Nov 21 - Acts 16:19-21

Trembling with fear,

the jailer called for lights

and ran to the dungeon

and fell down before Paul and Silas

... and asked,

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 

They replied, "Believe on the Lord Jesus

and you will be saved ..."

Acts 16:19-21

Do you remember the story?

Paul and Silas were in prison. In response to their prayers -- a scriptural testimony to the power of prayer -- God shook the earth, and their jail cells opened.

When the jailer awoke and realized that the jail was opened, he immediately drew his sword, and having obviously failed in his duties, planned to "do himself in."

"Wait!" cried the Apostles. They were still in their cells. They hadn't left yet. Why? I'm guessing that they had to finish their prayers. At first, they were probably praying for deliverance. Now, they were probably praying in thanksgiving.

(That too, by the way, is another powerful testimony to Biblical form of prayer. Too often we pray for God to act, and then we either 1) forget to thank him when he does or 2) charge out under our own power, figuring that his powerful provision won't wait long enough for us to pause and give thanks.)

When the jailer saw the hand of God through the earthquake, and the confident faith of Paul, Silas, and their companions, the jailer immediately decided that he wanted to be part of this power and confidence.

"What must I do to be saved," he cried.

"Believe on and in Jesus," they said. 

Saving faith is as simple as that. Thankful actions will probably follow, but salvation comes totally through faith.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's still trying to learn

how to pray like Paul and Silas