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God Appeared at Lystra

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"Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. (Acts 14:15)

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Paul and Barnabas told the gospel in different places as the first missionaries.
These two people went anywhere to share Jesus.

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They had a really hard time when they shared the gospel at a place named Iconium. Some people in that place did not like that they were telling the gospel to them so they tried to stone Paul and Barnabas. So they barely got out from that place.

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Even with such difficulties, they did not give up telling others about Jesus.
These two people went to nearby cities and told the gospel to the people.

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However, when they told the gospel in a place named Lystra, an amazing thing happened. While Paul was telling the gospel in that place, one man listened to Paul very eagerly.

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Since his birth, he was disabled so he could not walk.
However, Paul realized that there was faith inside his heart.
Paul went to him.

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Paul looked straight at him and shouted at him in a very loud voice,
"Stand up on your feet!"
Many people around them were looking at that scene.

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After the words of Paul, a miracle happened.
He got power in his legs and then he stood up.

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Upon seeing the miracle, the gathered people thought Paul and Barnabas did that miracle by their own power. They shouted at Paul and Barnabas, "The gods have come down to us looking like men."

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They called Barnabas as Zeus, which they thought is the best god among all of the other gods.
And since Paul was good in speaking, they called Paul as Hermes.

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The priest of that town also heard the news that the gods had come down.
That priest brought bulls and flower wreaths to offer sacrifices to the gods.

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When Paul and Barnabas knew that the people were thinking them as gods and that they were trying to offer them sacrifices, they tore their clothes and ran into the crowd and shouted:
"We are humans; the same like you. We are not gods."

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Paul started to shout at the crowd in a loud voice.
"We came here to tell the gospel, to turn you away from doing worthless things of worshipping false gods and to lead you back to the Living God. God is the One who made all of creation: the sky, the world, the sea, and everything in it."

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The people tried to offer sacrifices and worship Paul and Barnabas like gods but Paul and Barnabas stopped them. In every situation, Paul and Barnabas worshipped only God.

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Paul and Barnabas made the disabled man walk.
But this thing was possible because the Holy Spirit was with Paul and Barnabas. The Holy Spirit was the one who made them do it.
Paul and Barnabas didn't have any power on their own to do those things.

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If we believe in God, God will also make us do great things.
When that time comes, we should remember Paul and Barnabas. We should make sure we don't snatch the glory that should be turned to God by turning all the glory to God and through confessing by our words that God was the One who made it possible.