Paul , Luke, and the gang were on their way back to Jerusalem. It became apparent that the circumstances that awaited Paul were not going to be good. Each person that Paul encountered warned Paul of the fate that awaited him. Paul went anyway. Paul was drawn to complete a mission for which he had been called. God appointed Paul to be the voice to spread the Gospel to the Gentile people. This had put Paul at odds with the Jewish leadership and they were not going to sit idly by and not try to stop him.
It is a difficult question, if you know God’s call on your life includes danger and possible death, should you proceed? Many martyrs have faced that question and answered gleefully, “Absolutely!” This is such a short part of eternity. We can never fear what circumstances might bring into our lives here. Paul said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
We have so much for which we can be grateful. God never promised it would be easy. He never promised an absence of suffering. He only promised a full and meaningful life on earth and eternity with Him. Jim Elliot, the martyred Missionary said it best, “He is no fool that will trade what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose!
God Bless You
After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Walking With God 