S: Acts 7:60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
O: Stephen, being similar in the way he died to Jesus, didn't want the people who killed him to be found guilty of any crime or sin by God. In verse 55 it says that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and saw Jesus standing at God's right hand. He also earlier accused those listening to his discourse of resisting the Holy Spirit. Stephen had submitted and it was only through this that he could want those stoning him to be forgiven or not charged.
A/P: Jesus, help me today to not resist the Holy Spirit and may I be quick to forgive those offenses that are so minor when compared to what you and Stephen went through. Help me to live by your power today.
Acts 7:51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!
"S: Job 42:2-5 (AMP) 2 I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted. 3 [You said to me] Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge? Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 5 I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my [spiritual] eye sees You. " O: 1Job realizes God is all powerful. 2) Job realizes that his ranting were based on misunderstanding the character of God. 3) He admits that some things about God are too marvelous/wonderful/beyond our comprehension, ever. 4) Job understands God in a new way, as now his spiritual eyes see God.
A: So many times I too have looked at circumstances and deduced what God's character was like (these deductions are in contrast to God's character from scripture). As I brood over these negative ideas about what God is like, the dark hopelessness. But there is release, forgiveness and healing by taking those negative thoughts about God straight to the cross for forgiveness. I don't want to waste even 5 minutes mulling over these unbiblical ideas that are straight from the pit. I can't perfectly discern human's thoughts from their behavior, how much less God's. P: Lord, please forgive me for the many times that I have come before you and ranted about my perceptions about how you were allowing me to be treated. I know that I was really hurting during those times, and just wasn't able to see your loving heart through the circumstances. I know now that I wasn't looking through spiritual eyes, but was listening to Satan's lies and agreeing with him. Lord, I thank you so much that you didn't give up on me, and that you can wash me white as snow. I thank you that you are too wonderful for humans to ever completely understand, and that no purpose of yours can ever be thwarted. Lord, help me to so held on to your character, that when dark days approach, Satan's fiery darts will be quickly extinguished with the shield of faith, Amen
S: Acts 7:60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
ReplyDeleteO: Stephen, being similar in the way he died to Jesus, didn't want the people who killed him to be found guilty of any crime or sin by God. In verse 55 it says that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and saw Jesus standing at God's right hand. He also earlier accused those listening to his discourse of resisting the Holy Spirit. Stephen had submitted and it was only through this that he could want those stoning him to be forgiven or not charged.
A/P: Jesus, help me today to not resist the Holy Spirit and may I be quick to forgive those offenses that are so minor when compared to what you and Stephen went through. Help me to live by your power today.
Acts 7:51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!
ReplyDelete"S: Job 42:2-5 (AMP)
ReplyDelete2 I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted.
3 [You said to me] Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge? Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
5 I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my [spiritual] eye sees You. "
O: 1Job realizes God is all powerful. 2) Job realizes that his ranting were based on misunderstanding the character of God. 3) He admits that some things about God are too marvelous/wonderful/beyond our comprehension, ever. 4) Job understands God in a new way, as now his spiritual eyes see God.
A: So many times I too have looked at circumstances and deduced what God's character was like (these deductions are in contrast to God's character from scripture). As I brood over these negative ideas about what God is like, the dark hopelessness. But there is release, forgiveness and healing by taking those negative thoughts about God straight to the cross for forgiveness. I don't want to waste even 5 minutes mulling over these unbiblical ideas that are straight from the pit. I can't perfectly discern human's thoughts from their behavior, how much less God's.
P: Lord, please forgive me for the many times that I have come before you and ranted about my perceptions about how you were allowing me to be treated. I know that I was really hurting during those times, and just wasn't able to see your loving heart through the circumstances. I know now that I wasn't looking through spiritual eyes, but was listening to Satan's lies and agreeing with him. Lord, I thank you so much that you didn't give up on me, and that you can wash me white as snow. I thank you that you are too wonderful for humans to ever completely understand, and that no purpose of yours can ever be thwarted. Lord, help me to so held on to your character, that when dark days approach, Satan's fiery darts will be quickly extinguished with the shield of faith, Amen