D life of a chosen is always a call into d life of conflict. A call into d unknown, into a life of d mysterious
Mary ws chosen for a "divine assignment"
An assignment dat brought"conflict" into her life
2..
To be chosen creates conflicts.
-βConflictβ means a clash of two or more things. ,in this context, clash of two natures.
β’ Mary was not the only virgin of her day.
God could have called any of the virgins of her days, but God chose Mary.
She did not ask to be chosen
3. She had to face shame, misunderstanding, & confrontation with Joseph, her friends, parents
B4 this: She was happily engaged. She was lookin 4ward to her marriage. She was anticipatin a normal life, but nw she faced d challenge of conflict bc she ws chosenβshe was troubled
π
D way God works is unfathomable. Sometimes, He uses humour to achieve d ultimate goal.
D king was so bored & in a twist of d discussion he was havin with "Assistant Elisha" brother Gehazi, he asked in V4
π
2 Kings 8:4 MSG
The king was talking with Gehazi, servant to the Holy Man, saying, "TELL ME SOME STORIES OF d GREAT THINGS ELISHA DID."
π
The king had said, tell me a story
That woman's story was not d only story Gehazi knew.
Records have it that Elisha performed 16 miracles.
Parted the waters of the Jordan River (2 King 2:14)
Purification of the water source for Jericho (2 King 2:18-22)
Protection of the prophet by two she-bears (2 King 2:23-25)
Water for the army of Israel and success over the Moabites (2 Kng 3:16-25)
He was d king of Assyria.
He was known as d "d great king"
He was so powerful nations feared him. He used d gods of d conquered territories as wood to flame the fire around him during winter.
He had other gods thrown into trash cans and burned with fire π₯ (V19)
Mortals were no match for him.
gods too were "running" from pillar-post seeking for help from other manmade gods π. None could withstand him...none could stop him either.
On a day like this, he turned his attention on Israel and Israel's God. He had just finished dealing with Judah, Israel's sister.
Now, a king with such a RESUME would easily be on top of the world, after all, he had some gods behind bars, others, he used as firewood.
When it's your SET TIME on God's clock, everyone that must be involved to make it happen "lose sleep", become "uncomfortable" become "restless"
When God sets the stage, d actors or participants suddenly drop all
2. they were doing to attend to your matter.
You see, the FAVOUR of God has been highly underestimated.
It has nothing to do with your efforts, it's unexplainable. Suddenly, men begin to perceive the AROMA of God's ENDORSEMENT upon you.
When the Butler/ Cupbearer forgot about
3. the promise he made to Joseph while he was a co-prisoner with him, it wasn't Joseph's set time then, but, when his (Joseph) set time came, no one on d stage of Joseph's destiny was going to have rest.
π
Gen 40:23 MSG
But the head cupbearer never gave Joseph another thought;
Theme- WHAT IF PETER HAD JUST "Pepper πΆοΈ Soup Joint" only kind of friends?
Acts 12:11b MSG
The Master sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's vicious little production and the spectacle the Jewish mob was looking forward to."
π
2. King Herod was playing to d gallery of d Jewish elders notably the Pharisees, Sadducees & d Scribes who were help bent on destroying d fast growing church
He had just decapitated James & this very much pleased d Jewish elders & most of d Jewish pple. He decided to raise d bar
3. He grabbed Peter, imprisoned him and was prepping him up for another show of shame before killing him too.
He so much as put Peter in a very helpless and hopeless situation, guards everywhere he turned. He had him chained and firmly demobilized. Stripped him of his sandals