Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
God sent them a vision and told them where to go. They didn't hesitate, they went. They thought they were ONLY going to preach the word of God. I wonder how they imagined things were going to be. I don't know if they were tired in body, but my guess would be yes. But they trusted that God would go before them and make away for them to do his will. And I guess you noticed I said ONLY preach the word. Is that how we treat the things that God instructs us to do, do I use the world ONLY when I think of spreading his word. Do I follow without hesitation, when God tells me what he needs me to do. No most of the time I drag my feet trying to decided if it really came from God. When I already know in my heart that it did. Have I put myself in a prison.
16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 16:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.And he came out the same hour.16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 16:20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 16:21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
Now Paul was working for God, doing great things in the name of Jesus Christ. What would I have done in that situation, would I have cast the evil spirit from that woman. Or would I have looked at her and tried to go the other way. How many times have I seen people out in public and God commanded me to just say a kind word, or even wanted me to share our precious Jesus with them, and I turned and went the other way. Not very willing am I. I let the outside of people control my actions, not the God that lives inside of my heart. So doesn't that put me in a type of prison. One of my own making.
16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: 16:24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Oh me, would Paul have taken this trip if he had known it would end with him beaten, put in stocks and thrown into Prison. I believe yes he would have. Would I. That is the question. Would I willing go into prison if I knew it would save a soul. That's a hard question, am I in prison, looks like I might be.
16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.16:29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.16:34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Now Paul and Silas were in prison. Did they drop their heads and say," God why has thou forsaken me". NO. They started singing and praising God and our Lord Jesus. And God heard their singing and sent an Earthquake. Do you think Paul questioned God then. Talk about a bad day, and I get upset just because I can't go outside, because of the heat. But by their actions in their trials, the jailer and his house hold were saved. WOW. I can imagine when God sent them the vision, they would have never thought that their purpose was to be thrown in prison so that a lost soul could be saved. After all God dose know the big picture. Am I singing in my prison?
16:35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.16:36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.16:38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.16:39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.16:40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
OK now they have been released from prison, not for their great works but because they were by birth Romans. And instead of running as fast and as far as they could from that place, they first went and comforted the people who had taken them in from the beginning. Now we all know this story, we learned it as a child. But do I understand what the message that God has for me in this scripture. I am in a prison. That's right we are all in prison. We are imprisoned by out body's, fiances, our family's, by all the things we think we need to have in this life, our jobs. Sometimes we are prisoners of our own minds. Do I just pick up and go when God gives me a vision of what I'm suppose to be doing, if not I'm in prison. The only way to be completely free is to live for God and to let God live thru us. So I can safely say I'm not free. But I could start singing, and wait for my earthquake. I've never been a in a real earthquake, but I would guess it would be very scary. But don't we have earthquakes in ours lives on a daily basis. Yes we do, my earthquake may seem small to you and yours may seem small to me. But that doesn't make them any less devastating when we're the ones in the middle of the earthquake. God will free us from prison, but not because of our good works, but just as Paul was released because of his birth as a Roman, we are released only because of our rebirth thru Jesus Christ. So do I want to get out of prison. Yes. Think about what kind of prison you have made for your self. Are you singing and praising God, are you prepared for the earthquake that may be coming that will help loosen your shackles. Will you run the other way and try to escape on your own when the earthquake comes. Or will you be still and know He is God and he has a plan for your life. His plan may include some time in prison and a big earthquake, but know if you will go where he leads there is no prison that can hold you. Today I'm going to choose to sing and praise God. I pray that tomorrow I will choose the same thing. How about you?
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