Prison Break

Acts 16:16-40
Paul and Silas are traveling together to tell people the gospel.  A servant girl who had a spirit of divination began to follow the two and yelling that they were servants of God.  After several days, Paul finally got annoyed enough with her to cast out the demon.  (The Bible actually says he was greatly annoyed!)  Then the girl's owners were really upset with Paul because this girl provided lots of money for them.  They took them to the magistrates, Paul and Silas get beaten, and then put into the inner parts of the prison.  During the night an earthquake shook open the doors and off the chains of the prisoners.  The jailer was ready to end his life, but Paul told him all the prisoners were still there.  Because of this, the jailer then wanted to know how to be saved.  What a great reminder that we witness in actions, as well as words.  If we are living in such a way that sets us apart, people will see a difference in us and want to know where they can find what we have.  So, deeds are important, but we need to be prepared to give an answer when the questions come.

Psalm 143
This psalm is full of desire for the Lord.  David is pleading for God.  He longs to know the Lord and have him prevail over enemies.  "Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.  Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." v. 8

Proverbs 17:26
To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

2 Kings 6-9:13
Elisha does some crazy things!  He does lots of miracles that make me think he should be in the New Testament instead of the Old, but still it's really cool.  Today he made an axe head float because a guy accidentally flung it in the Jordan, then called up an army of horses and chariots of fire while causing the entire opposing army to go blind so that he could lead them where he wanted.  He also has several people out to get him, but he tells them that in this time of famine, there would be an abundance of flour and barley, but the person who questioned him would not live to eat of it... so the next day the people plundered the Syrians and had an abundance, and then man got trampled at the gate.  Most of the rest of the reading today was about the kings of Judah and Israel.  It is confusing for me and hard to keep up.  Each time a new king begins to reign, there is a list of several names telling who came before him, as well as the king of the other kingdom and whose son he is.  So many names keep me confused!