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God Will Send His Help
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Acts 12:7,NIV Peter was arrested and put into prison when he experienced this supernatural moment. Who would have thought that an angel would appear and help him? This is one of the stories in the Bible that reminds us that God can do the impossible. He rescued Peter from death. He commanded His angels to help and guide Peter on his way out. At the same time, the church also prayed for him. Imagine,…
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Peace Is Available As Long As We Are Willing To Trust And Surrender
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Acts 12: 6, NIV Peter was arrested after King Herod killed James. This was the night before Herod would bring him to trial. This means that this night could be Peter’s last night before his death. He only had hours to live. If you were in Peter’s situation, What would you feel? If you happen to realize that tomorrow is going to be your last day on earth, what would you do? Most of us would’ve probably done something apart from sleeping. Perhaps…
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Keep on Praying
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Acts 12: 5, NIV This happened after James was arrested and put to death by King Herod. When the King saw that what he did pleased the Jews, he then seized Peter. This moment wasn’t easy for the early church. Imagine one of your dear brothers died for the sake of the gospel. Perhaps they also felt scared by what happened because it simply meant that their lives were threatened. But then, if we try to imagine, the church must’ve also prayed for James to be saved and set free. They must’ve also…
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The Danger In Pleasing Imperfect Humans
When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Acts 12: 3, NIV King Herod arrested James and put him to death. When he noticed that what he did met with approval among the Jews, he then seized Peter. As we noticed, King Herod was after of people’s approval. He wanted to please them to the point of sacrificing someone’s life. Perhaps, he was thinking about the fame and the power that he might gain the moment he followed what the people wanted. According to the commentaries, this was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson…
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There Are People Who Sacrificially Preached The Message That We Now Freely Received
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. Acts 12: 1-2, NIV The early Christians experienced great persecution in the past. After Stephen’s death, Acts 12 recorded how James, one of Jesus’ disciples died. King Herod put him to death with a sword. This must’ve been difficult for the remaining disciples. Imagine one of your friends, whom you spent most of your days with, died for the gospel that you also preached. By this time around, James faithfully ended his life with Jesus in his heart.…
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What It Means To Be A Christian
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. Acts 11: 26, NIV The followers of Jesus where once called as disciples, saints, believers, or followers of the way. In Antioch, they were first called as Christians. They were identified as “Jesus’ People.” Christians are those who spread the gospel and truly follow the teachings of Jesus. In the present, Christianity is the most widely practiced religion. But sadly, many of us didn’t really have an intimate relationship with Him. Before, Christians were…
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Going Through The Season Of Preparation
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. Acts 11: 25-26, NIV In Acts 9, Saul was sent to Tarsus because of the threat he received in Jerusalem. The next time Saul’s name was mentioned was in Acts 11. It was when Barnabas tried to look for him. According to some scholars, Saul spent more or less ten years silently serving in ministry and learning about GOD. Before joining Barnabas again, he went…
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A Good Friend Like Barnabas
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. Acts 11: 25, NIV Barnabas was one of the followers of Jesus. When the church in Jerusalem heard that a significant number of people in Antioch believed and turned to God, they sent Barnabas to help the people there. When Barnabas arrived in Antioch, he witnessed the grace of God. He encouraged the followers and continued to minister to the people there. While he was serving, Barnabas remembered his friend Saul. In Acts 9, it was written that he was the one who welcomed Saul and helped him. Since there was a threat for his life, Saul was sent to Tarsus.…
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God Is Your Strength
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalms 28:7, NIV Have you ever experienced those moments when you just don’t know what to do? You feel overwhelmed by the situation around you to the point where you can’t find hope and peace. If you are in this situation right now, this verse is a perfect reminder to trust God. The Lord is your strength and shield. If you think that nobody cares for you, then God is there to help you. In these moments, when you surrender your…
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We Never Really Know How God Will Turn Things Around
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. Acts 11: 19-20, NIV The death of Stephen became one of the reasons why the early Christians were scattered in different places. Even though what happened to him was a tragic event, it seems that it became a way for them to share the gospel outside Jerusalem. The bad things that happened…
