First of all my heart and prayers go out to all those effected by Hurricane Ike, especially my friends in the League City, Texas area. May the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3) meet all your needs and bring His perfect peace to your souls. Amen.
These are certainly troubling times we are living through right now. Loss of life, property, employment, financial security, world stability, peace and happiness are all around us. Lawlessness is alive in some southern cities devastated by one of the worst hurricane seasons in a long time. There's lawlessness in Darfur with severe loss of life for political reasons. Russia invaded Georgia and killed many for political reasons. Tensions are rising in Korea as nuclear weapons are being tested. Iran is building nuclear weapons. Wall Street is seeing high profile companies fall like dominoes one after another. Things don't seem to be much improved in Iraq or Afghanistan. The unemployment rate is nearing all time highs. What is going on in our world? Peace and security seem attainable but never lasts or it's just out of reach. We have short seasons of stability. Like, the price of gasoline drops under $4.00 a gallon. We breathe a sigh of relief and feel like we can make it again. All of a sudden the market goes crazy and the prices rise again. The temporary relief is gone. Back comes all the stress, wondering if we're ever going to make it. All hope seems lost and the future bleak. The glass is no longer half full or half empty. It's just empty. Bone dry. Despair has taken over. We're on survival mode. We're numb, just surviving. We feel imprisoned by our despair and sense of hopelessness. There is yet hope for a hurting world, a hurting and severely wounded soul.
I want to tell you about two guys who, by all outward appearances was up the creek without a paddle. As a matter of fact they didn't even have a boat. These guys was arrested and beaten by the police for talking about historically proven, eye witnessed truths. Why would anyone want to hurt these guys for simply speaking about absolute truths is beyond me, but it happened. They didn't start a revolution or riot. No one was physically hurt or property damaged while they spoke. As a matter of fact all they did was help a young lady who was troubled in mind. But now here they are suffering from police brutality and wrongful imprisonment. If anyone had reason to give up all hope, these two sure did. They were in a high security prison with guards all around them. They were facing the death penalty with no appeal system in place. Most of us, put in their shoes, would give up. We'd probably be put on suicide watch. All hope of rescue would be lost. We would be numb from the trauma of the events taken place. We would feel as though we'd been mortally wounded. "What's the point? Just kill me already and put me out of my misery!" I must admit those words would probably go through my mind even if I wouldn't verbalize them. The feelings of abandonment and resignation would be there. However, these guys started praying and singing songs to the astonishment of those around them. The earth shook and chains literally fell off!! They had faith and hope that carried them through a difficult storm.
It's a true story. These two guys, Paul and Silas, had hope and faith in the One in whom has all power, Jesus Christ. The songs they sang were ancient hymns of praise. Even in the midst of certain doom Jesus is able to save, heal, and deliver. However, there is a catch for this hope, peace, and security to be apprehended by you. You need to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. All it takes in asking Him to come in and cleanse you of your sins, the things you've done wrong. Ask Him to be Your Lord and Savior. You can have peace, hope, and security you never imagined. Your eternal fate will be secure.
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