I KNOW MANY ARE FACING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS in their lives during these turbulent times. Maybe you’re one of them. And if you DON’T fit that description right now, rest assured that you WILL face life’s storms at some point in the future. It’s just part of living in this fallen world! But I want to tell you about a time in the apostle Paul’s life when he faced a far more difficult situation than most of us can even imagine. And in the midst of that difficult time, he wrote a book of the Bible that is still changing people’s lives today! After he was arrested and transported to Rome as a result of his bold stance for Jesus Christ, early tradition states that Paul was thrown into one of the most dreaded prisons in the entire Roman Empire, located in Rome at the very bottom of the imperial palace. The prison was a dark, subterranean room originally built as a cistern to hold spring water and eventually used for the collection of palace sewage. Prisoners were forcibly hurled into this filthy underground chamber, where they languished, chained in a hellhole amidst the sewage, rats, and total darkness. This was the vile, desperate place where Paul was being held captive for the sake of the Gospel at the time he wrote the book of Philippians. Think about it – THIS is where Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, REJOICE!” (Philippians 4:4)! Paul’s heart was to encourage others in the midst of his own suffering — and his inspired words continue to encourage and instruct us today. So let Paul’s example inspire you to do the same in the midst of any challenges YOU face in life. This is NOT the time to withdraw, isolate yourself, and stop reaching out to others. Press toward the finish line, and REFUSE to give up! Something to THINK ABOUT today! – Rick Renner
Posted on: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 20:50:52 +0000
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