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Today is Thursday November 11, 2010 and we are continuing our reading through the Bible. Today's message comes from the Book of Acts, chapters 7-8. In these chapters we will read about, Stephen pleading his case, Stephen reminding them who they are and that they crucified Jesus, Stephen sentenced to death, Saul persecuting Christians, Simon, the sorcerer, Samaria walking away from sorcery and getting saved, and Philip and the Ethiopian man. All Scripture quoted comes from the King James Version. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: imfollowingjesus.com/bible-november-11

Today's Message: The Persecution of Freedom
If you are reading this you truly have no idea how blessed you are to have the freedom to read God's Word without persecution. Many countries, even today, forbid the Word of God to be read, practiced, and preached, you can literally go to jail for mentioning the name Jesus Christ. How and Why? Religion. Somehow religious leaders even have control over the government to the point that they make rules forbidding the practice of other religions. Whether they want to realize it or not evolution is a religion, a religion is the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices and the religious leaders of evolution are controlling the government. “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ...These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.” - Jude 1:4,16.

Stephen was a deacon in the church at Jerusalem who knew well the Old Testament Scriptures. He boldly reminded the unbelieving authorities that he is a son of Abraham, and values himself on it. Then he reminds them of their rebellion, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.” - Acts 7:51-58. Stephen was charged as a blasphemer of God, he could have avoided death by saying nothing, but he made it clear that the religious authorities were responsible for crucifying Jesus, the Just One.

While we should have respect for our authorities it does not mean that they have the right to condemn us and restrain us from practicing our beliefs, yet they do every time a new law is passed that prohibits us from mentioning God or Jesus. Think about it. Currently, the Bible can not be read in public schools, they are not even allowed to say Merry Christmas, and no symbol even relating to Jesus is allowed on government property. They tell you that the reason they do this is so they do not offend anyone, but the real reason is, they are offended themselves because they do not want to submit to God. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,...Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” - Romans 12:22,29-32.

After Philip saw Stephen get stoned he could have walked away, instead he continued preaching the Gospel. Everyone that heard him paid attention to every word he said, accepted Jesus into their lives, and got baptized, including Simon, the sorcerer. “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:...But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” - Acts 8:9,12,13.

Philip was then led by the Holy Spirit to meet an Ethiopian official on his way home. “And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him...Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” - Acts 8:31,35-38.

Baptism is a symbol of the burial, and resurrection of Christ, as a saved person emerges in the water it symbolizes the burial of those sins, never to be remembered again. As we come up out of the water we are resurrected as a living soul. Baptism does not save us, it is only by asking Jesus to save us that we are saved, baptism just makes it official. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” - Colossians 2:12


As Christians, it is important that we not be afraid of or ashamed of living our lives for and speaking about our Lord Jesus Christ. The more we do for Christ the more He shows through us, the more He shows through us the more others see that they too need Christ. It's all about following the will of God and believing in His Son, after all, we have nothing to be worried about because we have eternal life. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - I John 5:11,12. Praise God!

Be blessed, enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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