Category Archives: Learning To Pray Effectively

All Powerful / King of All, Fasting, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Admit Our Sin and Turn Back to Yahweh

Many Christians will acknowledge that they have sinned and seek forgiveness. Many will repent of the sins they recognize. However, there is something special in Nehemiah which most of us could stand to reflect on more fully. Nehemiah was not only concerned about his own sins, but more broadly on the sins of His people. He is deeply grieved that his people, God’s people, have strayed so far from God’s commandments and statutes. He admits the sins also of his family and his own. He calls out to the LORD seeking forgiveness. He wept for days. He fasted and prayed. This was not a quick 5-minute prayer in the morning before grabbing a cup of coffee and going to work.

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

      1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol, 2that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”

      4When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. 7“We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8“Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ 10“They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11“O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”
Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah focuses on God as “the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments.” He acknowledges the need to love God and keep His commandments. It is not simply that we should have genuine emotional feeling for our relationship with God or that we should just observe the laws. It is both! True love for God should drive us to want to live according to His commandments. (This is not just the 10 commandments as some believe today. There is much more. Read Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?)

Nehemiah never once puts blame toward God for scattering the people. He even recalls specifically that God said He would scatter them if they were unfaithful. He never challenges God or why God acted in a certain way. Full accountability lays on the people for this situation.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please inspire more of us to be like Nehemiah in that we would feel a love for You and a deep grief for how far Your people are from You, even as they call upon Your name today. Please draw more of us to intercede on the behalf of all who call upon the name of Yahweh or Yeshua. Let there be a restoration of Your laws among believers and let there be a full recognition of Yeshua as Messiah. Raise up strong leaders among Your people and those who would intercede in prayer. Lead Your people in repentance to turn back to obeying Your commands, ordinates and statutes and seeking personal relationship with You! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Marriage, Obeying God

What Does God Say about Mixed Marriages?

For starters, let us ensure we are all aligned on the context in scripture. A mixed marriage is not based on appearance or what many define today as “race”. Truly, we are one race of humans, made in the image of God. We are not separated by what many today call “black” or “white”. That is not how God sees us, nor how we should see one another, any more than we would divide over who has blonde or brown hair. Rather, appreciate the variety God has created!

A mixed marriage in the context of scripture is one that involves God’s people marrying someone from a culture or nation that does not live in accordance with the instructions and law of God. More specifically, there was direct instruction not to intermarry with the inhabitants of the promised land as it would lead God’s people away from Him as they blend with other faiths and practices. With that in mind, you can probably see where this is going.

Ezra 9

Mixed Marriages

      1Now when these things had been completed, the princes approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites. 2“For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.” 3When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled. 4Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering.

Prayer of Confession

      5But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the LORD my God; 6and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. 7“Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity and to plunder and to open shame, as it is this day. 8“But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. 9“For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

      10“Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, 11which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from end to end and with their impurity. 12‘So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons, and never seek their peace or their prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’ 13“After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this, 14shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would You not be angry with us to the point of destruction, until there is no remnant nor any who escape? 15“O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this.”

Clearly, the LORD is against His people marrying someone who has beliefs and traditions and ways of living that conflict with His ways, His instructions, His traditions.  Further, it is not because He is harsh or wants to make life difficult, but rather the opposite. He warns us to avoid something that will clearly create division between us and Him. He wants to help us stay near to Him. Consider carefully what someone holds as their core beliefs when considering marriage, even among those who claim to follow Messiah, but may blend many practices or traditions that Messiah Himself did not and would not practice.  One example that comes to mind is Solomon, who drifted from God and blended with other pagan practices and worship through the influence of his many pagan wives and concubines.

It is also interesting to observe that Ezra interceded with God on behalf of the people of Israel. He was not just concerned with his own actions. Most of us today do not do this enough.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for leaders like Ezra, who cry out to You on behalf of all Your people. Thank You for raising up righteous leaders who will help lead us to You. Please bring more workers to the harvest to bring about restoration and revival among Your people. Help us gather together in unity and support one another. Help us intercede for one another. Have mercy on us as sinners. Help us turn about and repent to return to Your ways. Give us as Your people wisdom in regards to marriage. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Faith / Trusting God, Fasting, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Learning To Pray Effectively, Persecution / Glorifying God, Seeking God, Teachable, Traditions / Holidays

Out of the Ways of Men and Back on the Path to God

We have been discussing how the book of Ezra, which details the return of people of Juday to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple, compares to each of us individually or collectively in our effort to return to or draw near to the LORD our God. One major theme is that God’s will is behind it, driving it. His people are seeking to return to Him and His ways and extracting themselves out of traditions of men and other cultures that have surrounded them for a few generations.

In Ezra 8, I read an account where a community of God’s people are coming together and working in unity to return to His ways. It is so much more than just one person. They fall back on the roles and tribes into which God organized their people. There is emphasis on family structure as an organizing thread in the community. Priests and Levites each have their appointed roles.

There is fasting and prayer to seek the LORD and draw near to Him for big decisions. There is faith placed in the LORD above even an escort of soldiers from the king.  It is an historical record that is overflowing with activity.

Ezra 8

People Who Went with Ezra

      1Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households and the genealogical enrollment of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes: 2of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush; 3of the sons of Shecaniah who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah and with him 150 males who were in the genealogical list; 4of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 males with him; 5of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel and 300 males with him; 6and of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 males with him; 7and of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 males with him; 8and of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him; 9of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 males with him; 10and of the sons of Bani, Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah and 160 males with him; 11and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 males with him; 12and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 males with him; 13and of the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and 60 males with them; 14and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and 70 males with them.

Ezra Sends for Levites

      15Now I assembled them at the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days; and when I observed the people and the priests, I did not find any Levites there. 16So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers. 17I sent them to Iddo the leading man at the place Casiphia; and I told them what to say to Iddo and his brothers, the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to us for the house of our God. 18According to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men; 19and Hashabiah and Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men; 20and 220 of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, all of them designated by name.

Protection of God Invoked

      21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 22For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.” 23So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.

      24Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; 25and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered. 26Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents, 27and 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. 28Then I said to them, “You are holy to the LORD, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers. 29“Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.” 30So the priests and the Levites accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

      31Then we journeyed from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way. 32Thus we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days.

Treasure Placed in the Temple

      33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the utensils were weighed out in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34Everything was numbered and weighed, and all the weight was recorded at that time.

      35The exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to the LORD. 36Then they delivered the king’s edicts to the king’s satraps and to the governors in the provinces beyond the River, and they supported the people and the house of God.

What elements do you see in Ezra 8 that may apply for an individual or group that is trying to draw near to the LORD today? Perhaps I can lead with a few examples. I am willing to conclude that likely the people coming out of Babylon had many pagan customs they had been exposed to and perhaps blended with their own customs. They had to lay them down as they picked up and focused on the ways of the LORD. There are often adversaries that will come against us as we try to change and draw nearer to the LORD. Sometimes the very fact that we are changing and admitting that some of what we were doing is wrong can lead others to be very uncomfortable and even resistant… and we are not even asking them to change. It is almost like they need to convince us not to change or they may feel like they are wrong not to! Spend some time in pray and reflection.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help stir the spirit of Your people to unite and leave behind the ways of men to move together in unity toward a restoration of Your ways! Help us have courage to leave some things behind and embrace a return to Your ways, some of which may seem strange to some of us (e.g. Your appointed times such as Passover, Tabernacles, etc.). Help us to embrace fasting and prayer in unity and seek to come together with others of Your people who want to pursue You! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Jesus (hearing from God), Learning To Pray Effectively, Satan

How we pray matters!

In Matthew 6:9-13, our Messiah teaches us how to pray.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

Yeshua laid out a very clear way to lead us in our prayer life with God. How we pray and why we pray matter to God!

We start by focusing on God. Reflect on who He is and what He wants us to do. All too often we launch directly into a list of our wants, needs, or troubles. Yeshua tells us first to focus on God. This helps to put in perspective our issues and His ability to lead us through them. It honors Him and shows respect. Our prayer is not all about us, but about our relationship with Him.

Then Yeshua calls us to ask for “our daily bread”. He does not say ask for our next week or year… or do not ask at all for anything. He wants us to talk to Him daily. We should make sure to set this time aside and not let it get crowded out.

“Forgive us our debts…” as we forgive others. Yeshua calls us not only to repent and ask for forgiveness but also to forgive others. Don’t hold a grudge. Bitterness hurts most the one who holds it, not the one to whom it is directed. Scripture says we will be forgiven as we forgive others. Keep that in mind!

“Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil…” Yes, there really is a devil and there really are evil people and evil desires we must avoid and sometimes overcome. Jesus is warning us that we should lean on God for help in this area daily.

“For Yours is the kingdom…” We close where we started, with focus on God instead of us.

Learn more by reading Learning How to Pray Effectively.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Learning To Pray Effectively, Seeking God, Share the Good News

Seek His Will with Fasting and Prayer and with Others

Those of us who are true followers of Yeshua are all part of one body. We are to work together for the glory of His kingdom, not fight amongst ourselves to each scratch out our own kingdom by our own strength.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

      12For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

It is a wonderful and awesome thing to watch when we see our fellow Christians living out the gifts and purposes that God has created them for and working together as a body of Christ to bring glory to God’s kingdom instead of creating our own selfish kingdoms. We see such an example in Acts 13:1-12.

Acts 13:1-12

      1Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

      4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11“Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.

It was through fasting and prayer and ministering to the Lord that Saul and Barnabus received their guidance from the Holy Spirit. They were not busy going about their own pursuits, but rather actively seeking and honoring God when they heard from Him.

A group of believers gathered together in prayer and fasting and laid hands on them to send them on their way. Their mission was one appointed from the Holy Spirit and that was important as they encountered spiritual resistance along the way. It was the power of God that allowed Saul (also Paul) to overcome the enemy who was coming against them… and what a powerful sight that must have been for those who saw it! It was enough for the proconsul to believe in Messiah.

When God appoints you on a mission and you faithfully seek to fulfill it, He will provide the path and power to successfully complete it!

Have you heard from God what your gifts and purpose are? Have you earnestly sought after Him in prayer and fasting? Have you taken time to even ask Him and then listen for a response? Do you study His word and apply it to your life? Do you come humbly before Him in prayer? If not, challenge yourself to start today. Do not wait for tomorrow. Make time for prayer with our Creator consistently as if it is as important as the very physical food we eat… because it is that important.

Do not dismiss to easily the possibility that Satan is coming against you when you try to obey God’s commands and live for Him. Satan may absolutely come against you. With God’s help you will overcome! Gather together with other believers in fasting and prayer to seek God’s guidance and blessing for your life.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people come together in fasting and prayer and in seeking Your will for each of us. Help us to draw near to You in fervent prayer. Help us fully submit to You! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Angels, Evidence in Scripture, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Salvation, Satan

Prayer For Him Was Being Made Fervently By The Church To God

Have you ever experienced some breakthroughs in your life in terms of living for God only to find that the resistance and obstacles increase? Indeed, that is common. Often when Satan sees a disciple of Yeshua having a significant breakthrough or possibly on the verge of reaching many for Messiah, he steps up his opposition. So, too, do men who reject Christ. Sometimes you face both at the same time.

In Acts 11, the early church was growing, reaching out to Gentiles and receiving them in large numbers. Fellow believers were helping one another, even across different geographies… not just home-town help. Then Herod stepped up his resistance to followers of Yeshua, much to the pleasure of the Jewish religious leaders of the time. Herod killed James, brother of John, and then arrested Peter.

The followers of Yeshua were not strong enough on their own to resist or overpower the government at the time. Instead, they turned to the power which God provided. The believers responded with fervent, intercessory prayer on his behalf. Prayer is a powerful weapon and brings about mighty things from God. Do not underestimate it and do not limit yourself to half-hearted, “when it is convenient, and I have nothing else to do” prayer. Fervent prayer for a righteous purpose made by those who submit to Yeshua can be very powerful.

Acts 12:1-19

Peter’s Arrest and Deliverance

      1Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. 5So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

      6On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. 7And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. 8And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” 16But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place.

      18Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

There is no doubt about how Peter got out. There can be no credible “conspiracy theory” that someone bribed the guards or such. The guards surely would have revealed it and brought Peter back … they were led away for execution due to their failure!

Trust in the power of God to protect us. Of course, we must also trust in God’s decision about whether or not He does so and how. Remember that James was killed at Herod’s hands.

Perhaps the principal lesson we should focus on from this scripture is the power of wholehearted, fervent, righteous prayer on someone’s behalf, especially when a team of believers come together in this prayer.  This is specifically highlighted in this scripture and is pivotal in the situation with Peter.

Do you know of some specific individuals or situations which could use the kind of help that Peter received in Acts 12 from God? Gather together with other followers of Christ and pray fervently for God to act in this situation for the glory of His kingdom! Expect Him to answer and keep praying. You just might be amazed by the response you see from our Creator and Lord.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead us and guide us to draw nearer to You in prayer. Help us to call upon You together and trust in Your decision as to how the events unfold. Let us not look down on the power of prayer, but neither let us take prayer an excuse for us to avoid also taking action when it is in our power to act. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Correction, Discipline / Guidance From God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Patience, Humility, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Repenting from Sin, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Accept Correction, Change Behavior, and Seek Forgiveness

Simon was a man who was used to being the center of attention. He had grown accustomed to people being impressed by his tricks… his slights of hand or “magic arts”. When he met Philip and saw the people being baptized in the name of Yeshua and witnessed great signs and miracles… Simon believed.

As a new believer, Simon continued to witness the signs and wonders and was particularly impressed when the apostles laid hands on people and the Holy Spirit was bestowed on them.

Simon made a significant mistake and was rebuked for it by the apostles. He was so impressed by the acts of the apostles that he perhaps slipped back into his typical mindset of making a deal to buy the power of God he saw in front of him. Perhaps he was drawn to being the center of attention again or just excited as a new follower of Christ and he approached the situation from his selfish nature or glorifying himself rather than the selfless nature of glorifying God.

The message of the apostles to Simon was simple and consistent with the ways of Yeshua, turn to Yahweh in repentance and ask for forgiveness. Simon’s response was equally consistent with the ways of Yeshua, please pray for me.

Acts 8:9-24

     9Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; 10and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” 11And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. 12But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. 13Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

      14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21“You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22“Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23“For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” 24But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

New believers are not instantly changed into mature believers when they say “yes” to Christ for the first time. It is typical that they need love, patience, support, and prayer from more mature believers around them. They are still learning how to follow Yeshua, and do so for His glory rather than their own. They will make mistakes. What we see in Simon though is what appears to be genuine concern for his mistake and a genuine desire to ask forgiveness and receive support in prayer form the apostles.

More mature Christians we can make a point to reach out to and support new Christians… and absolutely to rebuke them and pray for them to help them stay on the right path to relationship with God. New Christians should allow themselves to be humble when they make mistakes… not to get defensive, but rather accept counsel, repent of the wrong behavior, ask forgiveness from God and ask others to pray for them and with them.

Our journey to become more like Yeshua and less like our own selfish nature is a journey that lasts a lifetime… we are never done, but it transforms us along the way. Those who accept correction will grow in wisdom and progress faster and further on the journey toward close relationship with Yeshua.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have a right heart toward You. Help me to focus on bringing glory and honor to You. Give me a spirit that is ready to accept correction (or give it appropriately). Amen.

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Submitted / Servant

Pray for More Workers for the Harvest

Jesus feels love and compassion for the lost.  He highlights in Matthew 9:35-38 the need for people who are willing to serve God and take the message of gospel to people throughout the world.

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Clearly today we see the same confusion and helplessness in people around the world. They are striving for something to fulfill them… to guide them. All too often even those who have heard the message of Christ turn instead to what the world tells them… make money, accumulate things, gather power for yourself… then you will be satisfied.

To dedicate yourself to God’s work means you often give up these things. Instead of earthly desires, you must find your joy in serving the Lord through difficult circumstances. People will mock you and persecute you. In many places throughout the world, people will even kill Christians for their faith.

There is indeed much need and not enough workers. Pray with us that the Lord would send more workers to help bring people to faith in Him through Christ Jesus. Pray that He would draw the workers close to Him so they would bring the full and true gospel and not one which is diluted by man in an attempt to avoid offending someone or trying to please someone. Pray YHWH’s people would “unleash the lion” of the gospel in all its power.

If our Father is calling you to be a worker in the harvest… obey His call wholeheartedly and ask Him for His strength and courage to answer boldly.

Not every worker has to be a pastor or missionary. Many can be called to help in neighborhoods and families and work places around them. Pray too that He would develop each of us and help us to be effective workers in the harvest as well. Let us not just rely on others but step up and fill the role ourselves as well.

Pray the Lord would show you where you can start helping with the harvest or begin preparing so you will be ready soon.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Seeking God

What Can We Learn from Solomon’s Benediction?

The full detailed account around Solomon’s presentation celebrating and dedicating the temple is almost overwhelming to take in, but it is worth reading and reflecting on. It is all about going over the top for honoring and respecting YHWH.

There are a few points I would highlight in today’s scripture.

  • Solomon praises YHWH for fulfilling all He promised.
  • Solomon asks that YHWH would never leave nor forsake them.
  • He asks for YHWH to incline their hearts toward Himself so that they would walk in all His ways.
  • He wants everyone to know there is only one God and it is YHWH.
  • He comes back again to the importance of obeying all YHWH’s statutes and commands as a sign of our devotion to Him.

All of these points are still very important for us today in our relationship with our Father.

1 Kings 8:54-61

Solomon’s Benediction

      54When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven. 55And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:

      56“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. 57“May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us, 58that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers. 59“And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, 60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else. 61“Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Arrogance, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Learning To Pray Effectively, Miracles, Miracles, Submitted / Servant, Unteachable / Foolish

Proclaim The Gospel Boldly Despite Intimidation

The religious “elite” or “establishment”, those with the most apparent authority and training, arrested Peter and John, who were uneducated and untrained men, and brought them to testify. The religious leaders, having already killed Yeshua, wanted to subdue this movement that claimed Yeshua was Messiah and had risen from the dead. Surely, Peter and John, who had gone into hiding when Yeshua was arrested and killed, would respond to intimidation and just be quiet. The miracles could not be denied, even by those who chose to reject Yeshua as Messiah.

Before being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost Peter and John indeed lacked the boldness with which they now stood and proclaimed Yeshua as Messiah. However, now they stood before the full intimidation of the religious leaders and refused to give an inch. They would not back away from Yeshua despite threats toward their own well being… and it amazed their accusers. They had nothing to say in reply to Peter and John.

Acts 4:13-31

Threat and Release

      13Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 14And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. 15But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, 16saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17“But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” 18And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

      23When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,

25who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?

      26‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

27“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. 29“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

The religious leaders could not deny God’s power as demonstrated by the healing miracle. The healed man was well known and now stood before them. They never stopped to reconsider what this signified… that they should reconsider their opinion that Yeshua was not Messiah. They continued in their wickedness to try to cover up and subdue the message of Yeshua. These supposed holy men and esteemed religious leaders did not even stop and pray to seek Yahweh’s help in this matter. They had already decided to dismiss the evidence Yah provided and continue like a freight train on the path to denying Jesus. They seem blinded by their own choice… having put their faith in the traditions and power of men. Do not be like these men.

So after they were released, how did Peter and John respond? Did they pray for protection? Did they pray for their enemies to be overthrown? Did they pray for wealth and power to stand up to their enemies? No, no, and no. They prayed for confidence and boldness and God’s continued hand to heal miraculously to His glory in the name of Jesus. Wow. We should be like these men, Peter and John. Having prayed a righteous and powerful prayer, God filled them again with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak the word of God with boldness!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence. Grant us courage to stand boldly for You despite intimidation we may face. Use us for Your glory and honor! Amen

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.