Acts 16:25-34 NASB

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; [26] and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains were unfastened. [27] And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and had seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!" [29] And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, [30] and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31] And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." [32] And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. [33] And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. [34] And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household. 

Turn about, as they say, is fair play. The persecutor of the church sat in jail for the proclamation of the gospel. Late into the night, he and his companion sat on a cold stone floor, restrained around the ankles by rough hewn wooden stocks. By now, a cold chill was setting into his frail body. Unable to move about, he sat in a pool of his own blood and body fluids. His muscles were aching from the beating he took at the hands of the Roman guards-he was stiffening up. In the inner cell, darkness penetrated the room. The room was cold, dark and hopeless. 

• Topic: Sermons
• Score: 5 / 5

• Printer Friendly Page
• Send to a Friend

Acts 1:8 "but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." 

Most of us have a favorite subject: ourselves. When we hear of someone being sick, we immediately think of an illness we once fought. If someone has a new grandchild, it is hard to resist the temptation to pull out the 8 X 10's you've got in your purse to show them your grandchildren, isn't it? Have you ever noticed how easy it is to have a "what's in it for me" attitude? 

• Topic: Sermons
• Score: 5 / 5

• Printer Friendly Page
• Send to a Friend

"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls" (Sounds of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel) Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. How can you tell if someone is a false prophet?

• Topic: Sermons
• Score: 3.86 / 5

• Printer Friendly Page
• Send to a Friend

A minister walking down a crowded street with a great scientist - a student of birds and animal life - was stopped by the scientist with the question, "What do you hear?"
"Why, I hear the confusion of the crowds, the clatter of the street cars, the clang of the automobiles."

"But what else do you hear?"

"Nothing," replied the minister.

"I hear a cricket," said the scientist.

• Topic: Sermons
• Score: 5 / 5

• Printer Friendly Page
• Send to a Friend

Matthew 5:10-12 

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [11] "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. [12] "Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

Young, beautiful, intelligent--Maria Durant had it all. That is until she was imprisoned for talking about her relationship with God. 17th Century France, with all its religious intolerance, was not the place for a vivacious Christian woman like Maria. Or was it?  For 38 years she suffered for Christ in a prison cell while her peers married, had children and relished their grandchildren. Life passed her by. 

• Topic: Sermons
• Score: 3.92 / 5

• Printer Friendly Page
• Send to a Friend