What Must I do to be Saved?

Acts 16:22-32 (NIV)

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

I often wonder...how far will God go to reach you & me? Here we see that Paul was being used to spread the Gospel...but he allowed this child of his to suffer more...to suffer greatly that the Message of Hope may be heard. Paul is arrested, beaten and then he and Silas continue to

Worship the Lord. They were not so concerned at what happen to the "temporary body" they were in.  The Spirit of God gave them strength them...and they continued to honor the Lord.  God reached the jailer and the other prisoners....they heard the Message that the Lord of Heaven loved them, came to forgive their sin....and they responded. It is the simple Gospel Truth....he loves you and he loves me and he will do whatever it takes to reach us....and if you are a believer already....he will use you in any way He wants (if we allow him) so that he may reach others that have not heard....that the God of Heaven HE LOVES THEM....SO MUCH...THAT HE DIED FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE DISOBEYED HIM......(ROMANS 3:9-11)

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com

Will not Leave Sin "Undealt" with

Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.  But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die. 2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NIV) 

Have you ever done wrong...sinned against God Almighty.  We know the answer is yes.

David commits adultery and then murders the woman's husband.....WHAT?...is this the same David that took care of the sheep....the same David that killed Goliath....David the King......David the Psalmist....YES....his first son dies and then God gives him another son, Solomon ...and the Lord uses him to built the temple.

Did David pull the wool over on the Lord's eye....NO....NO....nothing is hidden from the Lord......David's first son dies....the son conceived in adultery.....  When confronted by Nathan the Prophet....David's heart is broken.....broken and he is so sorry before the Lord over his sin........the Lord who knows us well and examines our hearts...looked right through and found true repentance.......

How about us......can we examine our lives.....what do we see.....is there something we are dealing with...something we can't even begin to tell the Lord.....the great and wonderful thing is...that God already knows....he waits for us to come to him......sometimes he even has to send a messenger to help us realize our trouble...our sin....He will not leave sin "undealt with".

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com