Topic: Be Bold, Be Courageous [David Jeremiah Devotional july 9 2019 | Turning Point Ministries]
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JULY 9, 2019
Now when [the religious leaders] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
Recommended Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-23
Open Doors, a ministry to the persecuted Church worldwide, says that on average every month 255 Christians are killed, 104 are abducted, 180 Christian women are raped, harassed, or forced into marriage, 66 churches are attacked, and 160 Christians are imprisoned without trial.1
How is it that those who persecute Christians know whom to target? It’s because the Christians are living lives that testify to their faith in Jesus Christ. They are not afraid of persecution. Instead, they manifest courage and boldness in their walk with the Lord. When they are persecuted, they do what Jesus did: “[He] committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). Peter and John, in first-century Jerusalem, did the same thing. When persecuted by the religious leaders, they stood firm. It was their boldness and courage that caused the leaders to “marvel” and recognize their connection to Jesus.
In faith and practice, always imitate Jesus—especially when your faith is opposed by others.
Persecution is like the goldsmith’s hallmark on real silver and gold; it is one of the marks of a converted man.
J. C. Ryle