Fellowship Bible Church - Mullica, Hill N.J.

•Choose joy in obeying…

•Choose joy in serving…

•Choose joy in praising…

•Choose joy in participating…

Choose joy in obeying God’s call when things don’t go as you expected (Acts 16:9-15)

ex·pec·ta·tion
a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.

synonyms: supposition, assumption, presumption, conjecture, surmise, calculation, prediction, hope

ex·pec·ta·tion
Your expectations are your strong hopes or beliefs that something will happen or that you will get something that you want.

When God says No

•Remember his Goodness: “No one is good—except God alone”
(Mk. 10:18)
•Remember his Authority: “Our God is in heaven; He does
whatever pleases him” (Ps. 115:3)
•Remember his Care: Casting all your anxiety on him because
he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7)

16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods (Acts 16:21-22).

23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
(Acts 16:23-25).

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
(1 Peter 2:21–24).

39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Acts 16:39-40