Father, as I sat here listening to a few golden oldies (of a gospel nature) I am strongly reminded of Your love for me. Thank You for prominent artists who choose to follow You and are proud to let their lights shine! Bless them!
Acts 5:33-42(<<click here to read the passage)
We can ponder “what ifs…” (What Ifs…?) but they are not the realities with which we live. The Jewish High Council should have yielded to the apostles’ teachings, but they didn’t. In fact, they were so infuriated that they had every intention of killing the apostles. (v33) But providentially, sound wisdom prevailed.
One of their own, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel (who interestingly enough was the teacher of Saul, who after his interaction with Jesus in a blinding light – Acts 9:1-19 – became the Apostle Paul), advised that they not act so rashly but allow things to take their course. If Jesus was just another “prophet” like so many who had come before, nothing would come of the apostles’ teaching. But… if it is of God [and it appears that it is], you will not be able to stop them; or else you may even be found fighting against God!” v39 AMP
Throughout history, many individuals have had a special anointing of God and have gone on to proclaim what the Lord had shown them. I’m sure thousands were full of themselves and that’s where it ended but others changed the landscape of Christendom for generations to come.
Martin Luther’s life was changed we he realized the truth found in Romans 1:17, “The righteous will live by faith.” NIV His “protests” launched Protestantism!
John Wesley struggled with his own salvation and after reluctantly attending where interestingly someone read from Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to Romans, he felt his heart strangely warmed and his life was eternally changed! His “methods” of teaching progressed to the point where the Methodist Church was brought into being!
Were the actions of either of these two men well received by the powers that be? Absolutely not! There were all kinds of persecution and threats, but they prevailed. Was it because of their strong personalities alone? No. God used them both to bring back into alignment the straying Church of their day.
The apostles followed closely in Jesus’ footsteps. Over time many even succumbed to death in their dedication to following their Lord. Even here at the very beginning of things, they were flogged as a deterrent and ordered not to speak in the name of Jesus then released.
They were so dedicated to Jesus that they left that day rejoicing that they had been considered worthy [dignified by indignity] to suffer shame for [the sake of] His name. vs40-41 AMP
May we see these individuals from different places and times and be inspired! First of all, seek to follow Jesus with all that you are. The reward of knowing Him and living the entirety of your life with Him is worth far more than any effort we might exert!
Secondly, follow God’s leading for your life regardless of the cost. We are not promised “a problem-free, blissful existence” when we do so we may find that obeying God often results in pain and suffering.* But the blessing of doing so result in rewards that are out of this world! You won’t regret it!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Feb 13th, 2022, Sun, 7:32 pm
