KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, November 19, 2018
Chapters: Acts 6-8
Message: Tell Them
Hello My Friend,
My head is a mess today, I told you that I quit the job that I had, took this one job first thinking that the furthest I would travel would be about ninety minutes out, only to discover that some of my service calls are three hours out, and I do not get paid for driving out there or returning, six hours without any kind of compensation. I do start another job next week, but that means I will not get paid until December, all the while I have bills coming in due at the end of the month. Sounds insane right? I did all this trusting that God would send me some work in between that I would get paid, and I, with all my heart am still trusting Him to provide for me everything I need when it is due. God is really good about that, as long as we are faithful to Him we can expect to receive His promises. I just have to keep telling my head that because it keeps saying I am a fool for leaving the job that treated me horribly for one that does not seem to be much better. The problem is that I am looking at this through my own eyes, rather than Gods, and forgetting that when I put Him first all is well with my soul. “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” – John 6:27.
When Jesus chooses us to serve Him in His ministry we need to count it as an enormous blessing, after all, He knows what we are capable of, and whether it is serving Him in or out of the church, once He calls us there really is no other alternative, He will get us to fulfill His calling for us one way or another. As the early Christian church began to flourish with only the apostles doing the work of Christ the people started feeling neglected and fussed at them for not being there to help. The apostles, knowing they could not be everywhere and still preach the Gospel, came up with a solution, they needed godly, Holy Spirit filled souls to be in charge of the church to help the people and community so they can continue their work in the ministry. Stephen was one of seven men to head up the church and put things in order, and he was good at it, so good that it caused a stir among the Jews who followed the law of Moses, stressing it was needed too in order to be saved.
“And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” – Acts 6:1-5,8-9,14-15.
“and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.” As saved, born again Christians, it is important to understand that we are no longer under the law of Moses. Yes, it is a guide for us to understand God’s views on things, and what He expects from us, but that is it. We are now under the law of grace, which means that get saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ, who bought and paid for our salvation with His sacrifice on the cross. We cannot mix the laws, so of course customs will change, we are new, to be set apart from not only the world, but the religious world. “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” – Galatians 3:21-25.
Since they accused him of blaspheming words Moses spoke, Stephen explained exactly what Moses wrote, from Abraham to the time they rejected God and spent forty years in the wilderness. He finishes his speech by upbraiding them for refusing to believe in Christ, knowing the law has been written with Him in mind from the start, and that the building itself that could be destroyed did not contain the Spirit of God.
“Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things? Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.” – Acts 7:48-58.
“Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.” Stephen was trying to tell the people that the tabernacle and the temple both were a reflection and foreshadow of Christ Himself, all of which they have rejected since Moses. Can you imagine this, they were so angry that they began biting him? They killed Stephen that day, and did it out of pure hatred of their own convictions. Conviction cuts straight to the heart, and sadly we are the targets because we are right there at the time. I remember the first time I went soul winning, the very first door I was yelled at. The man was not mad at me, he was bitter and angry over his life or past and I happened to be the one he went off on. It is not personal to us, but it is personal to God, it is Him they are mad at. Jesus said, if they welcome us great, if not, move on and go to the next door, it is not us they have to face, but Jesus. “And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” – Luke 9:4,5.
After Stephens death, Saul was convinced that every person who believed in Christ and preached the Gospel needed to be prosecuted. Fearing for their lives, all the apostles and disciples scattered, which lead them to start preaching outside of Israel. We are introduced to a man named Simon, a magician in Samaria. Phillip, began preaching the Gospel in the Gentile nations, when Simon saw people getting demons cast out of them and healed of their diseases he immediately followed Phillip, who was baptizing believers in the water, however they were not saved yet as they had not received Him personally as their Saviour. Peter and John joined Philip, helped the, pray to God for their salvation, touched the believers, and all of a sudden received the Holy Spirit, all except Simon. He immediately runs over to the apostles and wants this power, and to be able to touch people like they did and give them and give it to them too.
“And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” – Acts 8:1,5,14-21.
“only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” You see, while these people believed the Gospel the reason they had not received the Holy Spirit at that time was because they were water baptized in His name, and water baptism does not give us the Spirit of God, we must believe in and receive Him as our Saviour for that. The apostles did not have some special power to touch these people who had gotten baptized with water, their faith did that, the apostles just confirmed their faith, and helped them pray, what was probably some sort of sinners prayer. And this is why Peter upbraided Simon when he thought he could pay money and be able to touch someone and they would receive the Holy Spirit. I am proof that, I asked Jesus to come into my heart many times, I was even baptized as a baby, but none of that saved me. It was not until I truly understood that Jesus died to save me from the death punishment for my sins that I received Him once and for all as my Saviour. Then I was water baptized as a public profession of my faith. “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” – Acts 8:36-37.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” – Acts 8:36-37.
Today’s Prayer: God, I cannot ever forget the love and mercy that You showed me when You brought me up out of the pit I was in and gave me a new life and beginning. No suffering can compare to what I would receive had I not put my faith and trust in Your Son to save me. It is only by Your power that I am what I am today and even though I am going through some struggles I know You are with me, and You will see me through them as I stand by my faith in You and serve You wherever You lead me. I love You, Lord and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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