Acts 16
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
It never ceases to amaze me how many times "on the way to prayer" distractions come my way. Did I remember to turn the oven off? Is there a email waiting for me? I will just fix this first! Not only are we distracted from prayer we are also attacked against finding the place of prayer. Like what confronted Paul in this scripture we to need to take authority over whatever it is that is trying to divert us away from the place of intimacy.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Day 12
Acts 16
13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Why is it that the women had come to pray? Why does it always seem a struggle to get more men at a prayer meeting? Women seem more easily given to prayer maybe because a man's ego doesn't give itself to the concept of depending on another. A man wont look at instructions, he wont ask for directions and avoids seeking help. That aside the women that gathered were used by God to lay a strong foundation for one of the great churches, the Philippian church.
13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Why is it that the women had come to pray? Why does it always seem a struggle to get more men at a prayer meeting? Women seem more easily given to prayer maybe because a man's ego doesn't give itself to the concept of depending on another. A man wont look at instructions, he wont ask for directions and avoids seeking help. That aside the women that gathered were used by God to lay a strong foundation for one of the great churches, the Philippian church.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Day 11
Acts 13:2-3
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Its better to be "sent" then to "went". Many people just leave a church because of offense or because their life is void of spiritual life so they just slip out the back door, others have a vision and because they cant get the pastor to support them they uproot and leave. But here during a season of prayer and fasting Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are sowed out. When you are sown you go with the strength of the sower. A farmer only sows seed that he expects a harvest from. Prayer and fasting humbles us so we can be sent not just went.
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Its better to be "sent" then to "went". Many people just leave a church because of offense or because their life is void of spiritual life so they just slip out the back door, others have a vision and because they cant get the pastor to support them they uproot and leave. But here during a season of prayer and fasting Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are sowed out. When you are sown you go with the strength of the sower. A farmer only sows seed that he expects a harvest from. Prayer and fasting humbles us so we can be sent not just went.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Day 10
Acts 10
9The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
Your bedroom, kitchen, a study, office, in the park, on the beach the place doesn't matter because there is never a place that prayer cant go. As long as we have our rooftop somewhere! The person committed to prayer will always find a place to pray. Peter climbs to the rooftop to pray where God drops a vision in his heart about reaching the gentiles, this rooftop moment changed Peter and the spread of the gospel forever. What is God waiting to drop into our hearts that will change us forever? Find your rooftop.
9The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
Your bedroom, kitchen, a study, office, in the park, on the beach the place doesn't matter because there is never a place that prayer cant go. As long as we have our rooftop somewhere! The person committed to prayer will always find a place to pray. Peter climbs to the rooftop to pray where God drops a vision in his heart about reaching the gentiles, this rooftop moment changed Peter and the spread of the gospel forever. What is God waiting to drop into our hearts that will change us forever? Find your rooftop.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Day 9
Acts 10
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius." 4And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
A memorial is something that provokes the memory of a thing. Our prayers and our giving ascend to God and become a memorial or they provoke God to remember us. Think about that our prayers reside in a place in heaven. God has a heavenly warehouse full of the generosity of our prayers and of our sowing, they form a place in the mind of God.
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius." 4And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
A memorial is something that provokes the memory of a thing. Our prayers and our giving ascend to God and become a memorial or they provoke God to remember us. Think about that our prayers reside in a place in heaven. God has a heavenly warehouse full of the generosity of our prayers and of our sowing, they form a place in the mind of God.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Day 8
Acts 12:5
5So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Thank God for the church! People may knock it, they may criticize it but when it works there is nothing more powerful. In this verse the church never petitioned to have Peter released, they didn't write to the government, they prayed. All of us need to find our knees for others. Prayer isn't something done by the person up the front but its lived out by all of us its lived out by the church. Whats sad is that it often takes a crisis like imprisonment to arouse people to pray and yet everyday there are people imprisoned spiritually all over the world.
You will never keep yourself happy by trying to keep your "self" happy. Live generously and find your knees for others.
5So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Thank God for the church! People may knock it, they may criticize it but when it works there is nothing more powerful. In this verse the church never petitioned to have Peter released, they didn't write to the government, they prayed. All of us need to find our knees for others. Prayer isn't something done by the person up the front but its lived out by all of us its lived out by the church. Whats sad is that it often takes a crisis like imprisonment to arouse people to pray and yet everyday there are people imprisoned spiritually all over the world.
You will never keep yourself happy by trying to keep your "self" happy. Live generously and find your knees for others.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Day 7
Acts 9
40But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
We must fill the room with faith we must fill the place with prayer. In Mark 5:40 Peter had been in the room when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. The first thing Jesus did was to remove some of the negative people out of the room. So Peter now follows the great master. Then he drops to his knees and prays! No one knows how long Peter prayed for or what he said, we are just told that he prayed. Then he turns to Tabitha and her eyes, that were once pale open and her limp body springs to life. He doesnt pray whilst looking at the deathly circumstances he prays and then he turns to see the miracle that God had done.
40But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
We must fill the room with faith we must fill the place with prayer. In Mark 5:40 Peter had been in the room when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. The first thing Jesus did was to remove some of the negative people out of the room. So Peter now follows the great master. Then he drops to his knees and prays! No one knows how long Peter prayed for or what he said, we are just told that he prayed. Then he turns to Tabitha and her eyes, that were once pale open and her limp body springs to life. He doesnt pray whilst looking at the deathly circumstances he prays and then he turns to see the miracle that God had done.
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