Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Thursday, 28 May 2015 - "Boldly Shaken" Scripture: Acts 4:23-31

RG AUDIO 052815

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Thursday, 28 May 2015 - "Boldly Shaken" Scripture: Acts 4:23 Upon being released, they went back to their friends and reported what the head cohanim and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard it, they raised their voices to God with singleness of heart. “Master,” they prayed, “You made heaven, earth, the sea and everything in them.[a] 25 By the Ruach HaKodesh, through the mouth of our father David, your servant, you said,

‘Why did the nations rage

and the peoples devise useless plans?

26 The kings of the earth took their stand;

and the rulers assembled together

against Adonai

and against his Messiah.’[b]

27 “This has come true in this city, since Herod and Pontius Pilate, with Goyim and the peoples of Isra’el, all assembled against your holy servant Yeshua, whom you made Messiah, 28 to do what your power and plan had already determined beforehand should happen.

29 “So now, Lord, take note of their threats; and enable your slaves to speak your message with boldness! 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and to do signs and miracles through the name of your holy servant Yeshua!”

31 While they were still praying, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, and they spoke God’s message with boldness.[Footnotes:

Acts 4:24 Psalm 146:6

Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1–2]

"Boldly Shaken" by Author: Kimberly Davidson

We’ve all asked why God allows natural disasters such as earthquakes. We believers can be students of science but we also know God is not bound to science. Earthquakes vary in kind, and the church in Acts 4 can attest to that.

The continuous progress of the church in Acts didn’t occur without opposition. People listened attentively to the apostle’s message while the Sanhedrin council feared the implications of the Gospel teachings. In order to protect their established power they plotted against these men. Bold in witness, Peter and John were equally courageous in prayer. They and the other Christians filled their minds with divine sovereignty. United before God, they didn’t pray for protection but asked for additional boldness, power–and essentially more trouble! They were given an earthquake as a sign of God’s pleasure. This only made them stronger. Unshaken by their circumstances, they received renewed boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We all face opposition. Let us follow their model of prayer. We certainly may ask God to remove our difficulty. Yet we must recognize that often He will leave the problem and instead give us the strength and courage to handle it.

Hymn for Today: "Thanks to God for my Redeemer" Translator: Carl E. Backstrom; Author: August Ludvig Storm (1891)

1. Thanks to God for my Redeemer,

Thanks for all Thou dost provide!

Thanks for times now but a mem’ry,

Thanks for Jesus by my side!

Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,

Thanks for dark and stormy fall!

Thanks for tears by now forgotten,

Thanks for peace within my soul! 

2. Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,

Thanks for what Thou dost deny!

Thanks for storms that I have weathered,

Thanks for all Thou dost supply!

Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,

Thanks for comfort in despair!

Thanks for grace that none can measure,

Thanks for love beyond compare! 

3. Thanks for roses by the wayside,

Thanks for thorns their stems contain!

Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,

Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,

Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!

Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,

Thanks through all eternity!

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