And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Memory Verse: For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1John 5:3
So many things have become really confusing in today’s world. This may have been the situation right from the beginning but with the advanced technology and science discovery, it truly feels like an individual can be lost in their own world, a world full of new ideas created from the curiosity of our minds. In this present age where we can literally be in another country in as little as 2 Hours and give live updates to the world of everything happening in our environment, everything becomes so easy that even believers are being convinced that wrong is right and vice versa.
Just as it was in the beginning when God gave Adam a direct instruction in the garden of Eden in Genesis 2:16-17 saying “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” God’s instruction was clear and direct, simple and plain with no other interpretation required. The devil however in his twisted mind intentionally explored Eve’s mind and gave her a different explanation to the original instruction given by God. The devil told her in Genesis 3:4-5 “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This was the automatic fall of man and the origin of everything wrong in our world today.
Like in the beginning when there was no sin, pain, hunger or distraction in the world until the intervention of the devil, when we take the word of God and digest it as given by Him and written in the scriptures, then our lives will simply be the way God intended it. But when we refuse to submit to the undiluted word of God and rather twist and turn the word of God trying to fit things to work our own way just to please our selfish desires, then we expose ourselves to multiple distraction and destruction.
Today’s bible verse refers us to a time when the Apostles were put on trial for preaching the word of God in the name of Jesus. There was a lot on anger coming their direction but the apostles response showed who they were loyal to, Acts 5:29 says But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men’
Without even being put on trial, many of us these days disregard the instruction of God because we stand to gain material things from man hence the world is full of those destruction because we position ourselves in a place where we cannot stand firmly on the word of God.
The mind of man was twisted from the beginning and the devil is still twisting the mind of man with the single aim of leading man to destruction and so there will be human laws that clearly contradicts the word of God but as believers there should not be confused because we are to know better.
Are you a God pleaser or man pleaser? when in doubt, all ways lead to the word of God.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank you for your word that gives life
- Help me to honor your world and stand firmly on it
- Teach me to apply wisdom, knowledge and understanding derived from your word, let it lead me to my place of blessings and breakthrough
- Forgive me of my shortcomings o Lord and help me to live above sin
- Receive my sacrifice of praise for in Jesus mighty name I pray, AMEN.
