Enduring Hurled Stones

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. --1 Timothy 6:12

 Stephen was just an ordinary believer that God chose to use in an extraordinary way. He was chosen by the church leaders to assist in meeting the needs of the widowed church members. God chose to use him to work miracles and preach.
I like his speech recorded in Acts chapter 7. I can just imagine seeing the religious leaders drumming their fingers as he recounted Jewish history… they knew all of this already of course. But their drumming fingers soon came to be clenched fists as Stephen began to drive home their hard-headedness. It didn't take long before those clenched fingers were clutching stones waiting to be hurled in Stephen's direction.
You know, Stephen could have stopped at anytime. This wasn't his job; he was just supposed to make sure everyone got their food. Who would have blamed him? His life was in danger. But he didn't stop; he chose to allow himself to be swept away by the Spirit.
How about it?
Are you willing to be used by God?
 
REFLECTION

Will you take a stand for Jesus regardless of the cost? Maybe you've been pounded by one to many stones. Take heart… Jesus is standing to the right of the Father. Be brave. Be strong. He will sustain you.

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of June 27, 2010

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING:

Frank Walker recovering from surgery this past Thursday, to close an open wound on his leg.

FOR THOSE IN NEED OF THE LORD’S COMFORT

For the Family of Peggy Thomas who was called home on the 15th and received a Christian burial a week ago Friday.  Peggy was a former member and a close friend of Melanie Douglas’ Mother, Jeannine.

FOR THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH

Please pray for Bethany Kuhnle who begins her DCE Internship here at Our Savior this week. She will be inducted into her ministry this Sunday. Pray that God would use her in a mighty way, that when we see Bethany we will see what God is doing in our midst. Pray that God would lead us as we work with her as she grows from a DCE Intern and becomes a DCE. We pray for God’s will to be done and through her life.


Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.--Romans 12:1-4

In Christ,
Paul Nickel
Director of Christian Education
Our Savior Lutheran Church