Singing in Prison

Singing in Prison - a prose

Acts:16:25

Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.

In the middle of the night

In a dripping humid horid dungeon

Feet clamped in stocks

Bruised, beaten, wounded.

Praying, singing hymns to God.

How could they sing with joy?

In the middle of real pain.

Their singing was so enthralling

That even the prisoners are listening

In the middle of an earthquake

Their chains fell off, the doors opened

But still why did the others stay?

So appealing is this joy.

Even the jailer wants to know

Why are you singing in the midst of pain?

Not desperately crying to save.

Not wailing to help them out

But singing out of pure joy

Of the confidence in the God who called them.

Image credit: https://kimshistorytravel.com/jail-in-philippi/

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Encourage

Barnabas, the word means son of encouragement. His quality of encouragement is seen in bringing up of Paul. When all believers in Jerusalem were afraid of Saul, when no one believed that he had truly become a believer, it was Barnabas who took him to the apostles. Being an encourager is a tough job. It needs discernment. It needs wisdom. It needs courage. You should not be affected by your mood. You need to be open. But an encouragement can do a lot to benefit a person's life. It might transform a Saul to a Paul. If Barnabas had not taken an initiative to help him, where would have Saul been? It was because of this, that Saul stayed with the apostles(v:28). Image credit: https://kiricard.com/70-heartwarming-encouragement-messages/

The Seven

Acts:6:1-7 The seven men were selected for distributing food for the widows. But these seven were chosen as those who were well reported and full of the Spirit and wisdom. Such a menial job, but such high qualification. One of them, Stephen, has been described as man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. No job is menial. You might be the church choir leader or the one who preaches. Or you might be the least important person in the choir. Or you might be the one who wipes clean the chairs. In God's eyes both are the same, whether you do it faithfully and with thankfulness - that is what matters. That makes it even more significant. Each job has its own value. Each job entrusted to you is important. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a doctor or an engineer or a daily wages worker, do it as if you are doing it for God. It has to be impeccable. Give your best shot. Do it with full heart. Image courtesy: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-maintain-a-wooden-dining-table-165...

The realm which we can't see yet can be believed

Acts:2:1-13 It is often common to see, when there is a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit, it is being misinterpreted with logical reasoning. The first manifestation of the coming of the Holy Spirit was people speaking in tongues and it was misinterpreted as drunkenness. Whether it is really true healing? Whether it is a gimmick? Whether we can give a more logical explanation to it than divine intervention? Why can't my futile human brain accept the fact that God can work in unnatural ways (which is natural for Him). Why do I trust in things which I see alone? I am not saying, you should believe in every such things that happen as divine intervention. Discernment, the Spirit Himself will give. The Holy Spirit is alive. He is God. His manifestations are real. We should be aware and we should believe that there is another realm which is difficult for us to comprehend, but not infeasible to believe. Image credit: https://www.mexperience.com/mexicos-mystical-wind...

Beautiful - a poem

Beautiful gate had no beauty It was dull, dismal and colourless All I could see was my lame legs And the skin and bones that is left of them. I knew every stone in the gate Every stain on the gate The contrast was obvious Lacklustre was the Beautiful gate. My eye level caught strong legs walk by The muscles that bulged out in the calves of men The smooth skin of the legs of women Mine was brute, cold and lifeless. Then two men came by First time I remember, I saw face of men First time I remember, a man looking at me eagerly I looked at them intently, expecting. But they disappointed me first Gold or silver, I do not have ,he said Dullness blanketed yet again Ashen laden was still mine eyes. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk A jolt from somewhere, filled me. My very own eyes saw it as it progressed Something which I dreamt, but couldn't believe. The thigh muscles, the calves - as I desired My bones felt strength within The skin was dry, now it is shining From icthy...

Forgive

Jn:20:22 Then He breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. The Holy Spirit helps you to forgive. If you forgive, they are forgiven indeed. If you do not forgive, then they are not. What a serious footing? Am I the reason why my brother stands unforgiven? What about my family? My own friends? Do they stand guilty because of me? Yes it's true, that ultimately when they stand before God, it is whether they have sought forgiveness from God themselves that matters. But have I forgiven? You might not have been able to forget the injustice done to you. The lack of love. But the Holy Spirit will enable you to forgive. Forgiveness is so important that in the Lord's prayer He highlights - Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. If you want to be forgiven, you have to forgive. Do you want to stand before the Lord guilty or forgiven? Do you want ...

Forgiveness is the first step

Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. Acts:14:21. In Lystra, they were stoned and dragged out of the city. To Lystra they come back to strengthen and encourage. What a commitment? What love to the people of Lystra? What surity of their calling? They both go back to the very place that tortured them. To the very place they suffered. We would never go back to the very place! Scared? Hatred? Indignation? What if God asks you to go back? Would you give excuses? Would you still love the person, who stood against you? Would you hate or love him/her? If you understand the truth that, calling is unto a person not to a place, nor unto people, then it becomes easy to forgive. Forgiveness is something which needs grace, much grace. If God could forgive me yet again, how much should I? For Jesus taught us to pray - Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Image credit: https://coriechu.com/blog/forgiveness-and-healing

Kingdom of God

Acts:1:3 When Jesus was here on this earth for forty days after His crucifixion, He appeared to many and proved to many that He was alive. And He talked to them about the Kingdom of God. This is probably the last moments Jesus will have, to talk to His friends in person. And for Him, this is probably one of the most important times with them. And therefore, if He talks about the Kingdom of God at this crucial juncture then it means, the Kingdom of God is that important for Him. All we need to do is to seek the Kingdom of God with the same passion as Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God. Which God Himself beautifully portrays in the whole Bible. The Old Testament is a shadow of it. Jesus explains every angle of it. The epistles say everything about it. And the last book describes the epitome of the glory of it. Unless you search the Scriptures passionately, eagerly and inquisitively, how will you know? Image credit: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-stud...

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