Msg #1527 Life Changing Trials

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

When a man looks straight down the gun barrel of his mortality, it forever changes his perspective on life. One of the greatest joys, and greatest frustrations, of a youth pastor is dealing with people who think themselves invincible. When Peter spent the night on death row, he walked out a changed Apostle. Herod, in Acts 12, had killed James the brother of John with the sword, and saw that this pleased the Jews. His intent was to give them an even grander pleasure the next day: the public execution of the outspoken Apostle Peter. When God opened prison doors and set the captive free, the miracle is sometimes dwarfed because preachers want to emphasize the prayer meeting in this chapter. Look what happened to Peter. He was sleeping comfortably, content to die for Christ, when the angel of the Lord kicked him in the side and said, “Arise up quickly!” Luke eloquently records the many miracles and the dreamy stupor of Peter. Then he writes, “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me...” Sometimes we do not know things for sure until he takes us through the near death trials. Twenty years later, Peter wrote what I call the Know-Grow-Shew-and-Go series in his first epistle. It starts, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.... Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation … But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:16,18) God will save you till you know it, and change you till you shew it. Don't wait for your mortality to come in view.

An Essay for week #27 Jul 5, 15

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs150705.mp3

In blog http://www.theology.gsbaptistchurch.com

In paperback at www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch