In today's sermon, "The Blessing And Cursing Of Meetings", according to the section "Summary From Last Sermon (#49)": How is a community of life in Christ Built? What does the force of darkness do to block the life-flowing? Even though God's plan eventually fulfills, why can't it proceed? How is the door of the word opened? Why does Satan keep interrupting God's saints? How does Satan preoccupy us? How do we stand against the scheme of the devil?
Who and where does the word of God's life flow and lead? What is the main goal of our church ministry? Why must the word of truth be delivered correctly? What can only the true gospel of the cross do?
In the section "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia ... The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.": How did they finally find a chance to share the gospel message? How does the Holy Spirit surely work in the midst of our life? How does the Holy Spirit work with our own choices? What is one of the greatest blessings that happens through the guidance of the Holy Spirit? What happens when this meeting is expanded and enlarged?
On the contrary, why does almost everyone live in the midst of the cursed meeting? What is there where people gather, and what do they contain? What is everyone's perspective influenced by? Spiritually speaking, what happens if there is no life of the gospel in our meeting? How does Philippians 3:8 explain this? How does this happen daily? Therefore, what is so precious and should be considered to be the most important gift of all? What is the only way to cast out the force of darkness, and what role does it play in one's life? What happens through the blessed meeting?
How did Paul meet Lydia, and who guided him? Who was she, and what did her name mean? What did her name point out to, and what must she go through? How is it the same for us today? What must a pregnant woman go through, and what does this mean spiritually speaking? How are we united with the life of Christ and born again as a new person in Christ? How is the blessed meeting a reason for this? How do God's saints continually give birth to a new life? What happens when Paul delivers the message of truth? How should our life be like that too? How do Paul and Lydia both give birth? How do the living waters produce many servants of Christ? What do 2 Corinthians 4:6 and Galatians 6:8-10 say about how we must labor in spite of many challenges and troubles?
Who precedes the blessed meeting of Paul and Lydia? What verse does the writer Luke use to show this, and how did he already see the same incidents before in Acts 13:48? What does this show about our salvation and the Spirit of God? How do the words "opens" and "follow" further explain this? What is this the result of? What happens when truth is offered as testimony, and what does she now realize? What is the evidence of true repentance, and what is furthermore shown here?
In the section "Once we were going to the place of prayer ... She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling." (v.16): How is the blessed meeting not always happening? What were Paul and his mission team again looking for, and why? Who did they meet this time, and who was she? How can we see this same work today? What is the serious problem caused by their activity? Why can't the people discern their deception or see her evil motive? What does the word "shout" say about her? How are there people like this evil girl inside the church, and who are they exactly the same as? What is the "wonderful" sound heard here, and how does the devil lie as if it is really true? How does Timothy 3:5 show this? How do we truly know that we have the true message of the gospel, and what do we realize because of it? What is the trustworthy saying stated in 1 Timothy 1:15?
What is Paul's dilemma, and what does she continue to do that makes Paul so troubled? How is this seen in the church? How does John 13:21 show that Jesus also suffered so much for the same reason? What was Jesus more troubled with than what was coming? How weren't the other disciples different from Judas,how is this true today, and what must we do to prevent it?
What did Paul only know about her, and what did he finally do? What is the real motive of those followers, and who is it the work of? What do they secretly try to do, and what do they reveal when their profit is stopped?
In the "Conclusion": What is the most blessed meeting, and what are its results? On the contrary, what is a cursed meeting in God's eyes, and why? What must we do to prevent this?
In "D-Day At Philippi", by Ray Stedman:
In today's daily devotion, entitled - God's World: