Prayer in the Book of Acts, Part 15

Here is our fifteenth prayer guide from the book of Acts.  We have been studying every instance of prayer in the book in order to guide our own Wednesday church prayer meeting.  Tonight’s passage is Acts 22:1-20, where Paul has just been arrested in the Temple at Jerusalem and shares his testimony of turning from persecutor to apostle.  It’s a powerful example of using common ground (in this case, his Jewish background and religious zeal) to connect with the audience; the extremely hostile crowd hushes and listens closely – at least until Paul mentions his ministry to the Gentiles.

There is a particularly interesting prayer exchange between Paul and the Lord in verses 17-21.  It shows again that prayer should be conversational – talking and listening.

This prayer guide could be used by an individual or group.  May the Lord bless you as you pray!

Prayer in Acts, Part 15 – Prayer Meeting 05042016

 

Tags: Acts, Acts 22, Prayer, Prayer Meeting, Paul, Persecution, Stephen, Evangelism, Witnessing, Common Ground

Two Prayer Guides from Acts

Posted here are Parts 10 and 11 from our church’s study of prayer in the book of Acts.  Part 10 was from a couple of weeks ago; Part 11 will be used at tonight’s Wednesday prayer meeting.

Part 10 looks at Paul’s second missionary journey, including the first part of his time in Philippi.  Part 11 picks up in that same city, working through Paul and Silas’s imprisonment and the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his household.

God bless you as you read His Word and pray!

Prayer in Acts, Part 10 – Prayer Meeting 03232016

Prayer in Acts, Part 11 – Prayer Meeting 04062016

 

Tags: Acts, Acts 10, Acts 11, Prayer, Prayer Meeting, Trials, Persecution, Suffering, Evangelism, Joy, Paul, Silas, Timothy, Philippi

Prayer in the Book of Acts, Part 2

Tonight marks our second week using prayers in the book of Acts as a guide for our own Wednesday prayer meeting.  I am doing basic searches on “prayer” and related terms in the book of Acts, and then seeing how those stories and prayers from the life of the early church can guide our own prayers.

Below is the guide I’m using tonight.  It takes points of prayer from Acts 4:23-31 (and the surrounding narrative context).  It would be good for group or individual use.  God bless you.

Prayer in Acts, Part 2 – Prayer Meeting 01062016

 

Tags: Acts, Acts 4, Prayer, Prayer Meeting, Persecution, Evangelism

IMB Commission Stories: Harper Family

Yesterday I received a publication in my mailbox called “Commission Stories,” from the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.  Here is a PDF of the document.  Pages 18-20 tell the story of the Harper family (name changed), who went to a very dangerous place in Southeast Asia to share the gospel.  There are actually two amazing stories about them in the publication – the first about their gospel witness in the face of government opposition (and the local believers who partnered with them, risking and giving their lives for the gospel), and the second about Mary Harper’s return to the US in the face of a diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease – which ultimately took her life.

After Mary passed, her husband John spoke Job’s words: “Blessed be the Name of the Lord.  Though He slay me, I will trust in Him” (Job 1:21, 13:15).  You should read the two short articles.  They are great examples of faith in the Lord in the face of persecution, suffering, and death.  Not only that, John is a self-professed “hillbilly,” who speaks with amazement of how the Lord used even him.

These powerful stories could be shared together or separately – depending on the nature of your biblical text, how much time you have, and the main point(s) you are making.

Some passage ideas for the first article, which focuses on their witness in a hostile place: Jeremiah 38, Daniel 3, Matthew 16:24-28, Matthew 24:9-14, Mark 8:31-38, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 14:25-35, Luke 21:10-19, John 15:18-25, Acts 4, Acts 5, Acts 7, Acts 9, Acts 12, Acts 14, Acts 16, Acts 19, Acts 28, Philippians 1:12-20, Philippians 1:27-29, Hebrews 12:1-13, Revelation 2, and Revelation 6:9-11.

The second article, which focuses on trusting the Lord in the midst of suffering and death: Job 1, Job 2, Job 13, Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 12, Philippians 1:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and James 1:2-4.

Finally, John’s statements about the Lord using him in spite of him being a self-professed “hillbilly” could help illustrate passages that talk about God using us in spite of ourselves: Exodus 3 and Exodus 4 (the call of Moses), Judges 6 (the call of Gideon), 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, 1 Corinthians 15:9-11, and 1 Timothy 1:12-17.