PRAYER HELPS

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (Acts 12:5 NKJV).

The early church faced much persecution. One of those cases of persecution was the imprisonment of Peter after James the brother of John had been killed by Herod, the grandson of Herod the Great. With Peter in prison, the church prayed. This verse tells us much about the help of a praying church. Thus, we want to note the duty of prayer, the direction of prayer, the dedication in prayer, the definiteness in prayer.

Duty of prayer – “But constant prayer was offered . . . by the church.” Prayer is one of the most important duties of the church. Yet not many churches are doing much praying today. Most often, workshops, play time in the gym, coffee and donuts, and psychology studies will be found in churches rather than prayer. But what the church needs to be doing is more praying. The context of this verse shows us the great value of prayer. While some programs may be good, prayer is the most effective program that should be esteemed by all members of the church.

Direction of prayer – “Prayer was offered to God.” Nowhere in Scripture are we instructed or encouraged to pray to anyone but God. Praying to the saints is a waste of time and has no justification or authority from the Scriptures. Why pray to saints when you can pray to God? God is the greatest source of help. We need to pray to Him instead!

Dedication in prayer – “Constant prayer was offered to God.” Here we are told that “constant prayer was offered” which underscores the earnestness of their praying. This meant that church spent time in praying. The prayer meeting was not a hurried, short little service so that people would not be inconvenienced but be on their way home to watch the late shows on TV. These people prayed until the answer came (cf. Acts 12: 12ff).

Definiteness in prayer – “Prayer was offered to God for him.” The praying was definite. The church prayed specifically for Peter. If we want specific answers, we need to pray for specific requests. It is true that sometimes we cannot always pray as specifically as we would like. But we need to pray as specifically as we can. General praying is not very satisfactory.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Prayer delights God's ear; it melts His heart; and opens His hand. God cannot deny a praying soul!”

Thomas Watson (1620 – 1686)

English Non-conformist Puritan Preacher and Author

Word Study

Feed (tend)

In John 21:15 we read, “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs” (NKJV).

“Feed (tend)” is the Greek word bóskō (βόσκω = bos'-ko). The word is only used in the Gospels and most often describe the literal feeding of animals. However, it is used figuratively twice where people are compared to lambs and sheep (cf. John 21:15, 17). The word is also a present imperative which calls for a continual lifestyle. This means that shepherds are to be continually in the business of feeding the lambs. In context, this was a call to service for the apostle Peter after his failure. It indicates that the Lord Jesus had accepted Peter’s affirmation of love. This interchange between the Lord Jesus and Peter teaches that although we might have failed the Lord Jesus, He is willing to take broken hearts and restore them to His vital service. He is the Potter, and we are the clay.

Did You Know…

According to Deut. 20:2-4, before the army left to fight a battle, God said that the priest should come and encourage the army (Deut. 20:2-4).

Bible Quiz

What prophet was instructed not to marry nor have children?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

According to Ezekiel, what did Israelites wear to show that they were sad concerning something? Sackcloth (Ezek. 7:18).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

His Sacrifice - A Sweet Smelling Aroma to God (Lev. 2:2-9; Eph. 5:2)

"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of the livestock… And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord” (Lev. 1:2-9 NJKV).

In context, we have a description of the burnt offering, the only sacrifice that was totally consumed in the flames. With the other sacrifices, there were parts that were eaten by either the priests, the worshippers or both. But in the case of the burnt offering, there was nothing eaten; everything was consumed in the flames and in the fire. And while we might sometimes think of these animal sacrifices as repugnant, God wants us to understand that sin is repugnant and unpleasant, and that the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ was repugnant and unpleasant. He who was without blemish, without sin, gave the full measure of Himself for us. The altar represents the cross, the fire underneath represents the holy judgment of God, and the Lord Jesus was a willing sacrifice who gave His all for you and me. He was totally consumed on Calvary. He is our burnt offering (cf. Heb. 10:1-10). And the apostle Paul reminds us of this in Eph. 5:2 when writes, “Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

Did You Know – Christian History

John Winthrop was born on January 12, 1588, in Suffolk, England. He was an English Puritan lawyer and a leading figure in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The Winthrops were Puritans, that is, they wanted the Church of England to be purified of traditions and practices not specifically found in the Bible. They were also a people of means. Even as a boy, Winthrop was sincerely devoted to God and even considered becoming a minister. Instead, he trained in the law and received a court appointment. Although he followed his father in trade, Winthrop never ceased to honor God in all his undertakings. During the 1620s, there was religious and political turmoil in England as persecution of Puritans increased because the king wanted everyone to follow the formulas of the national church. Many Puritans planned to emigrate, and by 1629 a group of them had formed the Massachusetts Bay Company to settle America. Winthrop was elected governor of the company. After enlisting 700 colonists for the new settlement, their fleet sailed for America in 1630. It was on this voyage that Winthrop preached on Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount.” While aboard the ship, Winthrop also issued a “Model of Christian Charity,” ideas that emphasized the colony as a covenant community, where the settlers had a special pact with God to create a new, righteous society. This concept would have a lasting impact on the idea of American exceptionalism and the notion of the United States as a uniquely virtuous nation.

Winthrop devoted over 20 years of his life to building the Massachusetts Colony. A later Puritan called him an “American Nehemiah” because, like Nehemiah (who left an influential court position to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem), Winthrop cast aside a high position to unselfishly share the hardships of his fellow colonists in establishing a godly society. But like all great men, Winthrop had his warts. Although he was a very practical administrator, his ideals were so strong that they allowed little room for tolerance. He presided over the trial of Anne Hutchinson who diverged from Puritan views and called for women’s rights. But rather than execute her, which he might have done, he exiled her.

Winthrop died March 26, 1649, at age 61 of natural causes.

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A Little Humor

A woman told her pastor, “I’m so sorry my husband walked out of your sermon.” “It did confuse me,” the pastor replied. “He meant no disrespect,” she said. “He’s been sleepwalking ever since he was a child.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Prayer: No Roaming Charges, No Lost Calls, Unlimited Minutes!”