DID YOU EVER TO TALK TO DID YOU EVER TO TALK TO GOD ABOVE?GOD ABOVE?

Did you ever talk to God above?Did you ever talk to God above?Tell Him that you need a friend to love.Tell Him that you need a friend to love.Pray in Jesus’ name believingPray in Jesus’ name believingthat God answers prayer.that God answers prayer.

Have you told Him all your cares and Have you told Him all your cares and woes?woes?Every tiny little fear He knows.Every tiny little fear He knows.You can know He’ll always hearYou can know He’ll always hearAnd He will answer prayer.And He will answer prayer.

You can whisper in a crowd to Him.You can whisper in a crowd to Him.You can cry when you’re alone to Him.You can cry when you’re alone to Him.You don’t have to pray out loud to You don’t have to pray out loud to Him;Him;He knows your thoughts.He knows your thoughts.

On a lofty mountain peak, He’s there.On a lofty mountain peak, He’s there.In a meadow by a stream, He’s there.In a meadow by a stream, He’s there.Anywhere on earth you go,Anywhere on earth you go,He’s been there from the start.He’s been there from the start.

Find the answer in His Word; it’s Find the answer in His Word; it’s true.true.You’ll be strong because He walks You’ll be strong because He walks with you.with you.By His faithfulness He’ll change you, By His faithfulness He’ll change you, too.too.God answers prayer.God answers prayer.

ACTS 12ACTS 12THE UNSTOPPABLE THE UNSTOPPABLE

GODGODGod’s Witnesses to the God’s Witnesses to the

WorldWorld

(Growing, Glowing, (Growing, Glowing, Going )Going )

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

This chapter pictures for us This chapter pictures for us Christians already suffering from Christians already suffering from famine and now having to suffer famine and now having to suffer escalated persecution.escalated persecution.

Luke seems to contrast the warm Luke seems to contrast the warm care of Antiochan believers with the care of Antiochan believers with the cold cruelty of Herod.cold cruelty of Herod.

Luke seems to want us to grasp at least Luke seems to want us to grasp at least two central concepts: the cruelty of the two central concepts: the cruelty of the Jewish state and how God dealt with it; Jewish state and how God dealt with it; and the total sovereignty of God in and the total sovereignty of God in dealing with His servants in any way He dealing with His servants in any way He chooses.chooses.

God God watcheswatches over His church and over His church and carries out His carries out His plansplans even when even when immediate events seem beyond our immediate events seem beyond our explanation.explanation.

A Powerful King and a A Powerful King and a Praying Church (1-5)Praying Church (1-5) Death of James (1-2)Death of James (1-2) Fate of Peter (3-4)Fate of Peter (3-4) Prayer of the church (5)Prayer of the church (5) PersecutionPersecution and and troubletrouble call a call a

church to church to prayerprayer..

An Awful King and an An Awful King and an Awkward Church (6-19)Awkward Church (6-19) Release from prison (6-11)Release from prison (6-11) Reaction from the church (12-17)Reaction from the church (12-17) Revenge from Herod (18-19)Revenge from Herod (18-19) God’s God’s sovereigntysovereignty in protecting in protecting

His work in the world is not His work in the world is not limited by our ability to limited by our ability to understand it, to interpret it, or understand it, to interpret it, or to act on it intelligently.to act on it intelligently.

A Dead King and a Dynamic A Dead King and a Dynamic Church (19-25)Church (19-25) Opportunity for truth (19-20)Opportunity for truth (19-20) Judgment for pride (21-23)Judgment for pride (21-23) Impetuous for the gospel (24-25)Impetuous for the gospel (24-25) God may God may allowallow the death of the death of

saints and saints and causecause the death of the the death of the wicked. Human mortality has wicked. Human mortality has little to do with the ongoing work little to do with the ongoing work of His kingdom in the world.of His kingdom in the world.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

God God seessees our trials. our trials. God God answersanswers our prayers. our prayers. God’s God’s powerpower cannot be contested. cannot be contested. God God dealsdeals with our enemies. with our enemies. God’s God’s punishmentpunishment cannot be cannot be

avoided.avoided. God’s God’s purposespurposes cannot be frustrated. cannot be frustrated.