Today's Reading:
Acts 7
In today's reading we have the account of Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin. When Stephen was asked to respond to the charges that were brought against him, he gave a very detailed response. As we can see, Stephen knew what he believed and the history of where his beliefs came from.
Let me propose a question to you: If you were asked to give a response to defend what you believe, how well would you be able to respond? How well do you know the history of what you believe? How many times have you read through the Old Testament? Important: We should know what we believe, so that when the day comes when we are called to give a response, we are ready.
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Pet. 3:15).
PrayerPoint:
Pray for each member of your family by name.
ActionPoint:
Make a goal this year of reading through the Old Testmant or a book on church history.
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2 comments:
I thought it was interesting that when Stephen was asked if the charges were true, he responded with the detailed account of why he believed what he believed. He could have just agreed that the charges were true, but instead he held to what he believed and gave an account...it just seemed like a way of life.
In thinking back to chapter 5, when Peter and the apostles were taken out of the jail, they went back to the courts and "gave the full message of new life." The response was that they were left alone (and I believe they left a fingerprint of God on them) because people saw God through them and their faith in who God was.
Stephen was the same way. Things maybe didn't work out the way that he wanted, but that wasn't an issue to him...It was about being a way of life, one that made "all things spiritual," to borrow a saying from Rob Bell. I want to challenge myself to make that MY way of life.
When the opportunity arises for me to witness to an unbeliever...which seems to occur more and more lately XD - I find myself relying on what God has done for/meant to me. I tell my story - something the individual can relate to. I focus on how much He's done for me and how that has changed every aspect of my life.
There are, of course, different questions that people ask about sin, the fall, salvation, etc.; and for those you should be prepared to show (if possible) or quote a verse to the individual to point them back to the Word. Jesus is THE message ~ we are just the messengers. If I remember that, nothing the world can throw at me matters.
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