Paul and Silas were going
about the Father’s business telling people about Jesus. When they came to a
town that had a woman who was what they called then a diviner that worked for
some men; she followed them telling everyone whom it was that they were and
what they were doing. She knew this because she had actually been demon
controlled. Paul and Silas knew this so they sent the demon away. This angered
her employers because she was not only free from the demon but they had no use for
her as a slave girl either. They told lies about them and caused them to be
thrown in prison.
But God had a plan!
Paul and Silas could have
been discouraged and wondered why God would allow them to suffer so. I say
suffer because they were not just tossed into a cushy prison like we have today
where they get three square meals and a exercise time and such but they were
chained to a wall around their ankles. I do not recall them saying anything
about prisons having toilets to flush back then either. Just to give you a nice
visual; Paul and Silas had every ‘right’ to complain to God, to cry about how
they were ‘unjustly accused’ and how much the courts ‘abused’ them. They could
have thrown a major fit and cussed the guards out! They did not.
Instead of crying out to
God in complaint they sang praises and worshiped the Lord their God; in the
midst of their chains. They sang such beautiful praise songs that the Jailer fell asleep.
Then God accepted the
praise and broke the chains opened the doors of all the prisoners, some of whom
really deserved to be there. He sent a huge earthquake that jarred all of the
doors t the cells open and unlatched the locks binding them. Paul and Silas
could easily of ran and so could the others but they did not move.
The Guard woke up and
seeing what the locks were like thought they had all escaped! But they did not.
He was about to kill
himself because punishment for this lack of attention to the prisoners and
falling asleep on the job would surely be a horrible thing; it would have been
better to kill himself and make it look as if he were killed to get them freed.
Paul and Silas encouraged
him to stay alive and so he took them cleaned their wounds, for they had been
beaten by the accusers and crowds, not to mention the chains. This is where it
gets interesting; how many of us would go with a jailer if we were in prison
after being wrongly accused, and set free? We would want to get away or go to
our own families or friends, but Paul and Silas stayed there and shared the Gospel.
He asked them “What shall
I do to be saved?” They replied “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be
saved, along with everyone in your household.” Acts 16:31
They shared of how God had
kept them safe, and because of this he believed that day; He and his whole
household were saved.
They spoke to him of Jesus
and all they knew that they preached to the people prior to their imprisonment;
they gave him hope. He no doubt was amazed at the whole way God opened things
up and did not allow anyone to leave. He kept his job, could still l support
his family through this whole ordeal they found the gift of eternal life!
Sometimes we have to go
through trials for things that we have no idea why they would happen to us; we
may even ask why God would allow such a thing; but God has a plan. The things
we go through and tough it out still giving God the glory, honor and praise may
affect a whole lot of people to get ‘saved by grace’.
Share your story; tell the
world that Jesus loves them.
It seems like such an easy
job to read it but sometimes it is not easy at all.
When you lose a loved one
or your job gets downsized and you are the one who gets dropped. My first pastor’s
wife, Louse Frye once told me words I will always remember in times of trouble;
“if the enemy is giving you so much trouble he must be leaving someone else
alone”. At the time I had just gone through a week of, a fire next door to my
house keeping me from home, an allergic reaction to medicine I was taking that
nearly killed me; my car broke down causing me to have to walk to work. I was
worn out and ready to give up the ghost! Yet my “mama Frye” as we called her
gave me that little nugget that made it all something to rejoice in. She showed
me how to praise God in the midst of the trial, to worship Him because He is
not because He does.
She saved me a lot of pity
parties since then, when things go wrong I hear her words and begin thanking
God for things and singing praises.
Some people call it being
a Poly Anna, but I think Paul and Silas gave us a great view of how to deal
with being bound for no good reason.
This week our challenge is
to break out of our bondage in praise and worship! Shout for joy to the Lord!
Sing praises to His name!
Give God the glory in spite
of your circumstances today.
Around Midnight Paul and
Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were
listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken
to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open and the chains of every
prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed
the prisoners and escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul
shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
The jailer called for the
lights ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then
he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:25-31
Do you believe today?
Believe and be saved.
Dear Heavenly Father,
thank you for saving us; we believe you will save us from the burdens of life
today and show us how to bring your life to those around us. Let our suffering
not be in vain, but for the Kingdom’s gain. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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