Being a follower is an interesting thing. In our era of social media, followers are an important statistic. In some cases, companies are paying people royalties to people based upon their number of followers in order to gain access to those followers. It implies that these followers care about what you might have to say. Even if you are not on social media, there are a large group of people watching us. Because we say that we are followers of Jesus, the world is watching how we live. In our text, Paul and Silas had been placed into prison. They had been beaten and thrown in to the inner prison of where they were being held. Their feet were shackled and their wounds were untended. Though their feet were held fast in stocks, their voice was not. At midnight, they began to pray and sing. The scripture says that the other prisoners heard them. Whatever we may be going through, or what we think about our situation, we must be mindful that someone is listening to us and how we respond to our troubles. They want to know that what we say we believe is true, and that it is true even in troubling times. The world wants to know that what we profess to believe work during the storm. The world is watching to see how we respond to our troubles and how we behave when storm clouds gather. There is an unintentional effect of our witness. Paul and Silas’’ prayers and singing here heard by all the prisoners. It was so powerful that they converted the jailers! Who is listening in our lives right now. What are we saying by the way we live our lives? What is God doing in our life right now? What kind of unimagined ministry is He trying to move us toward by what we are going through right now? How are we ministering to the people around us. Somebody is listening.

Being a follower is an interesting thing. In our era of social media, followers are an important statistic. In some cases, companies are paying people royalties to people based upon their number of followers in order to gain access to those followers. It implies that these followers care about what you might have to say. Even if you are not on social media, there are a large group of people watching us. Because we say that we are followers of Jesus, the world is watching how we live. In our text, Paul and Silas had been placed into prison. They had been beaten and thrown in to the inner prison of where they were being held. Their feet were shackled and their wounds were untended. Though their feet were held fast in stocks, their voice was not. At midnight, they began to pray and sing. The scripture says that the other prisoners heard them. Whatever we may be going through, or what we think about our situation, we must be mindful that someone is listening to us and how we respond to our troubles. They want to know that what we say we believe is true, and that it is true even in troubling times. The world wants to know that what we profess to believe work during the storm. The world is watching to see how we respond to our troubles and how we behave when storm clouds gather. There is an unintentional effect of our witness. Paul and Silas’’ prayers and singing here heard by all the prisoners. It was so powerful that they converted the jailers! Who is listening in our lives right now. What are we saying by the way we live our lives? What is God doing in our life right now? What kind of unimagined ministry is He trying to move us toward by what we are going through right now? How are we ministering to the people around us. Somebody is listening.

A testimony is an evidence or statement that carries the weight of experience. It is witness by personal experience. This particular text is known as a historical psalm. A lot of people are dominated and driven by their history. We have all experienced trials and troubles. For some these trials and troubles define them. David lays out the things that were against him in the first verses. It could have easily turned into a psalm of despair, but it David turned it into a psalm of praise. Bro. Hughes notes two things about this text. First this is one of the most compact and brief psalms that David wrote. Secondly, the notes about this psalm indicate that it should be played by “smiting” the strings of the instrument. In the opening verses, David describes how his enemies were smiting him. Somehow he managed to turn that smiting into a praise. This psalm reminds us that our troubles are a vehicle that God uses to move us to a place where He can be revealed. The word Selah was used three times in this text. There are three possible definitions. Most biblical scholars believe that it refers to pausing for emphasis. So in the midst of our troubles, what is God wanting us to pause and put emphasis on? What does God want us to learn from our troubles? David said “They say…” How many things in the kingdom of God have been thwarted by what “they” say. It does not matter what they say; it matters what God says. Living for God does not excuse is from life’s twists and turns. It is through these twists and turns that we learn to rely on God and submit to His will. It is through these twists and turns that we earn a testimony. God wants to give us a testimony.

A testimony is an evidence or statement that carries the weight of experience. It is witness by personal experience. This particular text is known as a historical psalm. A lot of people are dominated and driven by their history. We have all experienced trials and troubles. For some these trials and troubles define them. David lays out the things that were against him in the first verses. It could have easily turned into a psalm of despair, but it David turned it into a psalm of praise. Bro. Hughes notes two things about this text. First this is one of the most compact and brief psalms that David wrote. Secondly, the notes about this psalm indicate that it should be played by “smiting” the strings of the instrument. In the opening verses, David describes how his enemies were smiting him. Somehow he managed to turn that smiting into a praise. This psalm reminds us that our troubles are a vehicle that God uses to move us to a place where He can be revealed. The word Selah was used three times in this text. There are three possible definitions. Most biblical scholars believe that it refers to pausing for emphasis. So in the midst of our troubles, what is God wanting us to pause and put emphasis on? What does God want us to learn from our troubles? David said “They say…” How many things in the kingdom of God have been thwarted by what “they” say. It does not matter what they say; it matters what God says. Living for God does not excuse is from life’s twists and turns. It is through these twists and turns that we learn to rely on God and submit to His will. It is through these twists and turns that we earn a testimony. God wants to give us a testimony.

We cannot read Hebrews 11 and not be encouraged. No matter how low we may be feeling, by the end, all of the references to faith cannot help but encourage us. We see in Hebrews 11 what can happen when we believe in God. Looking at faith through the lens of all the men mentioned in this chapter has an uplifting effect. The bible tells us that we cannot get to God except through faith. There is only one way to attain the kind of faith that is needed: Listening to the word of God. Biblical faith is not something with which we are born, it is only attained by hearing the word of God. When we feed on the word of God, it will fuel our faith. The bible makes us understand that all things are possible if we believe. When we stand on and put our confidence in the word of God, all things are possible. The word of God gives us the opportunity to view our situation from a different perspective.

We cannot read Hebrews 11 and not be encouraged. No matter how low we may be feeling, by the end, all of the references to faith cannot help but encourage us. We see in Hebrews 11 what can happen when we believe in God. Looking at faith through the lens of all the men mentioned in this chapter has an uplifting effect. The bible tells us that we cannot get to God except through faith. There is only one way to attain the kind of faith that is needed: Listening to the word of God. Biblical faith is not something with which we are born, it is only attained by hearing the word of God. When we feed on the word of God, it will fuel our faith. The bible makes us understand that all things are possible if we believe. When we stand on and put our confidence in the word of God, all things are possible. The word of God gives us the opportunity to view our situation from a different perspective.

Bro. Hughes reflects on Hurricane Harvey and how it affected our church and our community. He notes that in the Bible, often God moved or operated using a wind. God walking in the garden was a wind. The wind blowing meant that God was about to speak.

The parting of the read sea was done with wind. At least four times in the life of the apostles, they were in a situation due to wind. The wind is a sign on the day of Pentecost. The wind is a product to a high pressure and low pressure system in the atmosphere. The wind flows from the high pressure to the low. Every time there is a major event where God uses wind, we see a major move of the spirit of God. Bro. Hughes then explores highs and lows and draws parallels to our spiritual life.

Bro. Hughes reflects on Hurricane Harvey and how it affected our church and our community. He notes that in the Bible, often God moved or operated using a wind. God walking in the garden was a wind. The wind blowing meant that God was about to speak.

The parting of the read sea was done with wind. At least four times in the life of the apostles, they were in a situation due to wind. The wind is a sign on the day of Pentecost. The wind is a product to a high pressure and low pressure system in the atmosphere. The wind flows from the high pressure to the low. Every time there is a major event where God uses wind, we see a major move of the spirit of God. Bro. Hughes then explores highs and lows and draws parallels to our spiritual life.

The woman in our text is recognized by Jesus has having great faith. It is the only time that Jesus would use this particular word to describe someone. In this instance, the word used references teh weight and the mass. There is nothing about this woman’s life that would indicate this faith, but Jesus said it about her. We describe great faith as mountains moved, blindness healed or trials endured. Her faith was not great because of what it had achieved, but what it had overcome. We measure the greatness of life by what we have attained or accomplished. But when Jesus looked at this woman’s faith, He saw a great overcoming. Great was not about the quantity of her faith, but the quality. It was a faith that would not be denied or rebuffed. When the disciples tried to send her away and even when the Lord himself ignored her, she would not be deterred. Her culture was one that did not allow associations with Jews, but something in her heart and spirit said that she would not be denied. When Jesus saw that, He proclaimed it to be great faith. How many times have we come into the house of God with that kind of faith? We come in with our problems on our shoulders. We feel the weight of the world keeping us from raising our hands. We have had to continue to pray even when we do not hear a word from Him. We have had to hold on. God will call that great faith and will respond just as he did to this woman.

The woman in our text is recognized by Jesus has having great faith. It is the only time that Jesus would use this particular word to describe someone. In this instance, the word used references teh weight and the mass. There is nothing about this woman’s life that would indicate this faith, but Jesus said it about her. We describe great faith as mountains moved, blindness healed or trials endured. Her faith was not great because of what it had achieved, but what it had overcome. We measure the greatness of life by what we have attained or accomplished. But when Jesus looked at this woman’s faith, He saw a great overcoming. Great was not about the quantity of her faith, but the quality. It was a faith that would not be denied or rebuffed. When the disciples tried to send her away and even when the Lord himself ignored her, she would not be deterred. Her culture was one that did not allow associations with Jews, but something in her heart and spirit said that she would not be denied. When Jesus saw that, He proclaimed it to be great faith. How many times have we come into the house of God with that kind of faith? We come in with our problems on our shoulders. We feel the weight of the world keeping us from raising our hands. We have had to continue to pray even when we do not hear a word from Him. We have had to hold on. God will call that great faith and will respond just as he did to this woman.