R1534 The Call to Go

God has an encouraging word for you and me today for the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton of this edition of The Encouraging Word.

I'm so excited to share with you this message from Dr. Wilson. They called the call to go now your phone ring or your text goes off and you look at that.

You choose whether or not to accept that call phone call or text or whatever that might be an email but accepting the call to go is something we really don't have an option for when it comes to God sometimes were frightened because we think we got a call to be missionaries at the other the world, when the reality is he may be calling us to a unique ministry right there in her own home with our family just down the street with our neighbors across the desk with worker. I pray that you be open to what God can do through the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton today on this edition of The Encouraging Word with Dr. Don message call to go Dr. Don Wilton God ordered his pilot angels to come down to this earth to give a royal escort to the feast table of the king of Col. Ted Bella, one of America's great heroes on of Spartanburg's finest Col. Ballard was remarkable man and we loved him so will when I think of Col. Ballard think of so many things just as you are not, but essentially courage, the courage to serve our nation, then he's facing the Lord Jesus the faith to endure and to live. I want you to know because I was many one of just many, together with his family.

This man's courage and faith.

Was there all away that flag that flew an American flag that flew in his heart and life.

Never stop flying high in his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ never wavered. Most of us know his story, I shall miss Col. Ballard's but this together with you.

I watch those names scrolling on the screen. It amazes me how many of those people that are new so will Col. Ballard joined the on Thursday morning. We want you to know today that we honor you every life, every sacrifice, how can we ever say thank you. There are hundreds thinking of so many friends and family members. We honor each and every one my good friend Clarence Johnson wrote this poem called freedom, and in fact gave it to me this morning.

Thank you. Must Clarence this is what it says freedom is a desire in every heart, so you did this. Something just a few of her own and it is purchased at a terrible price. Thank God for those for they sacrifice who gave their life and went to a grave shared precious blood, liberty to say we all these addict to stand in our day and not be the ones to let it slip away our country's future. We will hold in our hand will we as they did their take our stand against her enemies who ever they may be.

They did their part. It's now up to you and may God bless you men and women for your sacrifice and your service. God bless the United States of American. Would you join me as we pray to give our father, we thank you for great men and women of courage who have shown us what it means to serve this nation and who have sacrificed so much. Even they very lives. Thank you. Most of all, for those who have shown such incredible faith, having put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

People like Col. Ted Ballard even as I stand here this morning would say to me pasta make sure you tell them about Jesus. Father as we open the word of God today. Our prayer is that you would speak to our hearts. Even through the life of the apostle Paul showed such great courage and faith.

As eon said the cold to go not pray this prayer in Jesus name, amen. Please open your Bibles with me to the book of acts. In chapter 13 we need your Bibles.

Today we going to be in the book of acts.

In chapter 13. For the next number of weeks we going to be following the journeys of Paul that all recorded for us in God's word, one might think at face value that this is simply going on a journey well. It is, it's not unlike the journey that we have been on with Col. Ted Ballard. Every time I was with him and every time we were with him, and every time we were around him. We found ourselves connected into one man's journey journey that showed such courage journey that expressed such love for his wife Ruth and for his family journey of the termination journey, against all odds, we found ourselves right there in the Hanoi Hilton 6 1/2 use.

Even those of us who cannot even begin to imagine such things. I cannot imagine being shot down off the having fun.

So many missions.

Can't imagine floating down to an unknown ground with a broken body been captured by the Vietcong portrait. I can't imagine that but I've been on the journey. There is something about being around men and women like this carries with it inspiration does something my own soul and spirit causes me to want to stand up and be a real man and I stand alongside these you have sacrificed so much it provokes questions in my own heart and in my own soul.

And so it is when it comes to the apostle Paul, I ask not that we board the ship with him just simply to six sale across an angry sea but not all ask of the Lord Jesus Christ good as we do so, you will find and I will find in our own heart and soul, spirit that God would so our hearts because these are the words of the Lord.

This is my story and next chapter 13. It began. The Bible tells us. Now they were in the church at Antioch profits and teachers. Barnabas, Simeon, who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, many in a life long friend of Herod the tape talk and of course soul while they were worshiping the Lord and fostering the Holy Spirit see set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then off to fostering and praying they laid their hands on them and they sink them.

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to salutes you from there they sailed to Cyprus when they arrived at Salama's.

They proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews that had drawn to assist them when they gone through the whole island is forest path loss on the island of Cyprus. I came upon a certain magician Jewish false prophet named bar Jesus he was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence to someone, Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God, but elements the magician for that is the meaning of his name bar Jesus opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith, but so it was also called poll the Holy Spirit looked intently on him and said you some of the devil, you enemy of all unrighteousness. Full of all deceit and villainy.

We do not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord. Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you and you will be blind and I am unable to see the sun for a time immediately.

Mr. darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand then the proconsul Sergius Paulus believe in Jesus when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. So right here.

Just the other side of the seat. Here is the town of Tarsus. Anybody remember way. Paul actually came from soul by the way, the passage I just read to use when he became known as pool. You don't hear them referred to his soul again after acts chapter 13. He's poll your parcel that sees hometown and in fact what you and I might not realize is that after he had done a whole lot of things including coming to know Jesus, that soul went back to his hometown and he did a whole lot of nothing.

Probably continue these teams making but he was waiting and it was from Tarsus that Barnabas and some of the others came to get him to take him to this place called Antioch, to tell you some things about Antioch because, unbeknownst to Paul when he left his hometown and he traveled to Antioch and encountered the Christians there and they began to pray for him and I were worshiping the Lord and God called him he was going to leave there in the very first part of his journey was just what you and I would consider to be a short little trip across the sea in a canoe right don't think that this was a treacherous journey and Cyprus. Of course, is that this island right here that lies off the coast of Turkey and Cyprus is quite a it's quite a formidable island and he landed right in this place called Salama's and he ended up in this place. On the other side of Cyprus called path loss. Another couple of things you know that I'm going to tell you about this very just some interesting things about coal that we need to understand this town called Antioch that's Antioch in Syria. Modern day Turkey.

It's called and talked to you in Turkish and talk you. So for those of you that have been there. That's where you went to Antarctica.

The modern or the ancient name for an ocular Turkey is the name Antioch, and Antioch was really founded back in about 300 BC.

That's before Christ by the Seleucids who were of Greek origin. So this town here was a Hellenistic town and when Seleucid founded Antioch.

He called it Antioch or empty HIS father's name was empty office that nice.

I'm hoping that my sons are going to call at least one town in America. Donald sounds really nice arrived.

It was named after Seleucids father and just historically I don't want to to bog us down.

It became the ancient port city of Syria. Now why two reasons why this is the run to's rib. The around this river which our troops know a lot about in our day and age. The R1 to's rib. The around this river goes all the way down toward Damascus and coming up from under the map you is the river Jordan River Jordan stops on Mount Herman just south of Damascus via Ranchos River comes down and stops no of Damascus, but these rivers were very important.

Why because of the need for water. The other thing about Antioch kids via Ranchos River flowed into the Mediterranean Sea.

Here and so Seleucids said we need ships and he built a port very important. The port city and its even talked about right. They also Lucius can read about an inverse goal. Are you getting all the dots together. All right, Barnabas, who accompanied Paul everywhere. Barnabas actually came from Cyprus and there were a lot of Christians lived in Cyprus so when they came across to this place over here.

It was a Hellenistic Greek city.

There were a lot of things that happened in Antioch of Syria. It was the place where the First Christian Church was established, it was the place where Christians first became known as Christians in acts chapter 11 and it's the place that launched that began next scene out this man by the name of Paul to go into all the world and a lot of things happened even lock off to the stoning of Stephen. They all went back and in acts chapter 11 verse 19. They came from all over off to the stoning of Stephen which was cataclysmic. It was it was a huge thing. The martyrdom of Stephen. They left Cyprus they came up from Jerusalem. They came down from Tarsus and the Christians all gathered together, and something happened God happens when people who believe in Jesus just gathered together the church when people you love Jesus get together something amazing happens. Something's happening right now. God speaks God will speak to you everywhere.

I can I can be traced to many in you and I can do more. Jesus speaks to us everywhere. Also because he is everywhere. But when Christian get together. God does something makes himself known and I want to just highlight the cold to go. This is what happened because this whole to go will always be accompanied by some things that you can take to the bank.

You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton. There's more of his great Bible teaching coming up just one more of those things that we can take to the bank so to speak, but we want you to know that we're here for you, Dr. Don insist I interrupt to remind you of this phone number 866899 word will always connect you 24 hours a day to one of us ready to pray to listen to connect with resources. That's 866-899-9673 or meet us online@theencouragingword.org. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. Those who have served in the military would you identify with what I'm saying you know it was one thing to stand by yourself but it was another thing to be surrounded by your buddies. Most of you know I did a wonderful series of interviews with Col. about making its way around the nation now had that kind of impact.

As I was interviewing Col. Ballard. Yes, it was about his courage and his valor when he spoke about his wingman. Those who were with him when he spoke about being in a POW confinement black the Hanoi Hilton.

There was always that man in the cell next to him. These were the men tapped out the Lord's prayer on walls. These were the people who at Christmas time. In this solitary confinement tapped out on walls for fear of their lives. They couldn't even see one another, but they knew they were there for one another. What is it about the cold to go. What happened here this meeting place called Antioch. We got encounter another Antioch later on will get there. I'll talk about the other Antioch not to confuse things, but this Antioch in Syria, God scolded go was made known. The man stood up and said I'll do it. So what is this call, accompanied by let me just share a couple of straight from God's word. First of all, it will always be accompanied by spiritual leadership Bible tells us in acts chapter 13 that there was a Morse code going around amongst a group of people.

Each one of whom was a leader you know I thank the Lord for your leadership.

I'm looking at you pull Barnabas John Mark oh yeah they went more with a lifted up by just an amazing group of spiritual leaders.

The school will always be accompanied by great worship and prayer verse two tells us these people gathered together in what Paul and Barnabas and John Markham with all of these people you know they did, they just worship the Lord and gave to themselves over to prayer and fostering by made Christ the center of everything they did very focused, very specific. The cold to go is always accompanied by worship are prayer by fostering by men and women who inspire others, but there's 1/3 thing this call will always be accompanied by a very clear marching orders. I remember saying to Col. Ballard. One time Col. why did you soon.

If you beg my pardon almost her somewhat rather silly question to ask him about why he said over lunch one day at Ruby Tuesday's. Why yes sir, why did you soon because I love my country any further questions on it. He Col. Ballard had such a way just telling us like it is clear marching orders.

The Holy Spirit spoke close and Barnabas said we'll do it so they set them apart while laying their hands on them and off they went clear marching orders. But I must say this to II don't like this next point. But I can't afford it. I tried to ice it will what I'm going to do is I'm just going to skip over certain parts of chapter 13 and get on to some of the bigger stuff.

This call will always be accompanied by isotonic opposition. You know, as I read this account of what took place at salon was here with the proconsul Sergius Paulus.

Can you imagine that they would've been one man who made it his business to put an end to all this, quote unquote nonsense about God. It's amazing even in the Greek texture you know pull food with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, damn you, son of the devil you enemy of all unrighteousness. The more you serve the Lord.

The more that old devil will come off to you.

The more you proclaim Jesus, the more the devil is going to come off to you and tried to tell you not.

The more you say Lord I'll go the more the devil is going to try and stop you from going hard to explain why someone would behave so badly when everything about Jesus's love, peace, forgiveness, and joy.

It's hard to figure it out.

But the Bible says the devil is as a roaring lion was there Satanic opposition, but you know something happened just listen to this. This whole to go when you begin to consider what happened to the apostle Paul right at the beginning what was it accompanied by spiritual leadership. They were there men and women are just incredible Christian character and fortitude inside wisdom, great worship and prayer done for sake the assembling of yourself together never minimize what is happening right now. Don't push it into the confines of an unnecessary necessity. You my friend have done will to worship the Lord.

It will always be accompanied by clear marching mode. God is speaking to you some right now the Lord is speaking to you he's telling you something you might say to me, pasta, what exactly I may not know, but I promise you. God is tapping on your shoulder. He's calling you out member that whole to go just like Paul will always be accompanied by botanical opposition. You think for one minute. The devil likes the fact that you worshiping him today if I was to awesome for a show of hands, how many of us would identify if we just picked on Sunday. How many of us can identify that. It's just an amazing thing. How on Sunday mornings something happens, something something tries to stop us. Gathering to get something sees don't go to church something sees. You deserve better. Something says take me out before I yell the church down. Something sees. I thought I heard a help me in in one of the but you know that first point, the cold to go is always accompanied by indescribable victory. I love that indescribable victory. I mean, look what happened to the proconsul in the middle of all of this he came to know Jesus. What I love about Col. Ballard.

You know, we'll talk forever and a day about the great acts of valor and sacrifice of men and women throughout the ages. I tell you, for those who love the Lord Jesus, you always come back to that ultimate victory.

Paul put it like this, he said. Praise be to God who has given us the victory through Christ Jesus. This is what happened to this proconsul right there on the island of Cyprus a bunch of them said Lord will go, they went in his life was changed forever. Would you bow your heads with me today. Every head bowed, father right now we want to thank you for the call of God in Christ Jesus Lord you call every single one of us. First of all to salvation in you. You said trust, to mean all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you race come to me for by grace are hearsay through faith, not of yourself.

It is the goal not of works based. We should boast about the call of God for salvation.

Lord I pray that today people would give their hearts to Jesus. The call of God to be separated out hunting more just like whole you call us for some of us call us right where we live right here in our backyard right there at the bridge of our own lives right there where we are surrounded by the people that we know your course and then there are some more you call us to go and we go from Jerusalem and dear in Samaria and then just like whole to the hearts of the world. Paul six Cyprus Lord called the guy was the coldest since look at the joy of mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors coming to know cruise Lord today. Your calling us on things Jesus name you been listening to Dr. Don Wilton before get away.

He is a closing thought so please don't. I pray you would consider jotting this phone number down store in her cell is 86899967 and not just right now and next to those of us are diminishing love to pray with 86899. This online are you ready to give you one Jesus cries why did you pray, pray, God know that I'm not know that Jesus is God. They came to play. I received Jesus, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting