What Must I Do?

              Reading Acts 16:27-31 quoted below, I am reminded of Paul’s exclamation when he fell to the earth in the presence of Jesus.

Acts 9:6  And he [Paul] trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?…

Both the Jailor and Paul were a bit perplexed.  We see that the Jailor received instruction from Paul and Silas.  Isn’t it amazing how God can change a heart from questioning to knowing? 

              I have Paul’s question written right above my computer monitor, so as I work, I can recollect the day I picked myself up and had the answer to that question.  I still ask the Lord Paul’s question “…Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”  It seems I cannot go a day without asking the Lord this question.  Some days the answer is given quickly and clearly, other days I am unsettled about what to do.  I know not to “tell” God what I must do, but sometimes I think He wants me to make suggestions, to see where my pride is located.  I know He knows, but those suggestions help me, (through the Lord,) to get myself located.  Our pride is a fiendish devil, which will misdirect us, and make us think we allowed God to make the decision.  How wicked we are. 

              Knowing my situation, what about yours?  Do you ask the Lord for directions daily?  Do you have a handle on your pride?  All these questions are questions you must ask yourself.  No one else can know the answer to these questions, with only one exception, that is God Himself.

              As a Christian, when we ask the Jailor’s question of the Lord, we must consider the “do’s” of Christianity.

Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

The first “do” of a Christian is to be in Church when the Church assembles.  Another “do” is tithing with a “cheerful heart.”  Another “do” is to pray for one another and to read and study your Bible.  We as Christians are to Glorify God first, and these “do’s” are the first steps in “…Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

              So where do you stand with the Lord? Are you sacrificing your time, your heart, your mind and your might to the Lord?

Deuteronomy 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Bro John R. E Chastain

(Acts 16:16-27)  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17  The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.  22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.