The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 December 2019 – TOPIC: HE LOOKED INTENTLY INTO HEAVEN
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DATE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2019
(St Stephen, the First Martyr and Deacon)
TOPIC: HE LOOKED INTENTLY INTO HEAVEN
READ: ACTS 7:54-60 (NKJV)
54. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with [their] teeth.
55. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56. and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
58. and they cast [him] out of the city and stoned [him.] And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on [God] and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60. Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
THE MESSAGE:
The first Christian martyr, Stephen, was not one of the apostles neither one of the early and bigger disciples of Jesus. Stephen came to limelight in an obscure manner, as one of the seven deacons selected to ‘serve table’ (do administration) while the apostles faced more serious matters (of the word of God and prayers). But on the day that Stephen was to be martyred, it became clear what manner of man he was and what measure of the Spirit of Christ that was in him. Faced with an audience set on murder and a biased jury, Stephen became filled with the Holy Spirit and looked intently to heaven.
He cast his eyes on heaven, gazing steadfastly and not allowing the present circumstances to discourage nor dissuade him. He was not crying for mercy from an unbelieving crowd. He looked to heaven from where help would come… , Psalm 121) and opened his mouth in prophecy and glorifying God, much to the anger of his traducers. That was the help God granted him. God did not save him from death nor from the blood-thirsty appetite of the killers, rather He gave him the spirit to prophesy to his would-be murderers.
Even as they were killing him, Stephen’s eyes never left heaven. He saw God. He saw Jesus. Pain, death, the angry crowd, pressure, circumstances, false allegations, and hatred could not take Stephen’s eyes away from heaven. No wonder he could summarize the history of Israel’s disobedience as Jesus stood to welcome him. Where do you look to in the days of trouble? On whom are your eyes fixed?
PRAYER: Lord may I cease from today from looking at men, problems and difficulties, but to turn my eyes and thoughts to You just like Stephen did, in Jesus Name. Amen.