Praying Through Acts: Acts 4 A Miracle is Questioned

Acts 4 takes us to a group of very upset spiritual leaders. A miracle that shook the city had occurred, but they are upset because Peter had proclaimed the message of Jesus' resurrection and people had believed…5,000 people had believed! 5,000!   If you're not a believer in Jesus that might be a reason to be upset. How could Jesus still be doing miracles after they had him executed?  Unbelief comes at a terrible and tragic cost.   These religious leaders had to stop Peter and John. More rulers, elders and scribes assembled in Jerusalem to question Peter and John. Look at how Peter answered their questions. 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,  said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people!    9If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,  10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.    12 Salvation exists in no one else,  for there is no other name  under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."   16"What shall we do with these men?" they asked. "It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.    17But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them  not to speak to anyone in this name."   Have we listened to the same advice they got? There is a social norm that says "Never talk about religion or politics." But have we allowed a social norm to cause us to stop talking about Jesus?   I get it! Do we need wisdom? Do we need love? Absolutely. Absolutely!! BUT… does our need to love more and better drive us to our knees for more of Jesus? Does it inspire us to make wiser choices, to walk in God's love in all our encounters with people or is it a gigantic STOP sign that causes us to clam up?   Look at the first part of verse 8 again… 8 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,…" When we are FILLED with the Holy Spirit it changes what we do and how we do it.   Father, oh, my dear Father, forgive me for listening to the voice of a social norm instead of being so full of Your Spirit that I overflow with the love of God enough to speak the Truth in Love to people that don't know You. I want to be so full of Your Spirit that I boldly share Your Love and Truth everywhere I go. Create hunger in our hearts, God! A hunger to see people that don't know you born again and to see miracles, signs and wonders that reveal your goodness to them in a very real way. In the Mighty Name of Jesus! Amen.