Gathered for Prayer

[Peter] said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me . . ." When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. (Acts 12:11b-12 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Whether you've just been rescued or still need to be, going to a prayer meeting is always a good action to take.

Pray today:

• For the students, staff and faculty of Emmanuel College to continue developing the spiritual discipline of prayer, especially gathering together to pray.
• For prayer to be the first move we make when trouble comes, when sleep won't come, when surrounded by threats, when chains fall away, when doors open, when freedom happens, anytime, anywhere - prayer is first.
• For our prayer partners to persist in praying for Emmanuel College, for them to intensify their prayers, for more people to join us in prayer, and in any given day, for hundreds and even thousands to pray for our deliverance, to help us pray through to freedom. 

Pray First! Pray Through!

Saved

So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!" (Acts 12:10b-11 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• When people pray and place their faith in God, he responds by moving heaven and earth to unravel and dissolve the plans of evil.

Pray today:

• For the good sense to walk through doors that God opens, for vision to see his plan clearly.
• For God to save us from Satan's plan, for us to walk in true victory, unfettered and unleashed for the glory of God.
• For the leadership and people of Emmanuel College to be like Peter, confident in God, rising in obedience, moving in faith, and saved from destruction.  

Pray First! Pray Through!

Opened

So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. (Acts 12:9-10a NLT)

Today's meditation:

• God has a way of coming at a problem differently, performing the miracle we don't expect.

Pray today:

• For visions and dreams but also for the presence and power of God in the here and now.
• For miracles to happen even when we don't know what miracles we need.
• For barriers to fall one after the other, for doors to open one-by-one, for complex realities to yield to God's plan for freedom and advancement.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Following

Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel.  (Acts 12:8-9a NLT)

Today's meditation:

• "Put on your shoes!" "But we're all locked up with no way out." "Put on your coat!" "But how do you plan to . . ." "Follow me!" "Oh, I see." Follow the Lord and then watch miracles happen. In fact, be the miracle God wants you to be.

Pray today:

• For all of us at Emmanuel College, regardless of station or position, to obey God's orders and follow him closely.
• For us to clothe ourselves in God's every Word, for us to put on the garments of praise as we follow into battle, for us to stand behind the shield of faith and wield the sword of the Spirit with courage and commitment.
• For us to leave the prison of debt behind us for a productive and prosperous future, declaring God's goodness, sharing his Gospel, preparing his children for the future.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Suddenly

Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists.  (Acts 12:7 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• "Get up!" "But what about these chains?" "Quickly!" "Oh, ok." And as he rises, the chains fall off. Obedience to God's command, even if it seems impossible, precedes God's deliverance.

Pray today:

• For supernatural intervention in the work and ministry of Emmanuel College, for Spirit-led words directing our actions, for angelic visits, if that's what we need, to get us moving quickly.
• For the bright light of God's presence to illumine our way, for God's provision and rescue to appear suddenly, for us to stay on task and relentlessly pursue our mission until "suddenly" happens.
• For the chains of debt to fall away in his presence, for us to get up and get going in the freedom God grants.

Pray First! Pray Through!

The Night Before

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.  (Acts 12:6 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• What a remarkable example of trust to be fast asleep in chains the day before a trial that decides whether you live or die! We would do well to live like that with our faith actualized and our trust fully engaged.

Pray today:

• For the leadership team at Emmanuel College that we find rest in body despite the uncertainties that surround us, for undisturbed sleep and the ability to relax because we trust the ultimate outcomes to God.
• For us to possess peace of mind during turmoil, for us to think clearly in every circumstance, for us to know the mind of Christ.
• For our spirits to not be troubled by opposition and threats, but to remain calm and confident whether day or night, whether in the darkest valley or beside the still waters because God is with us - always. 

Pray First! Pray Through!

The Church Prayed

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. (Acts 12:5 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• When facing any restriction or entanglement that threatens to silence our voices and curtail our mission for Christ, the church should pray and pray hard.

Pray today:

• For Emmanuel College - pray very earnestly, pray hard, pray often.
• For Emmanuel College because the war over its future is not over, and although we have won many battles, the greatest struggle is raging now and will continue over the next 6-8 months. Pray earnestly - now and tomorrow and in the days after that until the war is won.
• For Emmanuel College to be released from the entanglement of debt and from other restrictions that inhibit our ministry and limit our effectiveness. Pray hard and pray often! 

Pray First! Pray Through!