|
|
| Acts 12:5
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
Acts 12:11-16
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
New International Version (NIV)
| |
|
“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of,” wrote Alfred Lord Tennyson. What do we really expect to happen when we pray? In a period of extended drought, a church in the South gathered to pray for rain. After they had prayed passionately, the pastor stood up and asked how many of them had brought umbrellas to the meeting. No one raised a hand. They prayed for rain but nobody expected it to actually rain.
When Herod imprisoned Peter, the church responded with fervent prayer for his release. God acted mightily and miraculously sending an angel to release Peter from prison. At first, Peter thought it was a dream. When he came to himself, he went to the place where God’s people were praying. Peter knocked and Rhoda the servant girl answered the door. When she recognized his voice, she was so amazed that she left him outside and ran to tell the others. Can you believe that they did not believe her?! So Peter kept knocking until they let him in, but even then they were astonished.
Jesus taught his disciples, “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” If we take him at his word, we will never be surprised by his answers to our prayers.
Scott Young tells about a mission trip in Australia where they were pouring concrete. Rain storms approached threatening to destroy the good work the missions team had done that day. So they prayed the clouds would not rain on them. Miraculously, the clouds went on either side without dropping a drop of rain on the freshly poured concrete. Scott was so excited as he expressed his amazement. One of the elders took him aside and asked, “Why were you surprised?” Good question! How shall we pray? Expectantly!
| |
|
Pray expectantly with me:
Heavenly Father, we come to you knowing for sure that you are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to your power that is at work within us. We ask you today to heal our sick, to raise up your church again and to empower us to reach our city, our state and our world with the good news of Jesus. Lord teach us to pray. Increase our faith Father so that we are never surprised by what you do. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
| |
|
Scripture memorization for this week:
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 2:17
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
New International Version (NIV)
| |
| Our 2021 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations Bible reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy here:
We would love for you to join us as we read through the Bible in one year, while still having the flexibility of reading 5 days per week. In addition, I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. We will also memorize 2 scriptures each week. As we journal together this year, Robby Gallaty’s H.E.A.R. plan is a good resource: Highlight a verse that stands out to you, Explain what it means, Apply that truth to your life and Respond to what you’ve read with an action or prayer.
Joyfully,
Duane
| |
|
|
|
|
