Friday, April 9, 2010

BE SET FREE!

SCRIPTURE

Acts 5:17-26 (NRSV)

The apostles freed from prison

Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, "Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life." When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.

When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the temple police went there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported, "We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside." Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what might be going on. Then someone arrived and announced, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" Then the captain went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.


DEVOTION

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

I love today's good news story because it is a reminder that we do not have to stay in the "prisons" that other people's petty jealousies may build for us!

Although most of us will never be literally jailed because of the hatred of others, we are often imprisoned in our hearts and minds by the unkind and hurtful things that people do--or say--about us.

As a result, we allow ourselves to be "imprisoned," unable to fully live into our God given gifts, talents, and ministries for fear of what others will think about us!

Some who have a gift of song have stopped singing because of a hurtful word spoken by another. Others who have a gift for dance have stopped dancing because of an unkind comment. Still others who have a gift for hospitality have stopped working in the kitchen because someone hurt their feelings.

I could go on and on, but you know much better than I do, what spiritual gifts and talents you have shut away because you were hurt by another.

Today, it is time for those prison walls to burst open! Despite what anyone has said--or done--to you, God is saying,
"Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life."

Our good news is too wonderful to keep to ourselves! Love gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life and then resurrected him on the third day in power and victory!

This is good news my friends! I beg you, please come out of your prison and share the good news.

IN JESUS NAME, BE SET FREE!


Let's pray:

God, thank you that you are opening the door to my personal prison on this day. Please set me free to be all that you created me to become. Please forgive me for allowing fear and hurt to keep me from sharing Jesus. I love you and I want to fully utilize all of my God given gifts and talents for your glory and the edification of your church. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.



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