Thursday Devotional (for 12/5/19) - God's Purposes in Persecution

We saw Peter and John released from prison a few weeks back, but it didn’t take long for the religious leaders to arrest them again.

Acts 5:12, 14, 17-21             ¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade… ¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number…

¹⁷ Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

²¹ At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

God could have prevented them from getting arrested in the first place, but He had a purpose in allowing it. His power and presence was seen and felt as His angel released them. Then, the testimony of the apostles in the temple courts was that much more powerful! The rest of chapter 5 also reveals many other purposes God had for their arrest.

My son, James, asked many of the boys in his gymnastics class the other day if they knew God. No one responded positively. They either said God didn’t exist or just made a silly comment (including one of the coaches saying God was just like sand). Like James, I haven’t been arrested for my faith, but I’ve certainly been laughed at and opposed.

Maybe some of you have truly been persecuted for talking about Jesus. Or, maybe our biggest challenges are being bold in the face of laughter and opposition. We have access to God’s unstoppable power! How will you and I trust His power and recognize His presence in spite of opposition, challenges, hardship, and distractions? We don’t need to look at persecution or opposition as a negative thing. God works His purposes through it. Like the apostles, we’re called to obey.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Rejoice in Persecution?

God miraculously freed the apostles from prison so they could continue telling people about their new life in Christ. However, they were persecuted even worse the next time.

Acts 5:27-33   ²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸ “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.”

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³³ When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 

As the Sanhedrin met to decide their punishment, they decided to have the apostles flogged instead of killed (vs. 34-40). The Sanhedrin gave the apostles orders again to not to speak about Jesus.

God had specifically told the apostles to go back to the temple to share the good news. They could have wondered why God would allow their arrest again (with flogging this time) after they obediently did exactly what He told them to do. However, instead of questioning God or getting mad at Him, they rejoiced.

Acts 5: 41-42 ⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Do you and I rejoice when we face difficulties with something God has specifically asked us to do? I know I don’t. I do pray for help, express my confusion to God and ask for eyes to see how He might use the difficulty (such as with being told we had to move the “See You at the Pole” offsite earlier this year).

Like the apostles, let’s obediently and joyfully persevere in what God has asked us to do, no matter what persecution, opposition or challenge comes our way. He can help us rejoice through it and see the blessings!  

Alice

Thurs Devo: Miracle Key

Have you ever locked yourself out of your car or house or office? What did you do?

Joe locked himself out of his office a few weeks ago. I don’t think he realized he was the last counselor in the building and that the front door was locked. After going to his car to get a fork for his dinner, he realized he was locked out. He didn’t even have his phone on him. He prayed about what to do. He then went to the industrial trash bin area outside his office complex to look for anything he could use to pick the lock. He found a couple things to try, but made one more loop around the trash bin area and suddenly saw a key in the rocks nearby. You guessed it! The key miraculously fit his particular office door out of all the office doors in the complex!!! We praised God for “He Holds the Keys” as the Christian song title says!!!

The early Christian church in Philadelphia faced much bigger troubles than a locked door. However, Jesus reminded them that He holds the key and will reward their perseverance.

Revelation 3:7-10     ⁷ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

Jesus recognized the weakness of the Philadelphia church, worn down by continual persecution. He commended them for their patient endurance and promised to redeem their reputation. He also promised to spare them from a far worse trial.  

If you are a follower of Jesus, He has made the same promises to you. No matter what we suffer in this life, He will spare us from eternal death and bring eternal justice on evil. How are you and I comforted knowing this? What current situation is easier to endure knowing Jesus, as the miracle key, holds the door to Heaven open for us?

Alice

Thurs Devo: Fearless Life

How fearless are you and I? How fearless are you and I when it comes to living for Christ?

Revelation 2:8-11     ⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁹ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

¹¹ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

After reading about what the Smyrna church faced and what Jesus said they would face in the future, how fearless do you think you are now?

I wouldn’t like getting a letter telling me I was going to face even more persecution and suffering. However, it would be encouraging, knowing Jesus saw everything I already endured, knows what I’m about to face, and guarantees my eternal future.

Jesus reminded Smyrna (and us) that He was already victorious over earthly suffering and death. Therefore, He can promise life after death to His faithful followers. We do not have to be hurt by the second death, which is eternal separate from God in Hell.

How can you and I be prepared to maintain joy and faithfulness through suffering? The more we know God, love Him and understand what He’s done for us, the easier it will be to live fearlessly for Him!  

Alice