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Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 324

Nov20

Day 324 – Reading – Acts 11 – 12

Read and believe in Jesus!

Acts 11.

Chapter 10 tells of Peter going to the home of a Roman Centurion whose heart God had prepared to receive the Gospel. Cornelius and his whole household believed the Good News that Peter preached, and – just as had happened “at the beginning” with Peter and the other 120 disciples, the Holy Spirit came on this house.  They also spoke in other tongues as evidence, and Peter realized that if God gave them the same gift, who was he to object?

Well, that incident had spread throughout Judea, and the Jewish believers began to question what had happened.  How could they believe in the Jewish Messiah if they were uncircumcised Gentiles? Shouldn’t they convert to Judaism first? 

So Peter carefully explained – in detail – what had happened, from that first appearance of a sheet filled with unclean animals, and God’s order to “Kill and eat” to the extraordinary act of the Holy Spirit in coming upon these “uncircumcised” Romans and giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

“Who was I to stand in God’s way?” asked Peter.

Silence.

Then, “Praise God!” and then, “Hallelujah!” And many other words to praise and glory to God, who had “given to the Gentiles also repentance that leads to life.”

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Now, after Stephen’s death and Paul’s persecution, many believers spread beyond Judea, Samaria, and Galilee.  They returned to their homes in Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.  As they went, they spread the Good News, but ONLY to Jews.  BUT … SOME who went to Antioch spoke to the Hellenist Jews (Gentiles converted to Judaism).  And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great many believed and turned to the Lord.

When this news came to the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  When he arrived, he saw the “grace of God” and was glad.  He exhorted them to remain faithful to the Lord.

More and more came to the Lord, and Barnabas needed help.  He went to nearby Tarsus and grabbed Saul.  He brought the now seasoned Gentile preacher to Antioch.  For a whole year, they met as a church and taught a great many people.

(It was here in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”)

And then, a group of prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. One man, Agabus, prophesied a worldwide famine.  So the disciples in Antioch determined to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

And they did, sending their offering with Barnabas and Saul. (The famine did happen in the days of the Roman Emperor Claudius.)

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Acts 12.

Back to Jerusalem and the apostles.  About the time of the huge evangelism in Antioch, Herod Agrippa, the king of northern Samaria and Galilee, laid “violent hands on some who belonged to the church.”  He thought that doing this would win his favor with the Jewish leaders. 

He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword (beheaded him). (This was the first of the initial disciples of Jesus to be martyred.)   

When Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well. He put Peter in prison with four squads of soldiers to guard him, thinking that after Passover, he would kill him.  

(Did that threat of death make Peter think of that Passover when Jesus had been crucified?)

But Herod did not account for the power of prayer.  While Peter was in prison, the church made EARNEST PRAYER for him to God.

The night before Herod was to bring out and execute Peter, the apostle had a visitor in prison.  As he slept between two soldiers, bound with chains, with two more soldiers standing guard at the door … an angel of the Lord came to him and struck Peter on his side. (Was he sleeping so soundly??)

“Get up quickly,” the heavenly being said. Instantly, the chains fell off Peter, but without waking the soldiers.

“Dress yourself and put on your sandals.”  Peter obeyed.

“Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” Peter obeyed, thinking he was dreaming it all.

When they came to the city gate, it opened for them of its own accord (think grocery store doors!), and they went out and walked along the street.  Then the angel disappeared, and Peter “came to himself.”

“Now I am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod, and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

Peter then went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were meeting and praying through the night for Peter’s release.

Peter knocked on the door, wanting to get out of public view.

The maid, Rhoda, came to answer.  Hearing Peter’s voice, she was so thrilled that she left him there, waiting outside, while she ran to tell the others.  (Okay, we’ve all been as excited and done something so dumb!)

“You are out of your mind, Rhoda,” they told her when she came running into the prayer meeting.

But Peter kept knocking!  They finally came, opened the door…. and were AMAZED!

“Tell James and the others that I’ve been set free by God’s angel,” Peter told them, then went out to another place. 

The next morning, the guards discovered that Peter was missing.  Herod was furious, and after examining all the (innocent) soldiers, he had them all put to death for “dereliction of duty.”

Then Herod left Jerusalem and went down to the Roman city of Caesarea. 

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The discontented king had a quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon to the north.  They came to Herod asking for peace, for during this time, they depended on the king for food. 

Herod put on his robes and came out to them. He gave a pompous speech as he sat on his throne. 

The sycophant people, wanting to massage his ego, said, “Oh…the voice of a god, and not of a man.”

Herod gloried in the praise, thinking it very appropriate, but…. an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give GOD glory.

And…. immediately he was eaten by worms and breathed his last!  Yikes!!

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But the Word of God increased and multiplied.  And Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch from Jerusalem after delivering the relief offering. 

And… they brought back John Mark with them.

 

 

 

 

Prayer for the Unconverted

Oct27

Buried deep in an old, mostly-forgotten anthology of poetry, I found this little gem from Newman Hall—a poem that expresses in rhyme and meter the longing of many a Christian heart. May it give you words to pray for “those who do not pray, who waste away salvation’s day.”

We pray for those who do not pray!
Who waste away salvation’s day;
For those we love who love not Thee—
Our grief, their danger, pitying see.

Those for whom many tears are shed
And blessings breathed upon their head,
The children of thy people save
From godless life and hopeless grave.

Hear fathers, mothers, as they pray
For sons, for daughters, far away—
Brother for brother, friend for friend—
Hear all our prayers that upward blend.

We pray for those who long have heard
But still neglect Thy gracious Word;
Soften the hearts obdurate made
By calls unheeded; vows delayed.

Release the drunkard from his chain,
Bare those beguiled by pleasure vain,
Set free the slaves of lust, and bring
Back to their home the wandering.

The hopeless cheer; guide those who doubt;
Restore the lost; cast no one out;
For all that are far off we pray,
Since we were once far off as they.

Thought Control

May5

Thinking man Psalm 139:23-24 ~~~ “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ~~~ “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 

Philippians 4:8 ~~~ “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.”

*******

A close family relative is suffering with early to mid-stage dementia. She still knows us, but does not remember the things we’ve told her we’ve been doing….even twenty minutes before. She will often ask the same questions over and over, which can try the patience. An exasperated, ill-thought-out retort will sometimes bring on tears, though we are instantly sorry. The tears will occasionally turn into a day long funk.

A brief visit will reveal her loss of short term memory quite soon, but her long term memory is still pretty good, remembering people and events from long ago. She is quite able to get around for herself without mechanical help though she is in her 90’s. Not bad, we think, until we stay longer, or hear from her caregiver.

Why is it we are never freed from our old sin nature while we live on this earth? Why do lapses return when we are most vulnerable? When I am over-tired or stressed or have a headache, I will often retort sharply or react with anger to people or situations that bother me. I get irritated and annoyed and frustrated. Often I say things I regret. Sometimes a bit of profanity escapes.  I simmer and fume, or feel sorry for myself and mope.

But…. in a little while when I finally recognize what I’m doing, I am sorrowful and go to God to confess and to receive His forgiveness. All is well; peace returns.

But with short term memory loss, the words are spoken, the deeds are done, (sometimes quite shocking) and there is no memory of it later to bring conviction and repentance. So the person is at the mercy of their sinful nature raising its ugly head, even though they have given their heart to God and trust in Christ’s atoning death for their salvation.

What a cruel attribute of an aging/ailing believer’s mind!

I don’t know if it is possible to pray (to confess) for another whose mind is lost, but I do! I ask God to forgive her for these weaknesses.  I plead for Him to be gracious and merciful, and forgive, and to bring her peace.

O Sovereign God, You can do anything. Redeem the years “the locusts have eaten!” Let your light shine within her mind and redeem and restore.

Today, merciful God, let her begin to THINK on things that are TRUE, such as, Jesus is her Savior, and she is Your child. Let her begin to make her way back to You in the corridors of her mind, through Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Life.  Today, let her think on (dwell on) whatever is true. Let no falsehood of thought or emotion intrude!

And Your Word is true. Bring your Word, the Bible, to her notice today. May she pick it up, open it and read TRUTH. May this powerful “Sword of the Spirit” defend her mind against the rising of her old natural tendencies!

“Is My hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?”  ~~~ Isaiah 50:2b  

Yes, Lord, You can!

*******

I have continued daily to pray the things we are to “think on” from Philippians 4 – one each day – for this person, and am trusting God to honor His word and give her the peace that passes all understanding to guard her heart and mind.

Also…. I have purposed in my heart to read and commit more and more of God’s Word to memory, that – as He promised – it might “keep me from sinning” in my own old age.  Psalm 119:11.