Daily Devotional for December 24, 2015
Acts 12
Scripture:
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
Observation:
God can make a way when there seems to be no way! Do you believe that today? On Christmas Eve, this passage is very fitting. The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the ultimate expression of God making a way for us.
Hope can be illusive at times. When hope seems to be far from us and the waves of chaos are rising around us, we need to remember that God can make a way; however, God’s method of rescue may not follow our desires. Just a few chapters before this, Stephen was stoned, while in this chapter Peter is rescued. God will always be there for us as we fulfill His plan for our lives. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours and in the end the right things will take place at the right times for Him to receive the glory. As Spirit-empowered men, our faith will prove that there is nothing more reassuring than knowing God is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present. In addition, He loves us and cares for us in ways that are difficult for us to understand. We serve a God who can, according to His plan and purpose, make a way for us.
Application:
- Personal Application: Put your trust in God in times of joy and in times of chaos. God is on the throne, and His purposes will be accomplished on earth.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Ask them if anything spoke to them as you read. Talk about their answers and show them that one important aspect of this chapter is that God can and will, according to His plan and purpose, make a way for us. Pray for them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Take a moment to thank God today for making a way in your life.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will always put their trust in the Lord.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, December 20 – Sunday, December 27:
- Sunday, December 20: Acts 8
- Monday, December 21: Acts 9
- Tuesday, December 22: Acts 10
- Wednesday, December 23: Acts 11
- Thursday, December 24: Acts 12
- Friday, December 25: Acts 13
- Saturday, December 26: Acts 14
- Sunday, December 27: Acts 15
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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