Photos from Arizona 2023
Another highlight from our time spent in Arizona was hearing from my buddy Jon Burdette on Friday and Saturday morning.
Jon opened the day with a devotional thought / sermon, and it was really great stuff!
On Friday morning he talked about Paul and Silas being put in prison, but still praising God. This is what it says in Acts 16:
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Acts 16:25–34, ESV
It is an incredible event that really happened! I hate using the word “story”, because that can give the impression that this is a fictitious event. Perhaps the word “testimony” is a better description of what happened.
After sharing this testimony from Acts 16, Jon said, “I’m telling you, I think it has been midnight in America for a while!”
What a powerful reminder. I agree.
It sure has felt like midnight in America. It feels like true followers of Christ have been locked away, thrown into something like a prison cell, and it can be so easy to take our eyes off of God and onto our circumstances. It feels like midnight in America. But this testimony gives us some great insight into what true followers of Christ should do in moments like this.
We worship. We praise God. We trust God. And we leave the results to God.
Author and Pastor Mark Batterson once said (tweeted), “don’t let what’s WRONG WITH YOU keep you from worshipping what’s RIGHT WITH GOD.”
Amen!
If you get a chance, check out the ministry that Jon leads (www.jonburdetteministries.com). He is a great guy with a huge heart and a powerful voice for the LORD.
But even if you don’t check out his webpage, be sure to take his words to heart. It is midnight in America. We can either sit around and focus on ourselves and our circumstances, worrying about the future, or we can focus on God and His goodness, and be activated to follow the One who has the future in His hands.
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