Daily Reading

Acts 7:51-8:13; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12

So, Stephen concludes his speech by accusing the chief priests & leaders of being as ignorant & blind as the Israelites of old - persecuting & killing the prophets of God. Naturally this infuriated the council & they drag him out & stoned him.

Stop for a moment & think of how you respond to the truth, especially when it points out your faults. Are you quick to listen, slow to anger & slow to speak? (James 1:19) Meaning: do you take the time to hear what is being said & process it for what it is. Or do you instantly jump to defensiveness & ignore the truth before your eyes? I will admit that I too often jump to defend myself. I pray that not only myself, but my readers also, learn to implement the life lessons found here & in James 1:19.

Now - the account of the stoning provides two interesting pieces of information. First, a young man named Saul was all for this punishment. In fact, he was so passionate about preserving the Jewish faith that he lead the persecution against the newly founded Christian church. In fear of their lives & safety, Christians fled the area & began preaching in new towns.

Never forget - what man does for evil, God can turn to good. You see, in his attempts to wipe out "The Way" (the early Christian church) Saul actually pushed the believers into spreading the gospel as they fled to safer cities. So, don't lose hope when YOUR plans don't work out - trust God "for all things work together for good for those who love the Lord & are called to His good purpose." Romans 8:28 So hold onto your faith & believe that God is working for your good. Then you will be able to praise the Lord for His great works just as our psalmist did in Psalm 40.

The second lesson we see if found in Stephen's character. He continues to praise the Lord even in his stoning for the Lord was with him. His focus wasn't on what was happening, his focus was on the love of his life - the Lord. When we focus on the Lord instead of our circumstances, we find joy, love, & peace. In fact, we even find the strength to forgive our tormentors! From experience & can tell you that harboring unforgiveness in your heart is like walking around all day with a heavy weight tied around your neck. There is no happiness there - rather you are all caught up in bitterness & resentment that spills over into every aspect of your life. So - focus on the Lord & His ways. Let go of bitterness & unforgiveness & find peace, love, & joy.

Proverbs 10:11-12 also speaks of today's lesson: righteousness brings life & love; wickedness breeds hatred & strife.