Acts 6:13-15 - The lying witnesses testified again that Stephen was constantly speaking against the Temple and against the laws of Moses. They declared, “We have heard him say that this fellow Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and throw out all of Moses’ laws.” At this point everyone in the Council chamber saw Stephen’s face become as radiant as an angel’s!
Stephen arose quickly as a great man of faith and used the power of the Holy Spirit to preach and do great miracles. He was elected at first as one of the elected to take care of the widows…but let God do so much more with him than what man decided he was capable of.
One of the character traits that Stephen picked up on early in his Christian walk was humility. He was such a powerful link to the growth of the early Christian church that the religious leaders got a Jewish cult named the Freedmen to lie about his teachings in their council. He was accused of teaching the opposite of what the Jews believed….but he sat silently in the court…not making a huge deal of the accusations they brought bout him. Maybe it wasn't so much humility as it was his ability to ask God to keep him full of the Holy Spirit at all times.
God was so pleased with Stephen that He allowed the essence of God to manifest in Stephen’s face while he sat before the court. They accused him of lies…but Stephen’s face shone as if he were an angel. They brought him before the court with the intent to harm him…to stop his preaching….but God allowed the power Stephen had learned to use from the Holy Spirit to keep him calm….to allow God to use what man meant for harm to glorify the Father.
I admit that I need to learn to use the power of the Holy Spirit to help me in all kinds of situations….to show that I trust God no matter what happens in my life that seems to be harming me at the time. I am better…I will testify that since I have been using God’s power to write this blog each morning…my temper has quietened…I have more peace than I ever did in tough situations…but I have not reached Stephen’s level. I needed this great reminder that God has my back …if I am doing what He called me to do. He can take all forms of hurt and keep me so calm and focused on God in that moment of hurt that my face can shine with the love God.
Father….thank you for the reminder that you can give me all the power I need to do anything you ask me to do. Forgive me for the times that I have lost control…or limited what you can do through me because I have forgotten to ask for the Holy Spirit to fill me with your power. Help me to stay so focused on you that I remember to always call on you to help me in all things. Amen.
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