Pam Padgett ... teacher
As the church grew, king Herod set out to vex members of the church,
even having James killed. Seeing that this pleased the Jews, Peter was
imprisoned so he could be brought before the people after Easter ...
Acts 12:1 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.
Peter was being well guarded and secured in the prison. Yet, when God chose to deliver Peter from the prison, He sent an angel to
release Peter and lead him out of the prison and into the city ...
Acts 12:6 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. 8 And the angel
said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And
he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he
went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was
done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past
the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth
unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord:and they went
out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed
from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a
surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of
the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the
Jews.
While thinking about the amazing way Peter was delivered from the
prison, I also thought of James and that it was not the will of God to
deliver him from Herod. I found myself rejoicing in God's will
being done in both Peter's and James' lives. And I was reminded that
Paul told us that neither life nor death is able to separate those who have been called by God from the love of God ....
Romans 8:28 And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover
whom he did predestinate, them he also called:and whom he called, them
he also justified:and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for
us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we
are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am
persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Whether we live on this earth or die, and in whatever we face as we live on this earth, there is cause for rejoicing because we belong to God and are loved by Him.