Good morning, everyone.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 5:38, “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing.”
Not everything you read in the Bible is the truth. Along with the fundamental theological bedrocks concerning God and Jesus and the way of salvation, there are included in scripture some misleading statements and boldface lies. Recall how Rahab received the two spies that Joshua sent out, but when the king’s men came to her to seize them, she said that they had slipped out the gate and run off, all the while having hid them on her roof. Jacob disguised himself and told his dad he was Esau in order to steal the blessing, Sarah denied having laughed at the news of her impending pregnancy when the Lord called her out on it, and Cain told God he didn’t know where Abel was right after having murdered him. And of course, Satan started it all when he lied to Eve in the garden. Just because someone said it and the Bible recorded it doesn’t make it true. And that brings us to the Pharisee named Gamaliel. He was part of the council that was deciding what to do with the apostles as they continued propagating the message of Jesus and His resurrection. They had already threatened and imprisoned them, but to no avail. So Gamaliel stood up, while the other elders were furiously plotting to kill these insolent disciples, and advised them to be careful of their next steps. He reminded them that history had shown that these uprisings would die out soon after the leader was gone.
And this movement would be no different, unless it was. He said that the work of men will come to nothing, so there is no need to waste effort in squashing it. But was that the truth? Does the work of men amount to nothing? In our hearts we know that God’s will prevails, and we remember verses teaching that we can do nothing apart from Him. But what do these have to do with the plans and efforts of your current day? How much are you doing on your own strength and according to your own devices in spite of what you know to be true? If the Bible says to trust in the Lord in all your ways and lean not on your own understanding, is it the truth? There are many lies out there, even in the midst of much truth. So which ones are you believing?
As we seek Him today, be sure that what you are working so hard at is not part of Satan’s subterfuge to have you believing a lie.
Have a pure Tuesday, and I will be with you again on Thursday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
