Tuesday 18 February, 2020

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Personally, I love the example that Stephen shows me in how to be a minister and a witness to Christ.

He was appointed to take a load of the other apostles by filling the very practical role of ensuring people’s needs were met.

But he didn’t just fill his role with a spirit of excellence, he ensured that he was filled with the Holy Spirit and took every opportunity to serve the cause of the early church with passion and zeal.

For me this shows that in the church, we are not only to serve a single role, but each of us are to be naturally supernatural and serve in a way that is powerful and active.

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit that I might have the wisdom, courage and power of Stephen in the way that I minister. From the mediocre and mundane through to the public and prestigious, may I carry the Glory of your presence with me to shine your light wherever I am.

Written by Ps. Justin Ware