Bible Study: Acts 4, 13 to 21 and Mark
16, 9 to 15.
The greatest obstacle to growth in spiritual life and one of the biggest
problems faced by Christians today is FEAR; fear of people, fear of authority
and fear of enemies. Yet, at the same time, while we tremble at the threats of
our fellow human beings, we take God for granted! The reason why we fear people
so much is because we underestimate the power of God. The Bible says: “The Fear
of God is the beginning of Wisdom.” Job 28, 28. Psalm 111, 10. Proverbs 1, 7.
Proverbs 9, 10 and permit me to say that there are over twenty verses in
scriptures where you will find this quotation.
Now, if truly the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, it simply
follows that the fear of fellow human beings is the beginning of FOOLISHNESS. Yes,
the moment you allow you fear of people to outweigh you fear of God, you become
foolish! And as hard as this may sound, it is just the plain truth. Each time
we disobey God all the in the name of trying not to offend a fellow human
being, we are just being foolish. It is like telling God: “I don’t think you
can do anything to me, but I am scared of what he or she would do to me, let me
obey them before you God.”
And to think of it, at the heart of every sin we commit is the loss of the
fear of God and too much fear of fellow human being. Think about all the times,
you had to consent to evil because you felt threatened or because you felt pity
for a fellow human being. Think about the times you gave in to sin because you
just wanted to blend in with the crowd or with your peers, because you wanted
to be accepted and praised by others. Think about the times you refused to
preach when you saw evil all because you didn’t want to be at the receiving end
of their verbal attacks.
When the authorities told Peter and John never to speak again in the
name of Jesus, they asked a very important question: “Whether it is right in
God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot
keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4, 19 to 20. Peter
and the other disciples had already received a mandate from the Risen Jesus to
go to the ends of the earth to preach as we read in our Gospel passage this
morning. This was why they could say to the men who they knew had power to
arrest and kill them: WE CANNOT KEEP FROM SPEAKING!
Dear friends, you really need to reach a point in your Christian journey
where you are no longer afraid of people; a point where you fear only God and
you are prepared to face the furnace like Shedrach, Meshach and Abegnego. Until
then, you are not yet mature in your faith!
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, it is you alone I fear,
take away from me any fear of human being and the wisdom to totally resign
myself to you. Amen.
God bless you. Good morning. Be
Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. Happy Weekend.
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