as always praise Him
It has been a hectic couple of months and while the Lord has been faithful and wonderful we have been going through some extended family struggles. Of course not everyone is on your side when you choose to raise your family for the Lord. Sometimes even those close to you can be those most against you and that hurts. Especially when they lose focus and start to see things unclearly. So when brother Beau Barton brought the word he did to The Well it was oh so welcome. Lots of folks I know are going through struggles right now. Sometimes our problems are our own doing, but sometimes they are not. Sometimes we suffer for doing right rather than wrong. Sometimes that can get discouraging. Very discouraging. We need to be reminded that it isn’t about us and there is always a bigger picture than the one we are seeing
Beau Barton brought us back to Paul and Silas in prison. They weren’t there because they had done something wrong. They were there because they were doing right.
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:22-24
That right there would have most of the Spirit filled church rebuking the enemy. Most would be speaking in tongues and demanding their release because well after all they are sons of the King! But not Paul and Silas, they took the beating knowing God himself was in control. How many of us have that faith? Not many I am afraid. Then after they took that beating they began to worship. There was no sound check. There was no air conditioning, there was no electric keyboard. There was no fancy stage or even an offering taken. There was pure I-love-you-Jesus worship. There was total dedication. There was if-I-live-I live-and-if-I-die-I-die but either way I will worship you, worship. And what happened? Everyone was set free! Everyone! Not just Paul and Silas but everyone!
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. Acts 16:25-26
Worship changes things. True worship delivers folks who don’t even know they have chains on them. So what are you going to do about that situation you are in? I know what I am doing 😀