Acts 16:16-23 KJV
16 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:

Acts 16:36-40 KJV
36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Amish live in mostly a private community following custom of their people. Othe Christian groups tend to observe customs not lined up with God's Word. Paul and Silas was part of "the free world". It is hard to juggle this issue of freedom and faith, when Americans observe many tradition and hopefully ones that binds all individualize diverse Americans that agree with freedom. Yesterday was Valentines day both observation by Catholic Priest and those that worship many Roman and greek gods. As Christians we do embrace romantic love. Paul and Silas will in the second part of the story use their citizemship to keep from being beaten and jailed again.

Did they stop a master and girl with the spirit of divination, keep this duo from their work. Could Paul or Silas by themselves stop this girl from prophesing? Paul cast out a demon in the name of Jesus from this girl for she mocked them many days. Jesus did this in the temple as well as throught out his ministry but Paul came after Christ to preach the Gospel before the fall of Jeruslem. In name of Jesus he cast the spirit out.

Spiritual world is nothing to sneeze or mocked. As a believer in Christ we are to pray and call on the name of Jesus to set people free from demonaic powers. Some demon removal does not come without fasting and prayer. Children mock. It more the the disruption of children that the store clerk or manager correcting both parent and child on a behavior issue. Paul and Silas been stalk by this master and girl for many days following them around calling and mocking after them, as they went sharing the Gospel of Jesus. I sure she mocked others. irritated others but this had to do with spiritual attack by the spirit of divination/witchcraft.

After Paul cast out the demon. He had Silas was brought before the magistrate and accused of "teaching customs, which are not lawful for them to receive, neither to observe, being Romans". In truth it was about faith. The minute Bible and prayer was removed by nations law, states should of exercise the right to allow teachings based on our nation being under God. Instead Christian step aside allowing God to be tossed aside. Declaring our nation one main religion being anti faith in God but all other gods were allowed in school. Our nation became more corrupt then ever before.

Our nation may no longer be mainly devout Christian in faith, but our leaders need to stand up to cultural laws of faith that destroy unity of freedom first, allowing God of all creation and his word having more then just a place of honoring the swearing in of people in public office. We never stop other religions from observing their traditions of faith as long as it did not obstruct other freedom. Salem witch trials was the masquere of people started by five girls who hated.

When we reserved the principals that say what our foundings value and held sacred to forming the constitution we are forming Roman government, an Hilter nation and communistic land around ourselves. It did not work for the Jewish people and never serve the Christian nation to remove our tradition from our nation, state, and local governments for peace. God a God of peace and one thing he ask his nations to do is not to be idolators. The people where Silas and Paul were ministering in only wanted to observed their Roman deities. Paul and Silas were beaten and imprison before knowing their true identity.

There tradition in our land not forced on anyone to observe beyond seeing celebrate publicly in our streets, store displays and shelves or symbols on people. Other observances much the same way. Paul and Silas are freed first by act of God in earthquake and then the jailor, who got saved that night.

We looking at observations of Christian faith bekng important to both God and Christ today. Laws of God including feast days of celebration being important to God. Christ speaks of the law of the priesthood of saying obey the word read but not the actions of the Priest who break and abuse the laws of God. Christ own resurrection had to do with obeying the will of God. Paul and Silas was the same. Earthquake being the sign to the jailor of Paul and Silas obeying God. The challenge to Paul and Silas were would they observe Roman law over the laws of Christ? No, they used their Roman citizenship that gave them their freedom to teach and preach. The government understood and asked them to leave their city.

Dear Heavenly Father pray you strength your church to stand for their rights and by the law for their rights of their faith. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 23:1-6 KJV
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,