MORNING DEVOTION- "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)
Scripture Reading: Acts 12:5-19
Peter was sent to Caesarea to be used by God to open the door to the Gentiles. "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life" (Acts 11:18). The first "largely" Gentile church would be in Antioch. It was there that the disciples were first called "Christians" (v.26); and it was from there that Paul would be sent on three important missionary journeys.
Meanwhile, the church was facing intense persecution, and Peter had been arrested and thrown in prison by King Herod. Unlike his other two times in prison, Peter was alone; although he was being guarded "closely" with two guards being chained to him. King Herod was not taking any chances of him "disappearing" again (reference Acts 5:19). What King Herod didn't count on, however, is that "the church was earnestly praying to God for him" (v.5). The church interceded for Peter day and night, specifically praying for his deliverance; and God heard their prayers and answered their fervent request. Peter seemed to be at ease as he slept in his prison cell; he rested confidently in God's promises and protection. "The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, both bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists" (Acts 12:6-7).
Once he was set free, Peter immediately went to those who helped gain his release. The believers who had gathered at the prayer meeting at Mary's house had been in continuous and fervent prayer for Peter's release; so intense in their petitioning they almost missed the knock at the door. The one who had been given the keys to unlock the doors of heaven, was locked outside the door of a prayer gathering filled with people who believed God would answer their prayers; however they expressed disbelief when the answer finally arrived (v.15). The scene is amusing, yet we might ask ourselves how many of us pray boldly and confidently, expecting God to answer, and then don't recognize the answer when it finally comes, even when it is staring us straight in the face? It is true we must persevere in our prayers; however, sometimes we need to get up and open the door to receive the answer God has for us."Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?" (Joshua 7:10).
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of prayer
with which You enable us to fight,
not only against our enemies,
but to war for our friends who are
in the thick of the battle.
Father, we praise You for delays in answers to our prayers,
and in the hindered purposes of
evil men who are bent on destroying Your work,
that we might pray more fervently.
We are living in days of growing distress
and danger for Christians and our Religious
Liberties, but we thank You that You are
using these days to awaken a praying Church.
In these seasons where it seems, like it was
for Peter, that we are between a rock and a
hard place, and our sentence is determined,
You have positioned us purposefully
that no one, but You alone, our Rock and Refuge,
can rescue and deliver us.
Nothing is impossible for You.
Thank You for the reminder today that
You have come, and called us, to
"Proclaim liberty for the captives."
Thank You for entrusting to us the golden key of prayer
to "loose the chains of injustice", and to "set the captives free."
(Isaiah 58:6; 61:1)
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
After being rescued from the prison cell the angel told Peter to gird up his garments and put on his shoes before taking another step forward (v.8). Though it seemed like an extremely ordinary thing to do in an extremely extraordinary situation, we are reminded of our discussion of the full armor of God in yesterday's devotion. We have been set free from the bondage of sin and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of God; however, to continue our journey and fulfill our commission we must be adequately dressed for battle. Everywhere we step as Christians in this world we are on a spiritual battlefield; we are in the midst of an ongoing holy war. Remember earlier in our journey when we talked about our prayer closet being the place we go to put on the garment of Jesus Christ. We must take time each day to put on the character, image, and nature of Jesus, if we are going to walk valiantly and victorious in this world (reference Philippians 2:5-11). By girding his clothes and putting on his shoes, Peter was prepared to move forward. God wasn't finished with Peter; there was still much work to be done. It is vital that we listen and obey the instructions, directions, and commands of God - to the smallest detail; in doing so we will be rescued, delivered, and set free to continue the work of leading other captives out of the bondage of wickedness into a life of freedom in Christ Jesus. This morning, as long as there is a battle raging, and there are prisoners who need to be set free - whether Christians in chains for their beliefs, or sinners in bondage to their sin - we must keep praying fervently and continuously until they are rescued and restored. "The LORD sets prisoners free..." (Psalm 146:7b).
Peter trusted; the Church prayed; and the answer came. No earthly kingdom or power can match the fervent and earnest prayers of God's people. When the people of God pray the power of God is unleashed, and something extraordinary always happens. The key to unlocking the door of heaven has been, and always will be, the praying church!
As the redeemed of God, believers have been set free to do the will of God and accomplish His kingdom purposes in the earth. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1). When Peter walked out of that prison, free from his shackles, it was if God was putting an exclamation point on the work that was done in Caesarea, where the door of salvation was opened to the Gentiles. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17). Nothing can stop the kingdom of God from advancing. There is a world of people trapped in the shackles of sin. The Lord had allowed Peter to experienced the reality of what it meant to be held captive and then to be set free and to walk in a new life (reference Romans 6:4). Just as Peter had his shackles removed and had to put on his clothes and walking shoes, when we are set free from sin we are given a new garment to wear (reference Isaiah 61:3b; Zechariah 3:4b). "But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law" (Galatians 3:22-25) -- Just as Peter was no longer under the supervision of the guards in the prison! And just as Peter had been set free to continue the work of God, we also in like manner have been set free from sin so we can be used by God to set others free from sin. "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:13-14). As believers, we walk around, as a jail guard does, with the keys that are able to unlock the shackles and chains that hold much of the world captive by sin; yet, when we don't take the time to pray as we should, we fail to exercise the power we've been given, and they are left to suffer in their chains. This afternoon let us begin to pray more earnestly for the release of the captives who are in our circle of influence, and give them every opportunity to be captivated by God and to join us in our song of praise! "For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound for the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:15).
Heavenly Father,
We praise You,
"For it is the God who commanded
light to shine out of darkness,
who has shone in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ."
Thank You for Your light which You have
shed abroad in our hearts and opened our
eyes to see clearly the beauty and majesty of Jesus Christ.
Thank You for Your indwelling presence in our lives
which helps us to see our afflictions and sufferings
through the lens of eternity and the glorious rewards
that await us there.
May our lives be given over to Your will
so the life of Jesus will be manifested
and lead others to Your salvation and eternal life
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
The "god of this world", the devil, lives in darkness, and therefore keeps in darkness the minds and understanding of those who are under his deceptive influence. The gospel message of Jesus Christ is a brilliant light which awakens and rescues men from their ignorance and ushers them into the glorious light of salvation and to the knowledge of the truth. May we, as weak and broken vessels of God's mercy, pray for the courage and the conviction to not faint under suffering, but rather remain steadfast and firm in fervent prayers for the benefit of the Body of Christ, the Church, and spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5a). May we continue to carry the torch of truth into the dark recesses of our homes, neighborhoods, communities, nation, and world until the whole world radiates the Glory of God! "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart" (v.1).
EVENING MEDITATION -"...and on His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2)
Prayer Focus: Missionaries
Paul of Tarsus and the Twelve apostles were the first missionaries of the Church. Throughout the ages we have heard of the work and seen the effects of the bold men and women who answered God's call to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15); some of the most recognizable names: Hudson Taylor, William Carey, Lottie Moon, David Livingstone, George Whitefield, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, John Eliot, Amy Carmichael, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, we could go on and on. As we praise God for their faithful work blazing the path to unsaved regions of the world we must not forget that we all have a responsibility in our particular generation to answer God's command - whether by going or giving; either way, as John Wesley has said, "You have one business on Earth - to save souls."
This evening, let us pray earnestly for missions organizations, missionaries, and for all God's people to support or surrender to God's call to mission. J. Oswald Smith said, "We talk of the Second Coming; half of the world has never heard of the first." While we sit in our comfortable, cozy churches our brothers and sisters around the world are facing extreme and often harsh conditions - language and cultural barriers, facilities and shelter needs, limited resources,and intense persecution; even imprisonment, torture, and death! They desperately need our encouragement, our financial support, and more importantly our prayers. "We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer," said Wesley Duewel, head of OMSI. Pray for the translation of the gospel into all the many languages of the world, so that all may have the privilege, as we do, to have a copy of the Word of God they can read and understand. Pray for training of Christians who are native to the region to be accepted by their communities and tribes and be used to lead many to Christ. Pray for the necessary equipment to broadcast sermon messages from around the globe and show Christian films like the Jesus Film. Pray for the encouragement of workers in the field, and ask the Lord to send out more laborers into His harvest field (reference Matthew 9:37-38). "...Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest" (John 4:35b). Pray for missionaries from other countries who have been sent to the U.S. to reach the mission field in our own backyard that we so often neglect. Pray for a revival of holiness in our country and for a burden on the hearts of all God's people to go out and reach the lost for Christ wherever they may be. "We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it" (P.F. Bresee, founder of the Church of the Nazarene). Pray especially for the ongoing efforts in many areas devastated by earthquakes, tsunamis, and other disasters, as many mission and ministry groups are working diligently to send necessary supplies and funds, and are on the ground helping with the recovery and restoration of these regions. Pray for the spiritual needs of the people to be met, but also for the practical needs as they face many challenges and obstacles in getting the food, water, and medical attention to the people.
Practical things you can do as you commit to praying for Missionaries: Pray for the missionaries sent and supported by your local church. Open your heart to world missions by reading the book "Revolution in World Missions" by K.P.Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (www.gfa.org), or take time to study the lives of other great missionaries. Pray for missions organizations: Gospel for Asia, Samaritans Purse, Campus Crusade for Christ, World Vision (pray about supporting a child), Salvation Army, U.S. Center for World Missions, Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and many more. Subscribe to the Voice of the Martyrs newsletter and emails (www.persecution.com) and pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters who are on mission around the world, many of whom are imprisoned just because they have shared Christ (reference Hebrews 13:3). Pray specifically for the ongoing efforts to free Pastor Saeed Abedini who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2012 (see www.aclj.org for more information on Saeed and other Christian's imprisoned and facing death sentences); stand with Christians who are suffering persecution at the hands of ISIS terrorists in the Middle East by purchasing and wearing the Nasrani pin as a reminder to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the globe (click HERE to order your pin); praise God for the safe release of Mariam Ibraheem from a Sudanese prison last year (click HERE to read about her release). "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26). Pray about how God would have you respond to His call to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" - whether you will serve on the mission field at home or abroad, or what missionaries and missions organizations you should support financially. We may not all go, but we can give and pray. Take part in the Global Day of Prayer annually (www.globaldayofprayer.com) "No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once" (Oswald J. Smith).
Heavenly Father,
Encourage my brothers and sisters around the globe,
those who are publicly exposed to insult and persecution;
Surround them with your angels and give them the
strength to not throw away their confidence,
but realize they will be richly rewarded. Help them
to persevere, so when they have done Your will
they will receive what has been promised. (Hebrews 10:33-36)
