27/09/2021 - THEY HAD TO STAY IN JERUSALEM

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And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me. Acts 1.4

It is good to listen to the Lord. Since He has foreknowledge, He will not fail to want our good. For this reason, He often sends us to stay in places where we don’t like or didn’t choose to minister and live. Many people do not fully believe in the Lord, so He cannot protect them from evil as He would like. Why don’t we learn from the examples in Scriptures? It’s worth it!

After the separation of the kingdom from the house of David, the Most High sent a prophet to go to Samaria and prophesy against the altar built by Jeroboam. The man of God, who was courageous, had arrived there on the day of the consecration of that “special” place. During the celebration, the prophet raised his voice, not fearing the wrath of the king, and said that a king would be born in Judah who would destroy the altar and burn the bones of the priests on top of it (1 Kings 13.1-3).

At first, the prophet stood firm on his word, but after the power of the Lord worked in the life of the proud and foolish king, causing his hand to wither and return to normal, after the prayer of the man of God – the latter received a visit from an old prophet and went with him to eat bread, but he could not do this either. Then, the lying prophet said that because the man of God had not kept the Word, he would be killed by a lion (1 Kings 13.20-25).

God wouldn’t use the lion to kill him. The Lord’s work is to give life, to save people and never to cause death, but whoever doesn’t pay attention to what he has been told or doesn’t believe, despising the divine counsel, will pay dearly. The prophecy concerning the altar took about 300 years to be fulfilled – and everything happened accordingly. It is not good to be the wrong person in the wrong place.

Jesus warned Peter about the fact that Satan had asked to circumvent him, to pass him through the sieve – to which the Lord pleaded on the apostle’s behalf. Peter thought this caution unnecessary, for he thought he had a faith strong enough to face the enemy. However, when the rooster crowed three times, this servant of Christ Jesus wept bitterly: And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26.75). Whoever believes sees divine deliverance!

If the disciples had left Jerusalem, they wouldn’t have received the promise of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. In fact, more than 500 people heard this, but those who didn’t remain alert and left the city didn’t receive the blessing, which marked the beginning of the Church (1 Corinthians 15.6). Only 120 were present. At the second coming of Jesus, only those who are alert will ascend with Him: Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming (Matthew 24.42). Pray!

Why walk wrong, if when the Father speaks, we have the obligation to receive the Word grafted into us with gentleness and love? Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1.21). Obey God’s determinations!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares