THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 7:44-53
“You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 7:51)
Stephen is trying to show his accusers how often they’ve missed God’s point.
Either they misunderstood what God said, or refused to listen.
They were more interested in religious rules and symbols than about love.
They treated the temple and the law with more respect than they did God.
God is not contained by the temple, nor limited to one place.
His will is for our love and loyalty, not our religious rituals or symbols.
No wonder they rejected Jesus and His message of love and mercy.
He spoke from God’s heart, and they would not hear it.
Am I hearing God’s heart as expressed through Jesus?
He has shown us the meaning of love, and invites us to share it.
To love God, to love people, and not to oppress or hurt them.
The Spirit of Jesus is still inviting us to join Him in this love.
Am I more focused on being religious, or on the fruit of the Spirit?
Am I responding to or resisting the Spirit’s effort to make me like Jesus?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, save me from religion and churchianity. Take over my life with Your Spirit, and lead me in Your way of life and love!
Reading the Bible in a year the passage today was about the making of the tabernacle and all its materials. WoW! Following all the directions God had given Moses. But God does not reside there. He needs to live in our hearts. The King needs to reside there so that I live as a child of the king doing His desires for my life – living for Jesus and others need to see Christ living in me. So also this day I need to ‘dress’ myself with His armour so I may produce the fruit of the Spirit.
Come and go with me
To my Father’s house
Come and go with me
To my Father’s house
It’s a big big house
With lots and lots a room
A big big table
With lots and lots of food
A big big yard
Where we can play football
A big big house
Its my Father’s house