1. In the hours of pain and sorrow,
When the world brings no relief
When the eye is dim and heavy,
And the heart oppressed with grief
While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!
While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!

2. When the snares of death surround us,
Pride, ambition, love of ease
Mammon with her false allurements,
Words that flatter, smiles that please
Then ere we yield, Savior Lord be Thou our shield
Then ere we yield, Savior Lord be Thou our shield

3. When forsaken in distress,
Poor despised and tempest-tossed
With no anchor here to stay us,
Drifting, sail and rudder lost
Then save us Thou, who trod this earth with weary brow
Then save us Thou, who trod this earth with weary brow

4. Thou the hated and forsaken,
Thou the bearer of the cross
Crowned of thorns and mocked and smitten,
Counting earthly gain but loss
When scorned are we, We joy to be the more like Thee
When scorned are we, We joy to be the more like Thee

5. Thou the Father's best beloved,
Thou the throned and sceptered King
Who but Thee should we adoring,
All our prayers and praises bring?
So blessed are we, Savior Lord in loving Thee
So blessed are we, Savior Lord in loving Thee

Acts 24:10-16 (New International Version, ©2010)
10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Here I take comfort in the way that Paul defends himself. I often find myself defending myself escepcially when someone has hurt my pride. I am quick to take offense if someone accuses me. Paul defends himself, but he does not lash out at his accusers. He states his case and trust God and the man that God put in charge to take care of him. I pray that I can do the same. To respectfully stand up for myself, but my pride would melt away. May I look to my almighty Father to provide for me instead of seeking the best thing for myself.

Acts 23:1-11 (English Standard Version)

Acts 23

1And looking intently at the council, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." 2And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?" 4Those who stood by said, "Would you revile God’s high priest?" 5And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

6Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial." 7And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?" 10And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome."

Paul has just finished giving his testimony to some of the most powerful people in Jerusalem. There is something in this passage that surprises me. Paul is disrespected by the council and is mistreated according to how he should be treated as a Roman citizen and a former Pharisee. Yet Paul apologises for when disrespects there leader accidentally, but we would say with just cause. Many people take the view you disrespect me and I'll disrespect you. This can lead to a lot of problems. Here Paul is admitting he did something wrong when the same injustice has been done over and over again to him within the past few hours. This is a man not concerned with his pride, but truly with spreading the gospel. What a lesson to learn. I work with doctors and other professionals at my work. There are times when I don't think I am being listened too when I call the doctor with a problem. There are times when I don't listen to my fellow nurses. There have been numerous occasions where patients don't listen to me because I have am to young, a woman, just a nurse, have never had this situation happen to me, ect. My response to this is often less than Christ-like. I have wonderful opportunities to learn from doctors and those around me with more experience and knowledge, yet sometimes I pass these by because of my pride and ability to listen to others.

Father, please heal my heart. Give me guidance as I work with people. May I be respectful, kind, and compassionate. Help me to behave in a way that honors You. Give me a humble spirit, but a spirit that seeks to protect those that are in my care. As I switch my work hours help me to deal with the business and confusion with grace and understanding. Be with me Father as I struggle to comprehend Your ways and follow Your commands. Be with me in my loneliness and tiredness. Give me Your strength and love. Amen.

Still processing what Dr. Pronovost is saying here, yet it has made me think about how I practice and what are my checks and controls.

I have been reading Acts 21 and 22. In this passage Paul is returning to Jerusalem. He is warned that if He returns to Jerusalem that he will be chained. It comes to pass that he is put in chains. He then is protected from death by him being a Roman citizen. He will go on still imprisoned, but he will write letter after letter that will still be with us today. Amy Carmichael once prayed as a child for blue eyes. When she awoke, she was disappointed to find that she still had brown eyes. These brown eyes would later allow her to be come one of the most effective missionaries in India.

I am a 24 year old woman. I have never had a boyfriend and only had one date ever. This past Valentines day I was feeling a little bit sorry for my self. Through talking to my sister and parents I was encouraged. I have said in the past that God has a great plan for my life. My father encouraged me to go live it. I wonder if God is protecting me right now, by allowing me to be single for a time or for a lifetime. Right now I want to encourage everyone who is called by God to do His work, yet you feel lonely. We have a constant companion in the Holy Spirit who we need if we are in a relationship or not.

Psalm 25:16 (English Standard Version)

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

Acts 20:18-35 (English Standard Version)

¹⁸And when they came to him, he said to them:

"You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; ²⁰how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²²And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ²⁴But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, ²⁷for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. ²⁹I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. ³²And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³ I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. ³⁵In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and^{BD)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">} remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

The fist part of this passage Paul talks about his ministry. He has ministered publicly. I find myself comforting myself with saying my actions will eventually point people to God. No, I need to preach His word using words. I need to be bold in my faith like Paul. Paul preached to both Jews and Gentiles. Some people are called to ministry to those already covered by the blood of Christ and others are called to ministry to those who have no idea who God is. My point is that we/I are/am called to ministry. I want my words and actions to mean something. Did I show others the gospel? Did my life reflect what Christ would want from my life? Probably not, but we have a powerful God who loves to take the weak things in this world and use them. May He do so with me. This is why I take comfort in this verse:

²⁴But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

The second part of this passage Paul takes time to warn and guide the Ephesians. Beware of people who would twist God's truth. Beware of doing it yourselves. Don't be materialistic. Provide for yourselves and don't covet. Yet God's grace will still be with you and me as we run the race that God has given us to run.

Dear Father, give me a clear path. Help me train and build me up with Your rightouesness so that I may run the race that You would have me run. Give me strength of will and character so that I will not back down against Your enemines. Give me Your truth so that I will not distorte or twist the truth that You would have me spread. Give me courage to speak the words and behave as You would have me. Mold me into Your character, Father. Keep me from sinning, that I might harm no one. In Your Son's Name, Amen.

Acts 20:7-12 (English Standard Version)
Eutychus Raised from the Dead 7On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him." 11And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

Within this passage we have an echo of the miracles that Jesus performed while he walked the earth. Here is Paul raising a young man from the dead. Sometimes I feel like this young man. I work night shift, so there are nights, days, weeks where I feel like the walking dead. (On a side note I am trying to decide whether or not to take a day position that has been offered to me, so pray for me.) There has been recent discussion in church concerning the subject of current day miracles. Does God still work through His people and perform the supernatural? Or did this end with Jesus and the Apostles? Does the Holy Spirit still work in us today like He did Paul and Peter? Does God still choose to use us in this way; to perform miracles and signs and wonders in His name? I don't know the answer. I would like to think so. I still believe that God can do the impossible today. Is this the most theologically sound doctrine that I have. Not in the lest. But the same God who revealed Himself to Troas here through Paul is still my Lord and Savior today. Will God use me like He did Paul? I don't know. All I can do wait on the Lord and believe in Him.

Holy Father, as I wait on You, I ask that You would prepare my heart for the work that You would have me do. Give me the strength and courage to carry our Your will. May I trust You in You day by day, moment by moment. Please ease my heart and take away my anxiety. May I have peace with You in my heart and in my mind every moment. Give me grace and love to give to others. Give me compassion for You people. Show me how to best love and serve them. Father, I need You to guide my decisions right now as I have many tough choices to make right now concerning work, love, and how to carry out Your name. Give me the words to lift people up to You and point them to You. Keeping me from sinning Holy Spirit, so that I might do no harm to others. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Acts 16:13-15 (English Standard Version)

¹³And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. ¹⁴One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

Acts 16:40 (English Standard Version)

⁴⁰So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Lydia might have been to Paul what Mary and Martha were to Jesus. A place of hospitality and rest. A place where people were faithful to the Lord and Paul could enjoy what God had done in the hearts that Paul had ministered to. The gentile version of Mary and Martha. Our hearts need encouragement. Our hearts need spiritual rest. Our bodies need physical rest. Here is one of the few places we see Paul getting that. It is the only woman who was able to provide it to him mentioned in scriptures. As the Lord moved her heart, I pray that He would move mine.

Father, please open up my heart to Your word. Give me people in my life who preach Your truth. May my heart and mind be open to it. Give me strength as I seek to do Your will. May my heart not be won over by other emotions and thoughts. Father, I am seeking and asking for Your truth in my heart. May my actions and words be to lift You up before everyone in my life as a good and powerful. In Your Sons name, Amen.