Daily Devotion
May 20th, 2011 by Pastor SolleyActs 12:1-5 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
There are words that stand out in every chapter, almost every passage of Scripture. The word that stands out to me in these verses is the word “But” in verse 5. James had been murdered by Herod, Peter was about to be. What could be done? Seemingly nothing They were two few in number to try and break Peter out of prison, they had no political pull, Peter was finished. But prayer was made by the church. This was not a last resort, it was their first course of action. Prayer was made by the church. Think of what great things happen when men pray. Rain had been withheld from the earth, the sun has stopped its movement across the sky, wars have been won, and one was released from a prison cell, all because of prayer. Does prayer really move the hand of God? It must for we see the evidence of that in the Bible. But we also see it in our lives day by day. What happens when men pray? The heart of God is touched and the hand of God is moved.