Well Done

[Lovekr07]

'On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. '



Acts 20:7-12

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.20.7-12



I just love how the Lord protects and heals us. I believe Eutychus was intently listening to Paul, but since he had been speaking so long (until daylight), Eutychus fell asleep and fell out the window and died. God allowed Paul to raise him from the dead. The Lord is protecting and healing us all the time even when we do not realize it. I thank the Lord for the countless times He has protected me and my children. Accidents happen, but the Lord is a Healer!!!



'We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.'



Acts 20:13-38

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.20.13-38



Paul was traveling from city to city preaching the whole counsel of the Gospel. He was on his way to Jerusalem but stopped to speak to the elders in Ephesus. He counseled them about how he had been faithful to preach to both Jews and gentiles the full counsel of God and to repent from their sins, so he was innocent of the blood of any of them. He also reminded them that he took care of his own needs and did not ask anything of any of them. He wanted to ensure that they knew that his motives were pure and that he did not hope to gain anything other than their repentance. Everywhere he went, he went fully knowing that prison and hardship awaited him there, but his life was worth nothing to him as he was working to hear “well done good and faithful servant.” His treasures were being laid up in Heaven. He then counseled these elders to watch over the flocks that the Lord entrusted to them. He warned them that men would come in and try to twist God’s word in order to draw disciples after themselves. It was their duty to ensure that did not happen by protecting and leading these flocks. At the conclusion of this meeting with the elders, Paul prayed with them and they said their goodbyes. Then he set off toward Jerusalem.



As God’s servants, we also have flocks that God has entrusted to us as overseers. It is also our duty to watch over them and protect them spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. It is our duty to lead them. Lord, help me to lead the flocks that You entrusted to me. May we Your church be faithful to share the whole counsel of God boldly and without fear of what might happen to us because we are laying up treasures in Heaven where our true citizenship lies. May we live each day to hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant.”