No More Eyore

Eyore, Who Me?

Video Clip: I have to tell about the new hive

Video Clip: Saving someone

Eyore had a chance to use his talent to spread the word

He had a chance to save Roo

Acts 16:19-24 reads:

"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, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks."

That was not a good day for Paul and Silas. It was a horrible day.

If anyone had reason to complain, they did.

However, Paul and Silas did not do that. They did not think on their negative circumstances.

What did Paul and Silas do?

Verses 25-28 tell us:

"And at midnight [at the darkest hour] Paul and Silas [they did not complain and grumble] prayed, and sang praises unto God [no doubt people were watching them, wondering how they were going to react]: and the prisoners heard them. 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. 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, thinking that the prisoners had fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." All the prisoners were right there; no one had escaped.

"This is our chance to escape! Let’s get out of here!" However, that is not what they did.

people are watching your life.

Verses 28-30 say:

"But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

How you react in adversity and the attitudes you take have a great impact on winning souls for God.

Paul and Silas could have sat in that prison and felt sorry for themselves,

cried over their open wounds,

complained about how they had been wrongly imprisoned and unjustly beaten.

Yet, they chose to praise God, and it reaped great rewards.

As people watch your life, are they drawn to Christ or pushed away because of how you react in adversity?

The men in the prison were drawn to Paul and Silas, and the jailer asked, "What must I do to be saved?"

Life may not seem fair, but you must think on good things. Take the trial or the persecution that you are going through and turn it around for the betterment of souls just as Paul and Silas did.

Paul and Silas did not see their trial as a place to become discouraged. They saw it as an opportunity to reach out to souls. Are you reacting in a way that draws souls to Christ?

attitude is everything. People cannot see what is in your heart, but they can see how you react to things. They can see whether you are really

happy in the life that you are living.

Video Clip: House, bad and still bad

I have a story that I would like to share with you. It is a good illustration of how one’s attitude affects self and others.

Jerry was the kind of guy some people just did not like. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say.

How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ’Jerry, you have two choices today: you can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it’s not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.