Daily Devotions
October 29th, 2013 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.
How many lives changed, circumstances altered, because of that phrase “But prayer was made”? Peter was in a helpless situation, held in prison, about to be killed by Herod to please the Jews, nothing could be done for him. There was no court of appeals, no army to rescue him, he was at the mercy of a merciless man. There was nothing that cold be done for Peter, his fate was sealed. But prayer was made and it was found that there was more that could be done for Peter than any could have imagined. Whenever the child of God finds himself is a helpless condition help is only a prayer away. Jesus said that men ought always to pray, we are to pray without ceasing, David prayed morning, noon, and night, there is always something that can be done, we can pray. The evil plans of Herod for Peter were not carried out, not because he had a change of heart, but because God changed the circumstances in answer to prayer. I imagine some mighty men and women of prayer were made that night as the early church saw what God could and would do in answer to their prayer. We need those same type of mighty men and women of prayer today.