No, Stephen's speech is 50 Verses about the Old Testament. It was as though Stephen had committed all this to memory! Startling! Compelling! Then in verse 51, he calls these leaders "stiff-necked people" uncircumcised in heart and hearing, who always resist the Holy Spirit, who betrayed and murdered The Righteous One. Stephen was chosen to serve tables, help widows. But for such a time as this, he opened his mouth, his heart. And it cost him his life. The leaders were enraged while Stephen, lifting his eyes, was full of the Holy Spirit and stoned to death. The Spirit didn't stop the stoning. It was Stephen's privilege to suffer for Christ's sake. The witnesses laid his garments at the feet of one of the stone throwers, Saul. What went through Saul's mind as He witnessed a young man so "profoundly personally" committed to The Righteous One. If people don't startle and surprise and stir your heart to find God, then you be the catalyst.
"The source of all deep and meaningful change
is an encounter that is so profoundly personal
that worship results." Bruce Edstrom
Stephen, still full of the Spirit, spoke truth over them and it enraged them. Stephen wasn't mad at them but spoke in righteousness. His final words were "Don't hold this sin against them" Can we handle the truth? Can we see our own stiff-necked ways and turn from them? Especially when someone points to them and exposes us?
ReplyDeleteBev, you so often are that catalyst for me to stir my heart toward God. Great admonition to be the catalyst if others around us aren't for some reason awakening us to find Him!
,(AI) he called out, "Lord Jesus,(AJ) receive my spirit." 60And(AK) falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice,(AL) "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this,(AM) he fell asleep.
ReplyDeleteToday death visited our community.
Today is also the day of our daughter's Senior Recital. Today is the day she found out her dear friend, Raquel,(aged 17) was killed in a car accident. Today we are holding it together as we prepare for what should have been a joyous celebration of the musicians' years of hard work and hours of practice. As I type this, I am filled with such a sense of loss.
Please keep my daughter, April in your prayers. Also pray for the family of Raquel.
Thank-you.
My heart goes out to April and her friends as they face the reality of how short life on this earth can be. How difficult to go ahead with a major event in the path of this knowledge.
ReplyDeleteActs 7:48-49
Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,49 "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,or what is the place of my rest?
May April and her friends recognize how important it is to live a life of purpose to Glorify God as they mourn and grieve the loss of their friend.
I pray for each Pearl that we may be even more conscious from Jan's reminder of how brief life can be and then eternity is FOREVER.
When you don't know what to do, just do the next logical step by faith.
Lord, Thank you for the example of Stephen to be willing to live a life to glorify you in all we say and do. I praise you for the scriptures today...I pray to always be able to forgive and give up my rebellion and become more obedient to Christ. Lord, help me Glorify you today.
Bev, Annette, Jan, Deborah, Mary Lou, Ang thanks for being the family on line to help me keep my focus on God's Word and his purpose from scripture for me each day.
This is a Song I must Sing, Sylvia