“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” ( I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Speculations are part of life. On many occasions whenever something fatal strikes most of us will find ourselves speculating. Say, someone was involved in a fatal accident but was warned not to take that speeding taxi, most would speculate what if he had listened.
Perhaps we may also find ourselves speculating on two cases in the Bible. When the disciples started sharing the Gospel of Christ, Herod “had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also” ( Acts 12:2-3). While the Bible does not mention the church gathering to pray for James, it’s clear in the case of Peter. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” ( vv 5).
And that was the turning key. “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists” ( vv 7). What seems clear is the earnest prayers of the church yielded positive results leading to Peter’s release. This leaves us to speculate that what if the church had earnestly prayed for James too, maybe he would also have been released!
Or look at the case of Queen Esther. Once she heard of a plot to commit genocide on the Jews, she sent a prayer request:, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” ( Esther 4:16). End story is that after three days of intense prayers coupled with fasting, she preceded to King Xerxes who eagerly received her and heard her request. “Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” ( Esther 5:3).
Perhaps some may wonder what if Esther had not prayed and fasted for those three days and night, would the King have entertained her bold request! Well, we cannot be so sure. But then there is something we know. The prayers of the church for Peter and of Esther’s prayer warriors caused change against all odds. If you doubt the power of prayer at least this you cannot deny!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I rise to worship, thank and bring my prayer requests to you, for there is power in prayer to move mountains, and this I believe and pray in Jesus’s name!
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09/05/2024 - 10/05/2024 All day“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them” (Deuteronomy 28:2 NIV)
For some reason very often some Christians are found despising the importance of being enterprising. To some being enterprising
can be equated to the love of money and it’s pitfalls (1 Tim 6:10). There are some Christian communities where running enterprises is frowned upon as being overtly worldly. On the contrary, far from it, being enterprising is clearly an avenue God has given believers to raise resources for their well being and promotion of the rich Gospel.The Bible is full of enterprising characters who were used mightily of God. Abraham was apparently a good rancher that he “became very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold” (Gen 13:2). Job was hated by Satan who sought to destroy him because “He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area” (Job 1:3). The Lord Jesus Christ was born and raised in the house of Joseph, the carpenter (Mathew 13:55). Carpenters do not create works of beauty to donate for free. To prosper they must run sustainable enterprises which pay taxes and make profit.
The Apostle Paul would often rely on enterprising people to support him in his ministry. One of his worthy converts “was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house” (Acts 16:14).
Though Paul was a ranked Jewish legal scholar once he went to the mission field, other than cling to his titles by burdening his hosts he often dabbled in tent making to support himself. In Corinth he teamed up with an amazing couple, Priscilla and Aquila, and “because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them” (Acts 18:3). This couple run a successful tent making business that enabled them support mission work.
And then of course, there is the noble woman of character, as told in Proverbs 31, who “selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings.. She sees that her trading is profitable...She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes (vv 13-25). What better illustration is there to emulate being enterprising.
When the body of believers is filled with enterprising people it generates resources important for church upkeep. Further, the work of God is then supported without being dependent on sources that might compromise the mission, as sometimes we see!
Prayer for today: Lord father God of creation, as we see in scripture you have given us the gift of enterprise, and so, I pray to use this gift such that you bless me as you did to our father Abraham and all other great saints before for the glory and expansion of your kingdom, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
