"Angels Unawares"

 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrew 13:2 KJV)

 "The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered." (Acts 12:6-8 NLT)

 Nobody can tell me that angels aren't real; having had some experience, some which were hard to figure out, and some which were hard to believe, even though they were happening. Once, when I was about 15 years old, I was crossing the street to meet my girlfriend; darting across the street, I didn't notice a car was coming at me, as I sprinted over an island that separated the street. She yelled out to me, saying, "Watch out!" and immediately I was able to somehow stop in mid-air, just for a brief second, as the car slightly brushed by me. She was astounded, saying, "How did you do that?" I told her I didn't know how, but it must have been my guardian angel that stopped me.   

 There have been several other encounters, over the years. One that I remember was the most long-lasting encounter, which I believe was actually spiritual warfare, taking place in my own house. It was during Covid, when I was praying with my wife, because her mother and stepdad were dealing with it, and we were praying for them to be healed. 

 As I it was, I was also dealing with a verse that was going to be part of my blog post the following morning, it was the one where the man Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda, and his answer to the Jewish leaders, as he carried his sleeping mat in the Temple, on the Sabbath. There was something I felt was important in the way he answered their demand, "You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!" 

 For at least 5 to 10 minutes, I keep reading his answer over and over to me wife, saying his answer again and again, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" After about the 8th or 10th time I read it, my wife looked at me, as if I was nuts, and I immediately figured it out. Jesus said to the man, "Stand, pick up your mat, and walk!" I know it sounds a little over-the-top, but for the rest of the night, until about 2:30 am, things were going crazy in my house! 

 I have shared on this before, but there is a Rabbit Air machine in the room, which is programed to respect the darkness; which means, if the lights are off, the machine does not light up. This thing was not only lighting up, but it was going full on, and the sensor light was bright red! Over and over, it kept happening, especially when I would call out for Jesus to help. My dog was in the next room, in his kennel, and I could hear him whimpering, as if he was scared. 

 At 2:30 I decided to say enough is enough and decided I needed to get some sleep. I pretty much didn't care anymore and spoke out, saying, "You guy's fight it out, I'm going to sleep!" At 4:00 I woke up and went into the living room to pray and start my blog. In that room there are three of the Rabbit Air machines, and each of them were breathing, one at a time; one would breathe, then the next would breathe, and then the next; all three taking their turn, for at least 10 minutes or so.

 I was wondering if I should even complete what I was going to do; because it was concerning the answer of that healed man, and the answer Eve gave to the devil about the fruit which was forbidden...

""Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die."" (Genesis 3:2-3 NLT)