November 12 - Acts 12:6-14:20

Good morning everyone,

As we begin this morning, King Herod Agrippa, has started going after some of the believers in the church. King Agrippa is a Roman-appointed, king over the Jews and not totally unfamiliar with the concept of killing Christians. His grandfather, you’ll remember Herod the Great, was responsible for killing all the baby boys in Bethlehem, and his sister Herodias was responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist. Classic example of hate breeding hate. Ughhh!

Agrippa has already put James, one of the Sons of Thunder, to death and has Peter in prison with no less than sixteen guards, two of those physically chained to him. Peter’s execution is scheduled to take place in just a few days but is he worried about it? No, he is sleeping in his prison cell. I love the picture of peace and trust Peter had in the Lord here. Paul once said, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” This is Peter living that statement. Though having said that, I have to wonder how one gets comfortable enough to sleep with two guards chained to you, just sayn’. Right?

We’re told, “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell.” Peter must have been sleeping quite soundly because the angel struck him on the side to wake him. Umm, that so made me chuckle, great bedside manner. Nonetheless, the chains fell off Peters wrists, the angel talks him through getting ready and they leave. It wasn’t until they had walked a city block that Peter realized what he was experiencing was really happening, that he wasn’t just dreaming. He was free and he headed over to Mary’s house where his friends had gathered to pray for him.

I’m telling you, parts of Peter’s life just totally crack me up. When he gets to Mary’s house, he knocks on the door, Rhoda peeks through the hole to see who it is. She is so overcome with joy to see Peter standing there she runs right off to tell everyone the news and leaves Peter outside behind the locked door. I so can see him standing there. A fugitive not knowing when the guards would wake and go searching for him. Looking from side to side he resumes his knocking, saying in a half loud half whisper “Hey guys. Can anyone hear me? It’s me Peter, let me in.” 

Well it took a little convincing, but Rhoda was finally able to persuade them to go and see for themselves. We’re told they were astonished. Peter only stayed long enough to ask his friends to spread the news of his experience. 

I think the lesson here is that we need to do more than pray. We need to believe in our God enough to know our prayers are heard and answered. Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Did you get that? Believe! Where was their belief? It is never just the words we say, it is the faith and trust we have in God Almighty to take our requests and His plan. It is all about Him and His faithfulness. Make sense? The Bible does not teach is to rely on prayer alone. It teaches us to rely on Jesus. Only when we can fully rely on Him can we fully pray believing. We are to believe Him first, and then express that belief in prayer. The faith must be in the heart before the prayer comes out of the mouth. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..