Thursday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 4:29-30
29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Commentary:
4:29 Their prayer for boldness in witness shows a determination to directly disobey the command of the Sanhedrin. They do not pray against those who persecute them but pray for their own faithfulness in witness.
4:30 and signs and wonders are performed. The believers do not hesitate to pray that God would work more miracles as they continued proclaiming the gospel. Such a prayer does not indicate deficient faith but is rather an evidence of their strong belief that God would work in their midst in an immediate way that authenticates the gospel.
4:30 and signs and wonders are performed. The believers do not hesitate to pray that God would work more miracles as they continued proclaiming the gospel. Such a prayer does not indicate deficient faith but is rather an evidence of their strong belief that God would work in their midst in an immediate way that authenticates the gospel.
Questions:
- After being threatened by the religious leaders and ordered to stop spreading this Jesus message, Peter and John returned to the other believers and PRAYED. This was their response! It wasn't to put up a banner, picket, riot or turn to politics. They were immediately driven to pray. But what did they pray for? It wasn't for protection or wisdom or God's will. It was for more BOLDNESS to continue to preach the Gospel. Did they have financial needs? Sickness? Relational struggles? Of course they did, and God wants us to bring those needs to him as well. But it seems THIS kind of prayer, for boldness, was the foundation of their lives; the hub that everything else spun around. When was the last time you prayed for boldness?
- They gave us a great example of HOW to pray. It's interesting to note that in verse 24 they didn't just launch into asking God for things. Instead, they began by addressing who they were talking to. "O, Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them..." The word they used for "Lord" is very rare in the New Testament, and it literally means "dictator." They were acknowledging that God had absolute power and authority. When you pray, do you spend time worshiping God for who he is before you start asking for things? If you prayed in this way, how might it affect your level of faith when you pray?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would daily pray for boldness to share Jesus.
- That you would recognize who you're praying to.
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