The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Courage to Witness" for Wednesday, 21 January 2015 - Scripture: Acts 5:27 When the apostles were brought before the council, the high priest said to them, 28 “We told you plainly not to teach in the name of Jesus. But look what you have done! You have been teaching all over Jerusalem, and you are trying to blame us for his death.”
29 Peter and the apostles replied:
We don’t obey people. We obey God. 30 You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshiped raised him to life 31 and made him our Leader and Savior. Then God gave him a place at his right side,[a] so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven. 32 We are here to tell you about all this, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to everyone who obeys God.[Footnotes:
5.31 right side: See the note at 2.33.]
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.[Psalm 107:2 (NIV)]
While in the hospital for three weeks with pregnancy complications, I spent time reading my Bible and The Upper Room. Also, one of the nurses brought me a radio that I tuned to my favorite Christian station. The music was soothing and peaceful.
However, as much as I loved listening to this music, a part of me wanted to turn it off whenever someone walked in the room. I don’t know if I was ashamed or just didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Regardless, I felt like a hypocrite. I felt like I was trying to hide my Christian faith and also missing out on an opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life by testifying and ministering. I could have shared stories of the way God has given me so much love and mercy — starting with my baby, whom I’d been trying to conceive for over a year. God has worked in my life in wonderful ways, and I want to share this with other people.
The biblical writer James stated, “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (4:4). What this says to me is not to worry about what people around me think but to be committed to serve and please God rather than other people. (See Acts 5:29.) And if those around me listen to what I say about the wonders of God, then instead of rejecting God, they’ll join in and worship with me.
The Author: Akua Gite (Texas, USA)
Thought for the Day: Today I will choose to be a witness to God’s presence in my life.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to be bold in proclaiming your love and amazing works to those around us. Amen.
Prayer focus: Women with complicated pregnancies
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