#Paul And Silas (At Midnight)

[walkswithmyfather]

“🙏❤️❤️ HOPE ❤️❤️🙏”

“My HOPE is in the LORD always

Psalm 42:5 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”

This is such a beautiful verse read it and pin it to your heart

Worldly Hope…. a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

Biblical hope … Biblical hope has as its foundation faith in God.

The word hope in English definition often conveys doubt.

I hope it will not rain tomorrow

I hope my results test results will be good

I hope we can get together

I hope everything will be ok

BIBLICAL HOPE is a reality and not a feeling.

BIBLICAL HOPE carries no doubt.

BIBLICAL HOPE is a sure foundation upon which we base our lives, believing that God always keeps His promises.

Hope or confident assurance can be ours when we trust the words He who believes on Me has everlasting life

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Accepting that gift of eternal life means our hope is no longer filled with doubt.

Hope is a small word, but it is one of the most powerful.

It is powerful because in hope lies the power of the human soul to turn to God and live as if His promises are going to come true.

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

Some people when they speak of hope use it as an emotion. They say I am feeling hopeful but true hope is a discipline and a determination to believe in God’s reality and power even when the world seems to be crashing down around us.

The power of hope flies in the face of calamity, saying The world can do its worst to me but still I will hope. My hope is in the Lord. I will know that this is the day the Lord has made and He will take care of me.

The key to surviving any challenge or crisis is hope.

Hope that Jesus loves you.

Hope that He is, right now, working out a solution for you.

Hope that the future you place in His hands will be better than the present you hold in your own.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Today take a few moments and practice hope. Hope on the Lord . With its power you will overcome all things.

Isaiah 40:31. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

During the course of our day there are so many reasons to feel discouraged

When we listen to the news on tv we hear the problems in the world

When we face challenges that seem overwhelming

When we have problems that don’t seem to have solutions.

There are certainly times when we can feel hopeless.

The Bible speaks to us about these times

1 Corinthians 13:13. “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

The verse above teaches us that all of us need hope.

The verse above teaches us that hope endures

No matter how dark or depressing our circumstances may appear, we always can hope in God.

God wants to give us hope in any situation, no matter how dark things might seem.

But we should not merely hope. God wants us to rejoice in hope!

Paul knew what it was like to have hope in the midst of hopeless situations. A perfect example

Acts 16:25.“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

Acts 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.”

See when we look to the world it certainly can provide answers but they only give short term relief.

Know we will be hopeless if we look at circumstances and let the world dictate how we think.

We may go through situations that are threatening, that can cause

Uncertainty, Anxiety, Doubt, Fear

But if we depend on God we can know that He is the source of hope, and we can rejoice in Him and the hope He promises us.

If we have hope we can be filled with joy and peace no matter what is going on in the world.

Today take a moment see the beauty surrounding you and no matter what it is you are going through do not allow yourself to place your hope in the world, the world system, or any human being in the world

Rejoice in the hope that God has given you.

Place your hope in the living God and His eternal power to save and make everything right in His time, in His way.

God is so good . Always keep your hope in the Lord . He goes before you and is always with you. He will see you through everything you go through.”

From: “Beneath The Shadow Of Thy Wings” (FB)

[saras-devotionals]

Quiet Time 3/23

What am I feeling today?

I wish I had woken up earlier. I feel like I had been asleep forever and wasted the majority of my day so I’m kinda beating myself up about it. Also, I dreamt about my ex last night and it brought back all those emotions but I think it brought some closure too. Also dreamt about the guy I like, it’s not fair, every single time I think ‘I’m over him! I’m totally over him! It’s never gonna happen!’ then I see him again (I saw him last night) and my heart goes wild all over again and I’m so tired of it. I want to be able to move on from him bc that’s the advice I’ve received, that it’s probably never going to happen and sure it stings and hurts every time I’m told that and I wish it didn’t and the only way it wouldn’t is if I could move on!! sometimes I kinda just wanna scream or cry in frustration bc I’m just so sick of it! Anyways, I’m sorry about that rant, I guess I just needed to get that off my chest.

Bible Plan: Spiritual Wilderness

The Spiritual wilderness is a place of wandering. It’s a time when our feelings can fade, our finances might get dry, our relationships get sour, our experiences with God seem to be shallow, and our doubts get amplified.

Spiritual wilderness is spiritual warfare. There is one key that can help us win this spiritual warfare and move us from a spiritual wilderness to victory. That key is worship!

In the wilderness, we will either whine or worship. Chronic complaining may seem natural and come easy, but it has dangerous consequences. Complaining is to the devil what worship is to God.

Wilderness is a dry place; worship is the water! Naturally, we get water from a lake, river, or well. The children of Israel got their water from the Rock. The Rock symbolizes Jesus Christ. That speaks to us today that our worship must flow from who God is especially in our difficult days. Even if our life is currently not doing well, God is good. Worship is essential to surviving wilderness. It will keep us spiritually hydrated.

Not only does worship help us get through hard times without becoming whiners, it is also our spiritual weapon. We are created to worship but called to warfare. One of our weapons is worship. God wants us to have praises in our mouths and His sword in our hands. Spiritual warfare doesn’t work if our mouth is full of complaining and admitting defeat.

Complaining is to the devil what worship is to God. <- this line stood out to me! I kept in mind what the Bible says about grumbling and I caught myself a couple days ago and it really hit me! And with this line!! It hurts even harder!! My goal is to not complain for the rest of the day, whatever I have to get done, whatever I have to do, I’ll do so with worship on my tongue, not complaining because the Lord desires and deserves worship!!

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””

I think this is really sweet🥹 talking about how He’s with us and will gather us from the end of the earth🥹 also keep in mind that God formed and made you, I know some people can get on about how they look and even I can get like that too but remember your creator, remember that He made you and He loves you and creature you for His glory!

‭‭Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”

Tbh this just further shows you the power of praise! Even though they were in prison, they never stopped praying and giving glory to God!

[can-of-pringles]

Assign fictional vampires to your OCs? Like across any media, any vampire that exists in movies/TV/books/whatever, you can duplicate media if they have multiple vampires, etc.

Let me just preface this by saying that I really don't know a whole lot of vampire characters or watch a lot of vampire media, but I'll try.

Arline Lanes: Um... Claudia? (Interview with a Vampire) (I only briefly watched the movie)

Fox: The Countess (AHS: Hotel)

Carina Shepherd: I guess Jane? (Twilight)

Silas Petersson: Dracopia headcanon/fanon (Ghost) (ha)

Pigeon: Flutterbat (My Little Pony)

Arith: Lazlo Cravensworth (WWDITS)

Iriel: I feel like I have to automatically say Nadja like come on lol (WWDITS)

Kaia: Serana (Skyrim)

Odel: Father Paul? (Midnight Mass)

Marigold Rosales: Countess Ruby (Scary Godmother) (lol)

Rosie Rosales-Maximoff: Draculaura (Monster High) (G1 specifically)

Allison Dahir: Mavis (Hotel Transylvania)

Lee Quinn: Marceline Abadeer (Adventure Time)

Van Kahl: Nosferatu (in Spongebob specifically. I know his name is Count Orlock but they don't call him that in the show)

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

The Dependence of the Words

by Obadiah Sedgwick

Paul and Silas (on their journey) make a stop in Philippi, a chief city in Macedonia, ver. 12. They had a special calling for it, ver. 9. Being there, the next Sabbath, they devoted themselves to praying and preaching, ver. 13. And each of these activities was crowned with a blessed outcome.

By the former, Lydia was converted, ver. 14, 15. By the latter, the devil was exorcised from a damsel, ver. 16, 18. The word of God and prayer are the great power of God to change the heart and conquer Satan.

But if we trouble the devil, the devil will not cease to trouble us. It has been the fate of the best ministers to do the most good and find the most affliction. Look at ver. 19 and you will see that Paul and Silas were arrested and brought before the rulers.

Good God! That Paul should be questioned because he cast out a devil! But this is not the matter of objection, nor the immediate cause of trouble (her master saw that the hope of their profits was gone). How far will love of the world drive a man against God's servants? Even Paul himself was brought to trial when he cut off the profits that the devil brought. Covetous hearts and good ministers can never agree; they would rather sell the truth than lose their profit.

But now before the magistrate, what is their accusation? What! That Paul and Silas cast out the devil? No; that the masters of the damsel were hurt and disadvantaged by their preaching? No, though this was the reason, yet something else was the excuse. This would seem too base, and therefore they brought another charge against them that they knew would easily stick, ver. 20. These being Jews, greatly trouble our city, and ver. 21. Teach customs, which are not lawful for us to accept or observe, being Romans.

As if they said, they are a couple of divisive and schismatic fellows, men of a peculiar spirit, given to innovation, who speak strange things about one Christ, about belief, and about repentance, and we don't know what.

They needed to say no more, immediately there was an uproar, and without any more ado, right or wrong, they received justice. The magistrates tore their clothes and ordered them to be beaten, ver. 22.

And this was not enough, besides the whip, they had to go to prison and be kept safe and secure, ver. 23. Hatred of goodness often leads evil men to acts of injustice; and he who hates a good man will often become a bad judge.

But they are in prison and in stocks, and the jailer is as diligent to carry out the command as the rulers were unjust in giving it, ver. 24. He threw them into the inner prison and made them fast in the stocks.

The providence of God is strange; Paul and Silas were sent to prison to convert a jailer, to free him who had bound them, to heal him who had whipped them; God has some special plans for the times and places of his servants' suffering. Well, at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God, ver. 25. No prison can prevent our communion with God. Prayer will reach heaven in spite of all opposition, and even a suffering Christian can be very cheerful.

But now see the consequences of this, their prayers shook heaven and heaven shook the earth, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened, ver. 26.

I do not marvel that prayer can break the bonds of iron, when I know it is able to break asunder the bonds of death itself.

The jailer awakes, sees the prison doors open, and for all he knew, an escape of all his prisoners, for whose lives, probably it is, that he must pay his own; and therefore in a passionate desperation, draws out his sword to kill himself.

Paul espies him, and cries out with a loud voice (hold, hold) Do yourself no harm, for we are all here, not a man of us that has stirred.

Which when he had searched and found, Oh! what a strange alteration is in this jailer? Vers. 29. He came in trembling. What! He who before made them to bleed, does he now tremble? He that before cast them into the stocks, does he come trembling to them? What were they? Or what could they do? Shackled and scourged, and imprisoned persons, that he trembled before them? But so he did. Scorners will become tremblers, when God has once touched their hearts. Yet this is not all; He also falls down before them. He is upon his knees to ask them forgiveness, for his cruel usage. And then he brings them forth.

Object. But what of all this? All this may arise from sparks of pity and humanity.

Sol. Nay, but there is a greater matter than all this: Sirs, said he, What shall I do to be saved? (As if he had said) I am in a miserable condition, I have lived wickedly, and done wrong to many of the people of God, and in particular to you; Good Lord! what shall become of me? You are the ministers of Christ, I beseech you have pity on me, and show unto me what I may do to save this poor soul of mine.

What does Paul and Silas answer him? They said, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. And I beseech you mark it, how immediate their answer is to his question; they do not say, as the High Priests to afflicted Judas, Look thou to that; they do not upbraid him with his hard and cruel usage; They take not that advantage, and say, Nay, now does your conscience trouble you for being so wicked, and scourging us so sharply? Yea, and so let it; do you come for direction and comfort to us, whom you have so shamefully abused?

No, they forget the injuries, and presently pour in the oil. They instantly direct him into the true way of life, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

[mstexalicious1961]

SOTK

devotion by Bernard Trippett, Jr

God hears you, even in the night.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry” Psalm 34:15, NKJV.

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed” Acts 16:25-26, NKJV.

Late one night, I heard our son coughing. I was sleeping very well, and I didn’t feel like getting out of bed at all. Yet, when I heard his voice, it did something to me. I couldn't care less about my tiredness, my feelings, and my comfort. My son was in need. Sure enough, I went into his room, and he had no blanket over him. I move him on his pillow and put the blanket real snug over him. He then woke up a little, smiled, and went back to sleep.

You have a Father that watches over you and hears your every prayer. He has heard you, even in a night moment in your life. His eyes are always on you, and as soon as you gave voice to your situation, as soon as you said you need Him to come through, as soon as He heard you, He began to move.

Continue to trust and give Him praise. His answer, His victory, His blessing, a helping hand is coming. God does some of His greatest works during the night.

Prayer: Father, thank You that as soon as I prayed, You heard me. You really do care about what I am going through. Strengthen me, Father, and full me with great joy and peace. I believe You are moving on my behalf. You do some of Your greatest works in the night. Hallelujah! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Study: Psalm 34:17, Acts 16:25-34, 1 John 5:14-15

[backtochrist]

Earthquake released Paul and Silas

Miracle 33 - New Testament

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. - Acts 16:25-34

[rj-drive-in]

Ye Olde American Pulp Department:

On the occasion of Independence Day, join us for an adventure of America's very first masked hero!

THE DEADLY PLAN OF DOCTOR POX! © by Rick Hutchins

“Call me Doctor Pox, my dear,” said the man in the scarlet cloak and theatrical tragedy mask, as he finished binding her wrists behind her back. Beneath the cloak, his proper British attire was spattered with mud from hard-riding the buckboard through the night.

“How dare you?!” she cried for the millionth time. “My father is Colonel....”

“I know your father!” screamed Doctor Pox, silencing her. He quickly regained his composure. “My dear Sybil.”

Turning on his heel, the madman marched off to a dark corner of the barn, out of the small circle of light cast by the single kerosene lamp.

Sybil struggled against the leather straps that bound her to the wooden beam, but to no avail. Her light blue Polonaise gown had been torn to shreds in the struggle and her low-cut bodice had been ripped, exposing an unseemly amount of decolletage. Strands of brown hair fell in her face, her bonnet having been lost in the kidnapping.

Doctor Pox reappeared from the shadows, dragging something heavy through the dirt and straw. “Yes, my dear,” he said, “I met the esteemed Colonel Willing during the Siege of Boston. He was so proud of his cannon upon Dorchester Heights. So proud of his ruffian irregulars who guarded the roads.”

He was dragging a large wooden coach trunk with iron braces; huffing and puffing, he positioned it three feet in front of Sybil. Leaning in close to her, his theatrical tragedy mask, which seemed wrought of copper, hovering near her face, he said, “It is my tender sentiment for your father which has brought you here.”

With a flourish of his scarlet cloak, the doctor turned and flung open the top of the trunk.

When Sybil saw what was inside, she screamed.

And with that, the barn doors burst open and in strode a tall and stately figure.

“Goodman America!” gasped Sybil.

His face entirely masked by white cloth, the famed mystery man was dressed in a waistcoat and tricorn hat of brightest blue; his vest bore thirteen red and white stripes. His breeches were midnight black, as were his rugged highwayman boots. The knob of his walking stick and the rattlesnake insignia on his hat were rumored to be of pure silver, smithed by Paul Revere himself.

“Surrender, Doctor Pox!” he commanded.

“Never!” replied the madman, drawing a flintlock pistol from beneath his scarlet cloak.

But Goodman America was upon him in an instant and knocked the weapon from his hand before he could fire. The two masked men faced off, circling each other warily, preparing for hand-to-hand combat.

Grimacing with disgust, Sybil reached out with her foot-- she had lost her shoes in the scuffle as well-- and knocked the coach trunk shut with her stockinged toe.

The noise distracted Doctor Pox for but a moment, but it was enough for Goodman America to throw a punch. The mighty blow knocked the theatrical tragedy mask from the madman’s face.

Both Sybil and Goodman America recoiled in horror, for that face was so hideously scarred and twisted that it was barely human.

“Look then!” shrieked the doctor. “Look upon the face of Doctor Silas Conduct! See what the smallpox epidemic of the Siege of Boston did to me! If Colonel Josiah Willing had let us pass that night, I would not be thus disfigured-- and my beloved wife would not be DEAD!”

He pointed savagely at the coach trunk.

“But when the bits and pieces of the rotting human remains in that trunk, raging with smallpox, are added to the food and water of the Continental Army, then so too will the American rabble die! And the daughter of my most hated enemy will be the first to....”

The silver knob of Goodman America’s walking stick struck the doctor’s temple sharply, and he fell unconscious to the ground.

“Don’t tread on us,” said Goodman America.

Drawing an officer’s saber from a scabbard hidden beneath his blue waistcoat, he quickly went to work cutting the leather straps that bound Sybil Willing.

“Hurry!” she cried. “We must get away from that horrid trunk!”

As Sybil ran ahead through the open barn doors in her stockinged feet, the masked Patriot grabbed Doctor Pox by the cloak and dragged him out into the night.

“Wait here,” he told Sybil, as he dropped the doctor’s body in the dirt and ran back into the barn.

Taking the kerosene lamp from its hook by the door, Goodman America smashed it upon the coach trunk. Within seconds, flames had engulfed the trunk and begun to spread to the straw and wooden beams.

Returning to the barnyard, as the flames rose into the night sky behind him, the Revolutionary Hero looked around.

“Where has Doctor Pox gone?” he asked.

“He ran off across the fields,” answered Sybil. “But no matter! When that madman kidnapped me, my gentleman friend, Mister Nathan Hand, was knocked to the street and hurt. He is a man of learning, not combat, and I fear for him!”

“Then rest your fears,” said Goodman America. “I have already seen to Mister Hand and he is even now being tended to by the Sons of Liberty in their meeting place.”

“Thank God!” cried Sybil.

And beneath his white mask, Nathan Hand smiled.

[womanwarriorofgodww59]

Acts 16:25 (KJV) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Acts 16:26 (KJV) 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.

[albertfinch]

When you laugh in the face of the enemy and believe for breakthrough, while standing on His promises, you change -- when you have faith, things begin to happen. Things that you never thought possible will begin to fall into place.  You will sing at midnight like Paul and Silas, and break out of your prison!

Faith always requires action. Action is the proof that faith exists. Demonstrate in faith -- walk in spiritual hunger and He will refresh you -- move in faith and He will energize your spirit.   

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

16th May >> Mass Readings (USA)

Tuesday, Sixth Week of Eastertide

(Liturgical Colour: White: A(1))

First Reading Acts of the Apostles 16:22-34 Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.

The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake.

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8

R/ Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple, and give thanks to your name.

R/ Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Because of your kindness and your truth, you have made great above all things your name and your promise. When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me.

R/ Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.

R/ Your right hand saves me, O Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation cf. John 16:7, 13

Alleluia, alleluia. I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 16:5-11 For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[noeticprayer]

SCRIPTURE READINGS for Sunday May 21st, 2023

CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN! 

Acts 16:16-34 (Epistle)

In those days, we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying.   She followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."  And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.  But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city.  They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice."  The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.  And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.  Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 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 fetters were unfastened.  When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."  And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."  And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house.  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family.   Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.

John 9:1-38 (Gospel)

At that time, as the Lord passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.  And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.  We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Silo'am" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.  The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?"  Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man."  They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"  He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, `Go to Silo'am and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight."  They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."  They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them.  So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."  The Judeans did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"  His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;  but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself."  His parents said this because they feared the Judeans, for the Judeans had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."  So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner."  He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see."  They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?"  And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."  The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.  Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."  They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.  Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?"  He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"  Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you."  He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him. 

+

[walkswithmyfather]

“Praising God at Midnight” By Gena Mayo:

“Today’s sermon was on Paul and Silas when they prayed and sang in jail. It’s the same text that I heard a sermon on by Tony Evans a week or so ago. And quite convicting!

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.” —Psalm 13:6

Our pastor told a story about a terrible day he had last week. He had to fly twice the day that the terrorist plot was uncovered in Britain. Planes were delayed, connections were being missed, everyone in the airport and on the planes were tense and in a bad mood. His laptop also died, so he was trying to remember everything that was supposed to go into his sermon for today. As he was studying the passage on the plane he felt like he had some things in common with Paul and Silas, until it came to the part about singing.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:” —Philippians 4:4

Tony Evans said that midnight is the darkest part of our life. It’s easy to praise God when everything is going our way and we’re feeling happy. Do you think Paul and Silas were happy? They had just received a severe flogging and then put in stocks in a dirty, nasty prison. One commentator said that the pain and cramping was probably so bad that they wouldn’t have been able to sleep even if they wanted to. So what did they choose to do? Pray and sing praises to the Lord!

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” —Acts 16:25

Last night when my husband and I were putting the kids to bed I was exhausted. The kids were misbehaving, and I was in a very bad mood. Every night we sing a couple of songs as part of the end of the bedtime routine. After my husband had sung a verse, he said “Everybody sing this time,” looking at me. I looked up with my gloomy face and said, “I don’t feel well,” but really inside I meant “I don’t want to sing!” I named my blog “I Choose Joy” but I haven’t been doing that very well lately. But now I’ve heard it twice and I know God is speaking to me: Praise and sing always–even if you don’t feel like it!”

“I will sing to the Lord, I will sing.” —Judges 5:3.

[yieldfruit]

“If our blessed Lord used to pray early before day; if He spent whole nights in prayer; if the devout Anna was day and night in the temple; if Paul and Silas at midnight sang praises unto God; if the primitive Christians, for several hundred years, besides their hours of prayers in the daytime, met publicly in the churches at midnight to join in psalms and prayers; is it not certain that these practices showed the state of their heart? Are they not so many plain proofs of the whole turn of their minds? Sleep is . . . a dull, stupid state of existence.

“If you were to rise early every morning as an instance of self-denial, as a method of renouncing indulgence, as a means of redeeming your time and fitting your spirit for prayer, you would find mighty advantages from it. This method, though it seems such a small circumstance of life, would in all probability be a means of great piety. If would keep it constantly in your head that softness and idleness were to be avoided, that self-denial was a part of Christianity. It would teach you to exercise power over yourself, and make you able by degrees to renounce other pleasures and tempers that war against the soul . . . .

“But, above all, one certain benefit from this method you will be sure of having; it will best fit and prepare you for the reception of the Holy Spirit. When you thus begin the day in the spirit of religion, renouncing sleep, because you are to renounce softness and redeem your time; this disposition, as it puts your heart into a good state so it will procure the assistance of the Holy Spirit; what is so planted and watered will certainly have an increase from God. You will then speak from your heart, your soul will be awake, your prayers will refresh you like meat and drink, you will feel what you say, and begin to know what saints and holy men have meant by fervors of devotion.”

William Law (1686-1761)

[shammah8]

*🌍 THE POWER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP (PART 1) 🌍*

📖 *_"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 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" (Acts 16:25-26)._*

Acts 16 chronicles how songs of praise from Paul and Silas resulted in a divinely orchestrated earthquake that saw to their release from an obnoxious incarceration. When you praise the Lord from your heart in the beauty of holiness, the result is a divine explosion of glory. Praise and worship the Lord in the face of daunting challenges, and His glory will be manifested in your behalf.

If you desire a miracle today, whether it's in your job or finances or even trouble at work; or perhaps it has to do with your health or that of a loved one; whatever it is, as an act of faith, set this matter before you, and begin to sing songs of praise in the spirit and also in your understanding again and again, as the spirit gives you utterance.  By this act of faith, you're invoking the power of the mighty God---the most High God---over the matter before you..... *~ Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc., DD.*

[thesynaxarium]

Today we celebrate the Holy Apostle of the Seventy Silas, a disciple of the Savior. Saint Silas was a respected figure in the original Church at Jerusalem. Together with Saints Paul and Barnabas, the Council of the Apostles sent Saints Silas and Jude to explain their message in greater detail, since they both were filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Saint Jude was later sent back to Jerusalem, but Saint Silas remained at Antioch and zealously assisted Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, on his missionary journeys preaching the Gospel. They visited Syria, Cilicia, and Macedonia. In the city of Philippi they were accused of inciting unrest among the people, and for this they were arrested, beaten with rods, and then thrown into prison. At midnight, when the saints were at prayer, suddenly there was a strong earthquake, their chains fell off from them and the doors of the prison opened. The prison guard, supposing that the prisoners had fled, wanted to kill himself, but was stopped by the Apostle Paul. Then, he fell down trembling at the feet of the saints, and with faith accepted their preaching about Christ. He then led them out of the prison and took them to his own home, where he washed their wounds, and was baptized together with all his household. From Philippi Saints Paul and Silas proceeded on to the cities of Amphipolis, Apollonia and Thessalonica. In each city they made new converts to Christ and built up the Church. At Corinth the holy Apostle Silas was consecrated as bishop, and worked many miracles and signs, and there he finished his life. May he intercede for us always + Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/07/30/102131-apostle-silas-of-the-seventy (at Corinth, Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgnKULYvK_i/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fcb4]

When God’s spirit and truth people gather in praise and worship chains release and doors open!

Whose prison door is locked because you haven’t sang a song?

Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.”

How long has it been since you’ve sung from your spirit? A melody that spilled out of the deepest reservoir of your inner life?

When’s the last time the well of your soul sprung up and copiously overflowed?

Has the cathedral of your heart grown cold and quiet?

Does the lover no longer cry out for the beloved in the garden of your new covenant life?

"I’m bursting with God-news; I’m dancing the song of my Savior God...His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him...The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold." -Mary, the overshadowed one

Eph 5:18b-20 “Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.”

Join in worship somewhere this Sunday where the Saints of God sing!

Yours and someone else’s freedom might depend upon it.