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Thursday Devo

Scripture:

Acts 16
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Commentary:

16:25–34 Conversion of the Jailer. Paul and Silas were miraculously freed from their confinement. They did not view their freedom as a means of escape, however, but as an opportunity for witness (cf. 5:17–21). As a result, the jailer and his household became believers.
16:25 praying and singing hymns to God. Amid their suffering Paul and Silas experienced the strong presence of the Holy Spirit, filling their hearts with joy and praise (cf. 1 Pet. 2:19–21; 4:12–14). Joy for the honor of suffering is a common theme in Acts (Acts 4:24–30).
16:30 what must I do to be saved. The jailer’s question most likely refers to being saved from the judgment of God, which he would have heard about through listening to his prisoners’ prayers and songs.

Questions:

  • The next takeaway was that worship may not change your OUTCOME, but it will always change your OUTLOOK. This is an undeniable truth! It is impossible for us to be in God's presence and to come out unchanged. God's presence in our lives might not change our circumstances, but it will ALWAYS, 100% of the time, change our perspective. This is why worship is such a powerful weapon against the enemy. Are you in a season of difficulty and suffering? What might how you respond in the midst of suffering say about your level of spiritual maturity? What might praising in the midst of pain do for your relationship with God? Do you need a shift in your perspective?

  • Reflect on this quote from theologian Thomas Schreiner: "Sometimes believers are rescued and sometimes they suffer, and advance notice is not given about what will happen to any particular person. The church and individuals are called upon to trust God whether their destiny is suffering or deliverance." Christians today often turn away from God when suffering comes their way. It's almost like they've made some kind of deal with God about not suffering that God never made with them. What happens to YOUR faith when suffering comes? Do you question God or use it as an opportunity to grow your faith muscle? 

Prayer Topics:

  • That you would seek God's perspective in every situation. 
  • That you would trust the sovereignty of God. 

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

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