Gathering Together! Acts 4:23-37

The EARLY CHURCH’S ACTION When Under Threat!  THEY PRAYED :- Their PRAYER brought about TWO RESPONSES :  SHAKENING and  SHARING  there was GREAT POWER upon them in SHARING the good news about the resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ, and  There was GREAT GRACE from God upon them to SHARE their individual needs among them that no one had need!

FOUR BASIC TRUTHS OF GOD WHEN PRAYING  GOD IS THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING! VS 24 “…“Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,” He said in Psalm 50:15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliveryou, and you shall glorify Me.” Nehemiah says in Neh. 9:6, “You alone are the L ORD ; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.”

FOUR BASIC TRUTHS OF GOD WHEN PRAYING  GOD IS IN CONTROL! VS “who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the L ORD and against His Christ.” Exod. 5:2, “And Pharaoh said, “Who is the L ORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?...” Palms 2:4-6, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” Proverbs 16:9, “…but the LORD directs his steps.”

FOUR BASIC TRUTHS OF GOD WHEN PRAYING  GOD IS PURPOSEFUL! VS “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.” In Isaiah 14:24, 27 “The L ORD of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand:… For the L ORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” In Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the L ORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

FOUR BASIC TRUTHS OF GOD WHEN PRAYING  GOD IS OUR STRENGTH AND VICTORY! VS In Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Matthew 24:13 “ But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” 2 Cor. 6:4-10, “But in all things we commend ourselves as MINISTERS of God; in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments,….”