October 15, 2019: SOAP #3603:  Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-2; Acts 4

Scripture:  Acts (NIV) 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. … 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

Observation:   The truth of verse 28 can be seen throughout the scriptures.  In their anger against Jesus, they conspired to put him to death.   In their hateful course of actions, they fulfilled the prophecies about God’s suffering servant.  And they gave opportunity for the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection.  The crucifixion gave opportunity for the resurrection!!!

His claim to be God infuriated them; and in their anger they provided the greatest opportunity for it to be proven!!!

Application:  God still works in this manner.  He turns what others mean for evil to provide the proof of His blessings!  He turns obvious defeat into glorious victory.  For the believer, the humility of death is the glorious door to a new awareness of the presence of God!

The very thing that I most complain about mat be the thing that God will use/is using to bring about my greatest victory.

Prayer:   Lord, I trust you to work out the details of my life.  My heart is set to praise you in the good times and in the bad times.  You alone are worthy.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!