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N.O.W.
Devotionals
Nutrients
of Worship (N.O.W.)
As God's
children, our worship should be lived out!
These
scriptures are much needed vitamins and nutrients to aid our healthy
walk
with Christ. They provide strength, encouragement, conviction and
direction for our spiritual lives.
Featured
writer, Judy Parker
"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. 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." Acts 12:6-7
After
Peter left the prison, after he realized it wasn't just a dream, Peter
came to the door where those who had been praying for him were amazed ;
they were practically in disbelief that their prayers had actually been
answered. Peter was actually free. I have heard sermons from the
verses above of how God shines His light into our lives and breaks the
chains that bind us and release us to follow Him. Of course both of
these points were well taken, and have stuck with me. We should
actually believe our prayers will be answered, and we should realize
Jesus Christ can break every chain, giving us true freedom to arise
from the pit, from the prison, and follow after His marvelous light.
The new
point that was revealed to me for the first time was how Peter had been
awakened from his sleep. He had been sleeping chained between two
guards when the angel smote him on the side. I always took that
to mean a blow that really hurt. I wondered why the angel couldn't have
just gently waked him and freed him from his chains. I thought
perhaps the angel had to teach him some kind of a lesson in faith, he
should have been prepared, awake, ready to be set free from the chains
that bound him.
As I
researched Bible commentaries, I found the angel's smiting had been
just a touch to wake Peter from a sound sleep, gentle enough not to
wake the two guards to whom he was chained. Two soldiers guarded
his person; his right hand being bound to the left hand of one, and his
left hand bound to the right hand of the other. This was the Roman
method of guarding their prisoners, and appears to be what is intimated
in the text. The angel smote Peter on the side, strongly enough to wake
Peter up who was sound asleep and yet not rouse the two guards. It was
probably between 3 A.M. and 6 A.M., hours when changes in the guards
were made.
As I read
these commentaries, I thought of all the times God has probably gently
awakened each of us. He wakes us so as not to disturb those
around us who may have us bound, or perhaps who just aren't ready to
accept all the things God is waking us to arise and do for Him.
There are some who if they knew what we were arising to do for God
would try to hold us back. I know that is my personal
experience. God chose me to be the one in my family that He
gently woke up. He freed me from all the chains that had me
bound. He then depended on, and is still counting on me to let
His marvelous light shine through me to get others to be set free from
their chains and arise and follow Him also. When He answers each prayer
I have prayed for my loved ones, I pray, I am not surprised to see them
standing at my door truly set free.
by Judy
Parker
http://deliverabledevotionals.com
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