— My Alphabe-Thursday (2nd), "A" Angels I Have Found — "A" Two Questions

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Posted in respect for Aphabe- Thursday's Letter "A"

(please note that we have finished

doing A-Z posts and are starting over)

"A" is for Angel, this week for Angels I have found.

"What is man that you are mindful of him, and the

Son of man that you visit him? For you have
made him a little lower than the angels."
- Psalm 8:4-5

This one in the picture does not have a name but stands behind our couch, year in, year out as she guards our wooden Nativity Scene characters.  We purchased this nativity set in Bethlehem, Israel, back in 1980.  You are only seeing the part of it that we now display as it has many other pieces including a manger and a lot of other animals and figures.

This angel might be called "The Angel of Our Home" as she is always out on display.  We bought her several years back in Fredericksburg, Texas.  She is ceramic and has some handwritten information on the bottom.  Except the writing has faded so badly that it cannot be read.

Our 'home angel' was on loan a few years back to a lady who was in Hospice.  She agreed that Mrs. Jim could place the angel sitting on her dresser.  At that time our friend was not a Christian but became one before she died.  The thought of having angels watching over her (not necessarily this angel) may have influenced her decision. Many of her friends had been praying for this. 

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On October our pastor preached a sermon on angels.  It was the first part of a series on the supernatural.  He follows his sermons with related e-mailed devotionals for the rest of the week.

Of angels, he related that there are 25 things, general facts from the Bible, to know about angels: (you could looks some of these up if you'd like to learn more)

Angels are glorious (Luke 9:26),

immortal (Luke 20:36),

powerful (2 Thes. 1:7),

spirit beings (Psa. 104:4),

not demons (Acts 23:8), and

limited in knowledge (Mark 13:32).

 

Angels are higher than man (Psa. 8:5),

in need of no rest (Rev. 4:8),

can eat food (Gen. 18:8),

can be both visible and invisible (Num. 22:22, John 20:12), and 

operate in material realms (2 Sam. 24).

 

They travel at supernatural speed (Rev. 8:13),

can speak (1 Cor. 13:1), and

are not to be worshiped (Col. 2:18).

 

Angels are organized (Col. 1:16),

innumerable (Heb. 12:22),

are subject to God (Matt. 22:30), and

are interested in the affairs of man (1 Pet. 1:12).

 

They watch after God's children (1 Cor. 4:9),

can cook (1 Kings 19:5),

wear garments (John 20:12), and

appear unexpectedly (Heb. 13:2).

 

Angels have been tested (1 Tim. 5:21),

dwell in heaven (Rev. 12:12), and

stand before God (2 Chron. 18:18).

 

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Angels are busy beings, with at least 26 specific tasks. Some of those are as follows:

Angels guard heaven's gates (Rev. 21:12),

execute judgment (Gen. 19:2),

rule nations (Dan. 10:13-21),

sing and worship (Rev. 5:11),

direct preachers (Acts 8:26),

appear in dreams (Matt. 1:20-24),

bind Satan (Rev. 20:3),

guard the abyss (Rev. 9:1),

protect saints (Psa. 34:7), and

separate the good from the bad (Matt. 16:27).

 

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Angels also will accompany Christ at his second coming (Matt. 16:27),

give laws (Acts 7:53),

guard the tree of life (Gen. 3:24),

give revelations (2 Kings 1:15), and

bring answers to prayer (Dan. 9:21-23).

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The apostles were imprisoned for preaching the truth as related in Acts 5. But the angel of God stood in. The angel opened the doors of prison and told the apostles to keep preaching, Acts 5:19. They did, and the world was changed as a result

 

The Book of Acts has other accounts of angels in the church:

An angel directed Philip as to where he should preach (Acts 8:26).

An angel directed Cornelius to a preacher where he could hear the Good News (Acts 10:3).

Another angel delivered Peter from jail (Acts 12:7-11).

An angel executed Herod because of his pride (Acts 12:23).

Other angels directed and comforted Paul (Acts 27:23).

 

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Now for my Thursday Two Questions.

I really enjoyed your responses to my "Z" Cars post of last week. 

My Two Questions for this week (you can answer just one if you wish):

1. What are your feelings about angels?
 

2. Do you have any angel decorations, pictures or paintings, or figures in your home that represent angelic being(s)?

Bonus Question: What is your favorite "A" word? .

 

—My Thursday Two Questions post is for Amanda.

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— I posted the above for Alphabe-Thursday 'A' assignments with Miss Jenny at the head of the class. You can find her by clicking right here.