If you need something supernatural to happen, do something supernatural: Pray.
Prayer is not just quiet meditation. It’s not just thinking through your thoughts on your own. Prayer is having a conversation with the God who created you, who knows you better than anyone else, and who can act in ways that are both natural and even “super” natural.
One of the most dramatic answers to prayer is recorded in Acts chapter 12. I’d like to share it with you today to encourage you to pray earnestly for situations in your life for which there appear to be no earthly answers.
Here’s the background for this story: After Saul stopped persecuting the early Christians, they finally enjoyed a time of peace and continued to grow in numbers. But then King Herod took up the persecution again and began to arrest some of those believers putting a man named James to death with the sword. When Herod saw that this pleased some of the Jews, he put Peter in prison, too, planning to put him on trial after the Passover.
Things looked bleak for Peter. There was little hope for him after what had just happened to James, but those early believers weren’t hopeless. They did what they could: they prayed.
The Bible says, “but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Look what happened when they did:
“The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
“Then the angel said to him, ‘Put on your clothes and sandals.’ And Peter did so. ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,’ the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
“Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating’” (Acts 12:6-11).
Faith prays. It may seem obvious that when people are filled with faith, they pray. But interestingly, it may not have been their great faith that drove them to prayer, but perhaps that they had nowhere else to turn. When Peter showed up later that night at the door of a house where many believers were gathered in prayer for him, the people didn’t even believe that it was really Peter at the door. When a servant girl came to tell them Peter was there, they told her, “You’re out of your mind!” (Acts 12:15). They didn’t believe her until Peter kept knocking and they finally opened the door for him. Then they saw for themselves and were astonished.
I love stories like this where God acts in such a way that it even astonishes those who are praying. We may think we’re full of faith, but when God answers remarkably like this, we realize just how little faith we had going into our prayers. But nonetheless, they were praying “earnestly.”
That’s the kind of faith I want for you today. A faith that will pray earnestly. A faith that will pray trusting that God is ultimately in control, but that still prays with full hope and expectation for God to do a miracle.
There’s no shame in praying, just power. Abraham Lincoln confessed, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”
Faith prays. If you need something supernatural to happen, do something supernatural. Pray, and pray earnestly.
Let’s pray...
Father, give us the faith to pray earnestly for Your will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love is the greatest motivator!!!
______ Dreams
are dancing on a melody at11:56 PM
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Some people think that Christianity is exclusive. They think that because Christ said that people must believe in Him in order to come back to the Father that Christianity excludes people. The truth is, Christianity is not exclusive, but incredibly inclusive. It’s open to all people, of all ages, from all races and all nationalities. The story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts chapters 10 and 11 shows us just how inclusive Christianity really is. Peter was a Jew and one of the closest follower of Christ, but God sent Peter to Cornelius, who was not Jewish, to tell him the good news about Christ. Peter went, but not without some having to triple check with God beforehand. The Bible says that as Peter was praying one day, he had a vision from God: “He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’ The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven” (Acts 10:11-16). As Peter was wondering about the vision, some men arrived at his door, asking if he would come with them to see Cornelius, a man who was a Roman soldier, but who was devout and God-fearing, prayed regularly and gave generously to those in need. Realizing the vision was from God, Peter went with them, shared the good news of Christ with Cornelius and all those at his house, and they were all baptized in both water and in the Holy Spirit. Peter realized God’s desire to keep the Jewish people holy by not interacting with non-Jews was for their protection, but not for the exclusion of others. It was a way to keep the Jews pure, not keep others out. Others have always been welcome, and now, through Jesus, the way was made clear for them. When Peter told the other disciples what had happened, they praised God saying “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18b). I used to think Christians were being prideful and arrogant when they claimed that you had to believe in Christ in order to come to God. But I learned that it was not Christians who made that claim, but Jesus Himself. Just before His death and resurrection into heaven, Jesus told His disciples how to get where He was going: “You know the way to the place where I am going....I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:4,6). There was no pride or arrogance in what Jesus said, but simple, humble truth. Christ went on to demonstrate His love for us and the truthfulness of what He said when He died for our sins and opened the way for anyone who believed in Him to come back to God, free, clean and forgiven. Peter shared this good news on another occasion to a crowd of thousands who had gathered from all over the world. During his message, Peter made this bold claim about Jesus: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). When the people heard it, rather than turning their backs and responding with disgust at Peter’s arrogance, over 3,000 of them turned their hearts towards Christ, putting their faith in Him, and being baptized in His name. Faith is for all, as Cornelius and his entire household discovered. If you’ve never put your faith in Christ, I encourage you to do it today. If you know someone who needs to put their faith in Christ, invite them to come to Him today. He is the way and the truth and the life, and His way is open to all. Let’s pray... Father, thank You for sending Jesus as the way to come back to You. Help me put my faith in Jesus today, and help me to invite others to do the same. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love is the greatest motivator!!!
______ Dreams
are dancing on a melody at7:56 PM
It has been 1 month and 10 days since my last blog entry. U guys must be wondering what have happen??? Well, its because, my laptop was spoil. So can't blog. ('_')
Well, It's Mother Day, I would like to tell my mum (HAPPY MOTHER DAY) and Mummy, I love u! Wow, Ytd's SVC was so touching. How i wish my mum was there at the service, because i know that she will be saved as the presence of God was super duper strong. When everyone was sharing their testimony bout their mum, i can't stop crying as i thought of what my mum have went through during this 23 years while rising me up. I really thank her for not giving up on me when i was rebellious. Though i used to hate her for being biased. But now, she is someone that i cannot afford to lose. Mummy, Thank you for everything. No words could describe my LOVE for you. Guys, really treasure your family, Believe and pray for the salvation for your family, as its the only guarantee that you will be able to see them in HEAVEN ah.
Hmmm..throughout this 1 mth plus, many many many things happen. But i still thank God for bringing me through. Placing friends around me to encourage, love and to motivate me. People like Ms Leow...Huimei, thank you for your prayers and encouragement when i'm down. And through this period of time, i see that who is running with me and who is against me. Friendship is forged when nothing is mention and yet you still believe that we are for each other. I simply love Vanessa and Huili, thank you for affirming me when i feel like giving up and helpless. Your words, gesture and love for me motivate me to carry on.
My life in SOT is like exciting, engaging and soaking in the presence of God, its simply life-changing. I got know more people from WYZ zone. I love both team 22 and 23. Esp people like: Raymond, Ronald, Clara, Chui Lan, Desmond and the rest. Its really fun hanging out with you guys. Really motivators of my time in SOT. I really treasure this friendship that we have. Let's maintain it!!! Everyday in SOT, i'm like being in the Holy of Holies, encountering with God. Visions and Dreams have been on my mind. I've learn alot alot throughout these time. Though we are going the series of BS but everything is a new rhema words to me. Learning new things everyday.
For team 23: People like: Henry (thank you for helping me to take care of the delegates and various tiny little things that you helped me with), ying wei, chai ling (thank for your laptop when mine was spoilt), bernie, yu hong, vanessa, jasmine, jie ying, clara, adeline, rou xin, xiao hui,jasper,elena.... Thanks you for being such a nice team. Let grow together in the Lord for the next 4mths that left.. hee.. U guys are now my spiritual family. Cause we see each other more than i see my family.. wahaha.. can't wait for our outing tml... Jia you oh..
For n127: To my beloved mbrs, though we've combined the 2 CGs.. But i love simple every single one of u.. U guys are simply great mbrs, i hope to know more of u guys individually... For Yan, Gee and Shu.. Its was great hanging out with you gals on Thurs at Ben's and Jerry... Lets chilled out more often...
Well, guess i will pen off here today.. Got to start doing my assignment.
God bless you and I love you guys..
Love is the greatest motivator!!!
______ Dreams
are dancing on a melody at7:08 PM
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