In
Your Midnight Hour
TODAY’S
SCRIPTURE
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 everyone’s chains came loose
Acts 16:25-26, NIV.
TODAY’S
WORD
Paul and Silas were put in
jail for spreading the good news. It wasn’t fair. They were beaten with rods
without a trial. It was unjust. As they sat in the prison, bloody, bruised and
uncomfortable, they began to sing praises to God. As they were singing praises
to God, all of the sudden, there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung
open, the chains fell off, and they walked out as free men. What happened? They
praised their way to victory!
Friend, if you’re going to
live in victory, you have to know how to praise in your midnight hour—when
things seem the darkest, when you’re in pain, disappointed, lonely or
experiencing a loss. When you praise Him no matter what, that’s when God can
enter your situation. That’s when He can break your chains and set you free!
Remember, a sacrifice of
praise is when it costs you something, when you don’t necessarily feel like
doing it. Praise Him, not because of how you feel, but because He is worthy!
Praise Him in your midnight hour and get ready to embrace the freedom He has
planned for you!
PRAYER
FOR TODAY
Father God, right now I
lift my heart to You. I declare that You are worthy to be praised, and Your
worth doesn’t change because of my circumstances. I will bless You today and
every day. I will bless You in the midnight hour knowing that You are good, and
You have victory and freedom in store for me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
***
"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35 NLT)
The Bible says a Christian without a church home is like an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock, or a child without a family. It is an unnatural state. The Bible says, “You belong in God’s household with every other Christian” (Ephesians 2:19b LB).
Today’s culture of independent individualism has created many spiritual orphans—“bunny believers” who hop around from one church to another without any identity, accountability, or commitment. Many believe it is possible to be a “good Christian” without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree.
The church is so significant that Jesus died on the cross for it: “Christ loved the church and gave his life for it” (Ephesians 5:25 GW).
Except for a few important exceptions referring to all believers throughout history, almost every time the word "church" is used in the Bible it refers to a local, visible congregation.
The New Testament assumes membership in a local congregation. The only Christians not members of a local fellowship were those under church discipline who had been removed from the fellowship because of gross public sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1-5).
The Bible offers many compelling reasons why you need to be committed and active in a local fellowship.
A church family identifies you as a genuine believer. I can’t claim to follow Christ if I’m not committed to any specific group of disciples. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT).
When we come together in love as a church family from different backgrounds, race, and social status, it is a witness to the world (Galatians 3:28 MSG; see also John 17:21).
Talk About It
- In what other ways do you identify yourself as a church member besides having your name on a list?
- How do you respond to people who say they've stopped attending church because of an experience in their past?
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