Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 June 28

"And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here."   (Acts 16:20-28)

Today’s Morsel: When I see people that I haven't seen in awhile, I sometimes ask them about others we knew that were in the church when I got saved.  I’m saddened when I hear of the many who have fallen away.  But, as the title of a message I heard at Men’s Camp a few weeks ago, let me say “I’m Still Here”.   Somewhat like Peter told Jesus when He asked them if they would go away, Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).  The apostle Paul would even say that he was “still here” after five times receiving forty stripes save one from the Jews; thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice shipwrecked, a night and a day in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).  After all this, he could say, “I’m still here”.  He told his fellow labors, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).  Paul said nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39).  And after they had beaten him and Silas and cast them into prison and an earthquake occurred, they could say to the jailer, “We are still here!” Aren’t you glad that you can say "I’m still here!”

Sing:  I am determined to hold out to the end, Jesus is with me, on Him I can depend, for I know I have salvation for I feel Him in my soul.  I am determined to hold out to the end.

Thought For Today:  “I’m still here!”

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