Apologetic but not believing is a symptom of pride and sinfulness. This is the spiritual battle that the city officials found themselves in when they told the jailer to let Paul and Silas out of prison. The city officials placed Paul and Silas in jail as they responded to the mob’s wishes. Earlier, Paul prayed …
Suicidal to saved was the experience of the jailer who oversaw Paul and Silas as prisoners. In those days, the guards were responsible for their prisoners and would be held accountable for their escape. The punishment for the guard who let a prisoner escape would be the same sentence as the person who escaped. Paul …
Have you ever had an unusual answer to a prayer you did not expect? As you read the Scriptures, you see God responding to people’s prayers in ways they could not imagine. God saved the Israelites by parting the Red Sea, and when the Egyptians pursued them, the sea closed around them. The family of …
We may not be aware that others are listening and watching what we do as we go about our lives. When someone discovers you believe in Jesus, they may start observing you, and you are unaware of it. Although many people proclaim to be Christians, there is often little difference between their actions and those …
How did Paul and Silas react to illegal beating and imprisonment? They responded with praise and singing in jail. They were not simply behind bars but in stocks in the deepest part of the prison. Perhaps the officials had heard the stories of angels releasing other Christians. Whatever the reason, Paul and Silas were under …
Paul and Silas get beaten and jailed because of the assumptions of prejudice. The two men had not broken any laws but simply used the name of Jesus to command an evil spirit to leave a slave girl. Acts 16: 19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and …
Paul was upset with the fortune-telling slave girl because she was the wrong source of truth. Acts 16: 16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters …
I have experienced how accountability makes me better. When we are accountable to someone, we can hear the proper counsel and encouragement when we are honest about our faults. Doing this helps us fulfill the plans the Lord has for us. If we need to correct or be corrected, it should be done with love …
Has God broken into your life? I know someone who experienced God breaking into their life during a terminal illness. He was far from God until the Lord broke into his dark world and drew him to Himself. The Lord showed him what was important in life during his illness. In his illness, the Lord …
Praising God during persecution is difficult, but we can with the Lord’s help. Praise is like turning on a light in a dark room. Have you ever noticed that praising God changes the spiritual atmosphere? Instead of complaining when your day isn’t going well, praise God and see how that can change things. As I …