To Fear God or to Fear Man - That is the Question

We recently received a huge answer to prayer in the form of a beautiful church building that we have access to 7 days a week. We love it! It is easy to see the excitement it has kindled in our church family.  So many have volunteered to clean, pull weeds, build... Whatever they can throughout the week. It really is exciting! We feel like we have an opportunity for a brand new start! Matthew is teaching about soul winning on Sunday evenings, and trying to be available to go out visiting with anyone who is willing to go. 

In my personal devotions I have begun reading through the book of Acts. I picked it because I wanted to be encouraged by a group of men and women who were also working hard to see the gospel of Christ spread. A group of people who in spite of persecution, would not accept defeat because they had a cause worth fighting for! 

In chapter 4 of Acts, the disciples were thrown in prison. Before being released they were warned to stop preaching that Christ was the Messiah. Peter and John answered them with this statement: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." 

Just one chapter later, the indignant Sadducees have the apostles arrested once again for preaching and healing in the name of Jesus. Verse 19 begins an AMAZING story of God's power: 

"But the angel of The Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within." 

I could be wrong, but I don't think prisoners disappearing from prison was an everyday event! This was a miracle! Who but God could walk a group of prisoners through locked doors, passed their guards, and into the street undetected? If I were the high priest, I think at this point I'd say, "Hey, Guys... Maybe God is on their side... Maybe we should stop fighting God..." However, this is not how they respond! Verse 26 of the same chapter says, "Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned." 

It seems crazy to me that when comparing the God who has all the elements of this world in his powerful hand and a group of angry men with rocks, they feared man above God! What is even crazier to think about is how we are often the same way! Peter says to them when they ask why they didn't obey: "We ought to obey rather than men." It is just that simple. 

Our goal as a church is to begin a soul winning effort, that let's face it, will not be popular. It makes sense that a Godless world would appose our efforts, but any more even those that call themselves Christians will look at us with disgust. The question becomes then, who are we going to fear? A powerful, limitless God or a group of men who could throw cruel words at us or even slam the door in our faces. We have such an exciting opportunity! We get to spread the gospel in a nation where it is legal to do so, and where so many need to know God! I praise God for that opportunity and pray that I will be able to be a part of this great effort! 

I will conclude with one of the greatest verses in the Bible. 

John 14:27 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: 

not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."