We give praise and thanks to the Almighty God for bringing us into the new month of the year 2023. He is ever faithful. We have published the daily fountain devotional for Wednesday, February 01, 2023. Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Wednesday, February 1, 2023. These are the Prayers for the First 3 Days of each Month in 2023, Pray it now.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Wednesday, February 1, 2023
TOPIC: ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
TEXT: Acts 16:16-end
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 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. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Wednesday, February 1, 2023
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Wednesday, February 1, 2023
General Study
Romans 8:28 states in part, “all things work together for good to those who love God…..” This played out in our text today. In their ministry journey, Paul and Silas met the girl described here as possessing the spirit of divination. Paul, in the power of the Holy Spirit, cast out the spirit. This resulted in severe beating and imprisonment for them. However, despite their travail, they resorted to praising God who came to their rescue! This led to the repentance of the jailer and his household. *Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
When Christians face trials, they fail to ask God to work out His purpose through their experiences. It is true that trials are usually though and unexpected, but God knows why they come to us. What He requires from us is to trust Him and allow Him to turn the situation for good to give him glory. If Paul and Silas had started to lament in the prison and possibly abuse and curse God, God would not have intervened and the jailer would not have encountered Christ and the disciples would have rot in prison. Let us always leave matters in God’s hands.
Prayer: Dear Father, may you help me to trust you in all situations and leave you to work out things good from them, Amen.
