No “Get Out of Jail Free” Card
Father, I would pray for a wave of cool refreshing water, direct from Your wellspring. May it revitalize me, giving me a renewed passion for using the gifts You have given me to reach the world. Amen.
Acts 16:23-34(<<click here to read the passage)
How many of us as children (or adults, for that matter) coming face to face with pending punishment, have pleaded for a way to get out of our predicament without actually having to go through the punishment itself?
Maybe we broke a cherished family heirloom in the house while playing where we weren’t supposed to play.
Maybe we took something that wasn’t ours.
Maybe we smacked a sibling hard enough to leave a welt on their back.
Maybe we got caught cheating on an exam.
Maybe we neglected an important responsibility at work and are now being called on the carpet.
In today’s passage, the jailer dutifully did what he was commanded to do. He had placed Paul and Silas in the most secure area in the prison – the inner dungeon – and for good measure clamped their feet in the stocks. v24
Through no negligence on the part of the jailer, but entirely through the intervention of Almighty God Himself, a massive earthquake shook the prison to its foundations. As a result, all the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! v26
We have to understand that in the culture of the day if any prisoners under the jailer’s care escaped, his life was forfeit! That’s why he was on the verge of taking his own life before Paul called out, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” v28
The text then reads, The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” vs29-30
I read through a bit of commentary on this and one, in particular, shared that the idea of individuality wasn’t actually part of the mindsets of people in that day and age. Skip Moen, in a word study entitled The Text in Cultural Context, wrote:
Perhaps his question isn’t about his personal salvation at all… Perhaps he’s asking something else, like, “What’s going to happen to me and my family?” “How are we going to escape the consequences of this event?”
It wasn’t his fault, but he was caught on the wrong side of something he “somehow” should have been able to prevent. So, he pleaded for a way to get out of his predicament without actually having to go through the punishment itself.
In another word study of Moen’s (Paul’s Laws), he shares that when [Paul and Silas] replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” v31 NLT that it wasn’t necessarily a “Get Out of Jail Free” card for the jailer but instead set him on the right path that regardless of the outcome of events he and his entire family had a security that no one could take from them. For nothing would be able to separate them from the love of God. (Romans 8:35-39)
We simply cannot avoid the awful things in life, but we can have the security that is only found in a relationship with God!
May 29th, 2022, Sun, 7:43 pm
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
It’s been a non-stop day since waking up, Father. May I finish strong, hearing Your words for this day. Amen.
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Sometimes my brain just needs a rest. Tonight is one of those times. So instead of an exposition on a passage of Scripture or a lesson pulled from my life or the nature around me, I just want to share a song.
You know I love all kinds of music, so I did one of those “close your eyes, open the Bible, and drop your finger on a passage” kinds of things. I open YouTube, typed the word hymns in the search bar, and this is the first song that came up.
This is one of those songs that we sang at the church my dad pastored in Parsons, West Virginia when I was in high school. The choir was composed of humble, simple people but they loved the Lord with all their hearts and sang His praises with the best of them. I was blessed to be a part of them.
This is what was below the song
Upon losing his wife at a young age, Ira Stanphill wrote “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” expressing a prayer of surrender to his Savior under circumstances he didn’t understand. God doesn’t promise that walking with him will be easy, but what he does promise is that every day of our lives is in his hands and we can rest in the hope of his Son, Jesus Christ, who paid the punishment for our sins so that we can have hope and eternity with him!
The below video features The Petersens. This is a snippet of what they have to say about themselves.
We celebrate American roots music with family values, and perform full time in Branson, Missouri in the USA. The band consists of four siblings, Katie, Ellen, Matt, and Julianne, our mom Karen, and good friend Emmett Franz.
Enjoy listening to The Petersens singing “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” and have a great weekend!
May 26th, 2022, Thurs, 6:43 pm
It’s Not All About You
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
….slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. Psalm 103:8 NLT
Acts 16:16-23(<<click here to read the passage)
Regularly being on the road, societal problems are often exemplified. Many people are only concerned about themselves and don’t really contemplate the repercussions of their actions. Here are two examples:
#1 – Coming home recently, I had a van begin to ride the tail of my truck. I was running at a steady 60 mph but obviously, that wasn’t fast enough for them. They were riding far too close for my comfort, in that if I had to stop abruptly, they surely would have hit me.
In short order, we came to a passing zone, and they went around me. In doing so, they completed the act in a no-passing zone.
Those two acts risked our lives, both of them were unnecessary. And what was really ridiculous was the fact that I never really lost sight of them – they weren’t moving that much faster than I. When they got to a stop sign, I counted off six seconds until I passed them as they pulled into their driveway shortly thereafter.
All those chances taken for a six-second benefit…
#2 – Pretty much everywhere it is unlawful to pass a school bus with its red lights flashing. While it’s not against the law to pass with just our amber lights flashing, doing so takes unnecessary risks – and this happens regularly. No matter how accustomed my students are to my directions, nothing is stopping them from stepping out on the road to get on the bus. It makes no difference that my reds aren’t on. It makes no difference that I’ve not given them the hand signal to cross. They may just do it! And if you’ve “floored it” to get past me before my reds go on, we could easily have an extremely serious situation on our hands. And for what? To save a couple of minutes? A child’s life is worth far more than that, don’t you think?
In today’s passage, a couple of situations arise where it is clearly shown that the parties involved were only concerned about themselves. When the slave girl is set free from her bondage, her “masters” only care about their monetary loss – her wellbeing is not even on the radar with them.
Also, Paul and Silas are stripped and severely beaten with wooden rods and then thrown into prison. That may be alright for Joe Schmo, but the city officials just wanted the whole thing out of their hair. They were only concerned about themselves. They didn’t think about the possible repercussions…and there were plenty of those when they learned that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens!
All in all, we need to take time to think of others. We should not only be concerned about our well-being but with every action we take, we must learn to focus on how what we do might just impact others.
We mustn’t forget Jesus’ words…
“So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 AMP
“…you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Mark 12:30-31a NLT
It’s not all about you. Go and do likewise.
May 25th, 2022, Wed, 12:39 pm
Hospitality
The days until the end of the school year are quickly rolling by. Father, please give me the patience to be the person I need to be on my bus and the love to be the person I need to be with my fellow drivers and other school employees. Amen.
Acts 16:11-15(<<click here to read the passage)
Thinking back to my high school years, I cannot help but think of my best friend, Rob Klein. He was in the class behind me but through band, we developed a great relationship. I recall many joyful hours spent in his home – loving parents and two sisters (one of which was in my class) who were friends as well.
A note* regarding this passage speaks of the hospitality graciously extended by Lydia to Paul and his compatriots. When I think of the Klein family that word is so applicable. Rather than seeing me as a burden and my presence as a disruption to their family…they laid out the welcome mat.
The notion of hospitality is related to the word “hospital.” In other words, we practice hospitality when we generously and cordially throw open the doors of our homes to care for others. In hospitality, we nurture, strengthen, and serve. The result is that others find physical, spiritual, and emotional help. When they leave us, they are healthier and more whole than when they came.
I had a very good home life – solid loving parents and a wonderful sister myself. But the Klein family added to the richness of my life. I’m pretty sure they added several things to my life. I came to love the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien (author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings). They expanded my love of classical music. I learned how to play the board game RISK. I partook of wassail and crepes for the first time! And did you know that Doritos warmed over a candle are even more yummy!? They included me in whatever life was about at the time. As an extension of my family, they nurtured, strengthened, and served me in a multitude of ways, and I am most assuredly the better for it.
Interestingly enough, on this past Mother’s Day, I shared a sermon on Lydia with my congregations. She became the first recorded European to accept Christ. Many historians believe that Lydia’s home became the first Christian Church in Europe. Church tradition tells us that Lydia continued in her business career and that she was instrumental in not only helping the Church to grow in Philippi but was also in helping the Church begin a new work in her hometown of Thyatira. She used her contacts and gifts to help the Gospel of Jesus spread in Philippi, Thyatira, and everywhere else that Paul and his team would go.
Lydia’s gracious hospitality impacted innumerable lives. In a world of people who are all about themselves and what’s in it for them…be a Lydia and the Klein family, too!
*Life Application Study Bible
May 24th, 2022, Tues, 7:56 pm
Open Mind, Open Heart
Father, Your Word speaks to me loud and clear. May my ears – and most importantly, my heart – be receptive to You always. Amen.
Acts 16:11-15(<<click here to read the passage)
As we talked about yesterday, Paul had tried to go down several different paths as he began his second missionary journey and initially was pointed away from his chosen course. But then Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” v9 NLT And that’s where they went, following the Spirit’s direction.
I find it very interesting that although Paul’s vision featured a Macedonian man pleading for them to come, his first evangelistic contact was with a small group of women.
My Life Application Study Bible goes on to say: Paul never allowed gender or cultural boundaries to keep him from preaching the Good News. He preached to these women, and Lydia, an influential merchant, believed. This opened the way for ministry in that region. God often worked in and through women in the early church.
Jesus worked in the same frame of mind during His time of ministry amongst us. Now I realize that historically the Church has had a very distasteful reputation of exclusion and biased mindsets…on multiple fronts. It’s not changed a whole lot. But I would challenge us all, to think like Jesus.
Remember Jesus broke down all boundaries when He followed His Father’s leading. He made a conscientious decision to spend time with His Father, hence He readily received His Father’s guidance.
In our human mindsets, it is far too easy to judge and hold people at arm’s length. In doing so we hold them away from any ministry Jesus could extend to them through us. I would remind us all once again that Jesus never once laid out a “sinner” because of their sin. He loved. He healed. He touched. He extended grace, acceptance, and understanding.
Disease? It didn’t stop Him. Mental illness? It didn’t stop Him. Adulterous lifestyles? It didn’t stop Him. Someone totally controlled by demonic forces? It didn’t stop Him. Those controlled by greed and an overwhelming desire for wealth? It didn’t stop Him. He saw who He had created them to be, and He reached out.
How many do we label as “sinners”? And because of that, we hold back. I hope this doesn’t apply to a majority of us, but do we write people off because of…too many tattoos, wildly colored hair, they drink alcohol (not just too much but any at all), they smoke, they cuss, they party their free time away, they are far from sexually conservative – they may even step outside of what we would hold to be sexually acceptable behavior? And that’s a short list.
It may be tough, but can we be like Jesus and go into interactions and even relationships(!) with people with open minds and hearts? Can we dare accept them where there are, and as who they are, love them, and let Jesus work out the rest? That’s a tall order but, oh, what Jesus could do with us – and them! – if we just take those chances and follow His lead! Lord Jesus, may it be so!
May 23rd, 2022, Mon, 1:00 pm