Boldness or Selfishness?

Daily Reading: Acts 4

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4.29-31)

Devotional Thought: Peter and John were arrested for doing a good deed and giving the glory to Jesus.  The authorities did not appreciate the threat that these Christians represented to their power and control (translation: money).  So, they arrested these preachers and insisted – upon threat of punishment – that they stop preaching Jesus Christ.

Peter and John went back to their brothers and sisters in the church and reported what had happened.  The church did something unusual.  Instead of lobbying Rome (translation: “Washington”), they lobbied heaven!  Instead of protesting these threats, they prayed about them.  This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible.  I especially love the part of how God shook the place up when they prayed! 

When the church faced pressure to conform and get along, they got down on their knees and called upon heaven, and they weren’t asking for protection, they were asking for boldness to keep doing exactly what they had been doing to land them in trouble in the first place.

Peter and John, along with the entire church in Jerusalem, decided that they would continue to preach the gospel in the face of these threats of persecution.  So, they prayed for boldness.  That is what we should do.  Pray for boldness and for God to stretch out his hand to work miracles!  Then, all the glory goes to God!

Prayer: Lord, I confess that often anger is just beneath the surface of my righteous indignation.  Purify my motives, O God, so that I may pray for boldness and continue to proclaim Jesus, to whom be glory forever and ever!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 72.8-16

8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!

9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!

10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!

11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!

12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.

13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.

14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!

16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!