Wednesday April 6, 2011
Today's Passage: Acts 6:8-8:8
Memory Verse: Philippians 1:21
I was watching the Discovery channel the other day during their show about bears. When they got to the part about feeding, they showed the bear in the middle of the water catching the salmon as they swam up stream. "Upstream", I thought. What caught my attention was the many times we (Christians) have to swim upstream, or go against the grain. Today's passage talks about Stephen. Was he a salmon or what? Okay, I took the analogy to far. But, he is considered one of the first matyrs.
A martyr is a person who suffers death rather than renounce their convictions or religion. Talk about swimming upstream! Stephen was so true to what he believed it angered the people around him. What makes it crazy is, he didn't even go around thumping his Bible and telling people they were going to hell. He mainly talked about the love of Jesus, and he demonstrated that love. Because of his submission, signs followed Stephen whereever he went. People marvelled at the way he used God's word to open people's eyes. However, this wasn't the popular thing to do at this time. Like many Christians today, standing for what we believe is not always met with kindness. The reason is that there are people who are completely resistant to change. It scares them, it upsets them, and it makes them resent anyone who believes otherwise. Our generation has become so liberal in its approach. Its seems nothing is off limits. What used to be taboo, is now the popular thing. For instance, divorce has become more common among marriages than anniversaries. And sexual immorality has been promoted to the means by which we avoid loneliness. Similarly to Stephen's generation, it's not a good (social) time to be a Christian. But just like Stephen, we have to stand.
My heart broke for Stephen as the angry mob hit him with stone after stone. How could people do this to a good man? I'm sure there were men in that town who were murderers, rapists, thieves, and other unscrupulous things, but they stoned Stephen for giving life. In the end, Stephen wouldn't want us to grieve for him. Can you imagine what his crown will look like in Heaven? Think about it, many of our soldiers today will tell you if they were to die, they'd rather die in battle. Wouldn't you rather go out doing the work of the Lord? Don't you want to be known as the person who died while fulfilling the call? In conclusion, don't be afraid to swim upstream. You have to against the world's grain to get the message out. Don't be afraid to be the opposite. Yes, dare to be different. The reward for doing so will be more than you could ever imagine. You may never be a martyr, but you must always be willing to give up your life for the upward call. So take the resentment. Take the ridicule. Let it pass over you without influence. Because the truth lives within you. Therefore your only mission is to get it out as much as you can. Why worry anyway, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Prayer: Father I thank You for everything You've done for me. You've been so good to me I can't help but share the message of Your goodness. Lord, I will no longer be afraid or embarrassed to tell people how good You are. You are simply the best I could ever hope for. All I have and all I am is Yours....in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Passage: Acts 6:8-8:8
Memory Verse: Philippians 1:21
I was watching the Discovery channel the other day during their show about bears. When they got to the part about feeding, they showed the bear in the middle of the water catching the salmon as they swam up stream. "Upstream", I thought. What caught my attention was the many times we (Christians) have to swim upstream, or go against the grain. Today's passage talks about Stephen. Was he a salmon or what? Okay, I took the analogy to far. But, he is considered one of the first matyrs.
A martyr is a person who suffers death rather than renounce their convictions or religion. Talk about swimming upstream! Stephen was so true to what he believed it angered the people around him. What makes it crazy is, he didn't even go around thumping his Bible and telling people they were going to hell. He mainly talked about the love of Jesus, and he demonstrated that love. Because of his submission, signs followed Stephen whereever he went. People marvelled at the way he used God's word to open people's eyes. However, this wasn't the popular thing to do at this time. Like many Christians today, standing for what we believe is not always met with kindness. The reason is that there are people who are completely resistant to change. It scares them, it upsets them, and it makes them resent anyone who believes otherwise. Our generation has become so liberal in its approach. Its seems nothing is off limits. What used to be taboo, is now the popular thing. For instance, divorce has become more common among marriages than anniversaries. And sexual immorality has been promoted to the means by which we avoid loneliness. Similarly to Stephen's generation, it's not a good (social) time to be a Christian. But just like Stephen, we have to stand.
My heart broke for Stephen as the angry mob hit him with stone after stone. How could people do this to a good man? I'm sure there were men in that town who were murderers, rapists, thieves, and other unscrupulous things, but they stoned Stephen for giving life. In the end, Stephen wouldn't want us to grieve for him. Can you imagine what his crown will look like in Heaven? Think about it, many of our soldiers today will tell you if they were to die, they'd rather die in battle. Wouldn't you rather go out doing the work of the Lord? Don't you want to be known as the person who died while fulfilling the call? In conclusion, don't be afraid to swim upstream. You have to against the world's grain to get the message out. Don't be afraid to be the opposite. Yes, dare to be different. The reward for doing so will be more than you could ever imagine. You may never be a martyr, but you must always be willing to give up your life for the upward call. So take the resentment. Take the ridicule. Let it pass over you without influence. Because the truth lives within you. Therefore your only mission is to get it out as much as you can. Why worry anyway, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Prayer: Father I thank You for everything You've done for me. You've been so good to me I can't help but share the message of Your goodness. Lord, I will no longer be afraid or embarrassed to tell people how good You are. You are simply the best I could ever hope for. All I have and all I am is Yours....in Jesus' name. Amen.
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