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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Prayer Brings Peace

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The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. —Acts 12:6

Despite being chained between two Roman soldiers and facing the possibility of execution the next day, Peter was asleep. (He probably was the only Christian who slept that night.) In fact, it seems that Peter was in such a deep slumber that it took a whack from an angel to wake him up: “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” (verse 7).

What gave Peter such confidence and peace? He knew that people were praying for him. In the Psalms David said, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe” (4:8). And David’s son Solomon wrote, “God gives rest to his loved ones” (127:2).

I know that people are praying for me when we hold our Harvest Crusades. I simply feel prayed for. It is comforting to know that others are praying for you.

Most of us know what it’s like to wake up in the middle of the night with things on our minds. When this happens, I will pray. I will say, “Lord, it’s 3:00 a.m. There’s nothing I can do about these things. I’m going back to sleep, so you worry about this.” Philippians 4:6–7 tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (verse 7).

Do you sleep in peace? It is a great thing to go to sleep with a clean conscience.

 

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When We Say Yes – Greg Laurie

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Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.   —Acts 10:23

Sometimes when we share the gospel, people don’t want to hear it. I have had many situations like that when I got up to speak somewhere. I could see it on the faces looking back at me, as if they were saying, “What are you going to tell me?”

But then there are times when people are receptive and responsive and drink in every word.

That is what we find in Acts 10, when Cornelius and his friends and family had gathered to hear Peter speak to them. Peter gave them a classic gospel presentation. He reviewed the life of Jesus (verse 38). He spoke of His death and His resurrection (verses 39–41), telling everyone that He will return as Judge (verse 42). Then Peter offered salvation through Christ. And notice that Peter got the memo about it being for both Jews and non-Jews: “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (verse 43).

This single sermon of Peter’s changed church history. And I find it interesting that it all started in a place called Joppa. Remember Jonah? He was connected to Joppa too. When God told him to take the gospel to the people of Nineveh, Jonah boarded a ship in Joppa that was sailing in the opposite direction.

So Joppa was the place Jonah went to get away from God, but it is also the place where Peter answered God’s call to go to Caesarea and reach some Gentiles.

In contrast to Jonah, who didn’t really want to go to his enemies, we have Peter, who was willing to go. If Peter had said, “Never, Lord!” that could have been the end of it. But he responded to God’s call.

Where is God calling you to go today?