It Is of God

"And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it -- lest you even be found to fight against God."

--Acts 5:38-39  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 20, 2013 of Psalm 37:10-20; Acts 5:12-42; Leviticus 6-7:27.

Again Peter and the Apostles were teaching and healing in the name of Jesus, and again the chief priests, the Sadducees and the Pharisees, were enraged by it and had the disciples imprisoned.  But an angel of the Lord freed them and they returned to the temple to continue teaching and preaching the Gospel.  The chief priests gathered and discussed how to kill Peter and the others.  Gamaliel, a Pharisee and renowned teacher of the law (whom Saul/Paul studied under), cautioned them to leave the disciples alone, that this new movement would soon die out without its leader, Jesus.  Otherwise, if this indeed was the work of God, then nothing they could do could stop it.

Now, over two thousand years later, we know the answer to this choice.  Christianity has not died off, the followers of Jesus have not gone away or dispersed.  Now matter how hard the religious leadership and ruling powers made life for the early church, now matter how much they have persecuted the church over the generations, it still exists and flourishes to this day.  This is definitely a work of God, and nothing can stop it.  Praise the Lord!  Amen.

Dear Father, thank You for the sacrifice and suffering the early church endured on our behalf so the Your Son's Church would stand the test of time and the trials of man and remain to this day.  Thank You for the encouraging words we find in the Acts of the Apostles.  In the beautiful name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.