Daily Devotions – Full of Faith and the Holy Spirit

Daily Devotions – Full of Faith and the Holy Spirit

Photo by Hatham on Unsplash

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Al Campbell:

 

Acts 6:8-15 (NIV)
Stephen Seized
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.

 

Name the enemies of righteousness in the story in today’s reading.
Have you had to resist any of these enemies to doing what is right in your life?
If successful in resisting, what did God do to help you?

 

Holy Lord, Stephen was so full of Your Spirit that his face glowed. I want to be so full of Your joy that others can see my love for You by looking at my face. I want to demonstrate my faith through my behavior and let my life speak of my faith. But even though Stephen was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, it didn’t prevent him from troubles. I understand that following You is not the easiest road to travel. I know that I may meet opposition and troubles when I stand up for my faith. Satan tries to trip up those who get in his way. Lord, help me not to be put off by troubles but rather, like Stephen, to be full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Amen