“A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 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! 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. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 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?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.”
Acts of the Apostles 16:22-32 NLT
Sometimes it becomes easy to forget who you are. We lose sight of our identity in Christ. Not intentionally. The circumstances of life sometimes come in hard and fast and get us distracted. They can cause us to make things that aren’t the main thing the main thing.
We can’t allow circumstances to define us. They are just apart of tbt process. I heard Kirk Franklin use cake as an example. He said that some of the ingredients by themselves are nasty, but they help to make the cake. In the end it’s the cake that’s good.
God said in Romans 8 that all things work together for our good. Not that all things are good but God’s majestic hand stirs everything together for our good when we love God and seek to do His will.
We can’t allow the situations of life to make themselves bigger than what they are. We definitely can’t allow them to be bigger than our God. That’s why we have to keep our mind focused on him and praise to God in our hearts and on our lips.
Allow the Spirit of God to minister in our hearts to continue to show us who we are from God’s perspective and continue to focus on His will. Don’t allow things of this world to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Don’t let them hold you back and break free in your victory in Christ Jesus.
That leads to our Throwback Theology Song of the Week. She’s not a rapper but her music has all the vibes of hip hop and urban gospel. Plus she comes from a family that is gospel royalty in the Clark Sisters. It’s Karen Clark-Sheard’s daughter Kierra Sheard.
This is from her 2008 project entitled “Bold Right Life”. The featured track is called “Won’t Hold Back”. This is definitely you turn the music up, roll down the windows and bang your head to. Until next time…
Peace and blessings,
Damo
https://open.spotify.com/track/7r1TCegDkyTQzo3KMtCtS0?si=2O97rbfcRQmk-1ixKMGyPg
