August 11, 2020, Acts cont...Proverbs

 Acts cont....

Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison

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. When he saw that this was met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. 

This happened during the festival of unleavened bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 

How the early church handled persecution:

• They prayed. If you fight fire with fire you are no better than the enemy you want to defeat.
• For the greater good of all men sometimes we suffer but God is in control.
• When Herod put James to death he received approval/a type of reward. He had support from some of the Jews. They were okay with his behavior. 

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was about to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 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.

Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals. And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me, the angel told him. Peter followed him out of prison, but he had no idea what the angel was doing was really happening: he thought he was seeing a vision. 

The passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When the walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen. 

The Reality of the times we live in: Its hard but its true.

• Sadly people who sit in darkness hope bad things happen. Some people speak ill and hope that ill falls on God's people; but thanks be to God that God does not allow what people wish would happen to happen. 

When this dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the Mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!

You're out of your mind, they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door an saw him, they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to keep quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this, he said, and then he left for another place. 

It was not a small thing that he was free and safe. He was in the hands of the wicked; they were capable of any and everything. 

In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. 

Herod gave the order to seize Peter but the guards were executed. What great things the Lord does to show that persecution is his tool and he really controls it for his purpose. The wicked set out to do bad things but God will take the opportunity and bring something good out of it. Almost like he says, okay you throw a punch and I am going to catch it, block it, and use it. 

Proverbs one

Purpose and theme

An exhortation to embrace wisdom

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, King of Israel:

In the book of psalms David faced a lot of problems, we read about his prayers, his praise, but also his trials and all the times he pleaded for God to deliver him. We have generations in our families and for example I am a third generation ( of people who believed in God. Don't believe in my family but believe in God. We are flawed. 

Honesty frees the soul.

My point is salvation begin with my grandmother and was passed down from her. Before her their was no one that believed in God. We all make mistakes but do you think sometimes we can learn from the first and second generation? Of course wisdom comes from God but Do you think Solomon had great wisdom because his father went through a lot of things and God can blessed us to avoid the traps the devil has used on generations. 

For gaining wisdom and instruction; 

for understanding words of insight;

for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, 

doing what is right and just and fair; 

for giving prudence to those who are simple, 

knowing and discretion to the young-

let the wise listen and add to their learning, 

and let the discerning get guidance-

for understanding proverbs and parables, 

the sayings and riddles of the wise.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, 

but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

A fool despise wisdom

When you fear something you respect it. If you respect something you seek to learn from it. This is how you gain the knowledge. You ask God for instructions. He gives happily. Who wants to be a fool all their life. Why lean to our knowledge. Its faulty. Its ironic that David prayed to God in the cave, Lord what shall I do? He respected God, he did not want to move without God. He learned a great deal from God.

Solomon writes, the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 

Listen my son, to your Fathers's instruction

and do not forsake your mother's teachings.

They are a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck.

My son, if sinful men entice you, 

do not give in to them, 

If they say, Come along with us; 

let us lie in wait for innocent blood, 

Often times David hated the deeds of the wicked. He prayed many prayers, God they slay the innocent, they shed innocence blood, arise and break them, Oh how he loathed their behavior of killing. He had experienced with wicked me; and I know he told Solomon the nature of the wicked and how to avoid them..

They are recruiting, they say come and slay the innocent with us, but the Father warning is, my son do go with them. 

let's ambush some harmless soul; 

lets swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those 

who go down to the pit;

we get all sorts of valuable things

and fill our houses with plunder;

cast lots with us;

we will share the loot

there was an old rap song that said, grab the loot, get the spoils, sometimes wicked people have money; they receive money when they spoil another man's house; or in business terms, ruin one persons business they get the business, they take what they want, and they are cruel. 

my son, do not go along with them, 

do not set foot on their paths;

for their feet rush into evil, 

they are swift to shed blood. 

How useless to spread a net

where every bird can see it!

but what is their fate?

These men lie in wait for their own blood; 

they ambush only themselves!

Such are the paths of all who go after-ill gain;

it takes away the life of those who get it.

You can steal that business

you can lie and cheat

you can spoil people houses in order to get money but wisdom says

 in the end it will take away your life.

Its a trap from the devil. Don't be a fool!  

Life can be the life in God; or

the breathe in your body

You live by the sword; you die by the sword

or today people use weapons. 

But its not a wise thing to do. 

Get the money right way....

Your life Matters...We are valuable...why sell yourself so cheap.

A little bit of money is not worth your Life.

Have a great day!