Rising Stars Draw Fire

July 1

(Acts 13:45 NIV) “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.”

(Acts 4:1-4 NIV) "The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. {2} They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. {3} They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. {4} But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand."

(John 15:18-21 NIV) ""If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. {19} If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. {20} Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. {21} They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.""

As Paul’s star rose, his visibility drew negative attention. Rising up can bring glory to God, but it also makes one an excellent target. Satan cares little when you are ineffective in sharing Jesus, but if you start to draw a crowd, watch out. Paul’s opposition arose from within the religious community. Religion is often possessive and jealous. It does not take kindly to competition or correction. Many a godly prophet preached their last sermon in front of a religious crowd, their reward for challenging the status quo coming in the form of physical or verbal stoning. Many churches today suffer from this mentality, as they claim exclusive rights to the truth. They compete more than they cooperate. Instead of praising God when someone gets saved, they curse men because they got saved somewhere else. Paul and Barnabas reaped the fruit of that spirit. Don’t be a part of it today. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day