Soul FILL Sunday

22 Mar, 2020

Dear Precious Friends,
I pray you are feeling strong on this Soul Fill Sunday. What a perfect response to the Corona Virus... Praise and Worship! We are called to feed our faith and starve our fears.

I love this reminder that we should praise the Lord in the midst of our difficulties. We have God's promise that He will direct us through these tough times. When we need advice the Bible has every answer we need. I love the summary below of what Paul and Silas did while in prison!!! This is exactly what we need to do during such a time as this!!!

Imagine this, praising God! That is the meaning of the word praying used here. They were not asking for anything; they were praising God and singing hymns. They were not faking either. Their backs were raw and bloody, they were covered with wounds, they had suffered a great injustice, but they exhibited no self-pity or resentment. They were facing agonizing uncertainty.
They did not know this delivering earthquake was coming. But at midnight they began praising God and singing hymns. I do not know what they sang. I know what I'd be singing: Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. But I think they were singing, "How great thou art".

Evidently they sang because they could see things that we, in our poor, blinded condition, seldom see. These men were men of faith. When you see what they saw, your question will no longer be, Why did they sing? but, What else could they do but sing?

They saw, first, that the enemy had panicked. They were conscious that they were in a spiritual battle. Resurrection power cannot be stopped. All attempts to oppose it, or to throw an obstacle in its path, are turned around and used as opportunities for advancement.
Paul and Silas knew that, and so they were assured that they had won. They understood that suffering is absolutely necessary to Christian maturity. We will never grow up, we will never be what God wants us to be, without some form of suffering. When we learn that, we will stop griping and bewailing and complaining. When we run into some suffering we can remember Paul and Silas and start rejoicing. They saw that the enemy had been defeated, that the work was established, and that they personally had benefited.

So they began to rejoice and sing and to thank God for what they saw. And God was so excited by this that he said, I just can't hold still. I'm going to shake the place up a little bit! It blesses the heart of God to see men act this way. And so the prison was opened.

Father, teach me the perspective that Paul and his friends had so that I might rejoice in my sufferings, knowing that you will use it to grow and mature us. Help us to sing praises to you for the Corona Virus being defeated and our trust in you. Protect us and all in our world of this Virus. May we praise you instead of letting our fears consume us. May we trust in you with ALL our hearts and lean not on own understanding, In all our ways submit to you as you make our path straight.
AMEN!!!

Please share you thoughts and your response to this virus. Please share prayer requests. Let us reach out to others during this time of need. We are so blessed and there are many needing our love and faith. Love you all so much!

Grateful.