"I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!"

Acts 16:20-26            (KJV)
"20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
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."

Paul and Silas were in a fix!  They were beaten with many stripes and cast into prison, into the "inner prison", and had no expectation of being released.  All for healing a lady and casting an evil spirit out of a damsel.  In most crowds they would be heroes.  But in this crowd, they were "up against it"!

So did they scheme, plan, and connive a way to get out of jail?  Did they pray the captors have a change of heart?  Did they do as I would have probably done and figure how they would exact revenge if, and when, they were freed?  Acts 16:25 says "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto GOD"!  Paul and Silas did not pray and sing praises to GOD as a ploy to get out of the fix they were in.  They did not pray and sing praises to GOD to impress the fellow prisoners.  Paul and Silas were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they had no choice but to pray and sing praises to GOD!

Why do I go to GOD at times in panic mode with my "troubles"?  Do I think I am enlightening HIM to how bad things are in my life?  Matthew 6:8 reminds me "Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."  JESUS said my FATHER knows my needs BEFORE I ASK HIM!  Now, keep in mind, HE does not imply I do not have to ask.  Rather I need to acknowledge WHO HE IS and thank HIM for making fulfilling my needs part of HIS plan.

Paul and Silas were in a much tougher situation than I usually find myself in.  Yet they were praying and singing praises unto GOD.  I pray that I will keep my eyes on HIM and HIS goodness, and not on the situation I find myself in.


http://youtu.be/5AASqVtF2A8