“Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
– Acts 12:23
Dear James and Ellen,
Were you looking forward to today and for the beginning of another new year? Are you glad to have last year behind you? Did you make pledges that you are hoping to keep this year? What do you think would be a good pledge for a guy, gal or kid to make? What is it that has you getting out of bed each morning? What brings you joy? Instead of 2011 A.D. being the new year that you have been waiting for, what if the new year that you have been waiting for is 43 A.D.? Instead of you living right now at the beginning of 2011 A.D. in Newark, Delaware, suppose that you are living right now at the beginning of 43 A.D. in the county of Israel in the city of Jerusalem. Instead of having a President who has a consensus constitution mandating him to permit you to freely worship an incarnate man – Who is Jesus Christ, have a Roman procurator – who is King Herod or Herod Agrippa, arresting, persecuting and killing guys who are publicly pronouncing that this incarnate man – Jesus Christ, suffered and died as a ransom payment for them so that they can be assured of receiving the gift of eternal life. This incarnate man – Jesus Christ, was crucified on a cross ten or so years earlier. King Herod has already beheaded – using a sword, Apostle John’s bro – who was Apostle James. When King Herod saw that the Jews – who are Israelite people group guys and gals and God’s specially chosen guys and gals, were pleased with his call to chop off Apostle James’ head, King Herod in 43 A.D. seizes and jails another apostle – Apostle Peter. The news on the street is that King Herod is going to give Apostle Peter a public trial once Jew people group guys and gals who lived in and who had come to your city, have finished celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread – or the Passover. This is a feast that Israelite people group guys and gals – the Jew people group guys and gals, celebrate each year. The next news that you are hearing on the street is that Apostle Peter has been freed from the prison where he had been incarcerated. Street scuttlebutt has it that an angel of the Lord showed up in Apostle Peter’s prison cell, freed Apostle Peter from his wrist shackles and then helped Apostle Peter walk out of the jail without being seen by any of the four squads of soldiers who had been selected to guard him. You hear a rumor that King Herod has these guards executed when they cannot explain where Apostle Peter has gone. Then through the grapevine, you hear that Apostle Peter showed up late that same night at John Mark’s ma’s house. John Mark’s ma’s name is Mary. The rumor is that when Apostle Peter began knocking on the door of Mary’s house, Rhoda – a servant gal, was sent to the door to find out who was knocking. Apparently per what is being conveyed on the street, Rhoda had joined a group of committed, fearless Christ-follower guys and gals who had gotten together at Mary’s house to pray. The word is that when Rhoda recognized Apostle Peter’s voice, Rhoda – instead of opening the door to let Apostle Peter come inside Mary’s house, elatedly ran back to her team of prayer warriors. Apostle Peter apparently had to keep knocking on Mary’s house door for someone to let him into Mary’s house – as they apparently thought it was Apostle Peter’s guardian angel who was knocking on the door and not Apostle Peter himself.
Even though life was a lot different 1968 years ago in the city of Jerusalem than what life is like today in Newark, Delaware, there are similarities. Fervent prayers that are prayed by righteous, faithful Christ-follower guys and gals are still answered today. Angels of the Lord and/or guardian angels still make supernatural or miraculous appearances to perform a feat that is completely impossible for a guy or gal to do. Because of your government’s absolute forbiddance for a guy or gal who is living in the city of Jerusalem to become a Christ-follower adherent, committed, fearless Christ-follower guys and gals are having to get together in secret places such as upper rooms. Narcissistic, despotic guys and gals are still ending up in positions of power where they are doing whatever they want to do – such as halting food supplies to a region to killing a perceived rival as ways to manipulate the masses who are under their dictate. God will still do today what He did to King Herod per verse 23, “Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
Would you liked to have lived in the country of Israel – in the city of Jerusalem, 1968 years ago? Would you liked to have had a front row seat to an emergent Christ-follower church? Would you liked to have lived where if you are a Christ-follower guy or gal that you could be thrown into a jail at any moment? You are now living in an era and in a world when a guy, gal or kid has the potential to have whatever he or she wants. You are now living during a time and in a place where a Christ-follower guy, gal or kid has diminishing significance. You are now living during an epoch when self-centered egomaniacs are becoming a norm as rulers of countries. Your grandpaa thinks that because of the arrogance and conceit of today’s President of the country in which you are living – which is the United States, and because of his acquiesce of Islamism – which is a false religion that completely rejects the beliefs of Christ-follower guys, gals and kids and which openly encourages the annihilation of Christ-follower guys and gals, that he will end up a King Herod. Your grandpaa thinks that 2011 A.D. just may be the year that God . . .
Acts 12 (1123)