Tues.’s Devo - God’s Deliverance

Read: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 17:14-15 Ahab returned home and told Jezebel all that happened on Mt. Carmel and how Elijah killed all her prophets. She was so upset she put a curse on herself if she didn’t kill Elijah by that time the next day. When Elijah found out what she said, he fled for his life. *** He went to Beersheba and left his servant there then went alone into the wilderness. He had a big pity party under a broom tree and prayed to die. An angel touched him and told him to stand up an eat. There was a cake baked on the fire and a jar of water so he ate and drank. The angel came back a second time and told him the same thing. He ate and drank again. The angel told him the journey ahead was long and he would need the strength the food and drink gave him. Sure enough, it took 40 days and nights to get to Horeb, the mountain of God. Mt. Horeb is Mt. Sinai where Moses was given the law. *** When he got there, the Lord came to him and asked him what he was doing there. Elijah told him he had been zealous for his name, but the people had torn down his altars and killed his prophet and he was the only one left. *** The Lord told him to go out and stand and the Lord passed by. A great wind storm tore into the mountain knocking rocks into pieces. Then there was an earthquake and then a fire but God didn’t speak out of any of them. Elijah heard a still small voice and went out of the cave to hear it better. The Lord asked him again what he was doing there. He told him the same answer. *** God told him to return and on his way to Damascus, he was to anoint Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu as king over Israel and Elisha as prophet to take his place. Whoever escaped the sword of Hazael, would be killed by Jehu and whoever escaped the sword of Jehu, Elisha would kill. And… God had reserved 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed to Baal. *** Instead of doing what God said to do in His order, Elijah went straight to find Elisha to take his place. He never did the first two things. Elisha ended up finishing them in his ministry. *** Elijah found Elisha plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. He begged him to let him go and tell his father and mother he was leaving and then he would follow him. He killed his oxen using the wood from their yokes as firewood. He fed the people with the meat from the oxen and followed Elijah. *** In Acts, the Roman government became involved in persecuting the Christians. King Herod Agrippa had James killed with the sword and when he saw how popular this made him with the Jews he also arrested Peter during the Passover celebration. He put him in prison with 16 guards assigned to watch him. *** The church prayed earnestly for Peter and the night before Peter’s trial, a bright light appeared in Peter’s cell. An angel woke him up and told him to get up and the chains fell off his wrists. The angel told him to get dressed and follow him. Peter followed the angel past all the guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened before him and then the angel left. *** Peter realized it wasn’t a dream and went to the home of Mary where the believers were gathered to pray. Rhoda answered Peter’s knock and was so excited she ran back and told the believers that Peter was at the door where she had left him. They didn’t believe her, but Peter continued to knock. When the finally opened the door they were so happy to see him and were amazed at his story. Then Peter went to another place to hide. *** The next morning, chaos arose at the prison when they couldn’t find Peter. The guards were interrogated and sentenced to die. Herod left Judea and went to Caesarea. *** The people of Tyre and Sidon had made Herod angry. They sent delegates to make peace with him since they depended upon him for food. He was convinced to meet with them. When the time of the meeting came, Herod put on his royal robes and sat on his royal throne and gave a speech. The people shouted that he was the voice of a god, not a man. *** Because Herod accepted their worship, he was instantly struck with sickness and died of worms. Yuck! *** Lord, you know how to protect those you need safety and deliver those in chains. You cannot be defeated! May we not despair but stand in faith, eat your Word and drink your Spirit. You give us supernatural strength to fulfill all the plans you have for us.