They Continued Steadfastly In Prayer
by Harry Osborne
December 14, 2008

The New Testament church engaged in prayer to worship God. Jesus taught the disciples that prayer was an act of worship and reverence to God (Matt. 6:5-13). Our Lord's example in public and private prayer is instructive to us as well (Matt. 11:25f; Lk. 3:21; Jn. 11:41f; 17:1f; Lk. 5:16; 9:18; 22:41f). In Colossians 4:2-4, the church is commanded to pray. The Bible says the early church prayed together in worship (Acts 2:42; 4:24-31). Churches following the approved example as a pattern in their worship will give attention to do as they did. But what do we know about 1st century churches and prayer?

1) They "continued" in prayer (Acts 2:42). This suggests that prayer was not an occasional act with them, but a continual practice. Jesus taught His disciples that "they ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Lk. 18:1). By inspiration, Paul instructed the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). If Christian men must be "lifting up holy hands in every place," they must do so in the assembly of the saints (1 Tim. 2:8). The remainder of Acts as well as the epistles show clearly that Christians assembling to worship God in places other than Jerusalem and long after the first Pentecost following the resurrection also engaged in the practice of prayer as they gathered.

2) They were steadfast in prayer (Col. 4:2; Rom. 12:12). Steadfastness not only implies continuation of a practice, but also an unwavering effort that abides regardless of the situation, surroundings or opposition faced. This characterized all work commanded of Christians (1 Cor. 15:58). It was done "at all seasons" and with "all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18). Even when civil powers were persecuting saints, the inspired writer said it was "good and acceptable" to keep on praying for them and all men (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

3) Their prayers addressed the deep needs of the time (Eph. 6:18-19). They prayed for the furtherance of the gospel and for the boldness of those who preached it (Col. 4:3). In sending men to preach that gospel, they prayed (Acts 13:3). By prayer, they were "helping together" with those who preached the word (2 Cor. 1:11). They gathered expressly to pray for Peter when he was imprisoned for preaching the truth (Acts 12:5,12). In appointing both elders and deacons, they prayed (Acts 14:23; 6:6). Elders prayed and wept when the beloved apostle left them saying he would see them no more (Acts 20:36-38). In all needs and blessings, they prayed (Phil 4:6).

4) They prayed for the forgiveness of sins on behalf of their brethren (Jas. 5:16). Notice the instruction to "confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another" is followed by a promise: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Prayer by the church on behalf of brethren guilty of sin was both authorized and effective in N.T. times.

5) They prayed in faith (Jas. 1:5-8). Since faith comes from the word of God (Rom. 10:17), their prayers were in harmony with truth. Faith also dispels doubt which makes any act of worship, prayer included, unacceptable to God.

When first century saints prayed acceptably to God, their prayers went up as sweet incense to His throne (Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4). We have the same opportunity today if we pray acceptably as they did. Let us never look lightly upon approaching God in prayer as we assemble together. We come before the Almighty when we do so. Let us address Him in reverence and praise, casting our needs and petitions before the heavenly Father knowing that He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7).

Why Did You Doubt?
by Frank Himmel

The disciples were in the midst of the sea at night. The wind was contrary. Jesus approached their boat, walking on the water. They thought they were seeing a ghost. Jesus reassured them. Peter then asked that the Lord allow him to walk on water, too. Jesus said, "Come." Peter did so.

But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matt. 14:30-31).

One moment, Peter was boldly defying darkness, wind, waves, the laws of nature, even death; the next, he was sinking fast. What happened? Was Jesus any less powerful or present? Was Peter any less interested in coming to Him? Not at all. No, what happened is that Peter lost his focus. He took his eye off the Lord long enough to survey the seascape, and that led him to question his course.

"Why did you doubt?" Jesus surely addresses that question to many of us. Is not our problem the same as Peter's? Our doubts are not from lack of evidence about Jesus' identity and power. Neither is the problem disinterest in going to heaven. No, like Peter, we start surveying the wind instead of "fixing our eyes on Jesus" (Heb. 12:1).

Weathermen often speak of prevailing winds, and the wind of prevailing opinion may indeed be a problem. When enough people say a thing, or influential people say it, or "science" says it, etc., we may decide it has merit. The question is, Did God say it? "Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar" (Rom. 3:3). Listening to worldly wisdom will make us doubt. So will listening to false teaching. Listen to God. "We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14).

Adverse circumstances blew away Peter's faith. They can be challenges to ours as well: health problems, financial problems, family problems, etc. Does God really care? Indeed He does. Jesus reminds us of His care even for birds and grass. "But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?" (Matt. 6:30).

Persecution is a special storm Satan uses to try to make us abandon our faith. "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).

The implications of our faith may at times seem a gale. Truth is narrow. Salvation is only in Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). He has only one body/church (Eph. 4:4). The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9). These truths can really hit home at funerals of loved ones. They just as readily strike family get-togethers. Jesus can be a great divider (Matt. 10:34-36). Will we stand firm, or will we sink into the sea of compromise for the sake of what we would like to think?

We may be hit by a gust of temptation. Some forbidden conduct greatly entices us, or perhaps one close to us is involved in sin. We meditate on it, then start trying to find ways to justify it. In time, we either change our convictions to allow the misdeed or else set them aside altogether. God's word still says the same thing, of course, but we are no longer sure

He means what He says. The Bible calls that making shipwreck of the faith (1 Tim. 1:19).
There is at least one other great contributor to doubt: through carelessness we simply drift away from our moorings. Christians must be constantly nourished on words of faith and sound doctrine (1 Tim. 4:6). Faith comes by hearing God's word (Rom. 10:17). If we fail to spend time with it, if we neglect opportunities to study it with other Christians, if we do not regularly listen to it preached, doubt should come as no surprise.

Jesus warned us that "the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful" (Mark 4:19).
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it (Heb. 2:1)

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