Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.

Acts 4:19-21

¹⁹But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. ²⁰For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

²¹After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.

I am laying in the bed at the Biltmore with something on my heart that I have to share. I am so thankful to have some time with just me and my man. That is a rare thing. Normally he goes on hunting trips and I go to Beth Moore conferences. He is at a work conference but I was so privileged to get to come along for the ride.

I was recently told (by a fellow believer) that I really did not need to share about Jesus everywhere I went. I was so hurt by that comment because the person said I did not need to "preach to people". First of all, I am not a preacher. (Pause to talk to Morgan...Morgan is bawling her eyes out from separation anxiety...it is breaking my heart.) Anyway, I was more in shock that this person told me that. "I am just to over the top!" The Lord brought to mind the above verses. I began to pray that the Lord would convict this person and I was going to stick to the verses and that God could convict this fellow believer. I am going to obey God and not man on that one. Plus y'all He means everything to me. I would be completely poverty stricken, spiritually speaking, apart from Jesus. He is what gives me life and purpose. How can I not speak of what He has done for me and what I have seen to a lost and dying world? I was on the road to destruction when He called me out of darkness into the light. Along the way there were people in my life who were "different" and I took note of that. We are called to be in this world but not of it. That is the whole point when the Lord says, "Be Holy, because I am holy." It is the same word for consecrated, meaning to be set apart vessels that the Lord can use. I don't want to shrink back just because someone puts me down. Praise the Lord that we have His precious promises and can fall back on absolute truth in a world full of lies. God provided me with ample opportunity tonight to talk and brag about Him.

I was reading this morning about David bringing the ark to Jerusalem and how it was put on a cart and the dude that reached out and touched it was struck down. I have read this many times but the Holy Spirit really spoke to me on this one. They were not to be transporting it on a cart, and the pagan Philistines who did not know God transported it the same way. When you read in Numbers you see how it was to be carried. Why? Because the LORD, The NAME, The LORD God Almighty would sit between the cherubim and that is the way He would be with His people. So when the guy reached out to grab the ark, and everyone was dancing with all our their might praising God, and then He was struck down it really leaves you confused. 1. I had to think about the fact that God knew his heart and in His holiness struck him down because they had the instruction of Gods word and they were treating the ark (of His presence) in a manner unworthy. David doesn't take the ark with him, he becomes fearful of God, and angry in his finite heart and mind. The whole point this morning to me was the holiness of God. We have lost such an emphasis on that in our day. God is Holy and our righteousness is as filthy rags. We are made right only under the new covenant because of the blood of Jesus. We are not to love this world system or set our affections on anything that lowers our vision of God or takes our hearts from being set on heaven to being ensnared by the things of this earth that will fade. I realize that this is so long....we are to fear the Lord and not man or the consequences of man for standing up for truth and being obedient in a respectful, gentle and loving way to share about Jesus and give a reason for the hope that we have. So regardless of who tries to tell us to shy away from the gospel we pick pleasing the Lord over that every time.

I read these verses two days ago and it just jumped off of the page:
Psalm 73:25-26

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

He is all we really have. He is our Rock and I know that from experience. It has been my prayer this week that I will not blend in. Do I still want to dress cute and like my hair, yes!!!

Even our bodies will fail us but He won't. I want the cry of my heart to be LORD, this earth has nothing I desire besides YOU!!!! Because so often I chase after lesser things. He is your portion forever. When people let you down and when you let yourself down praise God that You can turn to Him and He is the only one that truly gets you, He is the only One who is constant.

The grass withers and the flowers fade but the word of God stands forever. Jesus is the word made flesh. So I will keep on telling of His mercies and what He has done.