Thursday, November 17, 2011
November 17, Day 321
What a transition today. Notice the simple, bold faith of Peter and John before the religious leaders. Imagine what it was like for the Jewish leaders as the church grew rapidly to 5,000 men, plus women and children (15,000-25,000 people would certainly be a mega church in our culture). Ponder the prayer life of the people, crying out to God for their city; then see how their boldness increased.
Did you notice God's fierce holiness in the case of Ananias and Saphira? He obviously would let nothing corrupt the purity of His power at that early stage. Then, see how problems came as the church grew even more. They sought wise ways to handle those problems without short-circuiting the work of the kingdom.
Then it started really heating up. The apostles were warned with beatings, even as wise Gamaliel intervened. Then Stephen was arrested. Martyrdom was about to begin. The path of the Gospel is paved with the blood of the martyrs.
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I've always loved reading about the early church. The zeal they had was just amazing.
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