We must rely on God, even when it is hard.
In Acts 5, Peter, John and the rest of the apostles had to rely on God a lot. The council did not want the apostles to teach the gospel of Christ, and they were arrested and threatened many times as a result. In Acts 5, they were once again reminded that they should not teach in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Every time the apostles were released, they went right on praising God and singing in his name, trusting and having faith that God would deliver them. This has taught me that through everything, I need to have faith that God will pull me through knowing that He has everything under control. Proverbs 3:5 teaches us to, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
If I have learned anything from reading Acts 1-11, it’s that in any situation, the apostles looked to God in faith and for direction. They prayed for guidance for who to choose as the apostle to replace Judas Iscariot in Acts 1. They prayed constantly. They praised God constantly. But even though they had faith in him, that did not make them perfect. In John 18:15-17, Peter denied Christ three times, but in Acts, he preached in his name. And just like Peter knew that God would be with them, even if they did make mistakes, I have faith that God will always be there for me, and that he knows that I have struggles, and helps me to work them out or overcome them, just like Peter and the Apostles.
The more I study the book of Acts and learn about the apostles devotion to spreading the gospel of Christ, the more I am inspired and encouraged. When I am having a bad day or something is not going well, I pick out my studying materials and when I start studying, everything just feels better! It is a constant reminder as I study that God has everything in control. When I read Acts 7, talking about Joseph being sold into bondage by his brothers, and the interpretation of the chief butler and Pharaoh’s dreams, and Moses being led into the wilderness, it talks about how God is always with us. Another verse in the Bible tells us that God will never leave us; He shall not be moved.
National Bible Bee has impacted my faith by encouraging me to spend even more time engrossed in reading and studying the Bible. It has given me a chance to learn about the treasures God puts everywhere, even if we do not see it. It has also given me the chance to make new friends, and to help people. It has given me the chance to memorize scripture and has given me the patience it takes to go through everyday life.
Acts 1:8: “And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Written by NBB Participant: Autumn Robertson
