"Peter Was Prayerful" (Acts 9:40-41)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/10/2018 12:03 PM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Peter Was Prayerful

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 9:40-41

            Message of the verses:  “40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.”

            I have mentioned that the miracle done to this lady was similar to when our Lord raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead as seen in Mark 5:40.  “40 They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was.”  Peter was the only one left in the room with Dorcas’s body, and he did not want to draw attention to himself, but bring glory to the Lord.

            We see in verse 40 that Peter knelt down and prayed.  There would be no pride in Peter as he knew that if this woman was going to be raised from the dead that it would not be by his power even though he had been in the presence of many other miracles. 

            John MacArthur writes “Essential to all successful ministry, prayer acknowledges dependence on God.  Prayer realizes that God is ‘able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to [His] power that works within us’ (Eph. 3:20).  Peter had learned the importance of prayer from his Lord, having seen and heard Him many times in communion with His Father.”  I have to say that as I read through the gospel accounts where I see Jesus up all night praying to the Father, and I have to believe that Jesus was in constant contact with His Father as He was doing what His Father planned for Him to do.

            In his commentary John MacArthur writes about a familiar story about some college students going to the church where Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached.  Not realizing who they first spoke to was Spurgeon he asked them if they wanted to see the heating apparatus of that church, (The Metropolitan Tabernacle).  The young men said yes and Spurgeon took them to the basement where 700 people on their knees praying.  Spurgeon said that this is the heating apparatus of this church.

            After Peter finished praying he then looked at Dorcas’s body and said to her “"Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.”

            I mentioned yesterday that the death of Dorcas put a very large hole in this church, and now the Lord has seen fit to bring this woman back to life to fill the hole she had left and the people were very thankful for this wonderful miracle.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It may not be raising someone from the dead, but the Lord continues to do miracles in our day, especially whenever someone accepts the forgiveness that Christ offers.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord as I prepare my Sunday school lesson for this week.

Memory verse:  Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “God” (1 Corinthians 5:13).

Today’s Bible question:  “Complete Luke 19:10 ‘For the Son of Man is come to seek and…’”

Answer in our next SD.

1/10/2018 12:26 PM