Read
Acts 7:55-56,
"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. And he told them, ‘Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!'" Acts 4:18-20,
"Then they ... commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ...‘For we cannot help speaking about what we've seen and heard.'"
Think
Most children love participating in "Show and Tell" at school, to share with their classmates something that's meaningful to them. Even when we get older, we're quick to tell others about a great new movie or restaurant. Why, then, do we often stop short of showing and telling people about who Jesus is and what He's done in our lives? In both of today's verses, courageous believers stood firm in the face of persecution and shared the gospel. In fact, as men held rocks in their hands to stone him, Stephen continued sharing the message of Christ to the very end. Peter and John also stood before the Jewish leaders, uncertain of their fate, as they courageously proclaimed the name of Jesus. Although it's unlikely we'll face what these men faced, our mission and message are the same. Before returning to heaven, Jesus' last words weren't words of
omission, but
commission. He said, "Go and tell." As believers, sharing our life-change stories with others should be at the top of our to-do list. We all have people in our lives who desperately need Jesus. With that in mind, give God glory by sharing your story! Who can you "show and tell" about Jesus today?
Act
Make a list of five people you know who've never accepted Christ. Begin to pray for God to provide opportunities for you to share your story with them and invite them to church. Christmas at Fellowship Church is right around the corner, and it's a great way to get people to church who wouldn't ordinarily go!
Pray
Dear God, thank You for all you've done and continue to do in my life. I want to share this with others. Increase my awareness of opportunities to share my story. And give me the courage to speak up and the words to say to those within my sphere of influence who so desperately need You in their lives. Amen.