road2answers

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Beaten, Bruised and Singing

Acts 16:16-34[i]

Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12 tells us, "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

From this, we understand that we as believers are engaged in a spiritual battle. This battle can take many different forms. Depression, anger, and various emotional issues can have their source in spiritual struggles.

One thing we know about the evil one is that he is a liar. In John chapter 8 verse 44, Jesus tells us, "He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies."

When we first meet the devil in Genesis chapter 3, he tempts Eve to sin using a lie. This is his primary weapon. Ephesians 6 describes spiritual armor. In this description, we have a helmet protecting our mind called salvation. We have a sword; it is the word of God. We have a belt called truth. Much of the armor is dedicated to defending against the lies of the evil one.

As we might expect, the apostles and the early Church encountered spiritual opposition. Acts chapter 16 verses 16 through 34 gives an account in which we see an excellent example of how spiritual battles are fought and won. As we look at this account, we will find encouragement and strength for our daily lives.

The account begins, "One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortuneteller who earned a lot of money for her masters. She followed Paul and the rest of us shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.’" (Acts 16:16-17)

Let me just take a moment here to say, we must expect the lie.

The evil one had been at work in the lives of the people of Philippi long before Paul and his companions arrived. This demon-possessed girl is evidence of this fact. Not only is there evidence of the work of evil spirits, but there is obvious greed at work. Humanity, without Christ, is not only deceived about the work of evil spirits, but often humanity eagerly embraces some forms of this work.

We must expect the lie. It is in the culture around us. It is at work in the lives of all who do not know Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:4 gives us a simple truth. It says, "Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.” Satan blinds the minds of those who do not believe by getting them to believe lies. He inoculates them against the truth.

For example, Islam acknowledges that Jesus lived but not that he is God or that he rose from the dead. Islam recognizes that there is but one God, but denies the truth of the Trinity. Or, as another example, our culture in America preaches the fact that God loves everybody, but denies the consequences of sin, the existence of hell and the justice of God. Another lie that leads many astray is the teaching that all roads lead to God. This teaching would have us believe that Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus and others are all great teachers leading us to the truth. These are all lies formulated by the god of this world to blind the minds of those who do not believe.

The story continues as the text tells how this demon-possessed girl continued day after day with her shouting. Finally, Paul got so exasperated that he turned and commanded the demon to leave the girl.

The evil one is relentless and his attack is incessant. The slave girl was speaking the truth, but she was doing it in a way that would both disrupt and discredit the ministry of Paul and his companions.

Even today, the evil one works in much the same way. He will work to disrupt or discredit the ministry of the gospel. If he can distract us from the work, his purposes are accomplished.

Everything we have seen in the story so far points to the fact that the evil one works to stop the spread of the gospel. As we continue the story, we see physical opposition to the spread of the gospel. The slave girl’s owners make accusations against Paul and Silas. A mob forms against Paul and Silas, and the city officials have them severely flogged. Then they are thrown into prison and locked up with their feet in stocks.

This is physical opposition to the gospel, and it continues even to the present day. Throughout history, the evil one has sought to stop the spread of the gospel with physical opposition. Torture, imprisonment and even death have been and continue to be used.

To the human eye without faith, it appears that the evil one has won. Paul and Silas are locked up. However, let's consider their response.

In verse 25, we find Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. This displays the confidence that we have through Jesus Christ our Lord. Although the devil may oppose us, we have certain victory in Jesus Christ.

Jesus assures us of his victory.

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (ESV) The rock that Jesus promises to build his Church on is the confession that Peter made that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God. The gates of hell are all the opposition that the evil one has raised up against the knowledge of God.

What we see happening in Acts chapter 16 is a picture of how, in spite of all that the devil can throw up against the gospel, he cannot stop its spread. At the heart of the gospel message is the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. This is the foundation of the Church. The devil opposes this truth.

The Apostle John teaches us to recognize the lie of the evil one by checking what is said about Jesus. He says, “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.” (1 John 4:2-3)

Satan has built gates to stop the message and/or the messenger that would proclaim Christ. However, Jesus assures us of his victory. He said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." 1 John 4:4 adds to this the following statement: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (ESV)[ii]

It was this faith, this assurance of victory that was behind Paul and Silas singing through the night. They were beaten, bloody and bruised and yet their assurance of victory found them singing through the night. We should always be confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in us will perform it until Jesus Christ returns. (Philippians 1:6)

As we continue the story of acts chapter 16, we read that while Paul and Silas were singing, suddenly there was a massive earthquake. The doors of the prison burst open. The chains of every prisoner fell off. The jailer, thinking all the prisoners had escaped, pulled out his sword to kill himself.

At this point, we should add an explanation of the jailer's behavior. The jailer was entrusted with prisoners and his only job was to produce the prisoners when the prisoners were called for. If the prisoners were not produced, the jailer's life was forfeit. It was a simple and effective way to prevent prisoners escaping. However, in the case of Paul and Silas, this system failed, but none of the prisoners escaped. The locked doors and chains no longer held any of the prisoners. Only the power of God kept them in the jail, and so they all remained in their cells as if the doors were still locked.

Against the power of God, the powers of darkness do not stand a chance. The grave could not hold Jesus. The prison and the chains could not hold Paul and Silas. In the case of Jesus, when he was going to the cross, he could have called an army of angels to deliver him but he went willingly to his death in order to accomplish the purposes of God. In the case of Paul and Silas, God did not have to let them be arrested, but in order to save the jailer and his family, God allowed them both to be beaten and jailed.

The world may think the church is beaten, and that there is no hope for Christians. However, "Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

When the jailer realized that the prisoners were still there, he was overcome by the revelation of the power of God. He thought his life was over, but it was miraculously saved by the prisoners remaining in their cells. Notice his reaction. He ran to the dungeon and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. His first question was, "What must I do to be saved?"

Remember, the slave girl had told everybody that these were the servants of the most high God and that they were telling them how they must be saved. Until this jailer saw the power of God displayed, he put no confidence in the words of the slave girl. However, God used a miraculous display of his power to open the eyes of the jailer. The blindness of mind was removed.

Their reply was simple. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31) This is the truth that Peter confessed when he said, "You are the Christ the son of the living God." This is the foundation upon which the Church is built. And, this is the power that overcomes the evil one.

1 John 5:4-5 tells us, “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Paul and Silas overcame by faith. Their faith was displayed in their singing in the middle of the night. You and I will overcome by faith. Have confidence that whatever we encounter, the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.

[i] Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

[ii] Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

When God Leads

Acts 16:6-15[i]

The book of Acts is a historical account of the beginning of the Church. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell of the life of Jesus and all that He began to do with and in His apostles. The author of Acts tells us that after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to these apostles over a period of 40 days, speaking to them about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)

These men witnessed the ministry and work of Jesus. They saw the lame walk, the blind see and the dead raised to life.

They witnessed the resurrection.

Therefore, when Jesus met with them after the resurrection, they wanted to know what was next. They asked, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6, ESV)[ii]

This shows they wanted to know what His plans were. They participated in three years of ministry, and now seemed the time for Jesus to complete what he had begun.

To their question, Jesus replied:

“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8, ESV)

According to this reply, Jesus was not finished.

He entrusted these men with the task of taking His story to the ends of the earth. How they went about this task is the story told by Acts. This was the “what comes next” that they were looking for.

Jesus told them they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This statement forms the outline for the story told by the book of Acts. Thus, the early chapters of Acts record the spread of the good news about Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.

Next, chapters 13 through 15 tell the important story of the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. This marks the beginning of the “to the ends of the earth” part of the story.

Below is a picture I found through Google that shows the locations Paul covered in His first missionary journey.

[iii]

This journey took place between A.D. 46 and 48,[iv] in other words, approximately 13 years after the resurrection.

After this first missionary journey was completed, Paul set out on a second missionary journey. Chapter 16 records the early part of this second missionary journey. This second journey took place between A.D. 49 and 52.[v] Below is a map showing the route taken on this particular journey.

[vi]

Acts chapter 16 verse 6 finds Paul and his companions traveling through Phrygia and Galatia.

Verses 6 and 7 of chapter 16 tell us:

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.

Here, in these two verses, the Holy Spirit prevented them twice from going the direction they intended to go.

Apparently, they had made the best plans they could for the spread of the gospel, but God had other plans. Their plans were not bad. Others took the gospel to those areas later. However, God had different plans for them at that time.

As we look at this passage, it is important to remember that God is sovereign. In other words, He rules everything. There is nothing outside the authority of His rule. Ultimately, He is in control and nothing that happens is outside of His control. Because of this, the book of Acts is both the account of the works of the Apostles and the story of the working of the Holy Spirit.

While God is Sovereign, we are not robots.

We have choices and decisions that we exercise freely. Sometimes our choices and decisions have tragic results, and yet God’s purposes are accomplished. For example, in relation to the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter said, “This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:23) In this case, what evil men intended for their own evil purposes, God used for our good and salvation.

As believers seeking to do the will of God, we can take great comfort in knowing God is sovereign. If it is our desire and prayer that God’s will be done, He will lead us.

Sometimes God leads by preventing.

God prevented Paul and his companions from going in the direction that was not His will. They were not given a reason. They were prevented. Therefore, they were forced to take a different direction. Their task was to take the story of Jesus to the ends of the earth. Their plan was to take it to the east into Asia, but God's plan was to the North and West into Macedonia.

It is not always a failure when our plans do not work out. If we are praying for the will of God to be done, we can trust that in all things, God's will will be done.

The task that Jesus gave his apostles is the task that we, the church, are still working at. It is not complete. Individually, we are not all called to make missionary journeys like Paul, Silas, Timothy, Barnabas and John Mark, but we are all called to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19-20 tells us we are to make disciples “as we are going.” Acts 1:8 tells us we are His witnesses wherever we go. We can and should make a plan for how we are going to witness. Whatever plan we make, we can trust God to direct us. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” (ESV)

Let's go back to the story of Paul and his companions, and how the Lord directed them.

We pick up the story in verse 8. Acts 16:8 says, “So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.”

The Spirit of Jesus had not allowed them to go where they planned. So instead, they went to the seaport of Troas. Next, we are told, "That night Paul had a vision: a man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’” (Acts 16:9)

Here, we see another truth about God's leading.

Sometimes God leads with impressions, visions or insights.

Knowing the Lord's will is not magical or mystical. It can be as simple as common sense, and as mysterious as a vision in the middle of the night.

A good principle to follow in all of our life and in all things is found in Ephesians 5:10. It says, “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.”

Another statement of this principle is found in 2 Timothy 2:15. This familiar passage says, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”

This principle points to growing in our faith and in our walk with the Lord. It is part of maturing in Christ. By daily feeding on the Word of God, our hearts are trained to discern the will of God. There are no shortcuts to maturity. Hard work is implied in the words "Carefully determine what pleases the Lord." 2 Timothy 2:15 uses the words “Work hard.” To me, it no longer seems like hard work to get up and spend time alone in the Word of God. It is a joy. It is a comfort. However, there are times when it just does not happen. My bed is too comfortable, or I am just too tired. These times cost me, and I end up regretting them. It is not that God punishes me. It is that they are lost opportunities. Times alone with God are pictured in the words of the hymn "In the Garden." This hymn ends with the words, "And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."

By spending time alone with God, we train ourselves to know or understand the will of God. Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14, ESV)

My assumption is that Paul had his senses trained to distinguish good from evil. Therefore, he was ready to discern the will of God as revealed in the vision.

As we return to the story of Acts chapter 16, we see the immediate obedience of Paul. Once God had revealed His will, Paul did not hesitate to change his plans. Paul and his companions boarded a boat at Troas, and set out for Macedonia. In just a few days, they found themselves at Philippi, a major city in that district.

On the Sabbath, they went to a likely place where Jews would gather to worship the Lord, as would be their custom. Acts chapter 16 tells us they went to the river. This simple fact shows us that there were less than 10 Jewish men in that community. If there had been 10 Jewish men, there would have been a synagogue. In a new community, Paul always started by going to the gathering place of the Jews. He did this because the Jews were the natural audience for his message. They already knew about God. They already knew the Scriptures. Furthermore, they were his people. He knew their culture. He knew their language. He would have had much in common with them.

By going to the gathering place of the Jews in Philippi, Paul found a group of women who had gathered to pray. There he met Lydia. The Lord opened her heart to receive Paul's message, and she opened her home as a base of operations for Paul.

This seeming insignificant beginning grew the church at Philippi. Later in his life, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippi. This letter is known for the joy and affection that it expresses. In following God's will, great things were accomplished.

This leads to our conclusion.

When we are engaged in doing the will of God, He works in all of our circumstances to accomplish his work.

The principle here is that expressed by Jesus when he was teaching his disciples not to worry. He was telling them that God would take care of everything that concerned them, and He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

The book of Acts is not yet finished.

You are part of the story.

Your story is part of His story as he works in your life to accomplish His work and His will. He has given you His Holy Spirit so that you can have the power to be His witness as you live in your part of the ends of the earth.

Jesus will come back soon, and I hope that you will hear the words “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

[iii] https://prezi.com/r7lcxjqwkvbj/copy-of-pauls-missionary-journey/

[v] Ibid, pg 1717.

[vi] http://www.peopleofthefreegift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/pauls_second_journey1349342846464.jpg

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

A Short-lived Victory

Acts 12[i]

Let me show you a few verses from the Bible:

Jeremiah 12:1

LORD, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. So let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy?

Job 21:7

Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?

Ecclesiastes 8:14

And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!

Psalm 73:2-3

But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

Why do the wicked prosper?

When troubles, hardships or persecutions come, we all have questions. Why is this happening? How can we make it?

With these questions comes the challenge of survival. Can we make it or even continue to go on? In the account of Acts 12, we find great hope. This hope is for believers. If you have not asked Jesus Christ to be your Savior, I hope that today’s study will encourage you to do so.

First, some background as we set the stage for the story of Acts chapter 12.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus chose 12 apostles to be with him. Peter, James and John were the leaders of these 12. When the new Church started, Peter took the lead along with James. The leaders of the Jewish nation were jealous of the success of the early Church. Beginning with the stoning of Stephan, they persecuted the Church to try to stop its growth. In the person of Saul, they found a champion, a fierce persecutor. However, their champion met Jesus on the road to Damascus, and was converted. Saul the persecutor became Paul the evangelist.

As we come to the beginning of Acts 12, for some reason, Herod the king has decided to begin persecuting the Church. The chapter starts by telling us that Herod had James put to death. James was the brother of John. Jesus had nicknamed James and John “Sons of Thunder.” Before following Jesus, they were members of the political party known as “Zealots.” The Zealots tried to move the Jewish nation to rebel against the Romans and drive them out by force of arms. Thus, James and John were men of action and displayed this in their character earning themselves the title “Sons of Thunder.”

Peter, James and his brother John were the inner circle of the Apostles. These three were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and in the garden when Jesus prayed. James was one of the main leaders of the early Church. His death pleased the Jewish people.

Herod was a power-hungry, evil man. When he saw that he could increase his influence and power with the Jews by persecuting the Church, he immediately went after the most notable Christian around, Peter. The Church had lost one important leader, and now Peter was in jail. To the Church, it must have seemed like the opposition was winning. Persecution was quickly getting worse.

How do we respond to trials? How do we respond when things are quickly getting worse? At times, we can lose hope.

Initial success in persecution encouraged Herod to intensify his efforts. It seemed to him that he was getting what he wanted, so he continued down that path.

Suffering and trials tend to do this. They tend to get worse before they get better. Acts chapter 12 shows a pattern that persecution and troubles follow. The pattern is 1) early success, 2) the Lord intervenes and 3) vanquishing.

“Early success” means success for the trouble or persecutor. The Jewish leaders were encouraged at the stoning of Stephen and a vigorous persecution started that day. In the same way, Herod was encouraged by killing James and so his intention to persecute the Church solidified. Herod was serious. He set four squads of four soldiers each to guard Peter. He set the trial for the next day. Since this was during the Passover feast, we can assume he wanted to execute Peter while the huge crowds of Passover were in Jerusalem. This was an aggressive, politically-significant move.

The Church was troubled. The text tells us they prayed very earnestly for Peter. Acts chapter 12 verse five says, "But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.” The words "very earnestly" mean to pray with intensity without letting up. The opposition of the Jewish leaders was now joined with the opposition of the powerful Roman civil government. There was cause for alarm.

Troubles, hardships and persecution teach us fervency in prayer. Troubles, hardships and persecution force us to turn to the Lord for help. Psalms 9:9 tells us, “The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.”

In Isaiah 62, the Lord says:

O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the LORD. Give the LORD no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth. Isaiah 62:6-7

Hebrews 5:7 says, "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.” ESV[ii]

God wants us to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) He instructs us to make our request known to Him.

In chapter 12, God sent an angel in response to the prayers of the Church. This angel led Peter out of the prison. At first, Peter thought it was a dream. He could hardly believe this was happening. He went and knocked on the door of the place where believers were gathered in prayer for him, and they also could hardly believe this was happening.

This is the second part of the pattern. God intervenes. Following the early success of the trouble and in response to the pleas of His people, God intervenes. God is in control of all circumstances. Isaiah 45:7 says, “I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things.” Since God is in control, all schemes against God and his Anointed will fail. All persecution eventually fails. Romans 8:37 assures us, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (ESV)

What Satan means to destroy us, only strengthens us. As Jesus hung on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” It certainly appeared as if Satan had won. However, Jesus’s words, “It is finished” signaled a complete victory. Satan was not in control as Jesus went to the cross. God’s purposes were being accomplished. All our troubles, all our trials are used by God for our good. Even the last and greatest persecution that we call “the tribulation” will fail. The seeming victory that Satan holds in the world today will certainly be short-lived. Ultimately, God wins a total victory, and He will set up His Kingdom here on Earth.

In Acts chapter 12, the story continues with the events immediately following the escape of Peter. It tells the story of Herod's relationship with the people of Tyre. The people of Tyre and Sidon flattered Herod by calling him a god. Acts 12:23 tells us, “Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.”

Every empire that has persecuted the church has fallen or will fall. This was true of Herod. When he raised himself up against God, in the end, Herod was vanquished. Herod enjoyed success at the start, but God intervened and Herod was defeated.

This pattern is so sure that James says:

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4)

There are a couple truths here that we need to stress. First, this is for those who know the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord causes all things to work together for the good of those that love him and are the called according to his purposes. (Romans 8:28) Things did not work out well for Herod because he set himself up in opposition to God.

Many people set themselves up against God. Why would a person say, “If God sends people to hell, I do not want anything to do with Him?” God gave His only son to save people from hell. Why would a person say, “I cannot believe in a God who let my loved one die?”

Let’s talk about Stephen and James whom we mentioned earlier. They were both put to death. Did God not care? Psalm 116:15 says, “The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.” However, Stephen and James went to heaven to be in the presence of the Lord. Paul said:

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. (Philippians 1:21-23)

Notice he says, “I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.” Stephen and James got that far-better result. Their death was not a defeat for them, and although it seemed like a defeat for the Church, it ended with a victory.

My conclusion is “Call on the Name of the Lord.” In trusting in the Lord, there can be no defeat. I will repeat Romans 8:37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (ESV)

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Prayer

Acts 9:36-43[i]

There are many examples of prayer in the Bible. Men and women prayed to God from the earliest days recorded in Scripture. The Prophet Daniel prayed three times a day, and was unwilling to change this habit even under the threat of being thrown into the lion’s den. The Lord Jesus gave us an example of how to pray in what we call the Lord’s Prayer, and He, himself, spent many hours in prayer.

I have chosen an ambitious title by calling this blog “Prayer.” I am looking at only one incident of prayer and its results, and will by no means cover the whole subject. Prayer is simple enough that a young child can pray effectively, and at the same time, it is a broad subject with many examples and nuances worthy of much study and contemplation. Many different thoughts and ideas are published concerning prayer, some of which are entirely unbiblical and based on speculation while others are basic truths on which we must rely as Christians. Today, I wish to look at just a couple principles concerning prayer. It is my hope that in doing so we will find encouragement and be strengthened in our prayers.

To do this, we are looking at Acts 9:36-43. This passage tells the story of a woman named Tabitha. Tabitha was a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ. She was known for her good works and her acts of charity. The text says she became ill and died. The only other information about her is given in verse 39, where it says that the room in which her body lay was filled with widows who were weeping and showing the coats and clothes Tabitha had made for them. This shows us both that she was loved and that she was industrious. We do not know what her source of income was or how she had the resources to help others, but we do know that she did help others.

Having read Acts 9, we know that when Peter prayed for Tabitha, she was raised up from the dead. The first question I want to ask is if to receive an answer to prayer, does the person receiving the healing or blessing need to be particularly deserving? In the case of Tabitha, did Tabitha particularly deserve to be raised from the dead?

I do not believe so. To be sure, the fact that Tabitha was loved made those around her seek earnestly for help and to intercede for her. However, for God’s part, we know that He says in both Romans 2:11 and in Acts 10:34 that He does not show favoritism. Not one of us is deserving of the great grace that God pours out on us every day. We are all saved by grace through no merit of our own.

Jesus was speaking to the Jews of His hometown, when He said:

“Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. (Luke 4:25-26)

In another place the Apostle Paul says:

Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. (Romans 9:14-16)

This is not to say Tabitha was not important. The Lord Jesus assures us that not a sparrow falls to the ground except our Father knows about it, and we are of much greater value than many sparrows. As valuable as Tabitha was, she was not more valuable than others.

Why did God decide to raise her from the dead but not others? What is more, as far as we know, she had to go through the whole dying thing a second time later on.

There is a significant fact about Tabitha given by the text. She was a devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. The text tells us she was a disciple and did good works. We know that God cares for His children. We know that He causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. Stephen was loved just as much as Tabitha, but God chose to take Him home. In both cases, we can have the confidence that what God is doing is for the good of His children.

The principle of prayer that we can rely on is that God wants to bless His children. We can rely on the fact that He is good. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Prayer is not dependent on the merit of the one prayed for. Rather, it rests upon the unchanging goodness and love of our Almighty God and Father. Whether it is a case of a Stephen who dies or a Tabitha who is raised from the dead, our confidence rests in the love of a God who gave His only Son to save us.

A second question this story raises for me is, “Was it because it was Peter who asked that the Lord raised Tabitha from the dead?”

If it was not because Tabitha merited it, perhaps it was the fact that it was Peter who asked.

The text tells us that the believers heard that Peter was nearby and sent two men to beg him to come as soon as possible. (Acts 9:38) The two men walked 11 miles from Joppa to Lydda, spoke with Peter and then walked back. We can assume this trip took 4 or 5 hours each way for a total of 8 to 10 hours. As a result, Tabitha would have been dead for most of a day by the time Peter arrived.

Their plea was urgent. They asked Peter to come as soon as possible. The text does not indicate that they asked Peter to do anything besides come. They may have wanted him there for comfort and encouragement, or they may have wanted Him to perform a miracle. The text does not say. However, it is clear that the believers looked to Peter as a leader and sought his presence with them during their time of crisis.

We, as human beings, tend to look to people for help and leadership. This is natural. If we have a medical question or issue, we look to medical professionals for answers and understanding. If we have tax questions, we look to an accountant. There is specialization in many different fields. Along with this, there is the issue of giftedness. One person may have the gift of faith where another does not. Another person may have the gift of knowledge. Because of these differences in giftedness, we may seek out different people at different times. The Scriptures teach us that each believer is given a gift for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Due to specialization and giftedness, some of us may be called upon to pray more often than others, but the question is, “Are our prayers somehow more effective?”

In answer to this, the New Testament says, “Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.” (James 5:17-18)

When Jesus prayed in the Garden, three times He asked, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (Matthew 26:39)

If the person asking is the determiner of the answer, then Jesus certainly trumps Peter, and here in this example Jesus’ request is dependent on the will of the Father.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, KJV)

The principle here is that prayer is not so much about the person praying but about the One we are praying to.

The first principle we learned was, “God wants to bless His children.” The second principle we learned was, “Prayer is about the One we are praying to.

There is a third principle that arises from the events in Acts 9.

When Peter arrived they took Him immediately to the room where Tabitha was lying. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and clothing that Tabitha had made. The text tells us that Peter asked them all to leave the room. When he prayed, he was alone.

Jesus told us to practice our prayers in private. In Matthew 6:6, He says, “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

If Peter had wanted to make a show, he could have let everyone remain in the room. The transaction or interaction was between God and Peter at that point. Peter needed to know God’s will. Peter needed to be alone with God to deal with the situation.

Pride would have wanted to make a display of the whole process.

Somewhere in the time of prayer, God must have made His will clear to Peter, because he turned to the body and said, “Get up, Tabitha.” (Acts 9:40)

The principle in all this is expressed in Philippians 4:6:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Prayer is between you and God. There is a time and place for public prayer. The Bible has examples of prayers offered in public. However, God has commanded us all to pray, and not in a public way. All our concerns, all our burdens and cares are to be brought to the Lord.

Let’s review the principles we have looked at.

First, God wants to bless His children. Do not miss a blessing because you failed to ask.

Second, prayer is about the One being asked more than the one asking. Do not let your own unworthiness stop you from asking. Remember that because of Jesus you can come boldly before God to ask anything.

Third, prayer is between you and God. You need to get alone and talk with God, daily.

There is so much more that can be said about prayer, but if you will remember these three principles, and let the Bible guide you in your prayers, I am convinced you can enjoy a very rich and rewarding prayer life. God still works miracles. Just because Peter is not here does not mean that God cannot raise the dead.