Sometimes life sucks, horribly. Sometimes things don’t turn out quite as WE planned… but even so, God is still good and worthy to be praised. Paul and Silas WORSHIPED God IN PRISON, after being striped down and severely flogged and feet fastened in stocks… they were PRAYING AND SINGING HYMNS!! That blows my mind!! I want a heart like that! That stays steadfast IN ALL circumstances, that will choose to worship and Love God no matter what comes my way, that the overflow never stops but only increases… and pours out onto others... oh man. Let’s read:

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.

When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

Acts 16:22-26

The foundations were SHAKEN, and the gates FLEW OPEN and EVERYONE’S CHAINS CAME LOOSE!! …SO MUCH MEAT IN THAT!! There is Fruit in the Contending, in the Pressing IN to HIS PRESENCE… your freedom and worship is not just for you but it frees others around you too! God will take whatever situation you find yourself in… and fling the gates open and loosen your chains and SET YOU FREE! He will, the question is.. will you PURSUE HIM, CONTEND FOR BREAKTHROUGH, PRESS INTO HIS PRESENCE..in the midst of your situations and mess etc?! Like Paul and Silas.. others were watching them, and in that… they too were set free.

There are people in your life that are watching you… how you handle the things that come your way… they know you’re a Christian they know you Love God… BUT in some of their minds they wonder “how much do they ‘really’ love God? How much of a ‘Christian’ are they really? How will he/she handle this?” You have NO IDEA who you are influencing for the Kingdom.

Be wise in your decisions and NEVER stop loving God and showing that in your life. Keep pressing in, keep contending for breakthrough in the areas you have yet to see it in and PRESS IN DEEPER TO GODS MANIFEST PRESENCE AND LOVE! Passionately Pursue God because He is crazy in love with you and after your heart every day… you just may not see it.

Stay in love, Stay Pure, Stay hungry for MORE…

Prayer:
Papa God… you are SO GOOD! We passionately pursue you, in the midst of what may seem like chaos in our life sometimes… we CHOOSE to love you and worship you and be after your heart. When we feel weak from our situations remind us that you make us strong, when we feel alone.. remind us that you are with us always.. and when we forget that there are people watching us.. remind us YOU are who we live for and we make decisions from the standards we have set for ourselves. God we want to honor you IN ALL we do and say.. in our relationships with friends and family.. we want to bring you honor.. at our work, we want to bring you honor. We are after your Heart God, we want our hearts to break for the things that break yours.. we want to always remind IN your presence… and never leave. We Love You God, we just love you…
amen.

.Martha.Inez.