When God Calls You Are You Available?
From the living bible online we continue our video bible series.
Jan 3rd 2008
Above the Ordinary
Acts 6:5 This sounded reasonalble to the whole assembly, and they elected the following:
Stephen ( a man unusally full of faith and the Holy Spirit)
cripture reading of the day.
Acts 6:8-15: 7:55-60
But one day some of the men from the Jewish cults of The Freedmen started and argument with him, and they were soon joined by Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria in Egypt, and the Turkis provinces of Cilicia, and Ausia. But none of them were able to stand against Stephen’s wisdom and spirit.
This accusation roused the crowds to fury against Stephen, and the Jewish leaders arrested him and brought him before the Council. The Lying witness testified again that Stephen was constantly spreading 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 faces become as radiant as an angel.
Acts 7-55-60 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and Jsus the Messiah standing beside God, at his right hand!”
Then they mobbed him, putting their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, and dragged him out of the city o stone him. The official witness–the executioners—took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Paul.
And as the murderous stones came hurtling at him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” And he fell to his knees shouting, “Lord, don’t Charge them with this sin!” and with that, he died.
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People often comment that the extraordinary was only in Biblical Times. But that is NOT what the Word of God says.
The same Spirit, the same God is alive today and working through people. He is looking for ordinary people who are willing to Believe…Dare to Believe in Christ. By having this kind of Faith that in the midst of persecution, or in the storms of life, that we can rise above it and stand.
So how do we reach a place where we can rise above and be useful to God?
If only we believe…
If only we believe that the Holy Spirit is in us and can work through us if we are willing. Wiling to trust, willing to look to God for our answers, willing to be used by God for the plan he has…not our own plan.
God…
I ask you to use me for your goodness and Glory…Holy Spirit, come and reside within each of us. Allow us to see that the same God who gave Stephen amazing wisdom is available today to each of us. Give us wisdom and faith to become extraordinary and have the heart of a servant.
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