Praying at Midnight

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” (Acts 16:25)

Usually we think of people going to jail for doing bad things, like robbing a bank or selling drugs to school children or other bad things. However, Paul and Silas, two followers of Jesus Christ, were in jail for casting out a demon in the name of Jesus and for being on the receiving end of the false accusations of a mob. The magistrates tore off the clothes of these two Christians and commanded to beat them. They had many stripes laid on them before being cast into the inner prison and their feet securely fastened in stocks.

It was midnight and these two soldiers of the cross began to pray and sing praises to God.  They did not start singing, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…”

In our midnight hour it is good to have a worship service. Nothing is said of these men blaming God for their trouble. There was no complaining. There were no tears of sorrow for their circumstances. There was no “pity party.” When things go badly, and they sometimes will, have a time of prayer and praise.

Notice also that the prisoners heard them praying and singing praises to God. What an opportunity for sharing Christ and letting others see the difference Christ makes.

What Went Wrong?

“…yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.”(Jeremiah 7:26)

An article similar to the following came across my desk years ago. If I could recall the author I would give credit. Please accept it as I remember it.

“Suppose that a thousand years from now archaeologists exploring the ruins of America unearthed a “wheat-leaf” penny. As they examine it they are learning some facts about us.

• From the shape of the penny, a circle, they would know America was acquainted with shapes and forms.

• From the copper material they would gather that we were metallurgical people acquainted with metals.

• The bust of Lincoln would tell them that we appreciated art.

• The date would indicate that we were historical and kept records.

• The words, “United States of America” would say to them that we were a federated republic.

• “E Pluribus Unum” written on the penny would let them know that we knew more than one language and that out of many we were one.

• The wheat leaf would give some indication that we were an agricultural society.

• The words, “one cent’” would tell them we used currency in our transactions.

• On the penny are the words, “In God We Trust,” indicating to the explorers that we were religious.

Then they would ask themselves, “Wonder what went wrong: why did they fall into decay?” Then, one of them might remember our text from an unearthed Bible found in one of their digs. As he explored the surrounding passages of scripture he could easily conclude the many similarities of America to Judah. “Could that have been the problem with the United States of America?” he would ask.

The Bible Will Keep You from Sin or Sin Will Keep You from the Bible

“…behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10)

Storm clouds of God’s judgment on the nation of Judah were on the horizon. They had ignored the warnings of God through His prophets, had committed, “spiritual adultery,” with false gods and as Jeremiah said, they had forgotten God, “days without number.”

Our text says that the word of God was a reproach to Judah. They had no delight in what God said. How different from the blessed man or happy man of Psalm One:“His delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:2)  Judah’s neglect of God’s word and the God of the word resulted in their captivity to the Chaldeans for seventy years.

Today in America, the Bible is still a best seller but I wonder if we really delight in it or are its words a reproach to millions of people in regard to homosexuality, abortion, adultery, honesty, lying, faithfulness to the worship of God and morality in general?

The Bible is not a comic book that we can take or leave, toss in a corner, and ignore without serious consequences. God takes His word very seriously. Woe to any nation, people or person who neglects the teaching of God’s word.

Praying Early in the Day

“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, Oh LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)

Early morning is a good time to pray. The Model Prayer suggests morning praying in the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread.” At bed time would not be the best time to pray for God to supply the needs for the day just ended. At bed time we might pray for forgiveness of sins we committed during the day and to thank Him for His blessings during the day. It would be a good time to ask Him for His protection during the night. 

This psalm is suggesting that we start our day with the Lord; that we not wait for a calamity to strike and then pray. Early morning praying is similar to saying, “Good morning,” to a family member whom you have not seen all night. He’s just been waiting for you to wake up so He can share the day with you. It pleases Him when He hears your voice call His name.

An old song asks the question, “ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?” Let God hear your voice calling on Him every morning.

Why the Bible was Written

“For whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

A man from Ethiopia was riding in his chariot and reading from the fifty-third chapter of the Old Testament book of Isaiah. Another man, Philip, was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to the Ethiopian. As a result of the man’s reading that ancient prophecy and Philip’s explanation of what it said, the Ethiopian was saved.  He was given hope through the Word of God.

An elderly lady was at the funeral of her husband of sixty-five years. Her pastor used as his text for the message the Twenty-Third Psalm. When the pastor read, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me…” she was comforted and received hope as thousands before her have experienced.

Expose yourself to the Word of God for patience, comfort, hope, instruction, admonition, exhortation, direction and joy.

Pray Again

“And he prayed again.” (James 5:18)

None of us have prayed to the point that we cannot pray some more about something. James is referring to Elijah the prophet who prayed that it not rain and for three and one half years there was no rain. Our text says that “he prayed again,” and it rained.

When the Apostle Paul prayed three times that his thorn in the flesh might be taken away, God answered by saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.” He stopped praying for his thorn in the flesh but prayed for other needs. He prayed that his physical kindred of Israel would be saved. He thanked God for the Philippian church. He prayed for the church in Thessalonica and many, many more prayers.

Jesus sometimes prayed all night. Other times He arose long before daylight and prayed. He prayed for a blind man, for a deaf man, for a dead man named Lazarus. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed on the cross. He prayed again and again.

There are needs all about us. When God answers a prayer, it is not a signal that our prayers are not needed somewhere else. Did you pray yesterday? Good. Today is a new day. Pray again.

The Cornerstone

“…the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner…”  (I Peter 2:7)

Old houses built many years ago had stones placed every eight to twelve feet apart to make up the foundation.  The foundation was not continuous or solid like today’s houses. There was a huge stone at the corner. This was the cornerstone. The rest of the foundation stones were to align with the cornerstone. Our scripture verse is using the illustration of a discarded stone, thought to be unsuitable at first, but made the cornerstone.

Obviously, the illustration is speaking of Jesus, our Savior, the Son of God. The Bible says, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” (John 1:11)  The Jews rejected Him all the way to a horrible death on the cross of Calvary. But, God had not rejected Him. He was “…disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.”  (I Peter 2:4)

Many today still reject the Cornerstone, but He is and forever shall be the Cornerstone of the church, of Christianity, of Godly homes and of an honorable society. He is the Cornerstone of life. For a stable and firm foundation for living, build your life on Jesus Christ.