The Doors Flew Open...

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 16:22-34 ~~~ Psalm 138 ~~~ John 16:5-11 ~~~

Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail.

Apparently they were part of God's plan 

to bring the guard and his family into the circle of believers.

The voices of Paul and Silas 

filled the entire space of the prison all night long.

The guard fell asleep leaving them alone, locked and chained.

He, of course, had no idea what was about to happen to him.

God arranges for the paths of certain people to cross

 for a reason...his reason.

Paul and Silas sang and prayed 

with such fervor that the Holy Spirit 

shook the prison with earthquake force.

The ground shook, walls tumbled, and the doors flew open.

Peter and Silas could have escaped, but that was not God's plan.

They remained in order to convert the guard and his whole family.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus

and you and your household will be saved.”

Had Paul and Silas not been put into this particular jail at this precise time,

the guard might never have been saved.

Not only was the guard himself saved but his salvation

 was also extended to his wife and to his children.

God reached out to his children...his offspring.

The salvation was now a part of his inheritance and his legacy.

The Spirit of God frees us from our chains.

The Spirit of God opens the locked doors.

The Spirit of God goes beyond the present generation.

The Spirit of God in with and in each of us just as it was in Paul and Silas.

It frees you so that you can share this love with others.

Believing reaches out to the entire household.

We are all part of the family of God.

He gives us freedom from sin.

He opens the doors of our heart to greater love.

He shakes us to the core through his mercy.

Leave the chains behind...walk through the door...

freedom from your fears and doubts

is there for you.

Blessed with freedom through the Holy Spirit.

~~~Peace~~~

Freedom in the Spirit

~~~ Acts 16: 22-34 ~~~ Ps. 138 ~~~ John 16: 5-11 ~~~

In Acts today we hear a powerful conversion story of a prison guard.

His job was very important and he took it seriously.

Not only his life depended on how well he did his job,

but his family's well being would have also been in jeopardy

 had he failed in any way.

On this particular occasion all was going as usual...the hymns of praise and worship could be heard from the cell of Paul and Silas...and they were under lock and key.

They even had shackles around their ankles which were staked to the ground.

Suddenly without warning a strong earthquake shook the jail, opened the cell doors, and the chains were all pulled loose.

Now this is the stuff movies like to portray but the guard was in fear for his life that the prisoners had escaped. But to his surprise that was not the plan of God. Instead God wanted to demonstrate his power to the guard which resulted in his conversion.

This conversion story is given to us as one more example of how God went about touching the lives and hearts of the early church. God wants people from all walks of life to come follow him.

The message Jesus came to deliver was for all people not just a chosen few.

We have each been called by name.

In John's Gospel Jesus is addressing the grief of his disciples at just the thought of not having his presence with them. He has revealed to them that he is going to the one who sent him...the Father. Jesus is trying to get them to grasp a very difficult concept...that of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate. He says if I do not leave the Holy Spirit cannot come down upon you.

We know now that the Holy Spirit did come down to the people. We know now that the Holy Spirit is here and will be here for all time. We can no longer see Jesus but his presence is with us through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

As a human person Jesus was limited as to whom he could physically reach, but now all physical limitations are gone. Through the Resurrection the chains of death were broken and the Spirit was sent forth to all.

Just as the earthquake broke the chains of Paul and Silas in the prison.

The movement of the Spirit is free and inspires the hearts of all

who are open to receiving.

True freedom comes from living in the Spirit of God.

True freedom is living in love not in fear.

If there is anything in your life that is keeping you in shackles ask God to intervene. Tell him you must rely on him. Tell him you believe he can free you in mind body and soul. The prison guard had his fears dissolved as soon as he was assured that all was as it should be...they, the prisoners, had not endangered his life

by claiming their own freedom.