Late Nite With Paul & Silas

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Acts 16:25

Some stories never grow old, and no matter how many times I read about Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail, I’m amazed all over again.  Amazed at God.  Amazed at them.  Just amazed.

Throughout history, men have often faced certain punishment and possible death with undaunted courage and resolved calmness, but they usually didn’t sing.  They didn’t sing unless the One of whom and to whom they sang was so spectacular and so sovereign that He was worthy of all they could give—even their very lives.  Then, they could sing, and they did.  “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God”(Acts 16:25).

Be amazed.  Paul and Silas could have been crying out in pain, for they had been severely flogged(Acts 16:23). They could have been complaining about injustice because the charges against them were malicious lies(Acts 16:20-21).  They could have been screaming for their rights, for as Roman citizens, they were entitled to a fair trial before being stripped and beaten(Acts 16:22).  They could have been groaning in despair because all they had done was free a girl from an evil spirit and now they were fastened in stocks(Acts 16:24).  Paul and Silas could have done many things to fill the dark hours of the long, hard night, but they chose to pray and praise.  “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God”(Acts 16:25).

Be amazed—like their fellow prisoners surely were as the unexpected late-night concert brought comfort and hope to desperate hearts.  Be amazed that the prison walls couldn’t contain their song, and that at its strains, Heaven reached down to shake the earth.  “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once, all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose”(Acts 16:26).  Certain that the prisoners had escaped and that he would be executed, the jailer drew his sword to end his life, but Paul’s call stopped him short.  Amazed, he fell trembling before them and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”(Acts 16:30).  “Only believe,” they replied, so he did (and his family too).  Right then, “at that hour of the night,” the jailer washed their wounds with water, and they baptized him with water.  He brought them into his house and fed them, and “he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in Jesus—he and his whole family”(Acts 16:34).

Be amazed.  The jailer would never have known Jesus if Paul and Silas hadn’t ended up in prison, and Paul and Silas would never have ended up in prison if they hadn’t been arrested.  Be amazed that our God is totally in control.  Be amazed that He orchestrates our circumstances for His purposes.  Be amazed that we can sing praise in the middle of the mess.  And be amazed that God can move the earth to change hearts.

Even if it takes your pain and injustice to bring others to Jesus, keep singing.  God will shake the world to save His own.  And that story never grows old.

Traveling Buddies

“Paul wanted to take him along on the journey.”  Acts 16:3

Trips are more fun when you take a friend.

Why?  Because sharing the journey with others is better than sharing about the journey with others.   (If you need proof, ask the in-laws in my family who for two decades have never sat through a holiday meal without being regaled yet again with tales of a trip my siblings and I took back in college!)  People, places, and events can be explained, but they’re better experienced.  Sometimes, to really get it, you just have to be there.

For his second mission trip, Paul took along Silas as a partner who would shoulder the burden of ministry, as a companion who would assail the strain of loneliness, and as a friend who would share the steps of life.  Soon into their travels, he added young Timothy—a son in faith to encourage, nurture, train, teach, and love.  Timothy was half-Jewish but all-Jesus, a tribute to both God’s grace and the spiritual grounding he had received at home from a Godly grandmother and mom.  “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, also lives in you”(2 Tim. 1:5).  (May this verse be an encouragement to single moms with no spouses and to married moms with unsaved spouses.  Your influence and example are powerful and effective.  God hears your “please” and He will answer.)

Paul could have traveled alone, but he didn’t.  He took along Silas and Timothy because he knew he would grow more in Jesus and show more of Jesus if surrounded by friends with the same faith and focus.  Paul wanted someone to help him along, and he wanted to help someone else along.  That’s what the Christian life should look like—a long line of Jesus-followers being helped along by those ahead and helping along those behind. We should continually be reaching up and learning while reaching back and leading.  No matter how young or old you are in God’s family, you should always being holding hands with at least two others—one you’re learning from and one you’re leading.  Together really is better because sometimes to get it, you just have to be there.

Walking alone might seem simpler, but it’s not stronger.
Take someone along on your journey with Jesus.

Breaking Up

“They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.”  Acts 15:39

Breaking up is hard to do.  I’m not talking about marriage, for except in extreme cases, “I do” should last until death—and homicide isn’t holy!!  I’m talking about the rest of your relationships—business partnerships, church affiliation, social associations, friendships, etc.   Sometimes in these interactions with others, situations arise where we don’t feel the same way or think the same thing as someone else, and we find ourselves in a clash of opinions, ideas, principles, or plans.  Hopefully, and usually, through honest discussions and selfless compromise these issues are mutually resolved, but occasionally, harmony doesn’t happen and we must decide—can we agree to disagree and stay together or should we split?

For Paul and Barnabas, the second option was their only option.  When Paul suggested that he and Barnabas check on the churches “in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord”(Acts 15:36), Barnabas said, “Let’s go, and let’s take Mark too.”  But Paul did not have room for a tried-but-not-true traveling companion who had deserted them not long into their first trip.  Barnabas felt Mark deserved a second-chance, another go-round at mission work, but Paul would have none of it.  If he was going, Mark wasn’t, and as for Barnabas, if Mark couldn’t go, he wouldn’t either.  “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company”(Acts 15:39).

Earlier in life, this passage made me cringe, and I wished that God had left it out so Christians seemed nicer, but after a few more years of living, I now find this verse, though still not comfortable, quite comforting.  Sometimes, when no resolution can be reached between two people or two groups who are both seeking God, you should simply part ways.  As with Paul and Barnabas, disputes don’t always have a right or wrong answer—simply different opinions or opposite preferences.  Paul didn’t want to take a chance while Barnabas was willing to give another chance.  Since they couldn’t resolve and remain together, they decided to split.

It’s important to note that though they no longer worked together, neither quit working.  “Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus”(Acts 15:39)—the initial destination of their first journey.  “Paul chose Silas…and went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches”(Acts 15:40).  The results of Paul’s travels are well-documented throughout the book of Acts, and surely Barnabas’ nurture and encouragement shaped Mark, the author of the first written gospel.  Though Paul and Barnabas didn’t see eye to eye on a matter of individual ministry, they saw heart to heart on God’s overall mission, and both continued to give their lives for the gospel.

As you relate and interact with the others in your life, do your best to maintain harmony during the hard stuff.  Someone doesn’t have to win, and you’ll both lose if you handle it wrong.  Try to stay together, but it you must split, leave well.  Breakups are always hard, but they should never be harsh.

What we do with our differences often makes the biggest difference.

Endless Love

Yesterday was Valentine's, but by now, the roses are starting to wilt, the
chocolate is gone, and you're wondering what to do with the over-sized,
over-stuffed bear in the corner. Please don't think that I am in any way
against the celebration, but I've been wondering why we sometimes wait until
mid-February to express the things we ought to say quite often.

Is it possible to show too much appreciation, too much admiration, or too
much adoration for your spouse? It is likely that the one person in the
whole world with whom you share your living room and your bedroom will tire
or bore of being told that he or she is special and cherished? Could it
possibly be an asset to your relationship if you made an intentional effort
each day to say or do at least two things you know make your spouse feel
cared about? Might it also be beneficial to the atmosphere of your home if
you asked your husband or wife each morning, "How can make today better for
you?"

Perhaps you are thinking, "But I don't feel like doing these things," or if
you're honest, you might be saying to yourself, "He/She never does that for
me." Both statements are likely true, but, to be brutally blunt, your own
fickle feelings or the failures of your spouse are never justifiable reasons
for your own lack of love and respect. Life and love can never be based on
feelings because feelings wax and wane and occasionally wander. Love is a
choice, a matter of will, a deliberate decision to "in humility, consider
others better than yourself"(Philippians 2:3). Sometimes that's easy.
Sometimes it's not. But it's always right-especially in marriage.
Selfishness has no place in the lifetime covenant designed to model the
sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

If you've "lost that lovin' feelin," the best way to find it is to get busy.
Get busy showing love and sharing life with the one you're committed to.
Make the bed. Do the dishes. Dance to the radio. Turn off the TV and
talk. Sit on the couch and listen (really listen-not just hear.) Bring home
her favorite candy bar. Tell him he's wonderful. Tell him again. Hold
hands. Kiss. (Really kiss and nothing else.) Feelings follow actions. You
might just be surprised at how quickly you get caught!

Happy After-Valentine's Day!
May your celebration be endless!

Religion vs Relationship

“Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching, ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’”      Acts 15:1

In 1853, Hudson Taylor was making waves—and he wasn’t anywhere near the ocean. The young, fresh missionary to China churned the waters of missionary methods when instead of encouraging the Chinese to become like the British, he became like the Chinese. Why? Because Taylor realized that salvation isn’t linked to a culture but to Christ. Knowing Jesus isn’t about what we wear or the length of our hair, it’s about our heart. But such a fact can be hard to swallow.

Many Christians in the early church were choking on that very truth. “Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching, ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved’”(Acts 15:1). After sharply saying that this was not so, Paul and Barnabas headed to Jerusalem to set things straight. At the meeting about the matter, some believers who were Pharisees demanded that non-Jewish Christians be required to follow the rules and regulations of the Law, but Peter reminded them that “it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved”(Acts 15:11)—both Jews and Gentiles. So the church leaders wrote a letter to their fellow Christians confirming that salvation is through grace alone, not by works, and that the best way for them to live out their new life in Christ within the mixed culture of the church was to abstain from idolatry and immorality. They also told them to avoid the meat of strangled animals and blood, most likely out of respect for the kosher Jewish Christians with whom they often shared pot-luck suppers! When the Christians at Antioch received the letter, they “were glad for its encouraging message”(Acts 15:30) and continued living in the freedom of Christ.

Somewhere along your road of life you may not have felt so free, and you may have heard these statements: “You can’t be a good Christian unless you do this,” or, “If you’re really religious, you won’t do that.” The empty blanks of the “this” and “that” are eagerly and easily filled with the expectations and restrictions of certain groups, congregations, or individuals. Depending on context and conviction, various practices regarding entertainment, attire, imbibing, and attending seem to top the list. Though the original intent of these guidelines was most likely to be helpful, unless we are careful, they can quickly become a litmus test of dedication and commitment which produces faulty results. The Jewish Christians demanding that the Gentiles keep the Law were sincere, but sincerely wrong.

Instead of insisting that other Christians conform their behavior to what we think, perhaps should we reform our thinking to what God says. One day, the crowd following Jesus asked Him this question: “‘What must we do to do the works that God requires? Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: To believe in the one he has sent’”(Jn 6:28-29). The crowd wanted a list of rules to follow so they could check them off and feel good about themselves, but Jesus said that salvation has only one essential—to believe in Him. This death-to-life transformation produces many changes. We do abstain from idolatry for we now know and love the one true God. We should avoid immorality because our bodies are His temple and we want to model His purity. And since we put others before ourselves—even our own freedom in Christ, we are sensitive to the culture and practices of other Christians and show respect in our actions and attitudes. But the bottom line is grace—God’s grace to us in Christ and His grace through us to others.

Religion sounds a lot like regulations, but relationship feels like real life. If knowing Jesus is your consuming passion, you’ll live like you ought to. And let other Christians do the same.

Mission Impossible

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47

Mission Impossible 4 was recently playing at a theatre near you. The movie title is a near misnomer, for had the protagonist been unsuccessful in his first three endeavors, people would surely not pay to see him fail in a fourth. But against all odds—believable and unbelievable—with extensive collateral damage rampant around him, the main character, once again, manages to escape unscathed and accomplish his mission. And the audience leaves happy. Why? Because we all like a good action-packed, suspenseful success story.

Perhaps Hollywood should consider the apostle Paul for its next big project. From the Damascus road until his death, Paul’s life sequenced with adventure and action, confrontation and calamity, troubles, triumphs, danger, pain, excitement, friends, sorcerers, and stoning. And that’s just the first mission trip!

After being set apart by God’s Spirit, Paul and Barnabas set sail to Cyprus to spread the good news of Jesus. Things began with a bang when Paul called blindness upon a Jewish sorcerer who “opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul [his boss] from the faith”(Acts 13:8). At the next town, they were welcomed to share “a message of encouragement for the people”(Acts 13:15), but when “on the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord”(Acts 13:44), jealous Jews “incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution again Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from the region”(Acts 13:51).

Thrown out but not taken down, “the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit”(Acts 13:52) and moved on to share the news that split the next town in two. The people at Iconium were divided; some sided with the close-minded Jews, others with the apostles. Paul and Barnabas hung there for a while, “speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders”(Acts 14:3), but when they discovered “there was a plot afoot…to mistreat them and stone them”(Acts 14:5), they fled for their lives.

In the city of Lystra, Paul healed a man crippled from birth, and immediately the crowd began to hail them as heroes. “The gods have come to us in human form!” they shouted. “Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker”(Acts 14:11-12). The priest from the pagan temple hurried to the city gate with bulls and wreaths for their honor and sacrifice. Though Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes in anguish and tried to shout God’s truth, “they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them”(Acts 14:19)—until some Jews from the last town they visited showed up and turned the once-adoring crowd against them. “They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead”(Acts 14:20). But he wasn’t, and he left for Derbe the next day.

In that city, “they preached the good news and won a large number of disciples”(Acts 14:21). Then they retraced their steps, bravely heading back to the places where they had been persecuted, “strengthening the disciples who were there and encouraging them to remain true to the faith”(Acts 14:22). After that, they headed home to Antioch. They reported to the church “all that God had done and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles”(Acts 14:27), and they rested.

Had their mission been successful? If your definition of success is masses gladly receiving the message of Jesus, then no. If your definition is warm welcomes, open arms, and happy trails, then no. If your definition is honor, exaltation, and good reputations, then no. But if your definition of success is doing what God has said to do, then yes. Their mission was successful. Against all odds—believable and unbelievable, against all enemies—of this world and not of this world, with extensive collateral damage rampant around him and upon him, the main character, once again, manages to escape somewhat unscathed and accomplish his mission. And the audience leaves happy (actually, we leave joyful.) Why? Because Mission Impossible becomes Mission Accomplished when we obey.

Obedience makes our endeavors a complete success—regardless of the external outcome. We can trust the results to God when we do the task as we are told, and we can wait in expectation for our next assignment.

Mission Impossible 5, anyone??

Answer The Call

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” Acts 13:2

What will you do when God calls? Answer and obey? Or let Him keep ringing?

God didn’t save us to shelve us. Though we are trophies of His grace, we are also instruments of His gospel. “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”(Eph 2:10). Through us, He “spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ”(2 Cor 2:14). How this happens in each life differs, and that’s where the call comes in.

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’”(Acts 13:2). Among the Christians at Antioch, some were gifted to preach, some were gifted to teach, and all were gifted to pray and to praise—to worship and to fast(Acts 13:1). As the believers spent time in God’s presence, they heard a specific message to set apart Barnabas and Saul “for the work to which I have called them.”

Often we discern God’s call on our own. Sometimes we need the help of others—like the older Eli who prompted the younger Samuel(1 Sam. 3). Spending time with God always helps us hear what He is saying. The call of the prophet Isaiah came in a vision of God’s temple and in the reality of His presence. “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” God inquired, and Isaiah replied, “Here am I. Send me”(Isa 6:8). The message God’s Spirit spoke to the Christians at Antioch seemed to be a confirmation of the call He had already revealed to Saul and Barnabas. It was also an encouragement to the church who would support and pray for them along the way.

Sometimes God calls people around the world. Sometimes He calls us across the street. Some live out their call as career missionaries, some as vocational ministers. Others sell stocks, teach school, drive trucks, bag groceries, or rock babies. The general call is to “testify to the good news of God’s grace”(Acts 20:24). Your particular call will vary. Be very obedient. My mother repeated few phrases as mottos for life, but my favorite is, “If God calls you to dig ditches, don’t stoop to be the President of the United States.” Nothing is more noble than knowing and doing the will of God.

If you know the exact call of God on your life, live it out. Take time today to recommit your efforts, resources, and abilities to answer in every way you can. If you’re not sure of the specifics, listen up and look around. God’s plans for you quite possibly lie in the lives of those He has placed in your path—or under your feet. Seek Him in prayer. Spend time in praise. Focus on who He is through fasting and fellowship. Ask Christian friends for advice and input. God isn’t trying to hide His will from you. He will let you know.

Too much is at stake to not pick up.
Answer the call.

Choose Your Groove

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25

Yesterday was Sunday, and at 11 AM, I assumed my normal place for morning worship—at the keyboard in the praise band. The quality of what come through my speakers each week is determined by two things—playing the right notes and staying on beat. I readily admit that the first is easier for me than the second.

To aid my rhythm deficiency, the pounding of the drums pulses into my head through two small earbuds, but I have discovered that no matter how high the volume, I only stay on beat when I stay focused on the beat. I must choose to let rhythm of the drums take precedent over the notes I am playing, the chords the lead guitar is strumming, and bottom line booming from the bass. If I am not intentional and attentive, I find myself rushing a bit ahead or lagging slightly behind.

I wish I could say this happens only on Sundays at the keyboard, but I get off beat on the weekdays as well. Though by God’s grace I live by His Spirit, I don’t always keep in step with His Spirit. Sometimes I rush ahead, not patient enough or not trusting enough to let God take His time. Often I lag behind, too slow in gratitude or hesitant in obedience. If I want to live in harmony with God’s heart and stay on pace with His purpose for my life, I must choose to let the rhythm of God’s Word take precedent over what I am feeling, what friends are saying, and what the world is booming. No matter the volume of the other voices, I must focus first and most on what God says. I need to be intentional and attentive, concentrating on the His Word and then listening as His Spirit reminds and reassures throughout each day.

“You gotta move to the music,” my longsuffering drummer would say when I was learning to play with a band. “You can’t sit still and stay on beat.” God agrees. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit”(Gal. 5:25). The heart of the Father pulses in the cadence of His Spirit. Listen up and live life to His tempo.

Move to God’s groove, and you’ll never be off beat.
His rhythm is always right.

The Gross and The Good

“Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord stuck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” Acts 12:23

 I do believe God placed certain details in the Bible to hold the interest of eighth grade boys.

Jael lulled Sisera to sleep with milk and a blanket, then nailed his head to the ground with a tent peg through the temple(Jdg 4:21). Samson ripped a lion with his bare hands, killed one thousand men with a fresh donkey jawbone, caught three hundred foxes, tied them in pairs tail to tail, fastened a torch to each pair, lit the torches, and let them loose in his enemies’ grain fields(Jdg 15:4-5).  David conquered Goliath with a sling and stone and later chose which of his enemies lived or died by measuring them off with a rope.  The exploits of his mighty warriors make today’s gun-toting superheroes seem wimpy.   “Jashobeam raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter”(1 Chr 11:11).  “Benaiah…was a valiant fighter. He struck down two of Moab’s best men.  He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.  And he struck down an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall.  Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club.  He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear”(1 Chr 11:22-23).  Haman’s body dangled from seventy-five feet high from gallows he had built for someone else.  A big fish vomited Jonah onto dry land.  King Herod was eaten by worms.  And we haven’t even mentioned Song of Solomon!!

But the reality is that these events were included for both adolescents and adults—and not only for our interest but also our instruction. Take the story of the wormy Herod.  (This Herod was grandson of the tyrant, Herod the Great, who had tried to kill baby Jesus.)  Herod was not a Jew by birth but became very zealous for the Jewish religion.  When his beheading of the apostle James brought a spike in public approval ratings, he arrested Peter with plans to do to the same.  After Peter’s divine rescue, Herod didn’t hesitate to execute the guards who had been on patrol; then he headed out of town for Caesarea.  The citizens of that region had been on the outs with Herod, but needing to ensure an adequate food supply, they humbly asked for peace.  The day their treaty was ratified, Herod, “wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people”(Acts 12:22).  In excitement and relief, they hailed him as a hero and exclaimed, “This is the voice of a god, not a man”(Acts 12:22), and Herod in his arrogance didn’t disagree.  Instead of deferring the honor to the only One who is worthy, he delighted in the blasphemous acclaim.  Herod’s position had done more than go to his head; it had grown from his heart, and God had had enough.  “Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord stuck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died”(Acts 12:23). Gross.

The motto of this true tale is obvious:  Don’t try to be someone you’re not—especially when that Someone is God.  But why the method?  Why worms?  Why not a heart attack, a stroke, or even a celestial zap?  Why something so repulsive and rank?  Perhaps to remind us that anything full of worms is rotten and useless. Including us.

When writing his famous hymn, At The Cross, Isaac Watts didn’t shy away from the fact that makes many squirm (so much that the lyrics were changed in most songbooks.)  Instead, Watts penned these words: 

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Herod didn’t recognize his need for God’s grace until the grave, but, by His mercy on the cross, God has redeemed the slimy, sinful mess of our lives here and now.  We’ve not been salvaged.  We’ve been saved—from our gross, by His good.

And that should interest all of us.
Not just eighth grade boys.

RealTime, BigTime Rescue

“Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches.” Acts 12:11

Sometimes God does something so eye-popping, heart-pounding, mouth-gaping big that all we can do is stand in awe with lifted hands and lowered jaws. “I can’t explain it, but the tumor is gone,” the oncologist announces as he stares at the scan. “There’s no way you should have survived,” the policeman declares at the sight of your mangled car. “Houses just don’t sell this fast in today’s market,” the realtor marvels as you sign the contract. “It’s the exact amount we needed,” you stammer while holding an unexpected refund. These are the times God grabs our attention with His can’t-be-ignored reality. These are the times God shakes us to wake us so we will see Him bigger and know Him better than ever before. And often it takes a miracle…

When celestial brightness didn’t budge Peter from his slumber, the angel struck his side and spoke, “Quick, get up!”(Acts 12:7). As shackles fell from his wrists, Peter stood and followed directions. “Put on your clothes and your sandals. Wrap your cloak around you and follow me”(Acts 12:8). Certain he was seeing a vision, Peter walked with the angel past two sets of guards, out of the prison, and through the iron city gate—which opened by itself. After a one-street escort, the angel disappeared, and Peter’s dream dissolved into reality.

Astounded at the awesome power of God, he headed to a house where his friends would be praying, but their welcome had to make him wonder. Although the maid believed the man at the door was really Peter, she left it locked in her excitement and ran back to report. The ones inside, who were now given the very answer for which they were asking, found her hard to believe. “You’re crazy,” they said. “It can’t really be Peter. Herod must have killed him, and you heard his angel”(Acts 12:15). But the knocking didn’t end until they let him in, and when they finally opened up, a bona fide, still-alive Peter stood before them. And all they could do was stand in awe with lifted hands and lowered jaws.

God is “always at work to this very day”(Jn 5:17), saving, helping, holding, keeping. Usually He works quietly. But every so often, He works out loud. Very loud. Don’t assign the sound of a miracle to something or someone else. Falling chains, swinging gates, and banging knocks only occur at God’s command. Let Him shake you to wake you. See Him bigger and know Him better than ever before. And don’t doubt that God has done what you desired.

He is the God of real-time, big time rescue.
Then and now.