Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

The first time I read this, as a new believer some 35 years ago, I thought that Peter was being a little harsh with Simon the Sorcerer. After all, I myself had come to the Lord out of a background of 60's style hippie occultism, and some old habits die hard.

But there was so much more to this. Simon Magus was a Jew, and the practice of Sorcery was strictly forbidden by both the Torah and the Prophets. He was doing a nice little business, making Sorcery his profession, and it was all about the money. He wasn't about to give up his sinful lifestyle just because he believed Peter's Message and was Baptized.

Next, by his actions, he showed that, in his heart, he believed that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were just another "magic trick", the secret of which could be purchased with the right amount of money. When Jesus walked the earth, he rebuked the Pharisees for suggesting that His Power came from someone other than the Holy Spirit. They even attributed Jesus' Miracles to Beelzebub, which was their word for the devil. Simon didn't go THAT far, but his offense was in the same category.

Finally, Peter's rebuke had the exact correct result, as it caused Simon Magus to be instantly chastened, and ask for prayer.

Simon Magus' sin has been immortalized in the English Language by the word "simony". This word means the attempt to purchase Spiritual Power or even a position within the Church with money or favors. We may think that this was a Medieval practice which we hardly ever see today, but a quick perusal of the TV Channels will show that this still goes on quite a lot, in every denomination.

Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

Very good.

Thank you.

Joining in prayer. Blessings, etabeta

Thank you, LTOS. Good teaching again today.

We bless the Israelites by praying this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Interesting lesson. Simon...and today’s Simons. There’s nothing new under the sun.

Joining in prayer, left that other site, for Israel, our beloved America, and all God’s people.

Prayers up

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH FOR
THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM!
And for the Preservation of the Valiant
Israeli Nation!

"Disputation With Simon Magus"
Filippino Lippi – 1481-1482
Cappella dei Brancacci
Santa Maria del Carmine
Firenze, Italia

_ UT there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

________________________________________________Acts 8:9-25 (KJV)

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For ML In This Time Of Tribulation.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For the Repose of the Soul of ML's Mom.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For A Rapid Recovery For Our Own Yorkie.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For A Rapid Recovery For Our FRiend Uri'el2012.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For The Safety Of Our Gallant Troops And For The Success Of Their Vital Mission.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For The Repose Of The Souls Of Our Embassy Staff In Libya Who Were Assassinated 11 September 2012.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For The Deliverance Of Our Beloved Nation From The Lion’s Mouth.

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH For Our Brethren Of All Faiths Throughout The World Suffering Persecution.
We pray in particular on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Libya and throughout the Mideast. The members of the oldest of our Christian Communities, some of which date from the days of the Apostles, suffer under cruel, merciless and unrelenting persecution. They are Orthodox and Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical, Coptic, Pentecostal, and Baptist. To the persecutors, we are all "Nazarenes."