SATURDAY MARCH 22, 2014 He rose up and went into the city. Ac 14:20 NJKV GET BACK UP, GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE If youre going through a hard time, read these words The, Jews...came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city (vv. 19-20 NKJV). Notice two phrases: supposing him to be dead and he rose up. Paul was STONED BUT NOT SILENCED; beaten but not DEFEATED. We are hard-pressed on EVERY SIDE, yet not CRUSHED; we are PERPLEXED, but not in DESPAIR; persecuted, but not FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, but not DESTROYED (2Co 4:8-9 NKJV). Imagine Satan standing over Paul like a referee standing over a fighter whos on the mat. On the count of nine Paul gets up and says, I may be down, but Im not out! He was a defiant optimist, a self-encourager who knew how to lift himself and those around him. One day in the heat of battle, Lord Nelsons enemies flashed him a signal to surrender. Picking up his telescope, he looked through it and announced, I cant see any sign of surrender! During World War ll, Churchill warned the French that if necessary Britain would fight on alone. Their generals sent him a telegram saying, In three weeks, England will have her neck wrung like a chicken. Churchill took to the airwaves and announced, We shall never, never surrender! He lifted Britain up by its bootstraps! After the war Churchill addressed the Canadian parliament. Wearing his hallmark bulldog expression and waving the telegram, he announced, Huh ! Some chicken, and some neck! The word for you today is---get back up. God is on your side. My Thoughts: Isnt this an encouraging word for today!!!! Yes, we are all faced with adversities and are sometimes battle weary, but this is NOT THE TIME FOR GIVING UP!! A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that we all love to shout and praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness towards us. But we should know that we have NOT the right to shout and we have not the WILLINGNESS TO GO THROUGH THE BATTLES. Yes, I know the music makes us all move, but can we move during the battles? Can we hang in there when it seems as if all hell as broken out, and that we are going down for the 3 time? The fact is that the Apostle Paul faced things that most of us have never had to face. The Bible tells us to mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the END OF THAT MAN IS PEACE. Psalms 37:37. Paul was that man. No one exempt from sufferings, and betrayals. Romans 5:3-4; And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; KNOWING THAT TRIBULATION WORKETH PATIENCE; AND PATIENCE, EXPERIENCE; AND EXPERIENCE, HOPE. So our title for today says......get back UP, God is on YOUR side. This lesson spoke volumes to me, and I trust it will be a blessing to you all likewise.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 16:50:08 +0000
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