A Devotional Study of the Living Word of God

 Take Note #59

Psalm 119:39 Our conscious will approve or disapprove the things we do. A healthy conscious will seek justice from the LORD since His judgments are the only source of restoring a guilty soul.

Good Morning

Even though it seems that nothing changes, change is always going on. We all like to be active doing something, but there are many obstacles in the way for some of us. Health, wealth and opportunity just to name a few. One opportunity may override another, health may hinder us from a season of activity and wealth may prevent us from reaching a certain goal. Yet, there is the other side of this coin that allows for the freedom to do activities, reach goals and manage opportunity. It really is a matter of execution. I have understood this for a long time, but it is ever so much clearer to me today since I have had the opportunity to watch Cutie Pie, the parakeet. She has to eat or starve, the bell that hangs in the middle of her cage, blocks the way to the seed container. In order for her to eat, she jumps from the perch to the wires on the cage then slides down the wire strands until she is over the seed container and then drops in for a bite. Where there is a will to survive; opportunity will reveal the goal ahead and life maintains a degree of health to keep going, and if you are a bird, you don't need money. Of course, we could take this a step further. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Acts 12

Acts 12:1-4 Good and evil run throughout the Bible, in the Old Testament we see kingdoms of good and kingdoms of evil. Here in Acts there is this same condition. A look at our nation will quickly reveal good leaders and evil ones. It is not uncommon to see good people destroyed for standing in the gate where good and evil meet. When evil controls the day, these good men and women fall, victims of the evil sword. Sometimes it is character assassination and sometimes it is physical.

Acts 12:5 When evil takes a stand, people always suffer loss, in this case it is the persecution of the saints of God. James the brother of John is dead, now the apostle Peter is in prison. I have a question for us today as a church, be it universal or local. Evil is an ever present condition; do we pray daily that evil will be subdued? If we do, then why is there so much evil overriding the good these days. I wonder when I read this passage, would our church leaders survive imprisonment today as we will see Peter survive in His day.

Acts 12:6-11 Have we not heard in the past how Peter was fast asleep and bound with chains and with a guard on each side of him. How could one sleep under these conditions? He must have know his life was in danger. Yet I know that when people are tortured or treated severely the body will shut down and sleep, so that energy can be restored and I believe that this is the condition here. Peters composure is shaken when he awakes, he is thinking that the end is now near like that of James and it takes a moment or two for him to recognize the wonderful escape that the LORD has arranged.

Now if you do not have your bible with you, the following is a link you can go to and find the verses of scripture I have referenced herein. Bible Gateway at: www.biblegateway.com/