Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

AUGUST 19
Wednesday


LIVING BEYOND
THE ODDS

READ:
Acts 12:1-1
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Constant prayer was
offered to God for
[Peter] by the church.
__Acts 12:5
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Many of us make daily decisions based on the odds. If there's a 20 pecent chance of rain, we may ingnore it. If there's a 90 percent chance, we'll take an umbrella. The greater the odds, the more our behavior is affected because we want to choose wisely and be successful.

Acts 12:1-6 describes a situation in which Peter's odds of survival were very low. He was in prison, "bound with two chains between two soldiers" while others guarded the door (v.6). Herod had already executed James, one of Jesus' closest followers, and he had the same fate in mind for Peter (vv.1-3). A gambler would not have put any money on Peter getting out of this alive.

Yet God's plan for Peter included a miraculous deliverance that even those who were interceding for him found hard to believe (vv.13-16). They were astonished when he showed up at their prayer meeting.

God can operate outside the odds because He is all-powerful. Nothing is too hard for Him. The One who loves us and gave Himself for us is in charge of our lives. In ordinary circumstances and impossible situations, God can reveal His power. Whether we are showered with success or sustained in sorrow, He is with us. __David McCasland

````````````Dear God we're so thankful that nothing is too``````````````
````````````difficult for You. you can do amazing things!``````````````
`````````````Help us to trust that You are always with us``````````````
``````````````and always in control. We love You, Lord.``````````````
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God is always in control behind the scenes.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Acts 12:1-11*********************

1 Now about that time
Herod the king stretched out
his hand to harass some from
the church. 2 Then he killed
James the brother of John
with the sword. 3 And
because he saw that it
pleased the Jews, he
proceeded further to seize
Peter also. Now it was during
the Days of Unleavened
Bread. 4 So when he had
arrested him, he put him in
prison...intending to bring
him before the people after
Passover.

5 Peter was therefore kept in
prison, but constant prayer
was offered to God for him
by the church. 6 And when
Heord was about to bring
him out, that night Peter was
sleeping, bound with two
chains between two soldiers;
and the guards before the
door were keeping the
prison. 7 Now behold, an
angel of the Lord stood by
him, and a light shone in the
prison; and he struck Peter
on the side and raised him
up, saying, "arise quickly!"
And his chains fell off his
hands.

8 Then the angel said to
him, "Gird youself and tie
on your sandals....Put on
your garment and follow
me." So he went out and
followed him, and did not
know that what was done by
the angel was real, but
thought he was seeing a
vision....

11 And when Peter had
come to himelf, he said,
"Now I know for certain that
the Lord has sent His angel,
and has delivered me from
the hand of Herod and from
all the epectation of the
Jewish people."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The ministry of angels is a reality for the believer (Heb. 1:14).
Usually, they are acting behind the scenes of our lives. In today's
reading, an angel becomes visible in order to rescue the apostle
Peter from probable death.