-November 28, 2022-
Good morning, happy Monday,
“Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, ‘Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.’ And he departed and went to another place.”
(Acts 12:16-17).
The early saints met together in Jerusalem for a prayer meeting at the home of Mary the mother of John Mark. Acts 12:5 says, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” We gather from this that the main focus of the prayer meeting was to pray for Peter whom Herod put in prison for his proclamation of the gospel. He planned to put him to death the next day just as he had the Apostle James with a sword. It was an urgent, critical need.
An angel appeared to Peter in the prison, woke him up, and brought him out to freedom. It was a miraculous deliverance. We know with confidence that God hears and answers prayer. The only problem was that when Peter knocked at the door of the house, a girl named Rhoda recognized his voice but didn’t open the door. Those attending didn’t believe it could be Peter, but after she insisted it was he, they opened the door and it sure enough it was Peter! They were astonished!
God answered their prayers even while they were praying for him. We should never be surprised that God answers our prayers. When we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, according to His will, and have faith, God will answer. Sad to say prayer meetings at many churches are a thing of the past. We have a Men’s prayer meeting on Wednesday nights while the women have their Bible study. We have a couple who maintains the prayer list, keeping it up to date. We also send out calls to the members of urgent needs during the week. The whole church prayed for me during my hospitalization and surgery to insert a pacemaker. I was back at church yesterday and everyone rejoiced.
Let us then come boldly to the throne of grace to make our needs and concerns known to the Lord. It is always good to thank the Lord in advance that He will answer us. When we believe, we will receive; when we ask, it will be given to us; when we seek, we will find; and when we knock the door will be opened to us. The Lord delights to answer our prayers.
Have a blessed day, praying and expecting God to answer. God still does miracles today. Stay safe and healthy.
Praying in faith,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 