Tag Archive | Miracles

A Miraculous Answer to Fervent Prayer

With the health problems I live with daily and my need for a walker to get around, my husband or I usually check the weather forecast before the two of us leave the house. If the odds of bad weather are high and the outing is one that can be postponed, I usually end up staying in the safety of our home for another day.

Acts 12:1-6 describes a situation where the odds for Peter were not very promising. His friend and fellow apostle James had just been beheaded, and Peter was in prison, chained to two guards with two more outside the cell for double protection. And this time, the arrest was officially made by the king who lived to please the Jews. Passover was causing a delay in Herod Agrippa I carrying out his plans, but it was nearly time for the planned release of the prisoner to the Jewish leaders who wanted Peter to suffer the same consequence of preaching in Jesus’ name that James had already suffered.

Yet God did the unexpected. God’s plan for Peter included such a miraculous deliverance that even those who were gathered to intercede for him were shocked at the answer to their prayers. https://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Acts%2012.13-16

As I’ve heard this story taught in the past, the fact that those who were gathered praying for Peter were surprised when he showed up at their prayer meeting, so surprised that he was left standing at the gate knocking when the servant girl realized he was there, was given as evidence of their unbelief. A careful study of this passage shows me that’s probably not what was going on. Verse 5 makes it clear that these believers were fervently praying for Peter.

“Fervently” means they were praying with a right spirit, earnestly and without relaxing in their effort. That doesn’t sound to me like God’s view of their prayers is in agreement with this idea that their’s prayers somehow fell short of what pleases God, that their response reveals their prayers reflected unbelieving hearts.

It sounds like they were human, struggling with the recent death of one of their leaders and seeking to align their hearts with God’s will for Peter, whether it was his death or his deliverance. Their first thoughts appear to have been that Peter’s work was done and God had taken him home to be with Him, as He had Stephen (in Acts 7) and James (in Acts 12:1-2), and that the one at the gate was actually Peter’s angel, there to announce his departure.

Instead I see this as a rather humorous account of a miraculous intervention by God. If one of those gathered in prayer had simply responded to the knocking, they would have recognized God was at work in their midst. And as I read this passage, I had to stop and ask myself if my prayer qualifies as fervent. I learned I deinitely have room to grow in this area.

So what are the characteristics of fervent prayer?

Fervent Prayer is intense and earnest, coming from a heart seeking to please God.
Fervent Prayer perseveres until an answer is received.
Fervent Prayer involves genuine contact with the living God through faith.
Fervent Prayer seeks the will of God and not our will.
Fervent Prayer is based on the Word of God and the promises in the Word.
Fervent Prayer seeks God’s glory, never the glory of those who are praying.

In Acts 12, those gathered to intercede for Peter were praying with intensity and perseverance. I believe they were seeking understanding of God’s will in this particular situation, not assuming God would do what they wanted. They knew Jesus’ teaching about counting the cost of being a disciple, and they knew deliverance wasn’t God’s will in every situation.

I believe in the weakness of their humanity they were seeking to align their will with the will of God, to what would bring Him glory in this situation. But what they were missing was a clear revelation of the will of God in this particular situation. What they didn’t know is that this time God’s will was not the same as His will for Stephen and James. Peter still had work to finish, his purpose was not completed, so in this case there would be an amazing deliverance, one that was possible only with the power of God.

An interesting side note to this story. Peter’s deliverance was the fulfillment of a promise Jesus gave him of living until old age when He forgave, restored and called Peter to serve Him after he had denied Jesus three times. In John 21:18 Jesus said to Peter, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go. ” When the angel came to set Peter free, on the night before he faced probable death, he had to be roused from a deep and peaceful sleep before the angel could carry out his instructions. According to extra-biblical history, Peter probably lived around twenty-four more years before he became a martyr for the faith.

Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Plan, Week 3

Mar17

Since the recent Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Study on 1 John, one verse has come to mind repeatedly. 1 John 3:1 in The Voice translation says, “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us—He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children.”

This week’s Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Challenge begins with a passage that tells us about one woman’s act of love that could rightly be described as an act of extravagant love.

Day 11: Matthew 26:6-13

The woman in this passage, identified by John in his gospel as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, was first described in Luke 10:39 as one “who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” Her heart was filled with love for the Lord, and what takes place in today’s passage springs forth out of that love.

Jesus had explained to His close followers that He would be crucified, buried and raised from the dead on the third day. Mary had embraced this truth that the Lord Jesus was on His way to the cross, and her desire was to do one final act of expressing her love for the Lord, through anointing Him in anticipation of His burial. This was a costly act of worship, the account in John 12 tells us it this expensive perfume was worth a full year’s wages. But because of her love for Jesus, the cost didn’t matter.

The disciples, especially Judas, were critical of Mary’s act of adoration. Their response: “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” (Matthew 26:8-9) Jesus’ words are a sharp contrast to these.

“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Matthew‬ ‭26:10-13‬ ‭NIV)‬‬

Day 12: Romans 10:11-16

As believers in Christ, we are called to not just be disciples who are growing personally in our faith but also to share the message of salvation with others to start them down the same path. Are you making an effort to take the great message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to others who don’t know Him? If so, God’s Word says you have “beautiful feet.”

Day 13: Acts 3:1-10

If you’ve been a Christian for many years, this is probably a familiar passage. But the Holy Spirit loves to give us new insights as we spend time daily in God’s Word. The words following the actual miracle stood out to me this morning, “and (he) entered the temple with them (Peter and John).”

It was the hour of prayer, and Peter and John were on their way into the temple when they saw a man who was lame from birth being carried to the entrance where he habitually spent his days asking alms of those entering the temple. According to several extra-biblical sources, this was as close to the temple as the lame or blind were allowed to go. (Scripture does not actually say this, but in Leviticus 21:16-23 we are told that the offspring of Aaron who were blind or lame were not allowed to serve as altar priests, offering sacrifices and food offerings to God.)

Doubtless, Peter and John had seen him many times before, but this day was different. At the man’s request for alms, Peter stopped and spoke with him. The man was hoping for silver or gold to meet his material needs, and he probably had a sense of disappointment at Peter’s first words, “I have no silver and gold.” But Peter’s next words changed his life. “But what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

If you’re interested in a more in-depth article on this Scripture, check out my full post at: https://readywriterbr.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/walking-and-leaping-and-praising-god/

Day 14: Isaiah 61:1-11

I love this passage that not only speaks of what Jesus came to do – to proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and to proclaim the favor of the Lord – but also of what He has done for us. All of this and so much more was accomplished at Jesus’ first coming. Because of what He did, we are now clothed with a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair, with garments of salvation and righteousness. How can we not rejoice on what He has done for us! We are His bride, and when He returns we will be a part of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Day 15: 1 Peter 1:20-25

Isaiah spoke of a voice of one crying out in the wilderness with these words:

“A voice says, ‘Cry!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah‬ ‭40:6-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Quoting these verses, Peter reminds us as believers in Christ Jesus that this world and the things in it are not to be our focus. Everything in this world will eventually fade away. Only God’s Word, His will, and His work will last forever. Are you putting your focus on the temporary or on the eternal?

Day 16: Psalm 135:1-7

As I read today’s passage which encourages us to praise the Lord, a different verse from Psalms came to mind. Psalm 33:1 (NASB) says, “Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright.” Praise is becoming to the upright, because it acknowledges that the Lord is good, that He is greater than all gods, that He and he alone is the true God. To sing praises to God’s name is to commend Him for who He is and to thank Him for all He has done. I’d say that makes praise a beautiful thing

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Day 17: Job 5:8-18

As I read the final passage for this week and prayed about how to tie all of these verses together, an old hymn I haven’t heard for many years came to mind. Take time to read the words and as another week comes to an end may they be your prayer.

There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain:

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy-drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing,

Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:

Oh, that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call!

There shall be showers of blessing,

If we but trust and obey;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

If we let God have His way.

Jesus: The Bread of Life

Dec4

Today, we usually think of bread as an add-on to a meal, but in Jesus’ time bread was an essential of life. In fact, bread was the one thing necessary to sustain life.

When Jesus said “I am the bread of life,” I wonder how many of those listening to Him had been there the day before when Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 with only five barley loaves and two fish? The text seems to indicate that those who experienced this miracle are the same ones who are listening to Jesus’ words the next day. But Jesus saw beneath the surface, into their hearts, and He recognized they were seeking Him not because they wanted what He came to give but because they ate their fill of the loaves. Their eyes were on the miracle, not the miracle worker.

In John 6:27, Jesus says, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” This spiritual food was what Jesus had in mind when He said, “I am the bread of life.” This is the bread that satisfies, that leads to life eternal.

Jesus, You are the true bread of life, the bread that sustains us no matter what we face in this life. Thank You for giving Your flesh as the bread that gives us life.