Tuesday February 13, 2017 Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than man.”

Nick-

Peter and his apostles have been filled with the holy spirit at this point. And when they were freed form prison, the angel of the lord commanded them to go speak all the words of this life. So compelled by the spirit they obeyed rather than thinking of the consequences. They just escaped prison and the Lord is telling them to go right out into the open where the people who had them locked up can see them. Not only that, but they are going to preach the word of God which they were strictly prohibited not to do by the chief priests. So they went, obeying Gods commands over mans regardless of the circumstances. They didn’t question what God was asking of them and they didn’t fear what man would do to them. Hebrews 13:6 says, So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear, what can man do to me.” When God asks something of me or doesn’t, I must trust in his decision. I am empowered by the holy spirit within me and I must walk in it to be guided by the Lord. Sometimes he may prompt me to speak boldly. Other times it may ask me to kindly go to someone and give them encouragement. It may even ask me to go places I’ve never thought I would go. Verse 32 says, And we are his witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to who obey him. We are Witnesses of Jesus Christ not to him. Oswald Chambers said, “Not witnesses to what he can do but that we are to be witnesses who satisfy him in what ever circumstances he puts us in.” If we are going to be his witnesses, we must obey him and trust him to work through our circumstances regardless of the oppression man might try and bring against us.

Julie

Peter, "Put Your Foot In Your Mouth Peter", is the one who stands up to the high priest.  He shows no fear in this man to prove the very point of what he is saying:  Obey God rather than men.  It has taken me up until four months ago to even open up to this idea.  The fear of not obeying man scared me, but not because I wanted to please man.  I didn't obey man out of a good heart.  I obeyed for acceptance.  I was so selfish both to man and God.  The enemy always had a a foothold of me being alone, which led to my desperation of man's approval.  But as I am learning, the Lord will never leave me alone.  And the Lord is so much greater than man anyway.  So why the struggle?  It is not my struggle anymore.  It's not between God and the enemy.  All I have to do is walk in obedience to my Father.  This is still easier said than done, as all I can see around me is the darkness of the world.  But as I've put my hands on man's arms to guide me, I've ended up getting hurt or falling.  Man was just the first thing I could grab.  Man is effortless to obtain.  I think all men (and women) are just as desperate to not be alone in this world, which is why they let other people cling to them instead of directing them to God.  But God has called me to a deeper level than acceptance.  He has called me to obey His voice in the darkness to teach me edurance.  The reason I always end up alone is because I let go of man who leads me atsray, but that aloneness teaches me to focus on Him.  In doing that, he guides me.  Who am I to not obey the Father that never left me and who knows what's best for me?  Peter was walking in the darkness of not knowing what was going on.  He actually had a thought of being stoned to death, but still obeyed God because man is no longer a threat to him.  Death was no longer a fear of his.  He watched Jesus die in the hands of man, and he rose again!  Why should Peter have obeyed the high priests and Sadducees over God.  Why do I?  Peter and I are known and loved by the same God who wants protection for us.  Just like I want Trent to obey because I know what's best for him, so does my Father who is soviergn.  Lord, I say that I am learning to obey.  Please let that never be a lesson I stray away from.  Thank you for knowing whats best for me.  I admit I do not.  I am walking round in darkness and cannot see, and You know I need your hand to guide me.  I pray that I am so focused on You always, that I can hear You when you give me a command.  I pray that I do not fill Your guidance with man's.  Thank you for Your patience with me, Father.