There are times when everything looks all right from the outside but when we examine the actual situation the reality is very different. This was the case in the early church.

From one angle and perspective everything appears to be so wonderful, but not so, as we look at the circumstances which Dr Luke records in Acts Chapter 12 in the New Testament.

Things were growing and maturing and developing up in Antioch on the Mediterranean coast but back in Jerusalem King Herod unleashes another wave of persecution. After a lull - following a time of peace, Herod had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

That must have caused a shudder to run through the Jerusalem fellowship.

So often in the life and ministry of Jesus, we read of Peter, James and John. These three seemed to be closer to Jesus than some of the others among the twelve. These three had been present on some of the most awesome occasions - on The Mount when Jesus was transfigured - in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was praying - Peter James and John - three of the leading men in Jerusalem - and now the brother of John, James, is killed.

When Herod saw that the slaying of James pleased the Jews, (James was a Jew), Herod decided to go and do some more persecuting, and he arrested and imprisoned Peter. What for? Why did Herod do this? And why did God permit it? These are significant questions.

It was the Feast of The Passover, probably two or three years following the Passover when Jesus was crucified. Peter was put in a highly secure part of the prison - the top security wing of that Jerusalem jail.

This was the man who knew James so well. This is the man who had been commissioned by Jesus to care for the lambs and feed the sheep. This was the man who on the day of Pentecost emerged as the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ seeing some 3000 people come to faith in Jesus and be 'born again', setting the pattern for all time. This is the man who has been used over these past weeks and months in Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea, and giving a full explanation of how Jesus was moving among the Gentiles to the other leaders in Jerusalem.

Herod's intention was to please some more Jews - or to please the Jews some more - by having Peter killed like James - but he wouldn't dare have this done during the Passover Festival.

You can hear what was being said amongst the leaders of the Jews and Herod - "We can't do this during the Feast - during the religious festival - we'll wait until it is past. Once it is over we'll deal with Peter."

Peter's life is under threat. He is around 35 or 36 years old - a powerful leader - filled with the Holy Spirit - and capable of ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit.

(One interesting aside - that word "Passover" there - is badly translated in the King James Version of the Bible as "Easter". That is where the word comes from. Easter is not a good word. It means the 'goddess of the spring' or 'the goddess of the dawn', and many are totally unaware of the occult significance of this word.)

The words we use when it comes to speaking about The Christian Faith are most important. Be careful as to which words flow from your mouth. Remember, we will be answerable one day for every word we speak, preach, teach and write - Jesus made that clear.

James (or to be even more precise and accurate, Jacob) is killed by Herod and Peter is arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem.

When we come close to Jesus, this is part of the deal. This is in the small print of which we are not always aware when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, but there is a Cross to carry, and sometimes it becomes exceedingly heavy. Some will love you - some will hate you.

The first wave of persecution was against the whole Church, and one positive consequence was that it got the Church on the move. But now the leaders are being molested and persecuted with the intention of killing them.

This wave of persecution gets the Church praying. That night when Peter was in prison, the Church met in various homes and prayed to God for Peter.

They were in earnest. Prayer is serious business. There was a crisis, so they hold a night vigil of prayer.

Humanly speaking, it appeared a total disaster. In one sense it looks like total failure. If Peter is killed, then who next? Will our Living God intervene?

Remember, it is Passover - a time of remembering how God had acted in the past setting two and a half million people free from Egypt. It is a Feast - a Festival - a time of celebration - and someone must have emerged as leader. Someone must have had the insight and the courage to call the whole Church to prayer.

The presence of Jesus Christ - the power of the Holy Spirit - a famine coming - persecution is a present reality - death and the threat of death for the leadership.

Things were not easy in Jerusalem. It did not look good, but someone called the Church in Jerusalem to pray.

Would you have the insight, courage and motivation to call the Church to prayer?

If someone else called the Church to prayer for a specific purpose would you be determined to be present, and willingly and enthusiastically participate?

Sandy Shaw