Acts 16:6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

I am to stop running down the list of excuses in the devotional John Mark. The only way I know that is because the Spirit is not supporting my effort. It is not that I could not continue, only that the Spirit would not be leading me, it would be an effort of the flesh. So I will stop.

Paul, Silas and Timothy answered the call to reach the Macedonians. God directs the path of His servants to meet His will. The time for Asia was not right, the time for Macedonia was right.

Just how much effort was made by the Spirit in forbidding them to go to Asia is not known. I doubt He sent an angel to stand in the way as He did to Balaam in Numbers 22. It is more likely that they were sensitive to the leanings of the Holy Spirit. It takes some effort to ignore one’s own plans to seek God’s plan.

Isaiah 37:29 Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.’

The Hebrew word for complacency is ša’ănān and carries with it the idea of quietness, ease, and security. We get comfortable with what we are doing and wish to continue because some level of success has been found, but with the success comes inattentiveness, not seeking instruction.

The flesh seeks comfort, security and ease, and we have been taught the spirit opposes the flesh. Then there will be a still small voice saying, “This is not the way.”

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

As my wise teacher answered me about this passage; “You have to be on the move first.”

Zephaniah 1:12 says that the Lord punishes those who have settled in their lees.

Those who have ears to hear, listen.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,

The second excuse on the list we had in our post John Mark was in the feeling that we are not worthy. Perhaps Paul’s prayer here in 2nd Thessalonians will shed some light for us.

It is God that makes us worthy. He is the force behind our resolute mind to fulfill every good work that is performed by His power through obedience of faith.

One of the key elements of stagnant emotions of worth lies in our failure to confess and seek forgiveness. If we cannot forgive ourselves for the things we have done it stains our view of God’s ability to forgive us. That is not scriptural.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We look in the mirror and we do not see we have changed and that is the problem, righteousness is God’s opinion of us, and not our own. That is why we must believe God’s word and trust in Him. Failing to believe God’s forgiveness keeps us from taking the next step of faith towards hearing His commands.

John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

If we do not keep His commandments then we feel like we have failed to love Him. Allow me to clarify commandments for a moment.

When I joined the Army the first thing that was drilled into me was the Military Code of Conduct. This code governed the behavioral aspects of life in the Military. Violations of the code could lead to punishment. Then there were command executions which directed operations.

At no time did a command execution give us the right to violate the Military Code of Conduct. Illegal orders were not to be followed.

If we think that we need to study and obey the 613 Jewish Laws just because Jesus was Jewish and obeyed them, then we have failed Him when He said; Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 7:7 tells us that the law was given so that we would recognize sin but the law was powerless to overcome sin, only to point at it. We sin so what is the value in the law of grace? That is identified in 1 John 3:6 as continuing in sin and not availing ourselves of confession and forgiveness.