing wrong with Paul’s desire to preach the word in Asia; but it wasnt Gods timing, so this was forbidden by the Holy Spirit.

• It is difficult to say exactly how the Holy Spirit said no; it may have been through a word of prophecy, or by an inward speaking of the Holy Spirit, or by circumstances. One way or another, Paul and his company got the message. Ephesus would come later, not now.

• Asia does not refer to the Far East as we know it today. It refers to the Roman Province of Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey.

b. They tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them: After the attempt to go to Asia, Paul sought to go north into Bithynia, but was again prevented by the Holy Spirit. So, they came down to Troas.

• Paul didn’t set out to go to Troas. It was at least the third choice for him. But it was the Holy Spirits plan to lead him there. Paul, beautifully responsive to the Holy Spirit, was willing to lay down his will and his plans for the direction that the Holy Spirit brings.

• Paul was guided by hindrance. The Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors.

• David Livingstone wanted to go to China, but God sent him to Africa. William Carey wanted to go to Polynesia, but God sent him to India. Adoniram Judson went to India, but God guided him to Burma. God guides us along the way, to just the right place. (I wanted to go to Africa but God has sent me to Romania and Haiti)

Acts 16:9-10 God directs Paul to the region of Macedonia.

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. 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. 

a. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: In Troas, God made Pauls direction clear. In a vision, Paul was invited to the region of Macedonia, westward across the Agean Sea.

• This moved Paul and his missionary team from the continent of Asia to the continent of Europe; this was the first missionary endeavor to Europe.

• The wisdom and greatness of Gods plan was beginning to unfold. In Pauls mind, he wanted to reach a few cities in his region. But God wanted to give Paul a continent to win for Jesus Christ.

b. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. The Macedonian man wanted help. So Paul went to bring Macedonia the gospel – the best possible help.

• The greatest help we can bring anyone is the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. It is good for us to bring other help along with the gospel, but without the gospel, little real help is given.

c. Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go: Paul did not hesitate to answer the call of the Macedonian man. Pauls missionary team did not hesitate to follow him on the basis of this call. This was a strong, godly man, leading a strong, godly team.

• God still calls people to the mission field, and He may call through unusual ways. Its still possible for a type of Macedonian Man to give an unusual call to serve God in a distant place. When that happens, its important to respond the way Paul and his team did.

d. Immediately we sought to go: The shift from they (they came down to Troas, Acts 16:8) to wein this verse probably means that Luke joined the band of missionaries in Troas. Perhaps he even came as Pauls personal doctor.

• Now we see another reason why they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. We see another reason why the Spirit did not permit them to go into Bithynia. God wanted Paul and his team to go to Troas and pick up a doctor named Luke. Because God said no to Paul these two times, we have a gospel and a Book of Acts written by Doctor Luke.

• At the time, Paul probably had no idea of the greatness of Gods purpose. God wanted to give him a continent for Jesus, to give him a personal doctor, and to give all of us the man whom God would use to write more of the New Testament than anyone else did. God knows what He is doing when he says, No.

Today has been one of those days of discouragement. I wasn’t expecting it but a darkness covered everything and it was hard to see anything clearly because my lens was such a mess. Very humbling, but it happens every now and then and I promised myself and the Lord long ago that I wouldn’t pretend to have it all together or that this life is always easy. It’s not….but in the middle of today’s darkness as I finally went from crying to crying out to God, He spoke to my heart and I heard Him clearly!!! He reminded me again for the hundredth or so time to fight through His strength! And then He brought me right back to one of those very first things He taught me to fight the devil when he came at me with those other nasty spirits of depression and anxiety and fear –  Declare His Word! Declare His Word over the spirit of discouragement and don’t give in to it. So I followed the Holy Ghost and He took me on a journey through the Scriptures tonight. What follows is what He used from His Word to break that discouragement off of my mind. Maybe they will help someone else someday or maybe they will just stand here as a “stone” of remembrance for what my God has provided for me tonight. I am grateful to You, my Father and to the Holy Ghost and His Word tonight. And always, always, always thank you Jesus!

Joshua 1:9 – Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

1 Chronicles 22:13 – Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charge Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

Psalm 31:24 – Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

Psalm 34:17-19 – The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 55:22 – Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Isaiah 40:31 – But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 42:16 – And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 – Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Matthew 11:28 – Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

John 16:33 – These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In this world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:31 – What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 15:13 – Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 9:24 – Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 – We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Philippians 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

1 Peter 1:6-9 – Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 5:7 – Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

James 4:7 – Submit yourselves, therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm one shows me that when God is my sole delight, He will become an endless meditation. That meditation will work in me a firm planting, an abundant yielding of fruit and a sustaining prosperity in my spiritual life.

I am encouraged today by this Word. I am encouraged to delight in Him alone, to delight in Him above everything; to delight in the sweetness of His presence and His empowering voice… so that He may work His work in me.

I am also reminded of this verse in John when I read Psalm 1 –

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ~ John 15:5

Truly the blessed man of Psalm 1 has learned to abide.

May we be known and found standing and abiding on that judgement day! It is my prayer, Father…in Jesus’ Name.  – Amen!

The Lord sure has been speaking to me from Matthew 24. The last couple of days it has been mostly on this one verse:

“and then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” ~ Matthew 24:10

If you read it in the context of verse 4-14, It is an important warning on offense. When the temptation to pick up offense presents itself it is time to stop it in its tracks or to flee it. You can’t afford to allow yourself to be offended or to justify offense…no matter the actions or words of others. I see in this verse – offense, betrayal, hatred = DEATH.  I also am struck by the word – many. Many will be offended. Will you be one of those many? Will I?

And, I hear the Lord saying, “BEWARE!!!”  

As I have meditated on this briefly tonight, I was reminded of these scriptures:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ~ John 10:10

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ~ John 15:12

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.~ Proverbs 10:12

And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

The enemy seeks to kill, steal and destroy and he often uses people. These are the same people that we are told to LOVE!  You can’t truly love and have room in your heart for offense.

Father, You are opening this to me for a reason so Holy Ghost I ask you please help me to hear all that You wish to say. I ask You to show me areas of my life that I am holding onto offense and or anything rooted in offense that I may repent and be delivered from them completely with Your help. I thank you that on the cross you carried offense to the grave that I would have LIFE more abundantly. And, Lord I ask you to fill me, full and overflowing, with LOVE for YOU and YOUR LOVE for others! In Jesus Name! AMEN!!

I have given you this gift and it is your way of connecting with me and the world. Don’t worry about the critics and those that don’t understand you. Write what is on your heart. It is beautiful to Me. Don’t try to impress with your writing. You will move mountains if you let me take control of it. You will speak and preach but it will be based on your writing and something I give you. Come to me often and let’s get this started and flowing again. I never wanted you to give up writing. Stop being afraid of people knowing you and your heart. Your heart is beautiful to me. Stop bringing books into the prayer room. Just bring yourself, My Word, paper, pen and prayer shawl. Start writing and I will give you and show you My heart and your ministry.

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I was just in Sam’s Club earlier this week and a man that I used to go to church with came up to me and said, “so I heard you were preaching now. Have you quit your job and started your church yet?!?” I said, “I am not trying to start a church. I am only trying to be obedient to the Lord and what He has called me to do.” He responded, “Oh we know what you are doing!” I smiled and gave him a hug. Said goodbye and Merry Christmas and left.

What?!?! Yes the Lord knows my heart, but sometimes I wish people did. I can’t be responsible for what people think or say but I can be responsible for my own stuff. There is a reason why the Bible says to write the vision and make it plain. So here is my vision that evolves daily but most of what you read here is the same you would have read 5 years ago:

I have never said to anyone ever that I wanted to start a church. I do believe in being faithful to the church God has place you in and I believe in supporting the vision of leadership and helping to build that Body of Christ there. Pastors are that leadership. If you aren’t supporting the Pastor(s) of the church you are set in you are in rebellion.

I have said to every pastor that I have had over the last 8 years that I felt called to preach. Some have given me opportunity and some have not but they all have known it. That is okay because it is God’s timing. He can open doors if He is ready. He can close doors as well. I want to preach because one day I was called! I was called in the middle of a Bible study with a group of ladies. It was later confirmed for me by the Lord during a joint Wednesday night Service that our church held at the Cramerton Presbyterian Church. My pastor at the time was teaching and discussing his own mother and her call to preach. I felt something I have never felt before and I can’t even explain it…it was a solid knowing and it was mixed with a while lot of holy fear.

When God puts a call on your life – you know it. I want to preach because of that call and because sometimes the Word burns in my bones and I feel like I might just explode from the inside. Maybe God will have me preach in a jail or on the streets or in the nursing homes. It is a knowing no matter how much or who comes against it…you still know. I felt the same way when I was called to Africa for a season. It hasn’t happened yet but I know someday it will because God spoke it into my spirit and He is not a man that He should lie. I don’t know when or how or all of the whys…I just know I am called to preach.

Preaching however doesn’t necessarily equate to being a pastor although I guess all pastors are called to preach. (Aren’t we all called to do that?) I am not preaching so that one day I can quit my job and make a “profession” of preaching… although many days I would love to retire and just be about other things. I think that and then He uses me right here in my own little world. I only want to serve the Lord. I want to do it His way…not my way, or my friend’s way…Just His. I found during my time of leading Bible studies that I was drawn to the ones that no one else seemed to want around or in their “groups” and they were drawn to me. The peculiar ones. The peculiar ones are very faithful. I believe that on Sundays we hear what the Lord has said to the pastors and I want to have a Bible study again like I once did on Monday or Tuesday because it is then that I want to hear what God has said to the rest of the Body— since He is speaking to all of His sheep. What has He said to you this week?

Just because I am to preach doesn’t mean that I don’t still believe I have a call to prayer ministry. It goes together and I believe in prayer more today than I ever have. There is actually still nothing I want more than to be a part of a community 24/7 prayer room. There are some of those out there but not in my community. Our communities need to be saturated in prayer. I believe all other ministry begins with prayer and ends with lack of it. I feel like God is going to use me in many areas but the Holy Ghost has drawn me to toward three specifics – prayer, healing, knowing the Word. I believe that preaching and teaching are part of discipleship and we are called to make disciples. I am a disciple of Christ and I am being “made” into a disciple by some very anointed Pastors and teachers and I pray one day I will look and sound just like them, not because of them, but because they look and sound and love like Jesus Christ. I can identify with Maria Woodworth-Etter and with Anna of the Bible. There you have it – straight from my pen. My “stuff.” Now you know.

Write the vision and make it plain : )

“And let our’s also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.” ~ Titus 3:14

As it regards good works, do you ever wonder what God thinks is unfruitful? Even if just unfruitful in your life? Some good works present themselves and it is easy to know what you should do. Other times choosing what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to or walk away from is hard. Something I consider insignificant could be most important to Him!!

The path the Lord puts you on is a perfect path!

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” ~ Isaiah 30:21