Paul- beaten and jailed, continued to do God's will.

When in prison do you imagine a lot of those imprisoned long to break out of their confines? There have been numerous tales of jailbreaks, and attempted jailbreaks, it truly is a common theme. My faulty logic tells me that most prisoners don't wish to escape so much as they wish they could get out of jail legally so they can go back to their lives without fear of be apprehended for escaping. Of course, I'm thinking with a twenty-first century mind, not one 2000 years ago.  Would the time make a difference, I imagine to some degree. Still and all, a lot of prisoners may take advantage of a jailbreak if it were made easy enough for them to get away, right? In any case, Paul and Silas, whipped and in chains, imprisoned in the local jail were singing songs of praise to God and praying when SUDDENLY there was a huge earthquake! This earthquake was so great that the very foundations of the prison were shaken and IMMEDIATELY all the door of the prison were opened and all the shackles loosed. Just take a moment and picture it all. The chaos of it all but also the quickness of it all happening. The prison keeper was sleeping when it happened and it woke him. Instantly he saw the prison doors were all open and the greatest of despair overtook him. It was his job to keep the prisoners from escaping and if he hadn't been sleeping but awake when it happened he may have been able to  keep the prisoners from escaping! They were all gone and he was to be held accountable. He knew that his punishment would be humiliation and death and something broke inside him. He would kill himself before he faced the awful knowledge what he'd allowed to happen.  Positioning the sword to slice into his own body he was about to plunge it into himself when he heard a prisoner cry out to him-  "Do yourself NO harm for we are all here!"  Paul saw the keeper's intent and did not want the man to end his own life.  He could have said nothing and let the man kill himself and then escaped but that was not what God willed. Allowing someone to hurt themselves will forever be wrong when we have it in our power to help them.

The prison keeper called for a light and quickly ran into the cell area. Shaking violently from his near suicide he fell down in front of Paul and Silas. Rising up again, he brought them out of their cell and said- "Sirs, what must I do to be saved."

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and WILL of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! NOW and FOREVER!

Act 16:26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 

Act 16:27  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 

Act 16:28  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 

Act 16:29  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 

Act 16:30  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 

After you suffer awhile.

Act 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 

Remember they were BEATEN- given MANY stripes!  The pain they had to feel had to be horrific. Yet, here they were, praying and singing praises unto God! Blood soak clothing, chains on their feet, nothing at all comfortable about their prison and they were praying and singing!

Prayer and song.  Just how incredibly important are prayer and song? The Bible is filled with BOTH. Prayer and song- daily occurrences. Paul and Silas were not praying and singing solely because of their situation. They habitually prayed and sang. To pray and sing in their dire circumstances was them proclaiming their faith loud and clear amid the worst of tribulations.

Personally, I can't imagine being whipped once, let alone many times. Sure, I received a whupping here and there as a child, but never from a fierce whip wielding enemy intent upon my suffering. Whipped repeatedly for their faith! Imprisoned for their faith! Singing praises! Praying to their God! If only I could sing and pray to God in my own personal tribulations which are a far cry from being whipped and imprisoned.

Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing by other prisoners, I can just imagine those prisoners thoughts. They sure weren't praying and singing themselves and yet here were two freshly whipped and incarcerated prisoners praying and singing, and not singing a mournful woe is me tune, but praises to God!

They PRAISED GOD in their agony, so why aren't we taught to praise God in our much lesser agonies? Can you imagine going through personal horrors and praising God? It's hard to do so, isn't it? We'd much rather cry and lash out, mourn and complain when we are given our tribulations. Our faith can't see beyond our dark and very troubled times. Is it any wonder that it's questionable that God will find any faith left on earth? Our faith is so darn fickle so it's really not very much like faith at all but something we pretend is faith.

We do, seriously, we have pretend faith and it comes and goes sometimes from day to day, hour to hour.

When will we get a faith that truly is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen? When will we be able to look beyond our individual tragedies that plague us all the time, I'm talking about the little tragedies too- the upsets that have us frustrated so very often.  Why can't we see past EVERY single life obstacle in our path towards Jesus? Why can't our HOPE be in Him even when we are sick and in pain, when mentally and emotionally we are being tortured? EITHER we truly believe EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING we face here is temporary to eternity, or we don't. 

I'm not saying things aren't going to cause us to cry or get angry- Jesus did both, the disciples cried and became angry, we are going to do these things. The biggest thing we have to always do is HOLD FAST to the FAITH that after the tears have been cried and the anger assuaged, or rather even while we are crying and fuming, we KNOW that Christ is our Savior and some unfathomable way things will work out for ETERNITY'S sake, not for our temporary time here and now. Our time here and now may be one bad thing after another, constantly. Our time here might be a constant state of insecurity in things that keep us clothed, fed, housed, and healthy. The only security we are promised is a heavenly treasure, not an earthly treasure of even the smallest kind.

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 

1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

  

How many God-fearing people are really controlled by Satan?

Possessed by an evil spirit- this is a reality. Paul and Silas were on their way to pray and a girl possessed with an evil spirit of divining intercepted them.  This girl had masters, note- more than one, and these masters used her soothsaying for their greed.  This was REAL.  We pass stores with flashing neon signs advertising PYSCHIC READINGS, and what do most of us do, scoff at it. We don't believe. But truthfully we SHOULD believe that there are EVIL spirits at work.  On the other hand there are those who use these soothsaying-psychics and believe they are from God, and their work is a good work. However, unless they are solely using a gift of prophecy for God's glory only, and not to make money by reading palms, using cards, and telling people their future and fortune, they are NOT of God. You can hate me for saying that, and call me a liar, and not believe it at all, that’s your prerogative. Your psychic may be the sweetest, loveliest, nicest, best person you've ever known - someone you would NEVER believe is possessed of an evil spirit, and there is Satan's deception at work, a perfect example. Satan deceives. Satan doesn't make his evil ways evil appearing, he deceives, he has the evil angel take on the appearance of an angel of light, and therein people are led astray- people you would never imagine being led astray.  How many God-fearing people are controlled by Satan? We don't know, but there are going to be a lot, we can only pray desperately that we are not among them. 

Going back to this girl Paul and Silas encountered, this girl with REAL power of divination given to her by evil spirits, pestered Paul and Silas as they went about their business.

Yes, her pestering may have been words of truth- she said- These men are the servants of the most high God which show us the way of salvation. Truth.  But coming from the mouth of an evil spirit controlled girl could never be deemed a good thing.

Many days she accosted them and verbally spouted her declarations and finally Paul- who was grieved by the poor girl's demonic possession- turned to face the spirit and commanded it in Jesus' name to come out of her.

The evil spirit released the girl that same hour.  She was FREE! The evil that had lived within her was taken out!

How she felt about being relieved of the evil spirit isn't mentioned here, but her masters are.  When they realized the girls special powers were gone they were furious! Their cash cow, their money maker was gone and it was all Paul and Silas' fault.  They captured the two disciples and dragged them to the rulers of the marketplace. Put in front of the city's magistrate they were accused first of being Jews, and being a Jew among Gentiles was a pretty big deal. Then they were accused of troubling the city, and teaching new customs, unlawful customs at that. These were Romans and they were NOT allowed to observe the stuff these Christ followers were preaching. 

Stirred up by the masters of the girl the rulers, the magistrates tore off their garments and ordered Paul and Silas to be beaten.

Do you suppose that Paul hadn't immediately rebuked that evil spirit because he knew what would happen? He waited. That possessed girl continued for days calling out about Paul and Silas and she could have been healed from the possession immediately but she wasn't. God still had work for Paul and Silas before the girl could be healed.

Now, Paul and Silas were whipped with MANY stripes and thrown into prison.  Just imagine the agony they had to be in. They suffered!

Secured in the prison, their feet in stocks, again just imagine their agony.

The girl- freed from her evil spirit was worth it all, right? Spreading the good news of the Savior's gospel, the gift of salvation, healing in the name of Jesus Christ, this was worth it all. One person receptive to the message of salvation is worth the horrific pain.

We have to comprehend the reality of the world we live in with Paul a pattern of Christ's longsuffering. Paul worked hard and endured MUCH suffering. Do we?  No. We don't believe we should have to, it's just not part of our way of life, right?

If God calls us to endure suffering, may we be prepared to suffer for Him in whatever way He needs us to suffer all for the glory of God and His kingdom.

Act 16:16  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 

Act 16:17  The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 

Act 16:18  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 

Act 16:19  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 

Act 16:20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 

Act 16:21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 

Act 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 

Act 16:23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 

Act 16:24  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

The Holy Spirits and Evil Spirits- Both Can Do Miracles.

Act 16:6  Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 

Act 16:7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 

Act 16:8  And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 

Act 16:9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 

Act 16:10  And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 

Forbidden of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit suffered them not.

A vision appeared…saying…

The Lord was guiding Paul and Silas as they journeyed in a very real way.

We often WISH to hear the Holy Spirit so clearly as it is written here, don't we? Maybe some of you do, but I'm not among those that hear clearly. Is it my fault? Yes. Or perhaps these days not many hear the Spirit or witness the power of miracles, because there is a very great danger in these last days of doing so.

Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mar_13:22  For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

2Th_2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Rev_13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Rev_16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

The spirits of DEVILS will be working miracles and they'll be doing so in order to deceive.

Evil spirits are a reality.

These evil spirits WILL-  no doubt here, they WILL deceive many.  These evil spirits WILL perform miracles.  These evil spirits WILL show signs and wonders.  There will be many signs and much deception.

We cannot focus on being witnesses to supernatural events, we can't strive to hear the voice of the Spirit. We need to solely seek God and His will.  We need to be quiet and let the Spirit speak in the Word of God, in prayer.

The Spirit FORBADE actions Paul and Silas sought to take. The Spirit suffered them not- it didn't allow them to do something they wanted-  THE Spirit didn't go along with all that the apostles desired to do, things they thought would be good, and right, and for God's work. God- the Spirit had other ideas. They were shown what God wanted of them eventually, but they weren't all knowing.  This same Holy Spirit will truly guide us today but in His way, not ours. We have to believe.

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever!!!!!!!

Through much tribulation we will enter the kingdom of God.

Act 14:18  And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 

The people wanted to revere Paul and Barnabas as those in their gods favor. They wanted to worship the disciples but they'd have nothing to do with it. They wanted all the glory to go to God the maker of heaven and earth, and the seas and all that is in them.  And even as they wanted the people to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ for their salvation, they did NOT want to be worshiped.

On the other hand, just as there were people who wanted to worship them for their message and miracles, others wanted them DEAD.

Act 14:19  And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 

Those people who wanted Paul dead, STONED him. Remember how we talked of stoning not too long ago when Stephen was brutally murdered? Paul was viciously stoned and left for dead. Just imagine the PAIN, the agony as each heavy rock slammed into his flesh. The cuts, the bruises, the brokenness of his body as he lay there unconscious, the life not even showing in him. No breath, no rising and falling of his chest for any to see. Did they check for a heartbeat? Maybe, maybe not, but his attackers, his would be murderers believed him dead, and perhaps he was.

Act 14:20  Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 

And while the evil men believed Paul dead and left him, his disciples came to stand around him and Paul stood up! After such a brutal stoning, Paul stood up! Not only did he stand up, he walked into the city!  Stoned and yet able to walk. A miracle to be sure. God wasn't done with his new apostle, Paul had a work to do still. Leaving that city he went to the next.

Act 14:21  And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Act 14:23  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 

They taught many in the new city and then returned to the cities they'd already preached in. Why did they return? They CONFIRMED those new to the faith, the newest disciples- and they lifted them up- exhorting them to CONTINUE in the FAITH.  Paul and Barnabas KNEW that following Christ wasn't easy and would NEVER be easy, not for those spreading the truth for Jesus Christ. They told the disciples that had recently come to the faith that it would be through MUCH TRIBULATION they would enter the kingdom of God.

Through MUCH tribulation. Paul and Barnabas were NOT sugar-coating the truth with promises of prosperity and happiness. They were making sure the disciples KNEW that they would suffer for the kingdom of God.

Do we suffer for the kingdom of God?  Many people today DO suffer for the kingdom of God. In many WELL known countries people are suffering torture, murder and all sorts of tribulation just to believe in what we seem to take for granted.

Suffer, going through much tribulation all to enter the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is such an amazing TREASURE it is worth all the suffering, all the tribulation.

What place does the kingdom of God hold in our hearts, in our lives?

The spiritual tribulation we must endure is something far greater than a lot of people want. The torture of every day to day life under the attack by Satan and his spiritual minions is horrific, and while a lot of people succumb to the evil, longing for peace and ease away from the Spiritual warfare, some don't.  Enduring, this is something from the very start Christ's followers were told they must do.

While Satan strives to use every part of our lives to attack us, our hope HAS to be found in Christ and His eternal promise. Our lives may NEVER be lives of ease. We may have to fight every day, tooth and nail to survive such awfulness our lives are just total misery. We simply are NOT promised a LIFE OF EASE, or even what we may consider a tolerable life. But through all the pain and agony of living we can dream of our eternal rewards- our treasure in heaven with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior - NOW and forever!!!!

Miracles

Miracles.

I've witnessed what I believe are miracles over the course of my life. Have you? Some people write off miracles as coincidence, as luck, as just part of life. When I say I've witnessed miracles are they miracles others would believe are miracles? Others have, and yet I have to ask, would other non-miracle believing people believe also believe in those miracles?  Certain religions have criteria for miracles and if a miracle doesn't meet all those criteria then they deem them NON-miracles. The BIG miracles - let's say a blind person receiving sight, a deaf person being able to hear, a lame person suddenly able to walk- all well-known miracles.  I can honestly say I've never witnessed any of those well-known miracles. How would I react to them? I know when I witness one of my miracles, I'll call them, I fell to my knees and cried tears of happiness, praising and thanking God. Would I react similarly to a well-known miracle? Shock would be most likely be my first reaction, joy another.

Miracles are real.  Miracles are something we have to believe in if we claim to believe in our Lord and Savior, He performed many miracles, too numerous to even put down all of them in the Bible.

While miracles are NOT common place today- at least not the well-known sort,  they became so when Jesus ministered on earth, but even then thousands upon thousands of people flocked to see Jesus to partake of His miracle working power.

After Jesus was crucified His apostles also began to perform miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 14:8  And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 

Act 14:9  The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 

Act 14:10  Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 

Act 14:11  And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 

Act 14:12  And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 

Act 14:13  Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 

Act 14:14  Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 

Act 14:15  And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 

Act 14:16  Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 

Act 14:17  Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 

Act 14:18  And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 

For those who had NOT seen the miracles of Jesus, to witness Paul and Barnabas and the miracle they performed  was it any wonder they attributed the miracles to the false gods they worshipped and wanted to turn Paul and Barnabas into gods?

Paul and Barnabas DID NOT want to be worshipped, they knew it wasn't through any power of their own that the miracle occurred.

They tore their clothes as an outward sign of disapproval and ran among the people shouting..

Why do you do this! We are just men like you! We want you to turn away from worshipping false gods and turn to the LIVING GOD who made heaven and earth, and the sea and all things in the seas- who let all nations live in their own ways and still gave miracles to them- rain, food, glad hearts! 

The disciples did NOT want to be worshipped! 

God performs many miracles some large and some small, some that people call every day miracles. We can never attribute miracles to ourselves. God deserves all the glory and all the honor for every miracle- for life itself!

More on this tomorrow by the grace and mercy, the will of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever!!!!!!!

To believe or not to believe- the Word is preached.

Act 14:1  And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. 

Act 14:2  But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 

Paul and Barnabas journeyed on to Iconium and went into Jewish synagogue. There in that synagogue there were a lot of Jews and Greeks, and a lot of them believed! They believed what Paul and Barnabas were preaching. They believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior! Just imagine the wonder of that meeting, the joy of the disciples bringing truth to the people and having it accepted by many. However, NOT ALL believed. Those that didn't believe - the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles- they MADE THEIR MINDS EVIL AFFECTED AGAINST THE BRETHREN.

Made their minds evil affected. The unbelievers moved against the believers, or those that had the potential to believe and they corrupted them with their evil influence. 

It is so incredibly true that wherever truth is spoken - evil is there ready to corrupt those who would believe. It was true then and it's true now. Evil hasn't disappeared, it's only grown stronger and more earnest as it's end draw very near. We need to pray desperately for truth to be heard and believed!

Paul and Barnabas did not give up at the sight of disbelievers.

Act 14:3  Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 

They stay and spoke BOLDLY in the LORD. They gave TESTIMONY to the Word of Grace! They gave signs and wonders were done by them.

Act 14:4  But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

Even with the SIGNS and WONDERS the multitudes were divided. Part held fast to their traditions over truth, and part accepted the truth as it is found in our Savior.

We like to believe that if today one was given the gift of signs and wonders to reveal the truth of our Lord that people would have to be convinced of truth. Yet, as it was then in the days of Paul and Barnabas it would be today. People would find a reason NOT to believe the signs and wonders. Those whose hearts are NOT open to truth will not believe no matter what is revealed. We might say 'IF ONLY' this or that happened today, but we have to comprehend that the 'if only' is deception. We allow ourselves to believe that there needs to be something more to show the truth, but there doesn't. Our Savior has given all that is needed, but nothing will soften the hardened hearts that do not to truly know the truth of Jesus Christ.

Act 14:5  And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, 

Act 14:6  They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 

Act 14:7  And there they preached the gospel. 

The violence against Paul and Barnabas by the unbelievers was a real threat to their lives and as such they were guided to leave. They weren't called to be martyrs at this point in their ministry. They fled.  NOT because God couldn't have protected them, but because God had many more places for them to preach the gospel. They'd done the work they'd been called to do in Iconium. Many believed, and many did not, but each that believed was a witness for Christ Jesus and His message of eternal salvation.

It's not our jobs as Christians to force anyone to believe. It's not our job to fight those who don't believe. We present truth for as long as our Lord wills us too and then we leave the unbelievers to their own ways. We can hope and pray, definitely pray that the seeds planted would germinate and spout up at a later time, and many unbelievers would in turn believe. Paul and Barnabas did not force, they let the Holy Spirit move through them.

May we be used by the Holy Spirit. All through the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever!!!!!!!