Check out all the previous Acts readings here.
Acts Reading Plan | Week 4 | Day 3
Prayer
Pause. Breathe in and then very slowly out. Do that three times. This helps your mind become more present. Psalm 121:1-2 says, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” As you pause to spend time with Jesus, thank Him that He, the maker of heaven and earth, is your helper.
Bible Reading: Acts 4:23-31
Read these verses three times slowly.
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Reflection & Questions
There’s no question of where the early church was finding their strength and boldness. It was in prayer. In the face of fierce resistance, there was one thing they did: “They raised their voices together in prayer to God.” They found strength, boldness, courage, determination, focus, hope, and much more in God’s answers to their prayers. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” If we are needing strength, boldness, courage or anything else, there is one thing to do: get on our knees and pray. Ask Him for His Spirit. Ask Him for His strength. He loves answering those prayers! Just wait and see what He will do.
- In the face of opposition or resistance, where do you tend to try to find strength and courage?
- What is a specific situation where you need courage today? Take that to God in prayer.
Prayer
Use the early church’s prayer as a prompt for your prayers today: “Sovereign Lord, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them…. Stretch out your hand to _________________________ through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
Check out more Bible Reading Plans here.
Questions?
Ed Applegate
