Be a Peter – Steve Martin, Love For His People
Be a Peter
“But Peter and the apostles answered, ” We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29-30, NASU
No wonder the church has lost its influence in our nation and others in the world.
We have lost our voice.
Rather than having the courage (or guts, as some would better understand it), we have bowed the knee to the secular government and religious leaders in power, going along with the seduced masses and caving into their unreasonable and ungodly, yes unbiblical, directives.
Wanting to live the lie of “let it be, let it be”, made popular by the four bugs in the 60s and beyond, so as not to offend or disrupt our neighbor or co-worker, and live “in peace”…our light in the world lost its flame of hope that the Lord Jesus meant the believers, His Church, to be to the rest of the world. At least many of the Jews kept His Word alive, along with other martyrs of the faith, when they stood against the evil that continuously confronted them.
What would the USA look like today if churches would have stood against the removal of prayer in schools; abortion on demand; shutting down the overbearing might of Big Tech and the all-mighty CEOs to shut us up? Rather than standing up and giving godly opposition to their ways, many laid down silently and let them do as they pleased. As in the name of “love” so as not to inhibit their “freedom.”
Side note: There would be no need for “Now Hiring” signs all over the place in America if the 62 million babies murdered since 1973 were alive today.
Where has our conformity to the people got us? Thank God for the few who had the courage to stand on the wall, stand in the gap, and keep the tidal way of evil from destroying our God-given freedoms over these last decades.
The Word of God is our life manual. The Lord God of Israel gave it to us so we could know His ways and then walk in them in obedience. So that we could live a good, peaceful life. But as so often occurs, in our “wisdom and might” the church kept the Bible on the shelf collecting dust, if even there, and never touched it to know His will actually is.
And because of the action, or no action, of so-called Christians, we have reaped what we have sown.
Did the early church leaders do that? You tell me.
After being thrown into prison for proclaiming the Word of God, they were let out in the middle of the night by an angel. (I am glad I have a guardian angel and others who aid us.) The angel instructed them what they were to do.
“But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach.” Acts 5:17-21, NASU
The believers did as the Lord’s messenger instructed them to do, even after having been already thrown in prison and beaten by the religious authorities. But they knew their Higher Authority.
“They (the Jerusalem leadership Council) took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” Acts 5:40-42, NASU
They kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. They did not fear what the government or religious leaders would or could do. They chose to obey the higher power of the One Who sits on the highest throne.
Do not think that we must obey every law or “scientifically backed” control that comes our way. Do not just go along with the crowd, to avoid being “different, out-of-step, or troublemaker” as many would have you think.
Have some guts. Have some courage. Speak up. Act out. Obey what the Lord has told us to obey through His Word. Do it now or pay the price later when our God-given freedoms have all been taken away. Get out of the boat and do that which He has called you to do.
Be a Peter!
“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Matt 14:22-33 NKJV
Go and do what you have been given to do. Be a man. Be a woman. Be a follower of Jesus.
Ahava and shalom,
Steve Martin, Love For His People founder
P.S. It is a great move of God to see our pastors of Antioch International Church in Fort Mill, SC take the lead. Dr. ELizabeth Enns, pastor, wife of pastor Jesse Enns, mother of three wonderful sons, daughter of Peter and Joy Wyns, is running for the statehouse District 48 in her Rock Hill, SC district.
Go, Liz! Look here for more information: https://www.instagram.com/drlizenns/
Look here also for more info on Elizabeth Enns: https://www.facebook.com/EnnsForStateHouse
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Message #69 – in the year of our Lord 04.26.2022 – “Be a Peter” – Tuesday, 4:45 am in Charlotte, NC USA
