Tag: Herod

Living in the Image of God

Human Effort Plus Miracle to Accomplish Goal

Living in the Image of God M05S07

Peter’s escape from Herod’s prison conveys understanding that God provides miracles to combine with human effort to accomplish his goals. He freed Peter from prison but left him to complete his escape from King Herod by human effort. Also, through his interactions with disciples during two storms on Sea of Galilee, Christ conveys understanding of human relationship with God regarding faith, human effort, and miracles. In the first storm, the disciples panicked and shifted focus from work to seeking Jesus. He released a miracle to end the storm, then scolded the disciples for lack of faith. In the second storm, the disciples focused on work but were distracted by the glory of Jesus walking on water. He encouraged them to keep working and released a miracle to end the storm. The examples convey understanding that God sees your human effort, encourages you to keep working, and will intervene with miracle when and how he chooses. Therefore, focus on doing what you can humanly do in every endeavor.

Human Effort Plus Miracle to Accomplish Goal 18:53

In this bible study, we discuss examples from the bible to understand that God provides miracles to combine with human effort to accomplish his goals.

First, we discuss Peter’s escape from Herod’s prison. An angel freed Peter from prison, but left him at a short distance from the prison, where Herod’s people could easily recapture him if he stayed there. Therefore, Peter still needed human effort to complete his escape from Herod. That is, a combination of miracle plus human effort occurred to accomplish the goal of “Peter’s escape from Herod.”

Second, we discuss Christ interactions with disciples during two storms on Lake Galilee. In the first storm, the disciples panicked as they feared that Jesus was not aware of their struggle with the storm. They shifted focus from human effort to seeking Jesus to intervene. He released a miracle to end the storm and scolded the disciples for lack of faith. In the second storm, the disciples focused on human effort but were distracted when they saw Jesus walking on water. He encouraged them to keep working. Then he entered the boat and released a miracle to end the storm.

The accounts help us understand that God has given us capabilities to accomplish every goal that he has established for us, calls every person to apply their capabilities in every situation, and will determine when and how to intervene with miracles as needed. Therefore, focus on doing what you can humanly do. God sees your effort and will choose when and how to provide a miracle.

Continue reading “Human Effort Plus Miracle to Accomplish Goal” →
Following God's Schedule

Working with God in Increments

Work and Miracle Accomplish Goal

God’s schedule often consists of a sequence of tasks, revealed incrementally but not in advance. Completion of a task opens opportunities and conditions for the next task, irrespective of perceived success or failure. God provides input to accomplish a task but expects human effort to combine with his input. We discuss Christ teaching in interactions with a man born blind to understand Following God’s Schedule by working with him incrementally. Also, we discuss Peter’s escape from Herod to illustrate working diligently toward receiving and utilizing God’s intervention.

Teaching human relationship with God regarding work
Teaching human relationship with God regarding work TheGlobalGospel.org FreeBibleImages.org

In continuing with our study series on Following God’s Schedule, we note that God often will provide his schedule as a sequence of tasks, revealed in increments but not in advance. As we discuss in a previous study under Human Relationship with God Regarding Work, completion of a task opens opportunities and conditions for the next task. Irrespective of perceived success or failure, the outcome of a task always leads to opportunities for a new task. Recognize and commit to the new task to advance in following God’s schedule. We discuss Christ teaching in interactions with a man born blind to illustrate God’s schedule revealed in sequential task increments.

Interactions with man born blind
Interactions with man born blind
TheGlobalGospel.org FreeBibleImages.org

Furthermore, each task includes a direct contribution from God and a contribution to be accomplished by human effort. God’s contribution could be closely tied with, and at times indistinguishable from, human effort and could occur before, during, or after the human contribution. We discuss Peter’s escape from Herod to illustrate God combining divine contributions with human effort to accomplish a goal.

Also, the end of a task at times indicates several options for a new task. Some of the options represent an attempt by the enemy to divert a person from following God’s schedule, whereas the other options provide opportunities to continue on God’s path. David faced a similar situation following his departure from Saul. He needed to protect himself from Saul but at the same time continue to build his reputation as a potential future leader of Israel. He identified his immediate and long-term needs and made choices based on satisfying the needs. We discuss events following David’s departure from Saul to understand his choices and staying on God’s schedule toward becoming king of Israel.

David’s choices during the period illustrate Searching for Next Step in Following God’s Schedule. The current study focuses on Christ teaching through interactions with a man born blind and the example based on Peter’s escape from Herod, to understand God’s schedule as a sequence of tasks to be accomplished incrementally through combined divine intervention and human effort. The next study will focus on understanding David’s choices following his departure from Saul, which illustrate Searching for Next Step to remain on the sequence of tasks representing God’s path or schedule to fulfillment of his promise.

Continue reading “Working with God in Increments” →

The Apostles

Peter Escapes from Herod’s Prison

Prepared to Accept a Lift from God

DOWNLOAD AUDIO                 DOWNLOAD PDF

© Nehru | Dreamstime.com

God provides input to solving our various problems but expects us to apply human effort as part of finding the solution. Furthermore, the human effort could be closely tied with and necessary to accepting and utilizing God’s input. Because the strategy and timing of his intervention are generally not known a priori, we have to actively seek solutions at the human level in order to place ourselves in position to receive his intervention. That is, we work diligently because we have faith that he will intervene and we want to be ready to accept and utilize his intervention.

 Peter’s Experience

Peter’s miraculous escape from Herod’s prison [Acts 12] helps illustrate this aspect of our relationship with God. King Herod started a new wave of persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. After he killed James, John’s brother, and noticed Jews appeared pleased with the killing, he arrested Peter, intending to kill him also. To avoid having to kill someone during the Feast of Unleavened bread, he held Peter in prison under maximum security, intending to try him publicly and kill him after the festival. Members of the church prayed ceaselessly for Peter. They gathered at the house of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark, and prayed earnestly day and night for Peter. An angel appeared to Peter in prison on the night before his scheduled public trial. The angel freed him, guided him to about one street length out from the prison, and left him. Peter first visited with the church family at Mary’s house where they were praying for him. He told them how God brought him out of the prison. Then he left and went away so Herod and his men could not find him when they looked for him in the morning. We learn several lessons based on Peter’s experience.

Continue reading “Peter Escapes from Herod’s Prison” →