Touched by an Angel
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(Acts 12:6-11 NIV) The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. {7} Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. {8} Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. {9} Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. {10} They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. {11} Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."
Last week we spoke about confession: How to forgive others, to be forgiven and how to seek forgiveness from God. I trust that you thought about the process. I asked you to write down a name for each of the topics.
Depending on what actions you took will be a good measuring tool for you what your relationship is with our God.
If you simply did not take any actions, maybe God is telling you to please come closer to Him and to take actions. If you have taken action or actions then you are firmly grounded in your faith and you are moving closer to God day by day.
To confess eliminates any road barriers between you and God and between you and others. It frees your soul and you will be able to hear God with a much clearer voice.
Today I would like to talk to you about angels. We all know about the TV show: "Touched by an angel," but some of us know very little about angels
Angels appear in the NT and the OT more than 270 times as messengers and ministering spirits.
Angels do the following:
Worshiping and praising
Guiding
Providing
Protecting
Delivering
Strengthening and encouraging
Answering prayer
Caring for believers at the moment of death
Angels in the heavenly court are obedient to the perfect will of God. But there is the exception of Satan, who is a fallen angel; and who has also a court of angels with him.
These angels oppose God under the leadership of Satan (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Ephesians 6:12). We often call these "demons."
Angles in themselves have no physical form (though they sometimes appear in physical form) and appear often misrepresented on postcards or pictures as little baby faced, above average weight doll faced individuals.
Angels have a localized presence . . . they can appear only at one place at a time.
They are stronger than man, but not omnipotent (Psalm 103:20; 2 Peter 2:11). They are greater than humankind in knowledge, but not omniscient (2 Samuel 14:20; Matthew 24:36). They are more noble than humankind, but not omnipresent (Daniel 9:21-23, 10:10-14).
All things in God's kingdom have a certain order. Angels fall also into a certain order:
(Heb 2:9 NIV) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
This tells us when Jesus was fully human. Angels were above him. As we are humans, angels are above us.
God tells us not to worship angels:
(Col 2:8 NIV) See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Meaning that nothing is to be worshiped but God.
Angels are there to act for God, in God's will and as God
's mouthpiece.You may ask by now: But you told us that God placed us as human beings in God's time line to fulfill God
's history by our choices, which God knew before we were born.Why would angels play a significant role in that?
(1) First of all we have to understand that angels are part of God, they are not separate from God. They work with God, they were even part of God's creation, they have a much deeper insight then we and collaborate with our maker.
(2) Secondly, God sent angels to make sure (for our sake) so we know God is with us and for us. They are the mouthpiece or God, they are the protectors for God, they are with us as a reminder of God.
(3) Thirdly, they are left with us, so they remain in our human experience to tell others of the reality of God and angels. - so we remember the things of God.
So why do we not see or hear angels anymore? Yeah . . . Why?
I believe there are possibly several reasons:
(1) How do you know you have not seen or heard an angel? In fact I believe that it would make no difference if an angel would appear to us today, and say:
"Hi, my name is Gabriel and I am messenger of God" Our scientific mind has aborted the idea that an angel could possibly come to us.(2) Have our hearts been open so that God through an angel can speak to us? I
'll guarantee you that there were numerous times when an angel tried to talk to someone during the times of the NT and OT and they did not listen(3) Angels do not always give their identity:
(Heb 13:2 NIV) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Angels have always existed as long as the earth has existed. They are there and they are watching over us. We are not alone.
Although we have a free will and free choice, in our concept of God and us we have to incorporate the idea that we are not alone abandoned on earth.
The people who heard angels where righteous people. Every righteous person always heard the mouthpiece of God.
What is righteous? Righteous is to have a close relationship with God, to submit to God will and to listen to God. Righteous are the people who journey toward God in faith, who proclaim faithfulness and who are willing to confess.
Be still and listen. Listen when you have brought all your burdens to him. God will speak to you and to all of us. God's
angels will touch the depth of your heart.(Psa 91:11-12 NIV) For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; {12} they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
- Be still and listen -
:: Be still and listen,
to the voice of your soul:
Can you hear the whispering of God?
Let Him touch you tenderly
and pray for all of us
'cause I know angels will touch the depth of our heart.::
Tell your brothers and sisters that all is well with us
tell them that each moment of our life
can be filled by the Grace of God
:: Be still and listen,
to the voice of your soul:
Can you hear the whispering of God?
Let Him touch you tenderly
and pray for all of us
'cause I know angels will touch the depth of our heart. ::
Ages may come and ages may go
but the love of our God will eternally be
'cause I know God sent angels that are touching the depth of our heart'
cause I know God sent angels that are touching the depth of our heart
Lay down your pain.
Allow your life to heal through Christ Jesus the Savior of all.
For a healing will come in you and in me
and the mystery of life will appear in eternally realms.
For I know God sent angels that are touching the depth of our hearts.
:: Be still and listen, to the voice of your soul:
Can you hear the whispering of God?
Let Him touch you tenderly and pray for all of us
'cause I know angels will touch the depth of our heart.
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