April 11

For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. — Acts 4:20 BSB

One of the Beatitudes is, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you.” The early Christians quickly experienced this blessing. How they handled persecution teaches us important lessons. One lesson is that we should always give Christ the glory for everything we do.

Another lesson is that we should take our orders from Christ alone. When the apostles were told to stop speaking in Christ’s name, their response was bold: “We can’t stop speaking.”

It can be tough sometimes to obey Christ—it’s easier to stay quiet than to speak up for Him. But if we want to be loyal to Him, we have no choice.

We also learn here a lesson about prayer. The apostles didn’t pray to avoid suffering; they prayed for boldness to speak God’s word. We shouldn’t ask to be kept from suffering, but for courage and loyalty in His service.