Matt Richards
Acts 5:40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
A true mark of an apostle in biblical times was persecution.
Here the apostles were threatened, beaten, and told not to preach Jesus.
The revolutionaries decided to 'obey God not man.'
They could've said as some do today, 'under the spirit of Romans 13' we will be quiet and just obey the law, but they didn't. They met both in the church and in homes on a daily basis.
We are not there yet, but I am praying for a bold church that meets daily in the church building and in homes that continues, in spite of governmental restrictions and threats to preach the message, the Gospel; that Jesus is the Messiah.
The bible teaches us that before Jesus returns there will be a great falling away, a great 'apostasy'.
So in these end times there will be a great divide, even in believers.
So with that in mind I ask myself am I part of the great apostasy? or am I part of the great apostolic?
Prayer:
Father forgive me for bending to every government guideline that determine my worship of You. I choose to obey You and Your Word. Lead me with all boldness that I might, even in persecution be part of Your apostolic plan today in Jesus' name amen.