- Covered In His Dust
- Posts
- Acts Chapter 16: insights
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👉🏽 Read Chapter 16 HERE before reading my notes. If you don’t, my notes won’t make sense.
You can access previous notes on Acts and Luke HERE.
Grace and peace, Saints! ☀️
As you read this, I’m probably celebrating my son Samuel’s wedding. Please pray for their marriage, that it would be strong and Christ-centered.
It’s Wednesday afternoon, and I wanted to focus on my son this week. So instead of sending my usual notes, I want to share some insights from last week’s study.
Let’s go!
Do We Trust Him?
Paul had a mission.
A vision.
He wanted to take the gospel deeper into Asia. But God had something else in mind. The Holy Spirit shut the door and redirected him to Macedonia instead.
Imagine that moment. Paul, eager to take the gospel one way, only to be told, “No, not here. Go there instead.”
How easy would it have been to question God? To hesitate? To resist?
But Paul trusted. He went.
And because he did, Lydia—a woman in Philippi—became the first recorded European convert. (Acts 16:6-10)
Praise
the
Lord.
God was leading, just as He leads us today.
But do we trust Him?
The Holy Spirit still guides His people.
Sometimes, He does it through open doors—opportunities so perfect we know they could only come from Him.
Other times, He leads by closing doors—forcing us to change direction when we least expect it.
Sometimes, His guidance comes through Scripture—a verse that speaks so clearly we know it’s for us.
Other times, He leads through circumstances—unexpected changes, sickness, hardship.
We love the idea of being led by God.
Until He leads us somewhere we didn’t want to go.
Until the road gets hard.
Until suffering is part of the path.
Paul understood this.
In Philippi, Paul and Silas were dragged into the marketplace.
Falsely accused. Beaten.
This was likely the first of the three times Paul was beaten with rods by Roman authorities. Then they threw him into the inner prison, feet locked in stocks.
And yet, instead of complaining… He worshiped.
"Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned.
Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
on frequent journeys,
in danger from rivers,
danger from robbers,
danger from my own people,
danger from Gentiles,
danger in the city,
danger in the wilderness,
danger at sea,
danger from false brothers;
in toil and hardship,
through many a sleepless night,
in hunger and thirst,
often without food,
in cold and exposure.
And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."
Sitting in that cold, dark prison, blood drying on his back, Paul didn’t shake his fist at God.
He lifted his voice in praise. (Acts 16:25)
Why?
Because Paul knew where the race ends.
Heaven.
He knew that suffering wasn’t a sign that God had abandoned him.
He knew that God was still leading.
Still in control.
Still worthy of worship.
Bad things are going to happen in our lives.
Guaranteed.
But when you know the final destination, you can endure the journey differently.
You can take the hits without losing hope. You can walk through suffering with peace. You can face uncertainty and still trust.
"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act."
We say we trust Him.
But do we? How does that show up in our adversities?
Because trust isn’t just something we say. It’s something we live.
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
PS: If a friend shared this Bible study with you and you’d like to receive it straight to your inbox, just click HERE to subscribe—it’s free and always will be!
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
In 2024, George and his wife expanded to Cuba, joining forces with nine pastors committed to transforming lives through the gospel.