Character Traits

Psalm 1:1 “1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (KJV).

The psalmist begins with a powerful announcement and calls for our immediate attention. The verse describes the walk and character of a godly man. Character is defined as our moral, ethical, and mental qualities. Character is unique and specific to every individual. As we walk through life, we are taught different character traits, some good and some bad. We have the ability to choose which character traits to accept, reject, or influence our own personal character.

Be careful when given advice. Be careful of the people you hang out with. Be on guard about the character traits of others. The negative thoughts and actions of others can be infectious. You may not know that you “caught” the trait.

Here is an illustration I used in my Sunday school class. Take a church and divide it into two sections. Each section or side of the church has 50 people. They are seated in the pews, evenly filling the rows from front to back. On one side you quietly whisper the good news that a friend of yours at work got saved. On the other side, you quietly whisper that you saw a deacon’s wife with another man walking into a hotel together. Do you think the positive news of salvation or the negative juicy gossip will travel throughout the church?

The negative character trait of one person will quickly infect others. Before you know it, good people will allow that negative trait to become part of their own.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Dwelling in History

 Psalm 90: 1-4 “1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night” (KJV).

This Psalm is recorded as the oldest Psalm written. Moses the author and man of God, provides us with a reminder of God’s eternal power and presence. He begins this prayer by addressing God as LORD, “Adonay” God of Power, Creation, and Ruler.

To the ancient people of Moses’ day, mountains symbolized something lasting and dependable. To the Jews, mountains spoke of the everlasting God of Israel. There were six generations between Abraham and Moses, each generation was guided by the Omnipotent God who is All-Powerful (omni = all; potent = powerful).

“Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men”. It is amazing to see how advanced modern medicine has become. How life has been preserved and technology has made these advancements possible. But one thing will always remain the same; we will one day return to the dust of the earth. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:19, KJV).

 The older we get, the more we comprehend how short life is. Days, months, and years seem to pass by faster and faster. I can remember my teen years, anticipating and eagerly awaiting tomorrow. We do not have the ability to “undo or redo” our past, but we do have control over what we do today. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8, KJV). God does not look at our past mistakes. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa. 43:25, KJV). “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psa. 103:12, KJV).

“Time”, something many struggle to find more of, squeeze more into our busy days. It may be something we regret, wishing that we could go back in time and do things differently. We may worry about tomorrow; looking into the future may cause anxiety, stress, or depressed emotions. I am reminded that “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8, KJV). He teaches us that we can learn from our mistakes and not dwell on them.

Proverbs 24:16 “For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief” (KJV).

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (KJV).

History is a record of times past; some of history is filled with great discoveries and some of man’s greatest accomplishments. It also contains some of man’s worst moments. But we have today, this very moment. Today … let go and let God; write his-story of your life. If we attempt to write the story of our lives, it will be nothing more than an old dirty, dusty, and soon forgotten book. But, if we surrender ourselves to the One that is in control, we become the clay and He the Potter. He will mold, carve, and create exactly what He desires us to be.

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isa. 64:8, KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Extra…Extra…Read All About It!!!

Galatians 1:1-9 “1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (KJV).

Paul writes to the believers in Galatia, but something is different. He calls immediate attention to his authority in Christ. The tone of this letter is one of authority, attitude, and action. If Paul was writing this letter today, the headline of the newspaper might read “Extra…Extra… Thus saith the Lord, Salvation by grace through faith”.

Paul immediately calls out the problem, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another gospel”. The church has been infected by false teachings. I view this as the watered down gospel or the feel good gospel message. How does the gospel message become watered down? Something has been added to it. The church was adding stipulations to salvation (Gal. 6:12-13). God’s glory was being plagiarized by these false teachers. They were taking credit for the work of the Lord. Instead of giving glory to the Lord, they were standing around saying “look how great my church is or look how many people I have saved”. You must be circumcised in order to be saved. You must follow these rules in order to be saved, you must do this or that…the list goes on and on…

It saddens me to hear some of the experiences people have had with churches. A man once shared his childhood experience growing up in a fundamental church, needless to say it was a story filled with more laws than the Old Testament (and I consider myself a fundamentalist). It is no wonder why the man never went back to church. It is very difficult to witness to someone who has had an experience like that. I can understand why Paul is so passionate in his letter. Salvation by works and not faith is infectious and requires immediate treatment. Otherwise, it becomes a life or death illness. In the remainder of the book, Paul goes into great detail to correct this false teaching. Salvation comes through faith, by grace, plus or minus nothing.

Wouldn’t it be great if we turned on the news or read a newspaper that contained nothing but good news? The headline might read “Good News…50 people got saved at church today”. The articles would contain the testimonies of each person. Unfortunately, the news is filled with nothing but eye-catching headlines followed by articles filled with opinions, tainted facts and statistics.

Paul reminds us of the good news and it is called Grace… The salvation message is for anyone and everyone. We have the good news and we can read it every day. We do not have to rely on someone telling us how to live, act, parent, behave, or do anything. All we need to do is read His word. Everything we see and hear, we should ask ourselves this question “what does the Word of God say about that”.

I have to admit, I’m an avid follower of the news. I love to watch and see what is going on in the world. I enjoy listening to political debates. As hard as it is at times, I always try to look at the story from both perspectives. The media is filled with so much biased input that it becomes difficult to discern truth. This is not an easy task to do, but I believe it is one that we should all practice. If we don’t make the attempt to discern truth, then we will become like the believers Paul writes to in Galatia. We become easily distracted from the truth, believing everything we see and hear.

Revelation 22:19 “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

The Light of a Candle

 Psalms 18:28-29 “28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall” (KJV).

David reminds us of a great promise here. I have found it beneficial to ask lots of questions when I read and study Scripture. I also read the verses multiple times; placing emphasis on different portions of the text each time I read it. Typing this made me think about doing a teaching series on studying the Bible. Something I may work on for the future. But for now, let me share what the Lord has shown me today.

When I think of a lit candle, I picture the dim flickering light that is produced. When my wife and I have a power outage in our home, we have plenty of scented candles throughout the house to light. We light the candles in order to navigate and continue our day or night.

As we navigate through life, we are bound to have moments of darkness. We can all remember times when things were just not going as we had planned. Or maybe you are experiencing that right now. When we focus on the Lord, placing him at the forefront of our thoughts and actions; we allow him to light the candle of our lives. If we try to light the candle, it may not be bright enough. All we have to do is find a candle; He will illuminate it for us.

Think of it like this – Have you ever tried to find a verse in the Bible to prove a point, have you ever tried to force something out of it. Trying to find a verse that will provide comfort for someone, but it just doesn’t fit or make sense to the person? That is what happens when “we” light the candle.

 On the Other Side…

Have you ever been talking with someone and the Holy Spirit allowed the perfect verse to come to mind; then you share it with the other person, they light up and find immediate comfort. Reading and studying His word, allows us the opportunity to store up an emergency supply of candles. When the lights go out – He will light the candles and provide us the ability to see. How bright will depend on the amount of candles we have stored up.

Once He lights the candle, we will be able to navigate through the battles we face. As David states “run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall”. What a beautiful and bright candle to keep ready… But the candles not only help us personally, they also help us share His truth to others.

Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Shelter in the Storm

 Psalm 91:1 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (KJV).

“He that dwelleth, in the secret place of the most High”. The first part of this verse paints a beautiful picture for the Christian. To dwell in the secret place of the most High means that we have to be close to the Lord in order to benefit from this blessings and protection. When the Lord promises a blessing, He requires something from us. This is where faith comes into play. It is through our faith that keeps us close to the Father. The Lord promises us, that if we stay close to Him, we will be safe. But if we wander off, we open ourselves up to the dangers outside of His protection. What happens when a child wanders off from the protection of parents? The child becomes vulnerable to the dangers that lurk beyond.

When Christians wander off, they end up running back to the safety of the Lord. We all stumble and fall in our walk, but it is so wonderful to know that the Lord awaits our return with open arms, ready to receive us back under His protection. If we would only learn to stay put, stay in His will and live according to His commands. Wandering away from the secret place is not what the Lord wants for us, but we do learn lessons when we wander, we learn and grow closer to Him.

“Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” When we sit still under the protective shadow of the Lord Almighty, we are safe with him, nothing can happen to us, and no evil can attack us. The protection is a constant 24 hour around the clock protection. Nothing in this world can provide this type of protection. When the storms come, when the fiery darts are thrown, the Lord stretches out His wings and shields us. The closer we dwell with the Father, the more confident we will become.

Matthew 11:19 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Answer the Phone

 Genesis 34:1-7 “1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done” (KJV).

In the first verse, I was filled with a few questions, such as: Was Dinah naïve, rebellious, or just plain ignorant in the ways of the world? Why was it so important for Dinah to venture out and get to know the women of the land? Did she not get advice from Leah her mother, and why was she out sightseeing by herself?

After asking myself these questions, I was led back to Jacob, who was in charge and responsible for his family. I have to wonder why Jacob was staying so long in this pagan neighborhood and putting his family at risk. He should have kept on traveling to Bethel and continue growing in the Lord and teaching his family.

When we disobey the Lord, we put ourselves in danger as well as our family. Lot pitched his tent near Sodom, eventually he moved into the wicked city. Jacob pitched his tent in Shechem and this wicked city is pulling him and his family into their wickedness.

Three times the word “defiled” is used to describe the wicked deed of Shechem. The young prince claimed that he did it because he loved her and wanted her for his wife, but committing violent rape and keeping the girl confined to his house was a strange way to show his love for her.

His actions and words witness to the fact that God’s people and the people of Canaan had very different moral and ethical beliefs. Jacob was silent when he heard the tragic news. Since his sons were in the field with the sheep and cattle and he could do nothing without their help, he was wise to wait.

It is interesting to note in the latter part of verse 5 it says “Jacob held his peace until they were come”. We can see here that Jacob was failing in his spiritual leadership, instead of turning to the Lord for wisdom he became quite comfortable asking his sons what to do in difficult times.

It is very important to remind ourselves and take note of where we get our advice from, especially spiritual advice. This is a lesson I teach on a regular basis in my class. I have fallen prey to the advice of friends and family. I have made the mistake of letting my emotions control my actions. The lesson I learned, ensure the advice you are given is according to His truth. If it does not line up, then follow the Lord’s wisdom. I also believe it is important to explain to those who gave the advice, why you did not follow what they said. This opens the door to witness and help others, even if they do not agree; you have an opportunity to plant a seed of truth.

God will do the watering and shine the light. There may be times when the Lord shines that light right away and you will be able to see that seed grow; other times it may be years later. But remember, all things are in His timing. Acts 1:7 “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (KJV). Hamor is the father of Schechem and goes out to meet with Jacob and discuss his son marrying Dinah. Hamor was very wealthy and had some authority in the land. His meeting with Jacob appears to be an attempt to “fix” the mess his son has gotten into. Jacobs’s sons come out of the field after hearing what happened and they are furious.

Application

We must be careful that we do not seek satisfaction in the world, outside the purpose and plan of God. Sin is a process that leads to defiant acts. All it takes is someone to believe that this little sin is no big deal, and then it has turned into a big deal. A great Christian saying goes like this “Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you ever wanted to pay” (Unknown Author).

Look back at Jacob’s deception towards his father, one lie turned into many lies and ended up costing him twenty years working for Laban and two wives later he is still dealing with the consequences of a little white lie. He got his advice and instructions from his mother, but never measured it against the Lords truth. Those little white lies are now growing so big that his daughter Dinah was attacked physically and taken hostage.

When God calls you, make sure you answer the phone, listen to the message and take good notes. You don’t want to get the message wrong; it could cost you more than you were willing to pay. For Jacob it began as a little white lie, and quickly turned into more lies, and then a quick getaway in order to escape the wrath of his brother and father. When it came to taking care of his children, he did not listen to the Lords wisdom and let Dinah spend time with worldly friends.

What could have stopped the progression of his sin? Look back to Gen. 31:13 “I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred” (KJV). But Jacob was slow to obey the Lords command.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Quote

Practice Makes Perfect

 Philippians 3:12-16 “12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing” (KJV).

A professional archer or marksmen will spend hours practicing in order to reach the goal of “hitting the mark”. Like any athlete, the road to success is paved by dedication and commitment. What separates an excellent athlete from a great one? A great athlete recognizes the never-ending need to improve his or her skills.

Paul reminds the Philippians that he is not perfect in his Christian walk. He displays a level of humility that we should all take note of. Paul, inspired by God, wrote 13 books of the New Testament (14 if you believe he wrote Hebrews). He is considered one of the greatest missionaries of all times. Yet, he makes sure to point out his consistent need to fine tune his Christian walk.

As Christians, I believe we all desire to grow closer to the Lord. I doubt anyone would be so bold to think or admit they have reached their peak in Christian living. The verses above teach us many things about our walk with the Lord. Here are just a few that the Lord placed on my heart today:

  1. Humility as defined by the dictionary, states that humility is “a modest or low view of one’s own importance” 1. The Bible defines humility as the “lowliness of mind”. Humility for the Christian is defined by the removal of self, which is done through the heart. Like the great athlete, humility is the ability to recognize the need to improve. Our sin nature will always leave us room to grow closer to the Lord. The first step is to examine ourselves with a humble heart.
  2. The second step is to let the past go. Paul stated it as “forgetting those things which are behind”. In order for an athlete to improve a certain skill(s), they must forget the old way of doing them. A golfer may be the best example for this. If you recognize the need to improve your golf swing, you must begin by removing the part of your swing that is causing you trouble. If you hold on to your bad habits, your swing will never improve. The Christian walk is the same way.
  3. Focus on the Lord. Your best efforts to change bad habits into Godly ones will fail if you do not focus on the Lord. If you are attempting to grow closer to the Lord because someone advised you too, it will not work. Remember, it begins in the heart; your heart must be willing to make the sacrifices to change. Your golf instructor can tell you what to do in order to improve your swing, but unless you really want to change, the advice will be useless. A preacher delivers instructions through a sermon, but if we don’t apply the message, change will not happen.
  4. Press toward the Mark. Once you recognize the need to improve your walk and you desire change, then you must commit to that change. Paul used the word “Press” as a verb and “toward” as the preposition. Here is an example: I recognize the need to improve my prayer time. I have to forget my old methods and commit to a new way. In order to put the new way into action, I have to actively “Press” and consistently practice the new way. Making sure that my old habits do not come back. I do this by keeping my mind focused “toward” the goal and not on the task. If I focus on the task “making time for prayer”, I will lose sight of the goal. My prayer time will be nothing more than a block of time set aside during the day.
  5. The goal is to bring honor and glory to the Lord. I do this by fine tuning my Christian walk, improve my skills, and devote time for practice in order to hit the mark continuously.

“I know the Bible is inspired because it inspires me” 2

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

References

1 Dictionary. Retrieved 12/5/14 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/humility

2 D.L. Moody. Retrieved 12/5/14 from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dwight_l_moody.html#jAfIfoUGClmlVA6r.99

When in Doubt

 Acts 12:18-24 “18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied” (KJV).

When we face difficult times in life, whether alone or as a church, we often struggle to find answers. We may try different things in order to break out of our troubling times. As I stated in yesterday’s post “If Only…” prayer should be the first place we go and should remain our highest priority. The church prayed fervently for Peter’s deliverance. The Lord answered those prayers by sending an angel to free Peter. The text today provides an answer to why prayer is important.

Have you ever been faced with a trial because you stood up for what you believed in? Have you ever been judged for being a Christian; called a “Bible Thumper”, “Holy Roller”, etc. Some Christians will fight back, but there efforts will only make things worse. How we handle ourselves during difficult times is important. We are being watched by the world and those around us. If we take matters into our own hands, we may be robbing ourselves and the Lord, an opportunity to witness to others.

The Lord allowed Herod to take the life of James and throw Peter into prison, but prayer was the only answer for his persecution. Herod was dealt with, and ended up dying a horrible death (eaten by worms).

Without valleys, there could be no mountain tops. You can’t jump from one mountain top to another without traveling through a valley. When the church prayed for Peter, the Lord set him free and made sure Herod would not bother them again.

Reflection

Sometimes the best way to witness and share the gospel to others is when we are struggling in the valleys of life. It is a blessing to know that God can use anyone; at any moment in life, to be a witness for Christ. I was reminded of the Welsh Revival of 1904 when, “A young girl named Florrie Evans, who had been a believer a few days, rose and with a trembling voice said simply, “I love Jesus with all my heart.” The other young people’s hearts were melted. A powerful spiritual awakening that brought 100,000 people to Christ was under way” (Roberts, E. 1905).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

Evan Roberts, in W. T. Stead, ed., The Story of the Welsh Revival (London: Fleming H. Revell, 1905)

Walking Tall

 Ephesians 4:1-3 “1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (KJV).

Today we see a progressive movement towards the acceptance of a watered down version of Christianity. The Gospel message has been altered and diluted to fit whatever requirements the “ways of the world” demand. Families decide what church to attend because it offers the most amount of fun activities or programs for their children. If there is ever a day and hour that we need to focus on our high calling it is today.

The day has come when we need to allow His word to provide our wisdom. We need to look back at the courage, humility, and enduring commitment our forefathers have taught us. Today is the day that we focus not on our superficial motivations, but rather we emulate the same grace that our precious Lord has bestowed upon us. Our focus and motivations need to rest on the absolute truth found in God’s word. The church we choose should rest on the unity of Spirit, truth, and love.

I’m afraid many churches have filled their services with a modern version of music that does not bring honor and glory to the Lord. When our youth spend more time playing basketball or playing games during the preaching and teaching of God’s word, we leave the door wide open for Satan to throw his fiery darts at our children. We wonder why our youth are facing more problems than ever before, yet parents spend little time praying, teaching, and sharing the Word with them.

Does the Bible not teach us how to raise children? Does the Bible not say “Train a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Pro. 22:6, KJV). “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4, ESV). If we do not run the race of righteousness, how in the world will we ever be able to pass the torch onto the next generation? Our forefathers not only passed on His torch, they provided us with detailed instructions and illustrations that were applicable then and still apply today.

Is there any wonder why the unsaved call Christians hypocrites? Of course no Christian or church is perfect, if you ever find the perfect church; don’t join it because you will ruin it.

“I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of selfishness and ambition and self-seeking and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit, ambition and self-seeking, pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. I also believe that many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray that He would empty us. There must be a n emptying before there can be a filling; and when the heart is turned upside down, and everything that is contrary to God is turned out, then the Spirit will come…” (D.L. Moody)

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

Moody, D.L. Quotes, retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5083573.D_L_Moody

If Only…

 Acts 12:1-7 “1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” (KJV).

King Herod mentioned in the first verse is the grandson of Herod the Great, he is known as Herod Agrippa I. Herod, in an effort to please the religious high priests, begins to attack the believers that remained in Jerusalem. Here we see a clear picture of what the prophet Jeremiah preached “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9, KJV). Herod was seeking popularity in order to achieve favoritism in Jerusalem and he was willing to do anything to gain it. What began as pride in the heart quickly turned into hate, and finally became an outward display of wickedness.

“Vex certain the church”, to afflict against the church, specifically anyone who claims the name of Christ. The affliction would have begun as physical beatings, imprisonments, high taxes, or fines. But this did not satisfy the king’s hunger for fame and quickly turned into a death penalty for James brother of John. Once the king saw how pleased the Jews were about the death of James, he ordered Peter to be placed into prison.

Sixteen guards were assigned to watch over Peter in prison. Herod probably heard about Peter’s prison escape from Acts 5:19, which would explain the amount of guards placed. It was also Roman custom to have two guards on the outside with two guards on the inside, the inside guards would be chained to the prisoner. Each set of four guards would stand watch in six-hour shifts.

As Peter sat in prison, we see the church praying continuously and with a purpose for Peter. The church was in trouble, with the death of James and now Peter held in prison, awaiting his death sentence, there was a need for such prayer. Through their prayers, the Lord sent an angel to set Peter free.

Reflection

If only Christians would seek prayer like the early church. Prayer is something we could all do more of, as individuals and as a church. What fascinated me with this text is how the angel smote or knocked Peter to wake him up. This leads me to one application for this text: it was through faith and believing that allowed the prayers of the church to be answered. Remember that despite the hardship and conditions that Peter was facing, his faith was so strong that he slept while being in prison, chained to two guards, and knowing he was facing a death sentence. Do we pray with the same faith? Or do we pray in desperate times only seeking quick relief? Do we pray with the same faith as Peter? As a church are we praying with this type of faith? Are we gathered together in one accord, praying fervently? Something to consider and reflect on…

Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (KJV).

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (KJV).

Acts 1:14 “These all continue with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher