Salvation: The Divine Imperative

Of the many individuals who were touched through the ministry of Paul while on his second missionary journey, three are specifically mentioned. His first convert was Lydia, a businesswoman; the second was a young lady who had been used and manipulated by her masters so that they could profit financially. But, when she was saved, her masters were offended because their bank account had closed and so they had Paul and Silas taken before the magistrates on false allegations and they were subsequently, beaten and thrown into prison.

Paul and Silas were escorted to the lowered dungeon, uncomfortable, in chains, mistreated, hurting and still probably bleeding from the beatings. One would expect them to be belligerent, angry, complaining but instead we find them singing and rejoicing. At midnight when it would seem they would have been trying to rest and soothe themselves, they prayed and sang praises to God.

Now the prison guard was in charge and it is interesting that Scripture omits any reference to his telling the prisoners to cease and desist with their noisy singing and praying. In fact, he goes to them with a question of utter urgency. Instead of telling them what to do, he was asking them what to do.

In this paradoxical turn of events, an important question was raised. After hearing about Paul and Silas' ministry and now hearing them rejoicing in their suffering in the midnight hour, he began to realize that they apparently had something that he did not. This devoted servant of the Roman government sensed the need for a new allegiance. He turns to Paul and Silas and asked that all important question that all seekers of truth must ask: What must I do to be saved?

The jailer wanted to know, What must I do to be saved? He was not playing with them or mocking them or trying to "get their goat." Neither was he asking this question for purposes of conversation to keep from being bored. Rather, he asked this question out of a sincere desire to know how to receive salvation. We understand this because the word "must" communicates a sense of urgency. It implies something that needs to be addressed and cannot be avoided. It is an a divine imperative; the same imperative that sent Jesus to the cross.

Calvary to Christ was not an if, or a maybe, but a must. Consult your Bibles and observe how frequently Jesus used the word, must.

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Matthew 16:21

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6

But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." Mark 14:49.

Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" Luke 2:49.

"I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent." Luke 4:43.

"Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Luke 19:5.

For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: Luke 22:37.

?All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." Luke 24:44.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, John 3:14.

I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. John 9:4.

Jesus repeatedly said "I MUST" and this prison guard wanted to know what must I do to be saved. It was a pressing matter, an issue of ultimate concern. He was not interested in what others needed to know. It was his own soul that concerned him right now. Let others do as they please, but I need to know what it is I must do; what course must I take, what tasks must I complete.

This jailer understood that something needed to be done and that it needed to be done by him. The question of salvation is a personal one. There is no salvation by proxy. The jailer was ready and willing and wanted to know what he had to do. Paul gives him the simple gospel: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. That is it! No long drawn our procedures; no written applications or exams, no probationary periods.

The question of our salvation is one that we cannot escape. Sooner or later, somehow, some time, in some way, the question will rise up before you ? What must I do to be saved? And to experience salvation, we have to investigate our own life under the probing spotlight of this eternal question.

Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' John 3:7

There is no other way of salvation than through Christ Jesus our Lord and no other way of being saved but by believing in Him. And the moment you take that step, whether you are 6 or 106; whether you can comprehend the theology of the Trinity or can even spell it, whether you are in a great cathedral or your bedroom, the moment you believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are welcomed into His Christian fold.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit amen ministries: your soul's service station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!

Alto Pass chicago limos ..
In The News:

A Google DeepMind team has developed an artificial intelligence system that can play video games like a human and take native language commands from players.
Four of the largest school boards in Ontario, Canada have launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, claiming that they have impacted students' thinking and behavior.
Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.
Deepfakes have become commonplace, and the technology is only getting better, but there are certain elements that might give away the fact that an image is AI-generated.

Jesus wants A Few Good Men! Living A Life You Always Wanted!

Jack Nicholson (Col. Jessup) (marine cornel) YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE... Read More

The Subconscious Mind: A Tool For Success

As a Coach and Psychotherapist I have found that the... Read More

The Winds of Change

Humanity is entering a very critical time in its path... Read More

Its Not What You Know, Its What You Do

Knowing what is right and what is wrong in your... Read More

The Power of Myth - The Celtic Way

"Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as... Read More

Meta-Rational Thought

We, the human species, stand on the threshold of a... Read More

A Merry Heart is Like a Medicine

When the body of Christ isn't protected we become vulnerable... Read More

A Celebration of Life

As human beings it is inherent to want to self-actualize... Read More

Love, Honor, and Obey

Let's take a look at all these aspects. The bible... Read More

The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned

Over the past few years I have watched the popularity... Read More

Choosing Our Parents

There's a Native American belief that before we are born,... Read More

Prayer - The Ultimate power

There is an prayer process in every religion and everyone... Read More

10 Interesting Facts about Archangel Uriel

1. The name Uriel means "Light of God" or "Flame... Read More

Meditations From a Spiritual Journey

For me, the best poetry stirs my soul; it awakens... Read More

Smoke

I always thought Ecclesiastes was like Proverbs. That's probably because... Read More

Neither White-washed Nor Unmarked

When I was 10 years old my father decided to... Read More

A Mothers Journey to Spiritual Surrender

I have studied many of the great Religions, Quantum Physics,... Read More

Creating Our Own Emotional Chaos

It's amazing how - even when we're working from a... Read More

The Science of Enlightenment

I would like to share my experience, working with the... Read More

Chronic Illness: The Enemy Within

There once was a man who wanted to teach himself... Read More

Love vs. Fear - Volume 18

Breaking with tradition, today's article comes from the 9-23-04 edition... Read More

Negative Disturbances

Whenever we have the opportunity to make human assessments, the... Read More

The Healing Hand of God

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being,... Read More

Understanding the Gospel of Matthew and Why it Matters - Part 5

Matthew 2:13-15 The Flight to Egypt13 Now when they had... Read More

My Name is HAD-- Life Lessons Learned!

My name is Had. You may know me, but you... Read More

Alto Pass cool limo ..