Key Verses:
22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly 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 16:22-26)
Central Truth:
When life gives you lemons, you just make lemonade.
SING PRAISES, AND MOVE ON.....
Wow! Paul and Silas had just been beaten and flogged for basically doing what God had called them to do. They were being faithful to the cause of Christ, and it landed them in prison. Now that just sucks!
Have you ever been angry at God? Have you ever felt like you've sacrificed many things for the "cause of Christ," and all it did was cause heartache and confusion? I have. There have been many times when I've felt like I've given so much only to end up ridiculed, persecuted, or even criticized by others. At that moment, it's so easy to become self-consumed.
But look at what Paul and Silas did. Rather than being angry and self-absorbed with their own heartache, they sing praises to God. You see, our sacrifices and heartache don't even come close to what Christ went through. The torture and torment that he felt doesn't even compare to what we endure at times. Therefore, it's really selfish and inconsiderate for us to lash out at God for our "hard times." Because the reality is that we have never endured anything like what Christ endured for us.
So next time your life takes a dive after you feel that you're giving God everything you have......sing praises and move on.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly 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 16:22-26)
Central Truth:
When life gives you lemons, you just make lemonade.
SING PRAISES, AND MOVE ON.....
Wow! Paul and Silas had just been beaten and flogged for basically doing what God had called them to do. They were being faithful to the cause of Christ, and it landed them in prison. Now that just sucks!
Have you ever been angry at God? Have you ever felt like you've sacrificed many things for the "cause of Christ," and all it did was cause heartache and confusion? I have. There have been many times when I've felt like I've given so much only to end up ridiculed, persecuted, or even criticized by others. At that moment, it's so easy to become self-consumed.
But look at what Paul and Silas did. Rather than being angry and self-absorbed with their own heartache, they sing praises to God. You see, our sacrifices and heartache don't even come close to what Christ went through. The torture and torment that he felt doesn't even compare to what we endure at times. Therefore, it's really selfish and inconsiderate for us to lash out at God for our "hard times." Because the reality is that we have never endured anything like what Christ endured for us.
So next time your life takes a dive after you feel that you're giving God everything you have......sing praises and move on.
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