MIRACLE IN THE PRISON CELL

(THE POWER OF WORSHIP)

Text: Acts 16:16-34
Main

 Prayer…
 Greetings!
 I was asking mommy G, anu kayang magandang topic para sa Sunday…suddenly
somebody msg me,
(rants, etc).. Naranasan niu na rin ba yun? Yung napapatanong ka na kay God, bakit
ganito o bakit ganyan ang nangyayari sa buhay mo? Parang di mo deserve yung
treatment sayo or yung trials na pinagdadaanan mo... Ngayong nagdecide ka na
sumunod sa Diyos, kung kelan ka nagsimulang gumawa ng mabuti, saka naman
parang hindi mabuti ang mga nangyayari sayo at sa paligid mo? Sino dito yung
hirap na hirap na? Yung pasuko na?
 Kung napapa-angal ka na sa sitwasyo mo or sa pinagdadaanan mo, let me share
with you a story in the Bible… the life of Paul and Silas. It is found in Acts 16:16-34
 Video Clip
 MIRACLE IN THE PRISON CELL (THE POWER OF WORSHIP) Text: Acts 16:16-34
 Paul and Silas found themselves in a difficult prison of oppression and suffering.
Let us start from the beginning of the story.

I. A PLACE OF MISERY – v. 16-24

 Pagdating nina Paul sa Filipos, alam nilang may magandang mangyayari dun kasi
malinaw sa kanila na isinugo sila ng Diyos sa lugar na yun. Vision v9… Naconfirm
nila ito nang makilala nila si Lydia at naging ka-mananampalataya nila at tumulong
pa sa kanila.
 If you have an intimate relationship kay God, sigurado ka sa ginagawa mo kasi
guided ka ng banal na Ispiritu.. sa preceeding verses, hindi sila pinayagan ng Holy
Spirit na pumunta dito o diyan.. kahit gusto nilang pumunta sa ganitong lugar,
hindi sila pinahintulutan ng Holy spirit.
 Remember: “You may not be where you want to be, but you are right where
you are supposed to be, because God put you there for a reason.”
 Sino ba naman ang gustong nasa lugar ka ng puro pagsubok na lang, persecution,
sakit, etc.. wala diba? Hindi mo man gusto ang kinalalagyan mo ngayon pero nasa
tamang lugar ka kasi nilagay ka dyan ni Lord for a reason.
 Pero minsan din naman kapag may pinagagawa satin si Lord, parang tumutugma
ang mga pangyayari, diba.
 Yung lider ka tapos nagppray ka ng aalagaan, tapos may ibinigay sayo si God na
aalagaan tapos relate pa yung mga experiences ninyo sa isa’t isa… Yung may
 ibibigay sayo si Lord na taong may problema, na saktong ganun din ang
pinagdaanan mo?.. Have you been there?
 O kaya naman problemado ka, tapos naghahanap ka ng kausap, sakto namang
ganito ganyan… relate ba? Or naghahanap ka ng church, ayun, dinala ka dito sa
BFC…
 Sa story na ito, ang ganda ng simula ng mission trip nila.. nakilala nila si Lydia, at
sumuporta pa sa kanila… pero makikita natin na as soon as the Lord started
blessing, however, the devil began his work. Ang ganda na ng nangyayari sana,
pero hindi talaga pumapayag ang kaaway na maging ok ang lahat e.. gagawa at
gagawa ng paraan yan para sirain ka.. para sirain yung magandang sinimulan ng
Diyos sayo.
 Kung kelan ka nagstart magdevotion, saka naman dumami yung modules… kung
kelan ka nagdesisiyon na susunod na talaga kay Lord, saka naman nagyaya yung
matagal mo nang barkadang hindi nakikita, shot shot daw.. kung kelan ka mas
naging faithful, saka naman dumami yung problema.. tama ba? Kung kelan ka
nagseryoso kay God, saka naman kayo nagkalabuan ng jowa mo…
 These men were in the Lord’s will, doing the Lord’s work and still trouble came into
their lives. They found themselves in a place of misery.
 Meron palang ganun, kahit you are doing the Lord’s will, hindi ka pa rin exempted
sa mga trials.
 Magrereklamo ka ba? Hindi natin alam kung anong nasa isip ng Diyos kaya may
ganyan.. ang alam natin, and according to the Bible, ang ending Niyan, ikaw pa rin
ang magbebenefit at mapaparangalan ang Diyos..
 Hindi porket faithful ka hindi ka na susubukin.
 Sa school hindi mo pwedeng sabihin lang sa Teacher na, Sir araw-araw ako nag-
aaral.. umaga-gabi, maghapon nag -aaral ako.. tapos sasabihin sayo, o sige
exempted ka na sa exam.
 Panu niya mapapatunayang nag-aaral ka nga kung hindi ka niya bibigyan ng test?

A. The Misery Of The Accusations – v. 19-21

 Ang ganda na ng nangyayari hanggang isang araw, may isang babaeng inaalihan ng
masamang ispiritu na nagbibigay sa kanya ng kakayahang makapanghula…
Fortune telling ay sikat na sikat noon.. at ginamit ito ng ilang mapagsamantala para
pagkakitaan yung babae... Maraming pera ang ipinasok ng babaeng ito sa kanyang
amo.. Palagi niyang sinusundan sina Paul at sumisigaw pa ito… v17.. kaya nainis si
Paul at pinalayas niya ang masamang ispiritu sa babae? .. Take note, hindi siya
nainis ng walang dahilan.. hindi ito yung katulad ng naninipa ng drum ng tubig
dahil nawalan ng self-control,,, i-take natin yung word na inis in a positive manner..
Yung babae sinasapian ng masamang ispiritu,.. ayaw ni Paul na ma-link yung
Gospel sa demon-related activities… Kasi sisirain nito ang message about Christ..
 Ganito yun,.. isang pastor at isang taong lasing na sabay na nangangaral… although
tama naman ang sinasabi nung lasing, pero ayaw ni Paul na mahaluan ng
karumihan ang kabanalan ng Gospel about Christ…
 It’s like sa ministry natin.. hindi ka pwedeng maglead hanggat hindi mo pinapaayos
ang buhay mo kay Lord..
 Hindi biro ang magshare ng word of God.. hindi biro ang magworship lead, o
tumugtog, lalo na kung ang pamumuhay mo ay taliwas sa sinasabi ng Bibliya.. o
ang ginagawa mo ay taliwas sa sinasabi mo..
 Nung napalaya yung babae at nalaman yun ng amo Niya, of course magagalit yung
amo kasi pinagkakakitaan niya yun e, tapos all of a sudden, mawawala dahil lang sa
ginawa nina Paul at Silas..
 Kaya pinaratangan nila sina Paul… v20-21.. The Misery Of The Accusations 
 Ang totoo, walang masamang ginagawa sina Paul.. All they did was to preach the
Gospel at palayain sa bondage yung babae.. anong masama dun? wala silang
nilabag na batas…
 Naranasan niu na bang, wala naman kayong ginagawang masama, pero
pinaratangan kayo?

 Mateo 5:11-12 RTPV05 “Mapalad ang mga nilalait at inuusig ng mga tao, at
pinaparatangan ng lahat ng uri ng kasamaan na pawang kasinungalingan
nang dahil sa akin. Magsaya kayo at magalak sapagkat malaki ang inyong
gantimpala sa langit. Gayundin ang ginawa ng mga tao sa mga propetang
nauna sa inyo.”

 Ang pinupukol lang naman ay yung hitik sa bunga… kaya ka inuusig kasi may
nakikitang bunga sayo… Illustration: Puno ng Mangga na hitik sa bunga.. binabato..
(bad side).. pero yung good side, kapakipakinabang… gustong gusto ng marami..
blessing sa marami

 Magtaka ka kung wala ka na ngang bunga, pinupukol ka pa… Minsan ang mga
dinadanas mo, produkto na na lang din ng pag-uugali mo… Ex. Tanghali na
gumising, palamura, tamad, etc.

 Pero mapalad ka kung inuusig ka dahil sayong mabubuting gawa..dahil sa

pagsunod mo Kay Lord.
 Naranasan niu na ba yung nagsimba ka lang naman, tapos pag-uwi mo galing
church, kung ano2 na ang naririnig mo? May nag-arise lang na konting problema,
tapos nadamay na ang pagiging born-again mo?
 Iyo na ang kang buru-born again mo… Buminagsak ka lugod.. maray an saimo..,
nagkaletse-letse na ang buhay mo.. naghirilang ka lugod… etc…
 Buti nga yan lang ang sinapit mo. Ikaw kaya matulad kay Paul at Silas..
 B. Misery of the Arrest – v.22-23
 Sinunggaban sila ng mga tao, pinahubaran, at pinahagupit… yung turing sa kanila
parang napakalaking kasalanan ang na-commit nila…. Check v20..Have you been in
that place?
 Pinahiya ka? Pinalayas ka? Minaliit ka? Itinuring kang parang hindi kamag-anak?
Itinuring na ibang tao? Hinamak? Binalewala? Minaliit? Anu pa? Sinampal ka?
 Itakwil ka man ng mga taong pinakamamahal mo, tandaan mo, may Diyos na
kukupkop sayo!
 Hindi makatarungan yung arrest a ginawa sa kanila… ni hindi sila binigyan ng
pagkakataong magpaliwanag.
 May ganun din tayo diba.. yung di ka man lang pinag explain.. kung anung narinig
nila, or kung anung sasabihin nila, yun na yung tama.. ni hindi ka man nga lang
kumustahin.. anak, musta studies mo? Nahihirapan ka ba?
 Pero satin minsan, dapat lang naman nating marinig yung mga naririnig natin natin
na negative kasi baka totoo nga sa atin…
 Hindi ka lang puro, pagsubok na pinagdadaanan mo, e di nga makita ang
pagbabago sayo, tapos feeling mo anlaki ng pagsubok sayo.

C. Misery of Accommodation – v24

 Ipinasok sa kaloob-looban.. yung pinaka secure na lugar.. yung talagang di sila
makakatakas… hindi lang yun.. their feet were locked in the stocks. Nilagay sa
pagitan ng dalawang mabibigat nakahoy ang mga paa… kinulong na nga.. kinadena
pa.. maray lamang kung kadenang ginto..
 Most likely, they would have been thrown into a deep, dark cell that would have
been the nastiest place you could ever imagine. They would have been chained
amid mud, filth and human waste. It would have been a dank, dark, dreary, dirty,
disgusting, dangerous dungeon.
 Natagpuan nila ang sarili nila sa lugar na yun sa ka dahilanang naging faithful lang
naman sila…
 Have you been there? In your pursuit to serve the Lord, nalagay sa alanganin yung
buhay mo…
 Ito yun. Goal ng kaaway natin na ilagay ka sa kaloob-looban ng prison cell.. yung
tipong hindi ka na makakaahon sa problema mo,, hindi ka niya iiwan na nakadapa,
talagang ilulugmok ka niya par isuko mo yung faith mo kay Lord sa sobrang hirap
na dinanas mo…
 Gaano ka ba katatag ngayon? Gaano ka ba kahandang sumunod sa DIyos?
 May iba, nagkasakit lang, o naging busy lang sa mga gawaing bahay, o sa skul…
isinantabi na yung devotions,, isinantabi na yung mga church activities… ganun sila
katatag sa pagsunod sa DIyos.. hayyyyyy..
 Jesus told His disciples that trouble was not a possibility; it was an absolute
certainty, John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because
I have overcome the world.”
 Ngayong unti-unti kang lumalago sa Diyos, ngayon mas lalo mong naiintidihan na
hindi biro ang buhay.. Kung dati wala ka lang pakialam… ML maghapon.. wala kang
pakialam sa future basta masaya ka lang kasama ang jowa mo…sa jowa na lang
umiikot ang buhay… wala kang pakialam kung magkano ang nagagastos mo sa
bisyo mo, kasi inaatupag mo lang ay ang kasiyahan mo…
 Pero ngayong kilala mo na ang Diyos.. nalaman mong si Lord lang dapat inuuna sa
lahat ng bagay.. mahirap kaya… Yung kinasanayan mong alas 9 na gising, pero
ngayon kelangan mo nang gumising ng alas 5 para magdevotion,, mahirap yun..
 Dati walang nakiialam sa mga lakad mo… hawak mo oras mo, hawak mo desisyon
mo,, pero ngayon naintidihan mo ang salitang pagpapasakop.. lahat ng desisyon
mo ngayon kelangan pinapasakop mo sa authority… mahirap ang transition kasi
kinasanayan mo nay un…
 Dati kahit anong edad, o kung kelan mo gusto magkajowa sige lang..pero ngayong
nalaman mong dapat pala si Lord muna bago jowa..mahirap kaya iwanan ang
jowa.. ang ganda ng jowa mo taz iiwanan mo lang..baka di ka na makahanap ng
ganyan ka ganda… ang hirap talikuran ang ilang taong pinagsamahan… hoy ilang
taon lang yan, kapalit ng eternity mo kay Lord…
 Yung iba ayaw maglider kasi daw bawal magkajowa.. guys, hindi namin kayo
pinipilit o inuutusan na iwanan ninyo ang mga jowa ninyo…
 Pero kung naiintidihan mo ang prinsipyo ng Bible, at kung anung pinagagawa sayo
ni Lord,,. Kahit walang mag utos sayo, gagawin mo kung ano ang tama… Kung mas
mahal mo jowa mo kaysa kay Lord, sige.. ipagpatuloy mo yan… pero tandaan mo,
God is a jealous God…
 Anong mararamdaman mo kapag yang pinakamamahal mo, nakita mong may
kasamang iba.. kitang kita mo. Walang labis, walang kulang.. kumusta
pakiramdam?... hindi mo sasabihing, Yes! May kasamang iba si babe!... baka nga sa
sobrang galit mo manununtok ka, mananampal ka, etc…
 Totoo, si God jealous God… kitang kita Niya mga ginagawa mo.. Kitang kita Niya na
may iba kang inuuna kaysa sa Kanya… pero sinasabi mong mahal mo siya… Pero
mahal na mahal ka pa rin Niya… Kung yung jowa mo Nakita kang may iba,
malamang iniwan ka na Niya…pero si Lord, tapat siya kung magmahal.. lagi kang
may chance sa kanya….
 There are going to be some rough times along the way. There will be some hard
times, times when trials and suffering will dominate your life.
 There will be times when you will do your best to serve the Lord, but He will still
put you in a prison situation. It will be a place of misery and suffering.
  Sometimes it will be worse than you can ever imagine. Spouses die, diseases come,
children rebel, marriages fail, and sometimes life hurts. And all the good deeds,
good prayers, good hopes, good wishes, and good thoughts will not be able to
prevent you from going into a prison experience from time to time.
 I know that is not what anyone wants to hear, but those are the facts as the Bible
declares them. There will be some places of misery along the path of life. Have you
ever been there?
 If you have, I need to tell you that you will probably go there again. If you haven’t I
can say that you will go there some. If you are there right now, I want you to know
that there is hope in your place of misery.)

 Now we go back to the story…

 Remember that Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten, and imprisoned without a
trial. They were put in a very dreadful place…but they turned that place into a

`II. IT IS A PLACE OF MINISTRY – v25

A. A Place Of Personal Ministry

 When Paul and Silas found themselves in this prison experience, they were hurting,
humiliated and in need of some encouragement. Pagkatapos nilang sumunod sa
DIyos, ito yung kinasadlakan nila. Parang unfair diba? Sa oras ng pangangailangan
at kahirapan, wala silang malapitan na kahit sino. Anung ginawa nila, they turned
to God and lifted their hearts in prayer.
 Alam nilang sa ganitong mga pagkakataon, the best place to find the help of a
friend is to turn to the throne of grace.
 Let us assess ourselves. Naglevel man lang ba yung mga pinagdadaanan mo
ngayon sa pinagdaanan nina Paul and Silas? Napakalayo.. Pero tayo, sa mga
pagsubok na pinagdadaanan natin, ang lakas pa ng loob nating magreklamo kay
Lord.
 Sina Paul at Silas, hindi sila umangal sa naging karanasan nila. Anong ginawa nila,
they worshipped GOD.
 We all have a reason to whine, but we all have a lot more reason to WORSHIP
God!
 Yung kahit na wala yung mentor mo na nag eencourage sayo, pero dahil kilala mo
ang Diyos mo, mas pinipili mong magtiwala sa Kanya at humugot sa kanya ng
lakas. Mas pinipili mong magworship kaysa magreklamo.
 Lord, hindi ko alam ang gagawin Mo sa sitwasyon ko, pero alam ko ang
gagawin ko…. magpupuri ako sayo!
 Hindi nakadepende sa sinuman ang strength mo para magpatuloy.. nakadepende
ito sa DIyos. Go to HIM. Go back to the word. Go back to the heart of worship.
 Kasi yang pinagdadaanan mo, it can be a…..

B. A Place Of Profound Ministry

 As they prayed, their prison was transformed from a place of pain into a place of
praise. 
 As you pray, your prison will be transformed from a place of pain into a place
of praise.
 When you pray, something happens!
 Sila Paul at Silas nasa sobrang hirap na kalagayan. Nagseserve sila faithfully.
Naging obedient sila. Pero anong nangyray, nakulong sila dahil sa paggawa ng
kalooban ng Diyos. Nakulong sila dahil inakusahan sila ng kasinungalingan.
Nakaklulong sila, sugatan, duguan, at gapos… Pero yung puso nila ay puno ng
pagpupuri at pagsamba.
 Hindi lang ikaw ang nakakaranas ng ganyan…baka nga may mas matindi dyan na
pinagdadaanan ngaun.. it is just a matter of perspective
 You cannot change the situation, but you can change your response.
 No one has ever been improved by whinning. Sa kaka angal mo, lalo kang nilayuan
ng blessing.
 Kadiit diit na problema, LORD BAKIT GANITO? BAKIT GANYAN?
 Stop whinning! Start winning!
 When you choose worship over whinning, you get God’s attention!
 Hindi natin kontrolado ang sitwasyon. Hindi mo mababago yun. Hindi mo kaya.
Pero kaya mong kontrolin ang magiging response mo. Magpapalugmok ka ba ng
tuluyan, o magwoworship ka kay Lord?
 Yung result ng exam mo, hindi mo kontrolado. Pero yung reaksiyon mo pag
natanggap mo yung result, yun yung nagmamatter.
 When we find ourselves in one of the bitter prisons of life, and we turn to the
Lord for the help we need to make it through that prison, God can turn our
sighing into song.
 He can turn our trials into testimony.
 He can turn our pain into praise.
 He can take a time of profound heartache and transform it into a time great
help.
 Kayang kaya ni Lord baliktarin ang sitwasyon mo.

C. A Place Of Powerful Ministry

 and the prisoners heard them” – This phrase means that the other prisoners were
“listening intently” to Paul and Silas as they prayed and praised the Lord.
 Nagtataka sila, itong dalawang taong to, pinaghahagupit na, kinadena nat lahat-
lahat, pero nagagawa pang magworship. That is a powerful ministry.
  Di mo alam gaano kalaki ng impact ng buhay mo na sa kabila ng mga pagsubok na
dinaranas mo, hindi ka nila nakakakitaan ng kawalan ng pag-asa.. nagagawa mo
pang magworship kahit hirap na hirap ka na.
 May kakaiba sa taong to. It may sound weird sa iba, pero kay Lord ang sarap sa
mata.
 Sa mundo, pag sa problema hindi makaahon, alak ang solusyon…. Barkada
ang solusyon.. rebellion ang solution… pero sa mga Kristyano, sa gitna ng
problema, WORSHIP ang inuuna…
 Naniniwala, nagtitiwala, kahit walang-wala kaya pinagpapala.-Ptr. Romy
 I would just remind you that a lost world is watching you and me as we go through
our prison experiences. They want to see if our faith is real when we go into the
prison house of suffering.
 If you are struggling, start worshipping.

III.  v. 26-33              IT IS A PLACE OF MAJESTY

 ALam nating lahat na sa bawat pangyayari, may plano ang DIyos. Kung nasaan ka
ngayon, hindi yan nagkataon lang. Maybe God is using your circumstance so you
could help someone see that He is an ever present, all-sufficient, all mighty God.
A. v. 26 The Majesty Of God’s Power –
 Suddenly, foundations of prison shaken, immediately –
 All of a sudden, God moved in power, and sa isang iglap, natanggal yung mga
kadena, at ang sumunod na nangyari, Malaya na sila.
 Yung dating lugmok na kalagayan, biglang napalitan ng Kalayaan..sa isang iglap.
 Anung klaseng prison ang kinalalagyan mo ngayon? Tandaan mo, your prison can
be a place of power. Walang hindi kayang gawin ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos.
 When your praise goes up, HIS RAIN comes down.
 God will move in power when the time is right and set you free. Alam Niya
yung pressure, yung fear mo, at alam Niya din kung paano ka Niya
palalayain.
 Akala mo wala nang pag-asa. Kapatid, JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LIVING HOPE! Buhay
na pag-asa.
 Makikita ng mga tao kung paano kikilos ang Diyos na sinasamba mo. Mismong sila
na lalapit para sumama sayo.

 Going back sa kwento.. natanggal na yung kadena, nabuksan na yung pintuan ng

prison..pero bakit hindi pa sila tumakas? They were made free while they were still
in their prison experience. God can and will do that in your life. When He does, it is
a display of awesome, Almighty power!
 Explain further the story…..
B. v. 27-33 The Majesty Of God’s Providence

 Why did God allow these men to go through this prison? All they had done was
serve the Lord!
 Kung tumakas na sila, hindi sana na-save yung JAILER, at ang buong pamliya..
 Here’s the thing.. yung dati mong mga kalaban, kaaway, ngayon kasama mo na
sa paglilingkod.
 Yung jailer, binabantayan sila para hindi makatakas, ngayon kasam na nila sa
pananampalataya..
 Yung nanay mo, tatay mo, kapatid, kaibigan mong nagpepersecute sayo,
makakasama m na ngayon sa pagpupuri.. Hallelujah,, walang impossible sa
Diyos.
 Changed people, change people.
 You are blessed to BLESS!
 Kung tumakas na sila, wala silang pinagkaiba sa ibang mga prisoners. They will
become guilty.
 Tong testimony ng dalawa, napakalaking impact sa mga tao sa Filipos. Yung
glory ni God nahayag sa mga taga FIlipos.. Yung story mo magkakaron din ng
malaking impact sa lugar kung nasaan ka.
 Mas masarap kayang kilala ng mga tao ang pangalan mo bilang maka DIyos,
bilang kinalulugdan ng Diyos, kay sikat ang pangalan mo dahil sa kabulastugang
ginagawa mo.
 If you look at the outcome of this event, you will see that God used these events
to save the jailer and his family, v. 27-34; to testify to the city officials, v. 35-39;
and to encourage the saints and to teach them that God was greater than any
prison or problem they would face, v. 40.
 Sometimes you never get an answer to the why questions. Sometimes God will
send you into a prison experience for His Own purposes and you may never
know why these things have happened to you. But, does it really matter as long
as He is honored and we are used as a vessel of honor for His glory? You can
rest assured that even when life makes no sense at all, God has a purpose for
everything He allows in your life, 
 What we face in life is part of God’s plan for us. His plan is a good plan and
He knows what He is doing. Our duty is to trust Him at all times and
realize that even the things that hurt us are sent to grow us and to shape
 our lives for His glory, Heb. 12:6-12; James 1:3-4; 1 Pet. 1:7-8. Blessed is that
saint who will allow the Lord to have His way in that saint’s life!)

When the prison door slams behind you and you find yourself locked down tight
in the shackles of your pain and problems, you may feel that there is no reason
to praise the Lord. If you will turn your heart toward Heaven, He will hear you
and He will help you to lift your voice in praise to Him. You will also find that He
will give you peace in your heart that He will use your prison for His glory and
for your good.

      If you are in a prison experience today let me encourage you to bring your need to
Him. Let me encourage you to allow Him to turn your prison of pain into a prison of
praise. If there are needs, bring them to Him.

First, remember that no matter where you are and no matter how bad things might
seem, God is sovereign, and He is quite capable of accomplishing His purposes in your
situation. Look for the opportunities where you are rather than complaining about where
you are not.
 
Secondly, the secret to unlocking the power of God into your current circumstances is
worship. God does not typically move at the request of a complaining heart…but God
does move powerfully when His people humble themselves and worship with singing
and prayers. I know it seems ironic, but when you are suffering and feeling confined…
when you feel as though you have been treated unjustly…remember Paul and Silas in
that cold, dark prison cell with their feet in the stocks. If they can sing and pray and
worship God in those conditions, you can worship God in your circumstances as well.

 Worship is the way out. It is the key that unlocks the door to the cell you’ve
been stuck in. Worship declares the power and providence of God in any and
every situation in life.

 
Third, let your “target audience” be whoever God places on your path on any given day.
In other words, don’t look past the people that are right next to you in order to make
plans to minister to those who are not. When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, the
inmates were the mission field, and so were the jailers. Keep that in mind when you find
yourself confined to a hospital bed or when your flight gets cancelled or when you
suddenly find yourself sitting at home because you’ve lost your job. God’s plans are
better than our plans, and we rarely end up where we are by accident.
 
Finally my challenge: when someone asks the question, “What must I do to be saved?”…
or any derivative of that question like, “What the heck is going on in this world?” or “I feel
depressed all the time and I don’t even know if I want to keep living” or “I feel so
ashamed of what I’ve done…I don’t see how anyone could love me,”…whenever anyone
says such things, tell them about Jesus…tell them about the One who sets people free,
tell them about the Chain Breaker, tell them about the One who died for us that we
might be saved and healed and made whole. Tell them about our Savior and our King,
and then show them hospitality. Bind up their wounds and feed them a meal. Show them
authentic friendship and do it more than once. Show them…and tell them. Tell them, and
show them.
 
 
 My God is real when things are going well and my God is real when everything
falls apart. He is God and He is sufficient.