♪ ♪ THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM. TODAY, PASTOR, TEACHER
AND AUTHOR ADRIAN ROGERS WILL BE BRINGING US A TIMELESS
MESSAGE FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS CHAPTER 12 AS WE
CONTINUE OUR SERIES, "LIVING SUPERNATURALLY." HAVE YOU BEEN HIT WITH
A SITUATION THAT'S LEFT YOU FEELING HELPLESS
OR EVEN DESPERATE? TODAY ADRIAN ROGERS EXPLAINS
WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO TRUST GOD IN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. ADRIAN ROGERS: GOD IS WORKING
BUT YOU CANNOT SEE GOD WORKING. UH, YOU MAY BE
IN THE MIDDLE
OF CHAOS RIGHT NOW; NOTHING SEEMS
TO BE MAKING SENSE. EVERYTHING THAT
YOU THOUGHT
YOU HAD NAILED DOWN IS COMING LOOSE
AND THE DEVIL
IS PULLING NAILS. NOW LISTEN TO ME,
JUST BECAUSE
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO YOU
DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT
DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. HAVE YOUR BIBLES READY AND
JOIN US FOR TODAY'S MESSAGE, "THE CHRIST OF EVERY CRISIS." AS ALWAYS, THIS MESSAGE AND
OTHER STUDY MATERIAL RELATED TO THIS MESSAGE ARE AVAILABLE
ON OUR WEBSITE, LWF.ORG. NOW LET'S JOIN
ADRIAN ROGERS. ADRIAN: WOULD YOU TURN TO ACTS
CHAPTER 12, PLEASE? AND I WANT US TO THINK
TODAY ABOUT THE CHRIST OF EVERY CRISIS. NOW, WE ALL HAVE TROUBLES,
WE ALL HAVE TROUBLES. THEY COME EVERY DAY. BUT EVERY SO OFTEN
WE COME TO A CRISIS. I MEAN AN
INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH CRISIS. AND, UH, WE REALLY DON'T
KNOW WHERE TO TURN UNLESS WE TURN TO THE LORD. AND, UH, A CRISIS
MAY COME UNEXPECTEDLY. IT MAY COME FEROCIOUSLY,
JUST OUT OF THE BLUE. I MEAN, A FULL-BLOWN CRISIS. CHAPTER 12 VERSE ONE,
"NOW ABOUT THAT TIME HEROD THE KING STRETCHED
FORTH HIS HANDS TO VEX CERTAIN OF THE CHURCH. AND HE KILLED JAMES THE BROTHER
OF JOHN WITH THE SWORD. AND BECAUSE HE SAW IT
PLEASED THE JEWS, HE PROCEEDED FURTHER
TO TAKE PETER ALSO." UH, "THEN WERE THE DAYS
OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. AND WHEN HE HAD APPREHENDED
HIM, HE PUT HIM," THAT IS, PETER, "IN PRISON,
AND DELIVERED HIM TO FOUR QUATERNIONS
OF SOLDIERS, TO KEEP HIM; INTENDING AFTER EASTER," THAT LITERALLY
MEANS AFTER PASSOVER, "TO BRING HIM FORTH
TO THE PEOPLE. PETER, THEREFORE, WAS KEPT
IN PRISON: BUT PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING OF
THE CHURCH UNTO GOD FOR HIM. AND WHEN HEROD WOULD HAVE
BROUGHT HIM FORTH, THE SAME NIGHT PETER WAS
SLEEPING BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS, BOUND WITH TWO CHAINS:
AND THE KEEPERS BEFORE THE DOOR KEPT THE PRISON. AND, BEHOLD, THE ANGEL OF
THE LORD CAME UPON HIM, AND A LIGHT SHINED INTO THE
PRISON," OR, "IN THE PRISON: AND HE SMOTE PETER ON THE
SIDE, AND RAISED HIM UP, SAYING, 'ARISE UP QUICKLY.' AND THE CHAINS FELL
OFF FROM HIS HANDS. AND THE ANGEL SAID
UNTO HIM, 'GIRD THYSELF, AND BIND ON THY SANDALS.
AND SO HE DID. AND HE SAITH UNTO HIM,
'CAST THY GARMENT ABOUT THEE AND FOLLOW ME.' AND HE WENT OUT, AND
FOLLOWED HIM; AND WIST NOT," OR KNEW NOT, "THAT IT WAS
TRUE WHICH WAS DONE BY THE ANGEL; BUT THOUGHT
HE SAW A VISION. AND WHEN THEY WERE PASSED
THE FIRST AND SECOND WARD, THEY CAME UNTO THE IRON GATE
WHICH LEADETH UNTO THE CITY; WHICH OPENED TO THEM OF HIS
OWN ACCORD; AND THEY WENT OUT, AND PASSED ON THROUGH
ONE STREET; AND FORTHWITH THE ANGEL DEPARTED
FROM HIM." NOW I'LL STOP THERE; WE'LL TAKE UP THE READING
HERE A LITTLE LATER. BUT LET ME GIVE YOU
THE BACKGROUND AGAIN AND REITERATE WHAT HAPPENED. HEROD WAS A WILD, A RUTHLESS,
A WICKED AND A VILE MAN. HE WANTED TO TORTURE, TO VEX,
TO DISTURB THE CHURCH. HE HAD ALREADY TAKEN JAMES,
THE BROTHER OF JOHN, AND HAD PUT HIM TO DEATH. HE SAW THAT PLEASED
THE MULTITUDE. HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT,
I'LL GET THE BIG GUY. I'LL GET PETER." AND SO HE PUT
PETER IN PRISON. SAID, "AFTER PASSOVER,
I'M GONNA BRING HIM OUT AND I'LL MAKE HIM
A FOOT SHORTER AT THE TOP, I'LL TAKE OFF HIS HEAD." HEROD WAS ABSOLUTELY FEROCIOUS,
VILE, WICKED AND CRUEL. NOW THAT'S THE SITUATION,
AND IT WAS INDEED A GREAT, GREAT CRISIS. HOW DO YOU HANDLE A CRISIS? WHAT DO YOU DO IN
TIMES OF CRISIS? WELL, I, I WANT TO GIVE YOU,
I WANT TO GIVE YOU FOUR THOUGHTS TODAY AND,
UH, PUT THEM DOWN BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED THEM. YOU MAY NEED THEM RIGHT NOW;
SOME OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING TO ME RIGHT NOW ARE IN THE VERY
MIDST OF A GENUINE CRISIS. BUT IF NOT, YOU WILL BE. NUMBER ONE, WE SHOULD RESPECT,
RESPECT THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE,
OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE. AS YOU LOOK IN THIS CHAPTER,
THERE'S ONE WORD THAT COMES THROUGH;
IT IS PROVIDENCE. THAT IS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
THE HIDDEN HAND OF GOD. GOD IS GONNA BE WORKING
IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY, AN INEXPLICABLE WAY. GOD IS GOING TO BE IN
THE SHADOWS ARRANGING THINGS, MOVING THINGS THAT
PEOPLE CANNOT SEE AND THAT MAY BE VERY TRUE
IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW. GOD IS WORKING,
BUT YOU CANNOT SEE GOD WORKING. UH, YOU MAY BE IN THE MIDDLE
OF CHAOS RIGHT NOW, NOTHING SEEMS
TO BE MAKING SENSE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU THOUGHT
YOU HAD NAILED DOWN IS COMING LOOSE AND
THE DEVIL IS PULLING NAILS. NOW LISTEN TO ME. JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE TO YOU DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT
DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. MANY OF US HAVE
MANY QUESTIONS. AS WE LOOK AT THIS CHAPTER
WE WOULD SAY, "WELL, WHY? WHY DID GOD LET HEROD
BE KING ANYWAY? ISN'T GOD, GOD? HOW COULD GOD LET A RASCAL
LIKE HEROD BE THE KING? IF I WERE GOD,
I'D TURN HIM INTO A FROG. AND WHY, WHY SHOULD JAMES
BE KILLED AND PETER RELEASED? WHY IS THAT?
DOES GOD HAVE FAVORITES? IS GOD CAPRICIOUS?
OR HAS GOD LOST CONTROL? AND, AND WHY ALL
OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN?" NOW FRIEND, I WANT
TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. WE DO NOT LIVE
BY EXPLANATIONS. LIFE IS NOT A PROBLEM
TO BE SOLVED; IT IS A MYSTERY
TO BE LIVED. YOU SHOULD RESPECT,
LISTEN TO THIS, THE MYSTERY, THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE. ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD,
AND JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
TO YOU DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. AND IF YOU'RE IN A CRISIS, DON'T
DEMAND TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY? NUMBER TWO, YOU SHOULD REQUEST
THE MINISTRY OF GOD'S PEOPLE. NOW, WHAT IS THE MINISTRY
OF GOD'S PEOPLE?
IT IS PRAYER. LOOK NOW IN VERSE FIVE, "PETER
THEREFORE WAS KEPT IN PRISON: BUT PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT
CEASING OF THE CHURCH UNTO GOD FOR HIM." THAT IS A GREAT
VERSE ON PRAYER. LOOK AT IT AGAIN, "BUT PETER
THEREFORE WAS KEPT IN PRISON, PETER THEREFORE
WAS KEPT IN PRISON; BUT PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT
CEASING OF THE CHURCH UNTO GOD FOR HIM." NOW THERE SEEMS TO BE
NO HOPE FOR PETER. PETER IS IN, UH,
MAXIMUM SECURITY. THE PRISON IS GUARDED
ON THE OUTSIDE WITH TWO GUARDS BY THE DOOR. THERE'RE SIXTEEN GUARDS
WHO ARE GUARDING PETER; HE MUST'VE BEEN FAIRLY
IMPORTANT FOR SIXTEEN PERSONAL GUARDS
TO GUARD HIM. AND BESIDES ALL OF THAT,
HE'S CHAINED TO A GUARD ON THIS HAND
AND HE'S CHAINED TO A GUARD ON THAT HAND.
HUH, HUH. I, I WOULD SAY, BROTHER,
YOU TALK ABOUT A MAN WHO IS IN A PICKLE,
HE'S IN A PICKLE. AND ON TOP OF THAT,
ON TOP OF THAT, HE IS SENTENCED TO DEATH AND A
WI, UH, UH, A WICKED KING SAYS, "SOON I'M, I'M GOING TO, UH,
I'M GOING TO EXECUTE YOU." NOW, THAT, FRIEND,
IS A CRISIS. YOU MAY THINK YOU HAVE
A CRISIS, UH, BUT PETER IS REALLY IN A CRISIS. THERE SEEMS TO BE
NO HOPE FOR PETER. EVERY DOOR IS SHUT;
EVERY DOOR, EXCEPT ONE, AND THAT'S THE ONE
THAT GOES STRAIGHT UP. THAT WAS THE DOOR
THEY COULD NOT SHUT. THAT, UH, UH,
YOU, WE CAN PRAY. IN A CRISIS THERE'S
ALWAYS PRAYER. AND WHEN THERE'S NO HOPE
ON THE HORIZONTAL LEVEL, THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE
ON THE VERTICAL LEVEL. NOW I WANT US TO LOOK AT
THIS PRAYER AND I WANT US TO JUST PULL OVER
AND PARK HERE FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S THE,
THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE, THERE'S THE MINISTRY
OF GOD'S PEOPLE.
NOW WATCH IT. I WANT YOU TO SEE FIRST OF ALL
WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL THE FREQUENCY OF THE PRAYER. LOOK AT VERSE FIVE, "PRAYER
WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING." NOW THEY PRAYED AND THEY
DID NOT STOP PRAYING. AND THEY MAY HAVE ASKED, "WHY
DOESN'T GOD ANSWER OUR PRAYER?" PETER'S KEPT IN PRISON AND,
UH, GOD DOESN'T SEEM TO BE IN A HURRY TO GET HIM OUT. BUT GOD IS TRYING TO TEACH THEM
A LESSON ABOUT PRAYER, AND ONE OF THE GREAT LESSONS
ABOUT PRAYER IS PERSISTENCE. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"ASK, SEEK, AND KNOCK." BUT IT LITERALLY SAYS, "KEEP
ON ASKING, KEEP ON SEEKING, KEEP ON KNOCKING." AND IN LUKE CHAPTER 18 AND
VERSE ONE THE BIBLE SAYS, "AND JESUS SPAKE A PARABLE
UNTO THEM TO THIS END, THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS
TO PRAY AND NOT TO FAINT." THAT IS, NOT TO STOP PRAYING. AND YOU NEED TO LEARN THAT,
UH, GOD'S DELAYS ARE NOT DENIALS, OKAY? THERE'S THE FREQUENCY
OF THE PRAYER. AND THEN ALSO NOTICE THE
FERVENCY OF THE PRAYER. GOT IT?
THE FERVENCY OF THE PRAYER. THIS WORD WITHOUT CEASING
MAY BE TRANSLATED INTENSELY. THEY WERE PRAYING INTENSELY. I WONDER, WHAT DO WE KNOW
ABOUT INTENSE PRAYER? TELL YOU ONE THING, WHEN YOU'RE
IN A CRISIS YOU LEARN HOW TO PRAY WITH
INTENSITY, DON'T YOU? MANY OF US PRAYED THIS MORNING,
BUT I DARESAY THAT THERE'RE THOSE
IN THIS BUILDING TODAY, IF I WERE TO ASK YOU,
INTERROGATE YOU, YOU COULD NOT TELL ME
WITH SPECIFICITY WHAT YOU PRAYED
FOR THIS MORNING. IT'S JUST SORT OF A GENERAL
PRAYER, BUT NO REAL INTENSITY. I LOVE JEREMIAH 29 VERSE 13,
WHERE GOD SAYS, "AND YE SHALL SEEK ME, AND FIND
ME, WHEN YE SHALL SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART." DO YOU KNOW THE BIBLE
CALLS PRAYER WRESTLING? ROMANS CHAPTER 15 VERSE 30,
PAUL SAID, "NOW I BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, FOR THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST'S SAKE, FOR THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT,
THAT YOU STRIVE TOGETHER WITH ME IN YOUR PRAYERS
TO GOD FOR ME." "THAT YOU STRIVE TOGETHER." HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT
OF PRAYER AS STRIVING, AS WRESTLING? HOW MUCH GENUINE AGONIZE,
AGONIZING DO WE DO IN PRAYER? IF YOU REALLY GET
INTO INTERCESSION, YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT THAT
THE DEVIL WILL FIGHT YOU AND OPPOSE YOU.
PRAYER IS WORK. I'D RATHER PREACH FOR AN HOUR
THAN TO PRAY FOR A HALF AN HOUR, AS SO FAR AS THE LABOR,
UH, THAT IT TAKES FOR GENUINE PRAYER. UH, THERE, THERE'S THE
FREQUENCY OF THE PRAYER, THERE'S THE FERVENCY
OF THE PRAYER. SOMETIMES WE DON'T FEEL
LIKE PRAYING SO WE SAY WE'LL NOT PRAY. FRIEND, IF THERE'S EVER A TIME
THAT YOU NEED TO PRAY, IT'S WHEN YOU
DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. AND YOU PRAY TILL
YOU DO FEEL LIKE IT. BUT PRAY. UH, PRAY NOT ONLY WITH
FREQUENTLY BUT FERVENTLY. AND THEN THERE'S THE FELLOWSHIP
OF THE PRAYER. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IT WAS MADE,
"OF THE CHURCH." LOOK IN VERSE FIVE AGAIN,
"PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING OF THE CHURCH." THAT IS, THEY CAME
TOGETHER TO PRAY. DIDN'T JESUS SAY,
"WHERE TWO OR THREE OF YOU ARE GATHERED TOGETHER
IN MY NAME, THERE AM I IN
THE MIDST OF THEM?" AND, "IF ANY TWO OF YOU
SHALL AGREE ON EARTH AS TOUCHING ANY THING THAT THEY
SHALL ASK, IT WILL BE DONE FOR THEM OF MY FATHER
WHICH IS IN HEAVEN?" GOD IS PLEASED WHEN
HIS CHILDREN PRAY, BUT GOD IS MORE PLEASED WHEN
HIS CHILDREN PRAY IN FELLOWSHIP. THERE'S NOTHING THAT
WILL BIND US TOGETHER AS A CHURCH MORE THAN PRAYING. IF YOU'VE EVER HAD
A PRAYER PARTNER, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR HEART AND
HIS, HER, HEART OR HER HEART ARE LINKED TOGETHER. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN GOD COMES,
WHEN THE CHURCH PRAYS, THAT IS GLORIOUS AND WONDERFUL. IT IS WHAT WE CALL, UH, THE,
THE FELLOWSHIP OF PRAYER. THIS PRAYER WAS MADE
OF THE CHURCH FOR PETER. AND THEN I WANT YOU TO NOTICE
THE FAITH OF THE PRAYER. THE PRAYER WAS UNTO GOD,
IT WAS UNTO GOD. PRAYER WAS MADE UNTO GOD. THEY WERE NOT; THEY WERE
NOT PRAYING TO ONE ANOTHER. THEY WERE NOT PRAYING
TO IMPRESS ONE ANOTHER. YOU KNOW, TODAY I THINK
THE REASON WE DON'T PRAY WITH FREQUENCY AND FERVENCY
IS BECAUSE WE THINK WE CAN DO IT WITHOUT PRAYER. YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THE WORST
THING ABOUT US IS NOT OUR PRAYERLESSNESS
BUT OUR PRIDE. I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR MACHINERY,
WE HAVE OUR PLANS, WE HAVE OUR METHODS,
WE HAVE OUR PASTORS, WE HAVE OUR CHOIRS,
WE HAVE OUR BIBLE FELLOWSHIPS, WE HAVE OUR BUILDINGS,
WE HAVE THIS; WE HAVE THAT. AND SO WE COME TO CHURCH
AND THINK, "WELL, WE'LL DO IT; WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT." AND YOU KNOW WHAT
THE DEVIL DOES? THE DEVIL STANDS IN
THE CORNER AND SMIRKS. AND HE SAYS, "YOU CAN
HAVE YOUR BUILDINGS, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CHOIRS,
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR FELLOWSHIPS, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR PREACHER,
YOU CAN HAVE ALL, EVERYTHING YOU WANT, YOU CAN
EVEN HAVE YOUR BIBLE STUDIES, AS LONG AS YOU LEAVE
OUT THE POWER OF GOD THAT COMES WITH FERVENT PRAYER
THAT WILL NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER." THE DEVIL MOCKS AT OUR SCHEMES,
LAUGHS AT OUR ORGANIZATIONS, RIDICULES OUR TALENTS,
BUT HE FEARS OUR PRAYERS.
[AUDIENCE: AMEN] NOW, THESE PEOPLE
ARE GONNA PRAY. PETER'S IN PRISON.
THEY'RE GOING TO PRAY. HUH, HA, THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY, WHAT, THEY, THEY CAN'T GET A PETITION AND BRING
IT TO THE GOVERNMENT. THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO BRIBE
HEROD TO GET HIM OUT OF PRISON. UH, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE
POLITICAL INFLUENCE, BUT THEY'RE GONG TO PRAY. AND THE WORLD MAY LAUGH, BUT
FRIEND, THE DEVIL DIDN'T LAUGH. [AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT]
SOMEONE HAS WISELY SAID, "THE DEVIL TREMBLES WHEN
HE SEES THE WEAKEST SAINT UPON HIS KNEES." THERE IS THE FOCUS
OF THE PRAYER. THE PRAYER IS UNTO GOD. AND GOD IS GOD, AND GOD
CONTROLS THE UNIVERSE. [AUDIENCE: AMEN]
WE NEED TO LEARN THAT. THAT WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING,
WHEN WE'RE PRAYING, WE ARE PRAYING TO GOD. AND SO THERE'S THE FAITH
OF THE PRAYER. AND THEN THERE'S
THE FOCUS OF THE PRAYER. LOOK IN VERSE FIVE AGAIN. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"THEREFORE PRAYER," UH, "PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING
OF THE CHURCH UNTO GOD," NOW WATCH THIS, "FOR HIM." THEY WERE PRAYING FOR PETER. IT WAS A PRAYER,
NOT ONLY WITH INTENSITY, BUT WITH SPECIFICITY. WHAT DID YOU PRAY
FOR THIS MORNING? DO YOU KNOW SO MANY
OF OUR PRAYERS ARE SO VAGUE, IF GOD WERE TO ANSWER THEM
WE WOULDN'T KNOW IT AND IF GOD DIDN'T ANSWER THEM
WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO ADMIT IT? [AUDIENCE CHUCKLE] "LORD,
SAVE THE LOST THIS MORNING." WELL, IF SOMEBODY GETS SAVED,
YOU CAN SAY, "WELL, I PRAYED FOR SOMEBODY TO BE SAVED, Y,
AND A LOST PERSON GOT SAVED." HOW DO YOU KNOW
THAT WAS YOUR PRAYER? HOW DO YOU KNOW
THAT WASN'T MY PRAYER? SOMEBODY ELSE'S PRAYER? YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE
THESE VAGUE, GENERAL PRAYERS. AT LEAST WHEN THEY'RE PRAYING
FOR PETER AND THE ANSWER CAME, THEY KNEW IT WAS AN ANSWER
TO PRAYER, ISN'T THAT RIGHT? IT WAS MADE FOR HIM.
WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR? WHAT ARE YOU ASKING GOD FOR? UH, WHEN YOU SAY, UH, "LORD, I
WANT YOU TO DO THIS OR DO THAT"? IF GOD WERE TO ANSWER YOUR
PRAYER, WOULD YOU EVEN KNOW IT? YOU SEE, THERE'S
THE FOCUS OF THE PRAYER. IT WAS FOR PETER,
AND GOD ANSWERED. NOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN A CRISIS, RESPECT THE MYSTERY
OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE. FRIEND, REQUEST THE MINISTRY
OF GOD'S PEOPLE. HERE'S THE THIRD THING. UH, WHEN YOU'RE IN A CRISIS,
NUMBER THREE, WE SHOULD REST IN
THE MASTERY OF GOD'S PEACE. NOW THERE'S THE MYSTERY
OF HIS PROVIDENCE, THERE'S THE MINISTRY
OF HIS PEOPLE, AND THERE IS THE MASTERY
OF HIS PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM. LOOK IN VERSE SIX,
"AND WHEN HEROD WOULD HAVE BROUGHT HIM FORTH,
THE SAME NIGHT," WATCH THIS, "PETER WAS SLEEPING!"
GOOD NIGHT. PETER'S, "SLEEPING
BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS, BOUND WITH TWO CHAINS." I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
THEY WERE ASLEEP, BUT HERE'S OLD PETER ASLEEP,
"AND THE KEEPERS BEFORE THE DOOR KEPT
THE PRISON." THERE HE IS, THE NEXT
MORNING HE'S TO BE EXECUTED, AND THERE HE IS, ASLEEP. AND YOU KNOW HE'S SLEEPING
SO SOUND THAT THE ANGEL HAS TO PUNCH HIM IN
THE RIBS TO WAKE HIM UP. UH, LOOK, LOOK IF YOU WILL,
UH, IN VERSE SEVEN, "AND BEHOLD, THE ANGEL
OF THE LORD CAME IN UPON, CAME UPON HIM, AND A LIGHT
SHINED IN THE PRISON: AND HE SMOTE PETER ON THE SIDE,
AND RAISED HIM UP." CAN YOU IMAGINE, "HEY,
PETE, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!" "HUH!" HERE'S PETER,
SOUND ASLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED EXECUTION.
THIS IS PEACE. THIS IS PEACE IN
THE MIDST OF THE STORM. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AS
I READ THIS, AND I SAID, "WHY, HOW COULD PETER SLEEP
IN SUCH A CRISIS?" WELL, NUMBER ONE, HE'S NO
LONGER AFRAID OF DEATH. HE'S SEEN THE, HE'S
SEEN THE RISEN CHRIST. I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE,
A MAN IS NOT READY TO LIVE UNTIL HE'S NO LONGER
AFRAID TO DIE. HE, PETER HAS SEEN
THE RISEN CHRIST. AND FOR THIS MAN, DEATH HOLDS
NO REAL TERRORS FOR HIM. NUMBER TWO, HE KNOWS THAT GOD'S
PEOPLE ARE PRAYING FOR HIM. WHAT STRENGTH THERE IS;
WHAT JOY; WHAT VICTORY. I HAVE, I HAVE A SENSE SO
MANY TIMES WHEN I'M DOING WHAT I'M DOING, THERE IS
LIKE, THERE'S, THERE'S THIS, THIS PEACE, THIS, THIS
BUOYANCY, AND YOU KNOW THAT IT'S BECAUSE GOD'S
PEOPLE ARE PRAYING. PETER KNEW THOSE FOLKS WERE
BOMBARDING HEAVEN FOR HIM, AND THAT'S THE
REASON HE WAS ASLEEP. AND ALSO, HE IS AWARE OF
GOD'S PRESENCE BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT THE BIBLE SAYS,
"HE THAT KEEPETH ISRAEL SHALL NEITHER
SLUMBER NOR SLEEP." I HEARD ABOUT A MAN WHO WAS IN
A CRISIS AND HE COULDN'T SLEEP AND HE THOUGHT ABOUT
THIS VERSE OF SCRIPTURE, "HE THAT KEEPETH ISRAEL SHALL
NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP." HE SAID, "WELL, LORD,
THERE'S NO NEED FOR BOTH OF US TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT. GOOD NIGHT, I'M GOING TO SLEEP
WHILE YOU STAY AWAKE." THE BIBLE SAYS, "THOU WILT
KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE
BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE." ALL RIGHT, RESPECT THE MYSTERY
OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE; REQUEST THE MINISTRY
OF GOD'S PEOPLE. PRAYER; REST IN THE MASTERY
OF GOD'S PEACE IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS,
"THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND
IS STAYED ON THEE BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE." TAKE YOUR EYES ON,
OFF THE STORM AND PUT THEM ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. NOW LAST OF ALL, REJOICE,
REJOICE IN THE MAJESTY OF GOD'S POWER. NOW, DO YOU THINK THAT GOD
WAS OUT OF CONTROL WHEN, UH, JAMES WAS KILLED? DO YOU THINK THAT GOD
WAS OUT OF CONTROL, AH, WHEN PETER WAS PUT IN PRISON?
NO, NO. GOD IS ON HIS THRONE. LET'S BEGIN IN VERSE SEVEN
NOW, "AND BEHOLD, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
CAME UPON HIM," THAT IS, UPON PETER, "AND
A LIGHT SHINED IN THE PRISON: AND HE SMOTE PETER ON THE SIDE, AND RAISED HIM UP, SAYING,
'ARISE UP QUICKLY.' AND HIS CHAINS FELL
OFF FROM HIS HANDS. AND THE ANGEL SAID UNTO HIM,
'GIRD THYSELF AND BIND ON THY SANDALS.'
AND SO HE DID. AND HE SAITH UNTO HIM,
'CAST THY GARMENT ABOUT THEE, AND FOLLOW ME.' AND HE WENT OUT,
AND FOLLOWED HIM; AND WIST NOT THAT IT WAS TRUE
WHICH WAS DONE BY THE ANGEL; BUT THOUGHT HE SAW A VISION. AND WHEN THEY WERE PASSED
THE FIRST AND THE SECOND WARD," THEY KEEP ON WALKING
RIGHT ON PAST THESE GUARDS, "THEY CAME TO THE IRON GATE
WHICH LEADETH UNTO THE CITY; WHICH OPENED TO THEM
OF ITS OWN ACCORD." BUT NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE
THIS, "THEY WENT OUT AND PASSED ON THROUGH
ONE STREET AND FORTHWITH," I'M IN VERSE 10, "THE ANGEL
DEPARTED FROM HIM." THE ANGEL TOOK HIM ONLY SO
FAR AND THEN SAID, "ALL RIGHT, PETE, UH, SO LONG." UH, NOW, I WANT YOU
TO SEE HOW GOD'S, UH, POWER IS WORKING HERE. UH, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE
THOUGHT THAT GOD WAS WEAK AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING OR
THAT GOD WAS UNCONCERNED AND DID NOT CARE, AND YOU MAY
FEEL THAT IN YOUR PROBLEM, YOU MAY SAY, "WHERE
IS GOD, WHERE IS GOD? IS GOD ABLE? OR DOESN'T GOD CARE?" AND, AND IT'S A VERY
INTERESTING THING, THAT, THAT PETER'S DELIVERANCE
CAME AT THE LAST MOMENT. I MEAN, GOD IS VERY
LEISURELY IN THIS THING. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
ALL OF THIS STORY IS MARKED BY LEISURE. AH, UH, HUH, HUH, HUH,
WHEN ANGEL COMES IN, "HEY PETE, WAKE UP!
TSK, TSK, GET UP." HITS HIM IN THE RIB.
"COME ON, SON, GET UP." "WHAT TIME IS IT?" "NEVER MIND WHAT TIME IT IS, UH,
WE'RE GONNA MAKE A JAILBREAK." HA, HA, HA. "NOW PETE, PUT
ON YOUR CLOTHES. PETE, PUT ON YOUR SHAN,
YOUR SANDALS. NOW PETE, PUT ON YOUR COAT." I MEAN, IF YOU'RE MAKING
A JAILBREAK, DO YOU, DO, DO YOU GET DRESSED UP
AS YOU'RE GOING OUT? I MEAN, PUTTING ON
YOUR SHOES AND EVERYTHING? WHAT HE'S SAYING, "HEY, PETE,
WE'RE GOING OUT IN CLASS, WE'RE NOT SNEAKING
OUT OF THIS PLACE, WE'RE GOING OUT, UH, HUH,
HUH, IN REAL CLASS." THERE, THERE'S SUCH LEISURE
ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. GOD MOVES IN MIG, MAJESTY
AND LEISURE AND THEY WALK OUT AND, UH, THROUGH THE FIRST GATE,
THE SECOND GATE, HERE'S THE IRON GATE JUST,
UH, FIRST WARD, SECOND WARD, HERE'S THE IRON GATE,
JUST SWINGS OPEN. AND THEN THE ANGEL LEAVES HIM. NOW THERE IS SOMETHING
VERY INTERESTING. AFTER THAT IRON GATE OPENS,
PETER IS GOING TO GO WHERE THE PRAYER MEETING IS. AND THE PEOPLE ARE THERE
AT A HOUSE, THE DOOR IS SHUT, THE FRONT GATE IS LOCKED
AND, UH, THEY'RE HAVING A PRAYER MEETING THERE. WELL PETER NOW HAS MADE THIS
PRISON BREAK AND HE REALIZES IT'S NOT A VISION;
IT'S IN REAL, IT'S FOR REAL. SO HE GOES THERE TO WHERE
THEY'RE HAVING THE PRAYER MEETING; [KNOCK,
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK] KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. LITTLE MAID COMES AND SHE
LOOKS THROUGH THE PEEPHOLE. WHEW!
IT'S PETER. SHE DOESN'T EVEN SAY,
"PETER, COME IN." SO SHE GOES BACK AND
SAYS, "HEY FOLKS! GOD HAS HEARD OUR PRAYER,
PETER'S AT THE DOOR." THEY SAY, "RHODA, HUH,
YOU MUST BE HAVING A, A VISION. UH, WOULD YOU GO
LEAVE US ALONE? WE'RE PRAYING FOR PETER
TO GET OUT OF PRISON." [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER]
HERE'S PETER OVER HERE, [KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK,
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK] "LET ME IN." DID YOU KNOW, IT WAS EASIER
FOR HIM TO GET OUT OF PRISON THAN IT WAS TO GET IN
THAT PRAYER MEETING, [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER]
HA, HA? THAT'S AN AMAZING THING! UH, IF, IF, IF, IF THE,
IF THE LORD COULD OPEN A PRISON GATES,
DON'T YOU THINK HE COULD CAUSE THAT GARDEN GATE TO OPEN,
OR WHATEVER IT WAS? I WANT YOU TO
LEARN A LESSON. PRAYER IS NEVER AN
EXCUSE FOR LAZINESS. NOW THERE WAS NO WAY THAT PETER
COULD OPEN THAT PRISON GATE, BUT THERE WAS A WAY THAT OTHER
GATE COULD'VE BEEN OPENED. NOW WE CAN'T CHURN, WE CAN'T
CHANGE WATER INTO WINE, BUT WE CAN FILL EARTHEN
POTS, CAN'T WE? WE CAN'T RAISE LAZARUS FROM
THE DEAD, BUT WE CAN TAKE THE GRAVE CLOTHES
OFF, CAN'T WE? YOU SEE, THERE'S CERTAIN
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND PRAYER IS NEVER AN EXCUSE
FOR LAZINESS AND, UH, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, EH,
AH, WE'RE TO PRAY TO GOD FOR DAILY BREAD, BUT THE BIBLE
ALSO SAYS, "IF A MAN WON'T WORK, NEITHER
SHOULD HE EAT." DON'T YOU LOVE THE BALANCE
OF THE WORD OF GOD? BUT HERE IS GOD MOVING
IN MAJESTIC POWER. GOD IS STILL ON HIS THRONE. AND, LISTEN TO ME,
IF YOU'RE IN A SITUATION AND GOD DOESN'T DELIVER YOU, REMEMBER HE DIDN'T
DELIVER JAMES. IT'S NOT BECAUSE HE CAN'T. AND IF GOD IS NOT WORKING
ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU CAN SEE, IT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT GOD IS NOT WORKING. AND IF EVIL SEEMS TO SUCCEED,
JUST REMEMBER THAT THE SUCCESS OF EVIL
IS ONLY TEMPORARY. WOODROW WILSON ONCE SAID,
"I HAD RATHER TEMPORARILY FF, FAIL WITH A CAUSE THAT MUST
ULTIMATELY SUCCEED THAN TO TEMPORARILY SUCCEED
WITH A CAUSE THAT WHICH, WHICH MUST ULTIMATELY FAIL." NOW IF YOU'RE IN A CRISIS,
AND SOME OF YOU ARE IN A REAL CRISIS,
LET ME GIVE YOU FOUR THINGS TO REMEMBER. NUMBER ONE; DON'T DEMAND
TO UNDERSTAND, YOU'LL NEVER FIGURE IT OUT. NUMBER TWO; REMEMBER
THE RESOURCE OF PRAYER. NUMBER THREE; PUT YOUR EYES
UPON GOD AND REST IN HIS LOVE. AND NUMBER FOUR;
EXPECT GOD'S POWER TO MOVE IN HIS OWN TIME
AND IN HIS OWN WAY. AND FRIEND, HE WILL DO IT. HE'S THE CHRIST
OF EVERY CRISIS. WOULD YOU BOW YOUR
HEADS IN PRAYER? ♪ ♪ ADRIAN: FRIEND AREN'T YOU SO
GLAD THAT WE ARE FREE TO CHOOSE? THE BIBLE SAYS,
"CHOOSE LIFE." AND FOR YOU IT
IS DECISION TIME. WOULD YOU PRAY THIS PRAYER
AFTER ME, "LORD JESUS, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR REDEEMING LOVE, COME INTO MY HEART,
FORGIVE MY SIN AND SAVE ME. BE IN MY HEART DAY BY DAY
AND BRING ME HOME TO HEAVEN." FRIEND PRAY THAT,
MEAN IT AND TRUST HIM WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART. AND IF YOU DO, WRITE TO US. WE WOULD REJOICE TO HEAR
ABOUT YOUR DECISION AND WE'LL SEND YOU SOME
LITERATURE, ABSOLUTELY FREE, TO HELP YOU TO GET STARTED
IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. ♪ ♪ WE HOPE THAT TODAY'S PROGRAM
HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO YOU. TO WATCH THIS MESSAGE AGAIN,
LISTEN TO OTHER MESSAGES FROM THIS SAME SERIES OR
TO DOWNLOAD TODAY'S OUTLINE OR OTHER RELATED MATERIALS,
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, LWF.ORG. AT LWF.ORG, YOU CAN BROWSE
HUNDREDS OF MESSAGES FROM ADRIAN ROGERS THROUGH
OUR AUDIO AND VIDEO ON DEMAND. AND DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN
CATCH UP ON OUR PROGRAMS EACH WEEK ON OUR FACEBOOK
PAGE OR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. NEXT WEEK, ADRIAN ROGERS
EXAMINES FOUR TRUTHS FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION
THAT CAN GUIDE US IN THESE COMING DAYS
OF UNCERTAINTY. YOU SEE, YOU HAVE
INCREASING EXPONENTIALITY, MORE AND MORE,
FASTER AND FASTER,
AS DANIEL SAID, "IN THE LAST DAYS
KNOWLEDGE SHALL
INCREASE." BUT THEN YOU
HAVE ALSO,
THE BIBLE SAYS, "EVIL MEN SHALL
WAX WORSE
AND WORSE." MORE AND MORE,
DEEPER DEGRADATION
AND SIN, HOW LONG CAN IT
LAST BEFORE IT
ALL COMES TOGETHER IN A CONFLAGRATION
AND AN EXPLOSION? YOU SAY, "WELL,
PASTOR, ARE YOU
A PESSIMIST?" NO, I AM
A GLOWING OPTIMIST
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, "THE KINGDOMS
OF THIS WORLD
WILL BE THE KINGDOM OF
OUR LORD AND
HIS CHRIST." JOIN US FOR,
"THE FUTURE IS HERE." A PART OF OUR SERIES,
"THE TRIUMPH OF THE LAMB." THANKS FOR WATCHING TODAY,
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. ♪ ♪ <i>ANNOUNCER: LOVE WORTH FINDING IS
A VIEWER SUPPORTED MINISTRY</i> <i> AND WE NEED THE HELP
OF FAITHFUL VIEWERS LIKE YOU</i> <i> AS WE SHARE THE LOVE
OF CHRIST EACH WEEK.</i> <i> AS THANKS FOR YOUR FINANCIAL
SUPPORT THIS MONTH,</i> <i>WE'LL SEND YOU THE, "FOUNDATIONS
FOR OUR FAITH," PACKAGE.</i> <i> THESE COMPANION
STUDY GUIDES TO THE,</i> <i> "FOUNDATIONS FOR
OUR FAITH" SERIES</i> <i> ARE DESIGNED
TO DEEPEN YOUR FAITH</i> <i> AND HELP YOU BUILD A SOLID,
BIBLICAL FOUNDATION.</i> <i> PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER
BECOMING A MONTHLY PARTNER.</i> <i> THANK YOU AND MAY GOD
RICHLY BLESS YOU.</i>
