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The Scriptures are filled with accounts of God interacting with individuals and with nations. Many times his hand is displayed in the unusual use of natural things, and angels play a pivotal role in many instances. The Bible teaches that angels are ministers of God laboring on behalf of the redeemed.
St. Peter�s Fish
Topic#: 00545 from WWW.GODSAIDMANSAID.COM

This feature is being written early in the morning, and it is a glorious certainty that today will be the best day of my life, and tomorrow will be better, but I must say so. Multiple circumstances will arise to attempt to discredit this confession, but here are two of the many passages that secure the strong ground. Romans 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

All things are working for the good of the believers who meet these criteria, especially those things that challenge such a mighty confession.

Proverbs 4:18:

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

So all things, even what appear to be bad things, are working for my good, and as my path daily gets closer to the True Light, I become brighter, sharper, and smarter in the likeness of Christ Jesus. This is a daily promise of progression that is founded upon the Rock, but I must say so. Mark 11:23:

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Take special notice of say and saith. You, we, must say so! Take the first part of this feature from the beginning and read along with me out loud. You will sense a Holy Ghost empowerment. Print this page and carry it with you. Read it several times a day beginning when you rise. Remember, you must say so. 

Have you been born again — born a second time — this time of the Spirit of God? Jesus calls it born-again, and this is the true path of the ever increasing shining Light. This is the path of promise, hope, and structured supernatural support. Today is your day of salvation. Click onto "Further With Jesus" for childlike instructions and immediate entry into the Kingdom of God, where today is the best day of your life, and tomorrow will be better. NOW FOR TODAY’S SUBJECT.

GOD SAID, Matthew 17:24-27:

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

MAN SAID: If there is a God, He doesn’t involve Himself in the individual affairs of or the national affairs of men. 

Now THE RECORD. This is GodSaidManSaid feature article #545. These features contend for the faith and remove any reasonable doubt that the God of the Bible is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. These features are archived on this site in text and streaming audio for the edifying of the saints and for ammunition in the battle for the souls of men. Welcome to GodSaidManSaid. We look forward to your visit. 

If proof is reliable witnesses, then there are millions of accounts of man’s interaction with Christ Jesus, the Father, the Holy Ghost, and with angels good and angels bad. The initial experience of salvation and the ongoing communion with God is so dynamically strong that millions of the redeemed chose and continue to choose martyrdom rather than deny Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory. That interaction is real, all right — real, even unto death. 

Mortals are exposed to supernatural interaction on a second-by-second basis, but most of the time we are oblivious to it. God is ubiquitous. This truth to the redeemed is declared in Psalms 139:1- 12:

1 ...O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Job 27:3:

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

Genesis 2:7:

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

God is ever present, and the breath of life itself is the very breath of God. How close, then, is God? 

The Scriptures are filled with accounts of God interacting with individuals and with nations. Many times his hand is displayed in the unusual use of natural things, and angels play a pivotal role in many instances. The Bible teaches that angels are ministers of God laboring on behalf of the redeemed. Hebrews 1:13-14:

13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Angels can readily be found laboring in the arena of the spoken word of faith, and also in matters of judgment. Hebrews 13:2 tells us:

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

We see a demonstration of this passage in Genesis 19, when Lot met two angels sent by God to deliver him and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God rained down brimstone and fire from Heaven to destroy these wicked cities. Some speculate it was a meteor. Others suggest an earthquake. Regardless, brimstone and fire would have been an integral part. This was an unnatural (supernatural) use of natural things. 

Leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness, the angel of the Lord went before them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. While the chariots of Pharaoh pursued the Israelites through the Red Sea, the Lord actually took off their chariot wheels to impede their progress — a demonstration of angelic intervention and the unnatural (supernatural) use of natural things. 

Jesus said in Matthew 24:31:

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This is angelic action in very dramatic form. 

We see the angel of the Lord interacting in the affairs of Peter in Acts 12:6-10:

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

God intervenes in the lives of men, many times demonstrated by the unnatural use of natural things. The following excerpt is from the book Evidence for the Historical Jesus:

Even some of Jesus’ strangest miracles are at home in this setting around the Sea of Galilee. One family of fish dwelling in this sea is called Cichlidae—or mouth-breeders. It is found only in Lake Victoria (Uganda), along the Nile River and in the Sea of Galilee. Cartographer Dr. Jim Fleming, who teaches classes in archaeology and historical geography at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, explains its significance:

The female keeps the eggs in her mouth until they hatch. As the brood begins to grow she lets them out from time to time on an "outing," but quickly scoops them up when danger is near. The mother will fast until near starvation in order not to swallow her young. These strong instincts have given the Hebrew name of the fish "The Mother-Fish." After the young are off on their own the mother often keeps a substitute in her mouth. They are sometimes caught today with pebbles or Coke bottle caps in their mouths! The popular name for the fish is "St. Peter’s fish" because of the gospel story in Matthew 17:24-27 about Peter catching a fish with a shekel coin in its mouth.  [End of quote]

This is a perfect demonstration of the unnatural use of natural things. Some one put a piece of money in the fish’s mouth. Some one guided the fish to Peter’s hook. That some one was God’s ministering Spirit. 

When the child of God walks in obedience and faith, natural things experience unnatural (supernatural) interaction, and in many cases, by the hands of God’s ministering angels.

GOD SAID, Matthew 17:24-27:

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

MAN SAID: If there is a God, He doesn’t involve Himself in the individual affairs of or the national affairs of men. 

Now you have THE RECORD. 




References:

Authorized King James Version

McDowell, J., and B. Wilson, Evidence for the Historical Jesus, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR, p198

 

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Views: 11492