The folks at Bethany Baptist Church are getting ready for the Christmas Parade, Saturday. Packets have been prepared to hand out and finishing touches are being made on the float.
Norma Stillings sang a solo, Sunday morning before Pastor Sorensen brought a message from Acts 16:16-36 on “How To Recover From A Bad Day.”
Paul and Silas had been charged with troubling the city of Philippi, had been beaten, cast into an inner prison, and had their feet in stocks. This seemed to be a very bad day, but Paul and Silas did not let it overwhelm them. At midnight they began praying and singing hymns and the prisoners heard them. Paul and Silas knew that God was in control of their situation. We can not lean on our own understanding of things that go on in our lives. But when we trust in the Lord with all our heart, we know that all things will work out for the good.
Paul and Silas could have protested that they did not deserve to be beaten and thrown into prison, but they followed the advice of the Psalmist who said, “Fret not… Trust in the LORD, and do good;…Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart.” Suddenly there was an earthquake and the prison doors were opened and everyone’s bands were loosed.
The event that broke Paul and Silas bands, did not affect the jailer the same way. They were not shaken by God’s answer to their prayer, for they now had a way out, but the jailer awoke with great fear. With the prison doors open, he supposed that the prisoner would have fled. He was ready to take his own life, but Paul called out that he should do himself no harm. The prisoners were all there. The jailer called for a light, went in and fell down before Paul and Silas. He cried out and said, Sirs what must I do to be saved?”
Paul took the negative that had happened and found that it was an opportunity for service. Paul was willing in every situation to tell about Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The jailer did believe.
At the close of the day, Paul and Silas saw their “bad day” turned unto good. The jailer not only believed, but that very same hour he began to wash the wounds and set meat before them. His whole household believed and was baptized.
Through it all, Paul and Silas maintained their faith in God, and were rewarded by seeing several lost souls saved.
