DEVOTIONAL

Prayer: Father thank you for all that you have done in my life during the good times and bad times. Thank you for saving me. You are my everything. Help me and teach me how to live for you in the good times and bad times and as I come before your throne of grace and mercy this day, I confess and acknowledge that I have sinned against you in thought and deed, will you today forgive me and, in your love, purify my heart, cleanse me from all unrighteous-ness and transform my heart and mind. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 

Scripture Reading for Prayer and Praise: Psalm 29:1-2

"Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.” Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness.”                                                            

Worship Song Sung or Said: You Are My Hiding Place (Michael Ledner) 

https://youtu.be/_dR0H0tAYT8

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You
I will trust in You
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You
I will trust in You
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord
I will trust in You

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You
I will trust in You
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord
I will trust in you

You are my hiding place
(I will trust in you)
You always fill my heart
(Let the weak say I am strong)
With songs of deliverance
(In the strength of the Lord)
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You

God’s Word for Today: Acts 16: 20-25

"20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.” 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.” 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.” 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”                                                                                                    

Devotional/Study: (Part 2)

Yesterday we saw Paul and Silas casting out a demonic spirt out of slave girl who was a fortune teller. This made the owners very angry because they were making money from her fortune telling. So, what happened next, in their anger they grabbed hold of Paul and Silas and drag them into the marketplace to face the authorities. Paul and Silas are now in deep trouble and facing hostility and hate. 

The owners standing before the authorities say in v20-21 "These men are Jews and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The owners mention that they were Jews. Maybe there is a bit of racism here. This was another way to create more of an anti-feeling towards Paul and Silas because there was already a not so warm friendship between the Jews and Romans. The word customs here in Greek refers to religious rites or forms of worship. 

These owners wanted to stir up the people by telling them that Paul and Silas were preaching against Rome and the Roman ways. It’s a bit like us going into a country, which has its own beliefs in a god or gods, and we preach that there is only one God and that Jesus is Lord and proclaim what Peter proclaimed in Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 

The message of salvation is a message of God’s amazing love, it’s the message of the crucifixion and resurrection; it’s the message of forgiveness from Sin and peace with God.  We must share this message with love and sensitivity proclaiming only Jesus Christ can bring hope and healing. 

How am I witnessing for the Lord? In what ways can I share the gospel? (reflect)

Let’s never forget the message of the cross and resurrection is the only way to be saved from sin, hell, and death is by repenting and believing and committing your life to following Jesus Christ who himself said I am the way and the truth and the life.” No one comes to the father except through me. When we preach this message, it will cause people to be angry and hostile, because we live in a society that has their own god and gods and set of beliefs. 

We will also experience hostility because people don’t want Jesus to be the centre of one’s life and don’t want to change their worldly lifestyle to a Christ lifestyle. Is Jesus the centre of your life and mine? There is song I really love and its prayer asking Jesus to be the centre. 

This is the link if you would like to listen or sing it. the words are also below

https://divinehymns.com/lyrics/jesus-be-the-centre-song-lyrics/

Jesus, Be The Centre, Be My Source, Be My Light, Jesus
Jesus, Be The Centre, Be My Hope, Be My Song, Jesus

Be The Fire In My Heart, Be The Wind In These Sails
Be The Reason That I Live, Jesus, Jesus.

Jesus, Be The Centre, Be My Source, Be My Light, Jesus
Jesus, Be The Centre Be My Hope, Be My Song, Jesus

Be The Fire In My Heart Be The Wind In These Sails Be The Reason That I live.

Jesus Jesus (2)                                                               

Ever since the resurrection those who have preached that Jesus is the only way have experienced all kinds of hostility and persecution. However even in the midst of difficulties Jesus is still the centre of their lives.                   

There are many places in the world today where preaching Christ can lead to arrest, all kinds of abuse, imprisonment and even death. Despite the hostility millions of people are finding Jesus and living and serving Him with boldness and courage. Paul and Silas were very bold and full of courage. Their ministry was shaking the people of Philippi and challenging their religious beliefs, which including worshipping many gods. 

Brothers and sisters in these days we need to proclaim Jesus and shake the powers of darkness that control so many people. We can only do this in and through the power of the Holy Spirit. These owners were shaken but they didn’t tell the authorities that Paul and Silas had cast out a spirit of a slave girl they owned, instead they accuse these men of been Jews and throwing the city into an uproar. Their real motives were losing money.

Soon the crowd joined the attack, and the magistrates without any investigation, or a trial to find out the truth order Paul and Silas to be stripped and beaten with rods and thrown into the local jail. v22. After the terrible flogging, they were thrown in prison, and handed over to the jailer who puts them in, the inner cell, which would have been dark and very grim. This was a terrible experience for them. When Paul wrote to the believers in Thessalonica and mentions that experience and refers to the bad experience as having "suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). 

Paul and Silas were in prison, but for the right reason because they had been doing what God wanted them to do. Jesus said in Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

The apostle Peter who wrote to Christians who were persecuted said in 1 Peter 4:15-16 "If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.” However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”

One minute Paul and Silas were casting out a demon, setting a slave girl free from been imprisoned by her owners and Satan and the next minute they are beaten and imprisoned in a dark dungeon. Paul and Silas could have been angry, but I think they knew they were suffering for righteousness’ sake and therefore respond with a heart that was at peace. This was going to be a very stormy time for these two men of God who were fulfilling Gods call on their lives to preach the gospel. 

At this time, they may have not known that God was going to use them to bring glory and honour to His name and bring transformation to a lost soul. Brothers and sisters sometimes in life all of us have had to go through stormy and difficult times. These storms are different for each one of us. It can be relationship issues, financial problems, persecution or sickness and the uncertainty of the future, all of these things can bring stress, worry anxiety, frustration and fear into our hearts. 

How do we deal when life is stormy? How did Paul and Silas respond after been beaten and bruised and thrown in a dark, grim cell? What kept them from breaking? At this time in their life, they did not what know would happen to them, maybe they would be executed or left to die in prison. So, what did they do? They turned their focus from the beatings they had received to the throne of their Abba father their all-sufficient sovereign God. 

We read in in v26 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” So, despite the bleeding and bruised backs and terrible circumstances and surroundings, their future uncertain, from the depths of a jail cell, Prayer and worship rises from the heart of Paul and Silas. Their Prayers were said with an attitude of adoration and worship! 

As they prayed and their requests be known to God with Prayer and thanksgiving, they experienced the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:4-7). And with peace in their hearts they magnified, glorified the God they knew, loved and trusted. 

They weren’t singing in the comfort of a church and with a worship group and soft chairs to sit on. They were singing in the darkest and most uncomfortable place. 

It’s easy to worship when things are going well but what about when life is hard? 

In this very difficult time Paul and Silas were expressing a language of Love, they were declaring love for Him and giving Him reverence and honour that only is He is worthy off. 

As they worshiped, they were declaring that they trusted and believed God was with them and in control and I believe in this time of praise and worship that they experienced the peace, presence, and power of God. Tertullian a Christian author and apologist said, The legs feel nothing in the stocks when the heart is in heaven. Brothers and sisters, prayer and worship is one of powerful weapon against fear, worry and the enemy because it invites His presence and takes our eyes of circumstance and gives us a glimpse of the majesty of God. 

For Paul and Silas, prayer and worship changed fear into love and distress into joy. Sometimes in life when life is difficult or even when we are feeling low and down cast or maybe when we under spiritual oppression and attack from the enemy, I have discovered that Prayer and worship can break through any difficult circumstance we face and bring us into a place of peace and assurance of God presence. 

Paul and Silas were able to pray and worship because God gave then the grace they needed, and they knew in their hearts that God presence was with them and that He loved them deeply and was for and with them. They knew "Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39. Sometimes it’s hard to praise when we are going through hard times, buts it’s in those difficult times we need to lift our heart up to God. One of the greatest ways of witnessing to Jesus is to praise and be grateful when things are not exactly going our way. 

Personal Prayers: