“WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER!”

 Acts 1:12-14                                                 (ESV)

“12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

14 All these WITH ONE ACCORD “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER”, together with the women and Mary the mother of JESUS, and his brothers.”

“This world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and its god has a definite passion for moving quickly in everything it does.   Like the vintage spinning tops of old, mostly what they accomplish is going super fast around in a circle and then just falling over on their side, accomplishing nothing!  Faster internet speeds, faster meals, faster this, faster that, it is a world where everything needs to be faster!  Seldom does one write about taking longer to get something in appreciative tones.

Waiting on GOD is not quite the same experience.  When the Children of Israel had left Egypt and were headed to the Promised Land, GOD told them in Exodus 14:2 to encamp facing the Red Sea.  They weren’t supposed to be looking back towards Egypt, but forward to where GOD was leading them.  Scripture doesn’t hide the fact that GOD received Glory over Pharaoh and all his hosts that day, but it was only after the Israelites WAITED for “the enemy” to fall into GOD’S PLAN!  

JESUS was crucified IN A HURRY, apparently to capitalize on the frenzied crowd during Passover in Jerusalem.  Following the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our LORD, the disciples were told by JESUS W to “WAIT for the Promise of the FATHER” in Acts 1:4 before ascending to Heaven.  

So what did they do in the Upper Room during this time?  They “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER”, for they KNEW the Holy Spirit was about to be released onto the world, and getting themselves prepared was required for the Plan of GOD.  Peter preached a short Sermon, and “about three thousand souls” were added that day!  Peter was a converted fisherman, with no formal schooling for preaching, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t require college and seminary degrees, HE needs fertile soil for the FATHER to pluck souls from! 

Shouldn’t we be able to learn from this history and change our methods of evangelism?  We don’t need larger auditoriums, brighter light shows, softer pews, or ornate fixtures!  We NEED people who “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER”, and trusting GOD to draw people into HIS fold!  Sure, times are changing, but the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is STILL in charge of everything!  We NEED people who “WERE DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO PRAYER” and let GOD do what only HE can do!!!