Pastor Ralph Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 Q4. (Acts 12:5-17) Why do you think the Christians don’t believe their own prayers for Peter’s release? Don’t they believe in miracles any longer? Why don’t we pray with greater faith to the God who can do anything? How can we grow our faith in God so we can pray better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventIlliniRx Posted November 13, 2021 Report Share Posted November 13, 2021 It is ironic that the Disciples did not believe in the Power of Prayer. seems to be the human condition. humans don't believe in a Universal, Eternal God, the I AM. The Remnant Church believes and is assured. We will be assured by engaging with developing a permanent relationship w God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted November 14, 2021 Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 Q4. By human terms it seemed so unlikely that Peter could escape the clutches of Herod and the dark , secure prison in which he was being held. So they prayed and prayed into the depth of night. The Lord answered in a most dramatic and wonderful way. But the believers didn’t believe that the Lord had answered. I wonder why? I don’t think it was lack of faith, maybe they didn’t feel their prayers were good enough, maybe they thought the Lord had a different plan for Peter’s life, or that so many had died that this would be no different, maybe they hadn’t really experienced answered prayer before and they weren’t sure if God would answer. Maybe it was lack of faith! I think faith grows stronger and stronger as we see more and more prayer answered. Equally we grow to trust God when He chooses to not answer prayer in the way we would like Him to answer. As our relationship with Jesus deepens so our trust deepens and prayer and communication with Jesus becomes more and more important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted November 16, 2021 Report Share Posted November 16, 2021 Why do you think the Christians don’t believe their own prayers ... ... because it's hard, Pastor Ralph, to go against reason and logic in faith. Faith is just difficult. Old ways of thinking have to be erased. Doubts have to be buried in prayer. And God's will has to be ascertained, which is the biggest stumbling block of all. It's one thing to believe God can do anything, but another thing entirely to believe He will actually do what we pray for. That's the problem. If I put myself in the shoes of those praying for Peter, I know I'd be wondering if God actually wanted to release him. I'd not doubt His ability to save Peter, but His will to do so. At some point, after all, God didn't save Peter, who was murdered. Did people stop praying for him before his death? I doubt that. God's will changed. It's not that difficult to believe God CAN do what we pray for, but quite difficult to believe He will do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yvonne Peterson Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 We think too much in the present. We need to look to supernatural to see and hope for our faith to believe prayer works for today. Jesus did it all on the cross. We are blessed by his grace and mercy.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted November 20, 2021 Report Share Posted November 20, 2021 Q4. (Acts 12:6-17) Why do you think the Christians don't believe their own prayers for Peter's release? Though the Church was praying for Peter’s release from prison, their minds were on the physical, wondering how he could escape despite the heavy security around him- the church lack faith that God could demolish every strong hold that held Peter. Don't they believe in miracles any longer? No. From their action, it shows they were not thinking of a miracle to happen otherwise they would have jumped to their feet when the house girl announced that Peter was at the door knocking. Why don't we pray with greater faith to the God who can do anything? We are always overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the difficult situation that dwarfs our faith. I am not an exception. Lord Help us to have faith in you no matter how difficult the situation may be in Jesus Name. How can we grow our faith in God so we can pray better? By earnest prayer to God for him to lift our faith high and to study the word to see how he has done mighty miracles for people like David faced by Goliath and King Jehoshaphat against a coalition armies against him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 Q4. (Acts 12:6-17) Why do you think the Christians don't believe their own prayers for Peter's release? Don't they believe in miracles any longer? Why don't we pray with greater faith to the God who can do anything? How can we grow our faith in God so we can pray better? I think we must not be so quick to judge the Christians so harshly for not believing their own prayers. We know that many (12:2) were praying earnestly (12:5), but we must remember they were not sure of God’s plan for Peter. They had just witnessed the apostle James being killed, and could easily have believed that God may call Peter at any time as well. So, not knowing God’s plan, and knowing that God is sovereign, they were pleasantly surprised when their prayers were answered. We all tend to be unbelieving believers, and should be greatly comforted that God answers such faithless prayers. Yes they knew and believed in miracles having been with Jesus. But the execution of James must have shaken them and in their state of anguish they could easily judge God by the standard of human ability. Sometimes it’s lack of knowing or understanding His Word. We go to God and ask Him for something that is positively promised in His Word, and then we get all surprised when our prayer is answered. Much of our prayer is powerless because it lacks earnestness, and it lacks a strong, intense faith. But yet, little faith can still accomplish great things if it is placed in the great God. God graciously honours even the weakest faith, but how much more He would do if only we would trust Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 I have the same problem of not believing when my prayers are answered. I don’t know why because they are always answered but maybe not the way I wanted them to be. They probably did believe in miracles it just surprised them that their prayers answered this way. The way that I grow in faith in God is by reading about people that have had their prayer answered in a marvels way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted October 2, 2023 Report Share Posted October 2, 2023 Q4. (Acts 12:6-17) Why do you think the Christians don't believe their own prayers for Peter's release? Don't they believe in miracles any longer? Why don't we pray with greater faith to the God who can do anything? How can we grow our faith in God so we can pray better? I don't think it was so much that they did not believe as that it never occurred to them that the release would come in the way it did. Possibly that he would be released in the usual way, was the way of expectation. I guess in a way it is unbelief and in a way it is that one is shrouded with guilt and feels so unworthy to have prayers answered. How can we grow our faith in God so we can pray better? I do not have an answer. It is after all by GRACE and grace alone that anything favourable is forthcoming to us anyway. Help my unbelief and change my words to be Yours and my yearnings to be like Yours also, my precious Lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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