After he interrogated the guards, he ordered them executed. Then Herod left the province of Judea for Caesarea and stayed there for a period of time. Now, during those days, Herod was engaged in a violent dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a united delegation to Caesarea to appeal to him and reconcile their differences with the king, for Herod controlled their food supply. First they enlisted the support of his trusted personal assistant, Blastus, who secured them an appointment with the king. On the chosen day, Herod came before them, arrayed in his regal robes. Sitting on his elevated throne, he delivered a stirring public address to the people. At its conclusion the people gave him a round of applause. The crowd shouted, “These are the words of a god, not a man!” Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, an infestation of worms, because he accepted the people’s worship and didn’t give the glory to God, and he died. But the hope of God’s kingdom kept spreading and multiplying everywhere! After Barnabas and Saul had delivered the charitable offering for relief, they left Jerusalem, bringing with them a disciple named Mark (who was also known as John).
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3 Days
It's easy to be overwhelmed by evil in the world—wars, political violence, sickness, and personal conflicts remind us we are not in control. But there is a God who is. In Acts 12, everything seems to be going wrong for the church, until God demonstrates his power to save. Join Jack for three days in Acts 12, and remember we have a good King in heaven, we need a heavenly perspective, and God uses our prayers to change the world.
5 Days
Our chaotic world often compels us to cry out to God for help and plead for change. Join Taylor Turkington, author of "Trembling Faith," in this five-day devotional inviting you to pray alongside the distressed prophet Habakkuk as you survey the brokenness in your own experiences. It also encourages you to place your faith in God who loves justice and has promised all will be eventually made right when Jesus returns to rule and reign forever.
Sometimes it seems like God is failing. The same was true for those first disciples too. This 5-day plan will take you through a time when it looked like God’s kingdom promises just weren’t coming true, through the lens of Acts 12. It continues our journey through the book of Acts, the Bible’s gripping sequel of Jesus at work in the life of his followers as he expands his kingdom to the ends of the earth. It’s a journey on what it means to be a Christian. It’s a story in which you have a role to play.
For me, one of the most fascinating areas to explore when I was writing Seeing the Supernatural was the existence of angels. I wanted to go far beyond cartoon depictions to delve into the most important questions about angelic beings. What are they, exactly? What are they capable of doing? How do they interact with us? How can they encourage us in our faith? That’s the subject of this five-day reading plan. It’s a journey through the biblical evidence for celestial spirits and their impact on us. —Lee Strobel
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