Obey God or Man?

After being put in prison for giving credit to Jesus for healing a lame man, what would you expect Peter and John to say at their interrogation?

I’m sure they were prayerful. As such:

Acts 4:8-12    ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

I know I would be prayerful in a situation like this. However, the Holy Spirit would really need to help me be bold like Peter! He didn’t hesitate (or tread lightly), even though he had no idea what additional punishment lay ahead.

In fact, after the religious leaders conferred with each other:

Acts 4:18-20    ¹⁸ Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! ²⁰ As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Wow! Peter and John didn’t compromise.

Where are you and I tempted to listen to and do what someone else says rather than what God says? Maybe it’s to avoid conflict. No matter what the earthly consequence, we’re to obey God over and above anyone else.

Alice

Serve Others

I Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Each of us has been given gifts from God that we are to use to serve others.  For me, one of my gifts is serving others.  I like to do for others whatever they need.  Sometimes that’s making meals for families that just welcomed a new baby.  Sometimes it’s watching a friend’s kid. 

We are each called to serve others.  While this looks different for each of us, it still shows God’s love when we do for others.  Think about the times that others have done something to serve you and the feeling that you had from that. 

How are you sharing God’s love with others by serving them?  Often you may not even think about it, because it’s second nature.  Today I encourage you to find a special way to serve someone who may not know God’s love.