“And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” – Acts 8:2–4
Too many times, we allow opposition, trouble, persecution, and enmity to stop us from doing what God has called us to do. But that is always a choice. We can continue to do right and work for Him, no matter what is going on around us. The early church in Jerusalem faced harsh persecution, even to the point of death, for preaching about Jesus. When they were forced to flee for their lives, they continued to spread the gospel everywhere they went. We never have to stop doing what is right, no matter how difficult circumstances may become.
Though George Liele was born into slavery in Georgia in 1750, he believed God had called him into ministry. His master, Henry Sharpe, gave George his freedom so that he could begin traveling and preaching across the South. But when Sharpe was killed during the Revolutionary War, his descendants tried to re-enslave Liele, and he was put back in jail for a time. After defending his right to freedom, Liele and his family moved to Jamaica. His powerful preaching there sparked opposition, and Liele was again thrown in jail. Undeterred by the persecution, he continued preaching on his release. By the time Liele died, he had baptized hundreds of converts and built a strong church in Jamaica.
There are often hardships in life because the devil is actively working to discourage and defeat those who are working for God. We can feel sorry for ourselves and quit, or, like Stephen and like George Liele, we can continue to do what is right, trusting God for the outcome. The fact that there is trouble and opposition to us serving God does not require us to give up—we can keep going strong. (Daily in the Word)
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
