"There's no safer place than in the will of God" = FALSE!!

I've seen this on pins and bumper stickers a few times "There is no safer place than in the will of God!". As I was preparing my story on Faith, this came to mind: "Wow...that's crap!!" I mean...that's right up there with believing "Cool...Now I'm a Christian so everything will be hunky dorey from now on!".

Paul had a friend named Silas. These guys were like Batman and Robin in the Old Testament as they spread the Word of God everywhere. Well, one day they were in Macedonia and heading to worship down by the river (near MB's van!). Suddenly they were approached by a slave girl that had been possessed! She saw Paul and immediately started following him and shouting "Looky here! These fellas are followers of the Most High God and are telling you'ins how to git your bizness straight and be saved and all!". This went on for many days! DAYS!!

Now...I have to imagine it went sort of like this as the hours progressed:

Day 1: "Well thank you miss! Most kind of you!"
"Alrighty...sure is nice of you to be helping by telling people about us. But you really don't have to."
"Seriously...you're too kind. You can stop."
Day 2: "Wow...all night? Really? I couldn't sleep a wink."
"Ugh! Okay...this is a bit annoying."
"Hush!! I'm trying to sleeeeeep!!"
Day 3: "Sweet mother!! That's enough!! Shush!!"
"Okay...that's it..."

She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled 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. -Acts 16:18

Well...the slave owners had been making tons off her telling the future while possessed, so of course...they were ticked at Paul and Silas!! In a matter of hours, Batman and Robin were stripped, beaten, flogged, and thrown in jail!!

The jailer was told that he was to ensure that these two did NOT escape or else he and his family would be killed. I bet he LOVED his boss, eh? Talk about motivation!

About midnight, Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns to God!! Now...hold up...just hours earlier, these two dudes had been stripped...beaten...and flogged!! Just so we don't think that this was some patti-cake whooping, notice there is beaten...THEN flogged mentioned...FLOGGED: to beat harshly, esp. with a whip or stick.

But yet here they are praising God while shackled in prison!! (Pay very close attention to this!)

Suddenly there was a massive Earthquake at the jail and all of the doors in the prison FLEW OPEN and all of the prisoners chains CAME LOOSE!! As the jailer awoke to see that surely his prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself. Paul yelled for the jailer to stop and told him that he and Silas were still there...and not going to leave.

The jailer ordered torches to be brought and upon seeing all that had happened, he hit his knees before Paul and Silas and then asked of Paul what he must do to be saved! "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved..."

The jailer then took them...cleaned their wounds...and was baptized immediately at that late hour of night!

When the magistrates heard all that had happened and realized that Paul was a Roman citizen (Oops...it was illegal to imprison citizens!), they sent to have the men released...but Paul was having none of it. He said "Oh no!! Nah uh!! They beat us and imprison us without trial!?? They can bring their politician selves down and escort us themselves!!"

This is one of the many sides I like about Paul...He was a warrior for Christ with a slightly sadistic side!!

Can we all agree that Paul was in the Will of God?? I mean...this dude was a Bible Rawk Star!! But was he safe?? NO!!!

Paul was beaten severely and beheaded!! John was beheaded!! Peter was crucified...upside down!!

Let's face it...being in the will of God is NOT always a safe place!! We are often called to expand our comfort zones and sometimes even walk through immense danger!! Heck...there are Christians right now that are delivering Bibles to the Burmese people...and dying daily for carrying that book when caught by the government!!

There's no BETTER place than in the will of God is a better statement I think!

But Gus...what does this have to do with Faith? I'm glad you asked!!

Paul and Silas had FAITH beyond measure in the story above! There they were...stripped, beaten, and shackled...and yet they started singing and praising God. They KNEW everything was okay because God was in control.

Then...the earthquake struck and the doors and shackles flew open...yet Paul and Silas stayed put...not only stayed put, but began witnessing to the jailer!! They KNEW everything was okay because God was in control.

You see...I think that too many times I "believe" that God is in control instead of "KNOWING" God is in control!! There's a HUGE difference!!

Want to have your freaking world rocked?? Do ya?? When you pray tonight...tomorrow...whenever...pick something and tell God that you are going to trust Him completely and that you KNOW with all your heart that He is going to be in total control...and watch what happens!! It will freaking BLOW YOUR MIND!!

Oh...by the way...Paul and Silas were the ones released from prison, but who do you think found the most freedom that night?? Pray to God and those shackles that are imprisoning you will be removed and those cell doors will be opened!!

Remember to love your neighbor as yourself friends!!

PS - Tell a friend and invite them to join!!

Thanks for reading!