About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God as the other prisoners listened. Suddenly, there was a strong earthquake that shook the foundation of the jail. Then all the doors of the jail broke open, and all the prisoners were freed from their chains. The jailer woke up and saw that the jail doors were open. Thinking that the prisoners had already escaped, he got his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul shouted, "Don't hurt yourself! We are all here."

The jailer told someone to bring a light. Then he ran inside and, shaking with fear, fell down before Paul and Silas. He brought them outside and said, "What must I do to be saved?"

They said unto him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved -- you and all the people in your house." So Paul and Silas told the message of the Lord to the jailer and all the people in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then he and all his people were baptized immediately. After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them food. He and his family were very happy because they now believed in God.
                                                                                                    — Acts 16:25-34 (NCV)

...According to the Christian values which govern my life, my most important reason for living is to get the baton -- the gospel -- safely in the hand of my children. Of course, I want to place it in as many other hands as possible, and I'm deeply devoted to the ministry to families that God has given me. Nevertheless, my number one responsibility is to evangelize my own children.
                                                                                                   — James C. Dobson - Straight Talk

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman ©

July 31

"Nothing so important, nothing so useful, if you want to clear your soul, as to be a man who can put up with a great deal. Such a man, if he is wronged, is more distressed over the sin committed than over the wrong done him; he is always ready to say a prayer for his enemies, forgives an injury with all his heart, and is quick to ask forgiveness of others, and you will find him more easily moved to pity than to anger. And all the while, he is putting constraint upon himself, doing all he can to make his corrupt nature the servant of the spirit." Thomas a Kempis, Following of Christ, Book I, 24:2.

Pat Nordman ©

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions
Spurgeon's Morning for July 31	Spurgeon's Evening for July 31
"I in them." – John 17:23	"And these are the singers ... they were employed in that work day and night." - 1 Chronicles 9:33
A wife may when her husband is upon a journey, abide many days without holding converse with him, but she could never endure to be separated from him if she knew him to be in one of the chambers of her own house.	The Lord always deserves to be praised for what he is in himself, for his works of creation and providence, for his goodness towards his creatures, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption, and all the marvellous blessing flowing therefrom.

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July 31 So 1:1 - 8:14

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM

Current Bible Question

What nation saw 185,000 of its soldiers slaughtered by an angel of the Lord?

Previous question and Answer:

What Queen of Judah ruled for 6 years?

Queen Athaliah. (2 Kings 11:3)

Today's Devotion

But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)

Resister's Hardship

by Cathy Vinson

"I am Jesus...it is hard for you..."

(Acts 9:5)

I wonder what any reasonable response would be at this particular juncture. Consider finally having the opportunity to confront our persecutor, who has severely, decisively hurt us and killed our own offspring. In even our most decent estimation of our gracious God, we might expect something like this: "I am Jesus. You have killed 550 of my servants, left 2,000 orphans, ruined 100's of families, and devastated numerous churches. Their tears and sorrows have reached into My ears."

But look at what He does say: "It is HARD for you..." Oh, the volumes this speaks of Who our Jesus is and What He is like!

"Hard" (skeleos) come from skellos-dry. It means trying and exacting. Jesus is telling Saul He has continually seen and felt how tiring and wearying it has been FOR Saul to resist Him and hurt Him. He, more than Saul, realizes this hardship. We are seeing in full view how Jesus realizes the hardship of the one who resists His overtures. He not only pains over the rejection of Him, but the self-infliction caused upon His resister. Oh, merciful Jesus that our God is!

Psalms 32 gives us the weight and feel of this hardness which our glorious Savior sees, bears, yearns over...

"When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin..." (3-5a)

Don't we love Jesus!! In His moment of totally justified condemnation, what does He do? what does He say? "Saul, WHY..." and then embraces Saul in this SHARED hardship.

He reveals His Heart, the Heart we so long to know. He reveals His Heart for each resister. Might we put on Christ anew! Put Him on as we go out to a world of those underneath such hardship who unknowingly wait for Mercy which will embrace them within it.

Send a note to Cathy Vinson , the writer of this devotion.

We are seeing in full view how Jesus realizes the hardship of the one who resists His overtures.

Other Whispers from the Wilderness Devotions are found HERE

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~ The Importance of Trivia ~

Handley Page, a pioneer in the world of aviation, was flying one of his finest planes across the Middle East long ago. Unbeknown to him, a large rat had crawled into the cargo area behind the cockpit before takeoff, attracted by the smell of food. While cruising several thousand feet in the air, Page heard the sickening sound of gnawing in his small plane. Realizing that he was not alone, his heart began to pound. Hydraulic lines and control cables ran throughout the cargo area. One misplaced bite could disable the aircraft and send him crashing to his death. There was no such thing as an autopilot at that
time and being alone, Page could not abandon the controls to deal with his uninvited guest.

It was possible to land, but from his current altitude, there might not be time for him to descend safely before disaster struck. Besides, touching down on the uncertain desert sand was risky, and his chances of being able to take off agin would have been more difficult.

Then Page recalled some information he once thought of as mere trivia: Rats require more oxygen to survive than humans and oxygen decreases as altitude increases.

Page pulled back on the yoke, causing the aircraft to climb higher and higher. Up, up, up he flew. In a few short moments, the gnawing stopped. A few hours later, when he was safely on the ground, Page discovered a dead rat lying just behind the cockpit.

— Dr. Tony Evans, "A Guide to Spiritual Success," p77