img_2294The words we speak.

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he said this he fell asleep. Acts 7: 55 - 60

These were the final moments of one of the greatest public speeches in history. (Read Acts 6 & 7) The final words of a condemned man who believed so passionately in the promised coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He was even willing to die for his convictions. He had preached of Christ’s death and resurrection. Stephen was a man full of faith and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people of his day. But the legalistic religious leaders despised him.

Every day… you and I have a choice: To either look down on others and judge them by the law… or look up to them with a servant heart of grace. Stephen reminded his accusers of God’s faithfulness to the people of Israel from the times of Abraham to the present day. But he knew that the words he spoke would condemn him. Yet in his death there would be much fruit.

Jesus said; “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24

I pray that every day the words that come from my mouth will be full of faith, truth and grace. Amen.

Godspeed,

steve-sign-white3

Pictured: A grain of wheat

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