April 18th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON ACTS 

LORD, ENABLE YOUR SERVANTS TO SPEAK YOUR WORD WITH GREAT BOLDNESS

Acts 4:29-31 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”  

The Jewish leaders released Peter and John in order to avoid a riot by the masses. Acts 4:21-28 tells us that there was no way to deny Peter and John had healed the lame man. He was forty years of age. He appeared before the people who had seen him in his crippled condition and then as a totally healed man.    

When Peter and John were released to immediately went to their fellow believers and reported to them all that had happened to them after they had healed the lame man. Their fellow believers, after hearing the report, engaged themselves in prayer to God to fill them with boldness so they too could perform miracles and proclaim the gospel.    

Their prayer which is found in today’s devotional verses is one you and your fellow believers can pray also. Pray God to fill you with great boldness to speak His Word. St. Paul wrote in Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”  

Prayer: Lord, fill me with Your word and the boldness to speak it to those around me wherever I might be. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Hark the voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work today?  
Fields are white and harvests waiting—   
Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth;  
Rich reward He offers thee, Who will answer, gladly saying,  
“Here am I , send me, send me”? 

If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,  
You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say He died for all.  
If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment’s dread alarms,  
You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms. 

If you cannot be a watchman, Standing high on Zion’s wall,  
Pointing out the path to heaven, Off’ring life and peace to all,  
With your prayers and with your bounties   
You can do what God commands; You can be like faithful Aaron,  
Holding up the prophet’s hands. 

Let none hear you idly saying, “There is nothing I can do,”  
While the multitudes are dying And the Master calls for you.  
Take the task He gives you gladly, Let His work your pleasure be;  
Answer quickly when He calleth, “Here am I, send me, send me!”  

Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying // LSB 826

Public Domain // Used by Permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000198