ONLINE CHURCH BULLETIN

Responses to Adversity

Acts 16.25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 

The soldiers stripped them, beat them severely and placed their feet in stocks. Then the evangelists praised God. I confess that this is not the way I have always responded to adversity. Have you? They knew that the officials at Philippi had taken nothing necessary from them. They had lost their freedom. They were uncomfortable. They were separated from other loved ones. However, they still had their faith, hope and love in Christ and they expressed this as they prayed and sang.

The prisoners were impressed with their faith in the midst of suffering and the jailor was impressed too. He and his family followed Jesus after they heard the suffering singers preach the gospel!

Dear Father, forgive us for our complaining. Help us to be grateful, hopeful and joyful regardless of our circumstances. May we be strong in faith each day and continue to sing praises. Help those who are hurting.  We ask this in the name of Christ, our Hope. Amen.

1 John 5.14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Only God can know HOW our prayers WORK but we believe HE answers. Please write me to add names to the prayer list and to report changes in status.

Let us be thankful and prayerful!

Love
Brad Forgy