I was reading today about a faithful man of God named Stephen in Acts 6:5, Stephen is described as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” He was one of the seven men chosen to help distribute food to the widows in the early church when the Apostles realized that they needed help. Stephen is also described as being “full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8)
Growing in Christ and loving God is something that when you are a Christian is a lifetime experience. As long as you have breath in your body and have determined that you want to give ALL that you have and ALL that you are to the One who gave His life for you really becomes a journey. The apostles wanted to concentrate on spreading the Word of God and telling people about Jesus and Holy Spirit had them recognize that in order to do so, they needed others to help out. They prayed about it and chose seven men to be responsible for the distribution of food. What is it that God is calling YOU to do? How is that God wants YOU to help within the body of Christ? Are you open to doing whatever it is He is directing you to do??? No matter what task He has for you, you can bet that whatever you do for Him will prosper. Isaiah 55:10-11 says:
“For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat. So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.”
IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MINISCULE THE TASK GOD GIVES YOU TO DO, HE WILL BLESS YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS IF YOU COMMIT THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS TO GLORIFY HIM.
I promise You that! God LOOKS at the heart! If you look at Acts 7 you see this man, Stephen and His love and faith and commitment to God. He wasn’t concerned about his earthly existence, he was concerned about standing firm in Christ NO MATTER WHAT. How much do you love God? In Matthew 19:16-30 a man came up to Jesus and asked Him:
“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question – if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”
“Which ones?” The man asked. And Jesus replied: “You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and your mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
“But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again – it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.”
“The disciples were astounded. Then who in the world can be saved?” They asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Then Peter said to Him, “We’ve given up everything to follow You. What will we get?”
Jesus replied, “I assure that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon His glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be greatest then.”
God has given you abilities and talents, what are YOU doing with them? If you don’t know what they are, pray that God reveals to you what it is He has called YOU to do, and when He does reveal it to you – DO IT. And in doing it, you will be giving God “the ALL” of you and He will be glorified. Your responsibility is finding out what your calling within the body of Christ is and then walking in that calling. The rest is up to God.
Stephen was not concerned with how people viewed him, he was concerned with how GOD viewed him. He stood firm in his faith. God inspired him to speak boldly and rightly accusing Israel of their failure to recognize Jesus, their Messiah. Read Acts 7 and see how eloquently Holy Spirit inspired him with words to speak and stand before his accusers. His words were an indictment against Israel and their failure as the chosen people of God who had been given the law and the promise of the Messiah. He spoke boldly by the power of the Holy Spirit which resided in him and although his accusations were true, they were not well received by the Jews.
Because of His boldness in standing firm in his faith and speaking the truth, Stephen was stoned, but Acts 7:55-56 records his final moments of earthly life, just before he stepped through the veil between Heaven and earth:
“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
JESUS STOOD FOR STEPHEN! Jesus stood for this man of faith. What a testimony Stephen’s life was! What an example of how WE should be.
When you give your life to Jesus, don’t hold out, don’t hold back give it TOTALLY to the One who gave His life for YOU and watch and see what He does with it! It doesn’t mean that life is going to be easier, but it does mean that no matter WHERE or WHAT you experience, He will be RIGHT there with you. Right there! And you will truly know the full meaning of Galatians 2:20 on a personal level with so much love and joy in your heart, because you know you live and move and have your being through Him.
“I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives by faith in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Now THAT’S the kind of life I want to live…. Not holding out on God, using ALL the talents He has given me to work through me to bring Him glory and honor. How about you???
“Father, thank you for Stephen. Thank you for using his life as a testimony of how we should live in you – boldly, fearlessly with our eyes on you. Thank you for sharing the testimony of his life in Your Word, the Bible. Lord, I don’t always feel strong, forgive me for the times when I have lost focus. Help me to live a life utilizing ALL the talents and gifts you have blessed me with to glorify YOU. Please show me what those gifts are so that I can act accordingly. Please take this life which You have given me and I now give back to you and be glorified in it – however You see fit. Bless me this day Father and help my life be a light to guide others to You. I trust You will. I love You Father, I love You Jesus, I love You Holy Spirit. Be glorified in my life, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.”
9
0
20