Obeying God

 Obeying God 

In the book of Acts we read of the religious leaders saying to the apostles,

"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 

Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!" Acts 5:28,29.

Here Peter and other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin, the ruling body that had told them not to preach in the name of Jesus. Their crime being preaching the gospel of Christ.

So angry were the religious leaders that they wanted to kill the apostles. Fortunately a Pharisee named Gamaliel (a respected teacher of the law) stood up. Then after giving all present a history lesson about past men who had claimed to be the Messiah and failed. Convinced them not to kill the apostles. Gamaliel stating,

"...but if this is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found to opposing God!..." Acts 5:39a

In John's gospel Jesus warns us about persecution when he states,

"Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also" John 15:20.

Jesus also tell us,

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12.

Persecution is hard to go through. That is why if we are to go through it we must be certain that we are going through it for the right reason. That being, telling the world around us about the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus in love.

Please think about it.

To those in the West

 To those in the west

Jesus said,

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34.

I firmly believe that we who believe in Christ Jesus living in the western democracies don’t fully comprehend this statement. With all of our freedoms we fail to realize that the cost of following Christ can and is extreme for those in countries where the freedom to worship God is prohibited. Where worshipping God can get you and your family sent to jail or labour camps.

Even in some democracies in the world where Christianity is a minority faith. Believing in Christ can lead to persecution. Persecution that can force a believer to leave his or her home village or town, get dismissed from their job, and in some cases lead to their families breaking ties with them.

As a result we living in the west fail to count the cost of following Christ.   

As a result we quite often take our faith in Christ too lightly to the point at times we place God of second or third priority in our life.

Quiet often choosing to do other things ahead of serving and worshipping God.

Some believers even going as far as hiding their faith from their co-workers or employers.

To those in the west I would remind them of the words of Jesus who said,

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.  

But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." Matthew 10:32,33.

So to those reading this who are living in the democratic and free democracies of the west do you admit to those around you, you are a believer in Christ Jesus?

Have you counted the cost of following Christ?

Do you put God ahead of all things in your life?

Please think about it.