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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Thursday, April 25, 2019
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:The Martyrdom of James Bible Verse : Acts 12:1-5 "About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. " Message:
We have a pretty good idea of when James was killed: 44 A.D. The Herod then in power in Jerusalem was neither the Herod (Herod the Great) who massacred the innocent Hebrew children nor his son (Herod Antipas), who beheaded John the Baptist and ruled during the crucifixion; this one was named Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great.
Like his father and grandfather, he was a “client king” of Rome, which signified a tad more autonomy than what we would call a “puppet”; but he ruled only with Rome’s approval. There were Herods galore during this period; it isn’t really necessary to keep them straight, as they were all Jewish kings, clients of Rome, and viciously anti-Christian.
Herod Agrippa,
from the tv show
I, Claudius.
Herod Agrippa was as ruthless as his predecessors and did not have the religious scruples of the Sanhedrin (although he was supportive of them). If he did not like someone, he killed them. He simply ordered James to put to death by the sword—probably beheaded. James, here, is James “the Greater,” the son of Zebedee and the Apostle John’s elder brother.
In today’s Scripture, James becomes the first apostle to be martyred, and he is one of the most celebrated saints because of it. He was known to have a fiery temper; he was called “the son of Thunder,” and it might be this trait that got him killed so early. Other historical sources state that James traveled to Iberia (which was a major stop on Phoenician trade routes) before he returned to Jerusalem and death. He is the patron saint of both Spain and pilgrims.
An enormous body of folklore grew up around him. His body was supposedly transported to Santiago de Compostela by angels, and it is his remains in the Cathedral which make it the highly significant end-point of the famous pilgrimage, Camino de Santiago. (Sant Iago is Galician for “Saint James.”) Notice the scallop shells on his hat in the top graphic. These are his symbol (and the symbol of the Camino); he reportedly appeared, miraculously, to save a holy knight who was drowning, but emerged from the ocean covered in scallops. (The French dish, coquilles St. Jacques, is named for this miracle.)
In both today’s paintings of him, he is pictured wearing the cloak of a pilgrim, with a pilgrim’s hat and staff. This honors the long journey of his remarkable mission, so early in the Apostolic age.
Meditation : Prayer : As I travel through the rest of my day, may the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit I may abound in hope..........Amen |
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