What a request!

Prior to Acts 4: 23-31, Peter and John were severely warned not to preach the Good News of Jesus. What happened after that is recorded in Acts 4, starting with verse 23…

²³ After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, ²⁵ it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:

‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

and the peoples imagine vain things?

²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand,

and the rulers have gathered together

against the Lord and against his Messiah.’

Look familiar? The Early Christians were quoting from our text today in Psalm 2.

²⁷ For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ²⁸ to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

They stated the obvious and well known by everyone, yet they did not request retribution. They did not request fire to come down and remove the problem. They did not call in angels to fight their battles. This is what they asked…verse 29.

²⁹ And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, ³⁰ while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Now look it how God answers their prayer.

³¹ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

God grants them boldness. God honestly, totally, and with power hears their request. Spending time with Jesus in the Psalms is to hear God calling His people to honestly be open with God. For we serve a open God.

So, let me ask you, “Do you share you life openly with God?” Does Jesus know you openly and do you share yourself as a transparent believer?”

You know I know love ya, Don