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A House Built on Community
Paul and Silas were in a jail in Philippi because Paul cast a demon out of a girl. Around midnight, a massive earthquake shook the prison, and the chains of every prisoner fell off.
The jailer woke to see the prison doors wide open, and he assumed the inmates had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” (Acts 16:28).
Paul and Silas stayed where God had called them and as a result, the jailer and all his household were saved (see Acts 16:29–34).
When we leave situations simply because they are uncomfortable (not because of abuse or dangerous leaders), we often miss out on the miracle. Hard seasons and discomfort can be invitations to a display of God’s power we would never have seen otherwise.
There have been many times when the people of God remained in position and saw God reveal his true power. For example…
• Moses, who obeyed God’s instructions to lead his people out of Egypt, remained in position to see God reveal his power by parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22).
• Daniel, when sentenced to the lions’ den, remained in position to see God close the mouths of those meant to devour him (Daniel 6:10-22).
• Esther, who went before the king with prophetic timing, trusted God to save her people from wicked Haman’s plot to have them all destroyed (Esther 5:1-8; 7:7-10).
Paul and Silas demonstrated to the jailer that being disciples of Christ does not mean we try to escape difficult places, but we remain in position to be a safe place for the oppressed, bound, and hopeless.
God is looking for men and women who will sit in the midnight hour and hold the hand of a fellow brother or sister. To sing with them through the night until the foundations of addiction, lost identity, fear, depression, worry, and anxiety are shaken down. To remain in the rubble of uncertainty so long that others around us ask, “What must I do to be saved?”
When we stay in the position God calls us to, God will always use our “yes” for his glory.
Reflection Prayer: “God, show me those living in bondage desperate for freedom. I am willing to be radically inconvenienced for the Kingdom.”
This plan is presented to you by The House That Jesus Built by Natalie Runion. To learn more about this book, please click here.
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About this Plan
In recent years, many of us have been tempted to walk away from the Church—particularly in light of spiritual abuse, cultural deconstruction, and political divisions. Yet when we build our faith, our ministry, our churches on Christ, even the most violent storms won’t be able to knock them down. This week’s devotional explores what it means to invite Jesus back into his home and start the rebuilding process.
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