4-8-21 THOUGHTS

A side note this morning .from our Zoom class last evening.
Acts 16:16-19     It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17  Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." 18  She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment. 19  But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities,

The word "dragged" here is the Greek word helkuo [Strong’s 1670].   Helkuo means: "to draw with irresistible superiority.to compel,  metaphorically, to draw by inward power, lead, impel” [Theological Dictionary of NT Words]    
These men dragged Paul and Silas into the market place.  They were compelled to go.

We find this same word in several other verses in the New Testament.  Those verses are significant.
John 6:44   "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
John 12:32   And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me..

We must never forget God’s power to save!  He wants us to be His!  
Gen 49:10 "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him [shall be] the obedience of the peoples.
1Cor 1:21-24   For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22  For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23  but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24  but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1Pet 1:5  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
John 14:6   Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Rom 1:16     For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

My Prayer:
Thank you O Father for making salvation possible in Christ Jesus.  Draw us to yourself in Christ through your word of truth.  We seek a closer walk with you as we grow and age.  Use us in the Kingdom, work in us and through us.  Thank you for listening as we pray.  
In the name of Jesus   Amen