September 8, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 2 Samuel and Acts? Here’s today’s reading:
Acts 6 (NIV)
The Choosing of the Seven
1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.……Continue Reading
2 Samuel 12
I just lost everything that I wrote out over the last hour. Perhaps it got saved on your end pastor. I had just finished typing and clicked the button when it told me I don`t have internet.
Sorry it didn’t Dennis. Been there and done that though. So sorry that it happened to you…I am sure it was great…
The first deacons are chosen not for their organizational skills or ability for negotiation, but they were to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. And they were to take care of the food distribution so the apostles could give attention to prayer and the word. It reminds me how central prayer needs to be in any leaders or servants life to make sure it is God’s power and will that we are functioning in rather than our own. And talking and listening to God is a good way to keep us on track. It is awesome to read that the church grew as a result and even many priests believed. This certainly would heighten the opposition to the believers and Stephen is seized because of how powerfully God was working through him. May we make such a stir because of our witness and the power of God working through us and have the courage to face whatever the opposition brings.
Amen pastor. The credentials. Full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Loved that verse that priest were believing. Stephen, a man full of God‘s grace and power funny and verse 11 how they say he spoke blasphemous words against Moses then we see in chapter 7 he spends most of his time reviewing Israel’s history on Moses‘s writings once again, false accusations conservative Christians are also targeted with false accusations today
Acts 6
Acts 6
And so there are many facets of the church. Not all have the gift of teaching but there are many other gifts for those within the church…such as caring for the needy…and these other gifts are needed and very important. But above all, the word of God and its teaching surpasses them all.
Christianity can be a threat to the unbeliever and some will go to the degree of false proclamations such as was done to Stephen. Proof that it isn’t always easy professing and standing on one’s faith…(Christianity isn’t for sissy’s)…And yet Stephen, this man full of Gods grace and power, shown the face of an angel.
Acts 6; Isaiah 18-23
The disciples kept growing and the Apostles needed to devote their time to the word and prayer. So, seven men were selected to attend to the needs of widows and other needs pertaining to the church. These men were of honest report and filled with the Holy Spirit. Stephen was one of these men chosen. He not only cared for the church but spoke boldly about Jesus. Some groups didn`t like this and debated with him, but they couldn`t match his wisdom that God gave him, so they decided to bring false accusations against him and brought him before the council.
Stephen is a good example to us for even though he was a deacon he still spoke the word boldly in front of others, prayed, and knew the word. God wants us all to pray and know the word of God. Also to share Christ with the lost. This should never be left up to the pastor or the leaders in the church. We all have our part in telling the people around us about Jesus. Pastor was talking about discipleship last Sunday and as scripture teaches, we are all to be disciples of Christ Jesus. Unless we are new born Christians, then we should be disciple makers. But even new believers should share their faith. This is how we grow. As we grow in the Lord, we are to teach and disciple others in the Lord. When I got saved 52 years ago I didn`t know too much scripture. But the person that led me to Christ discipled me and latter I went on to disciple others. I remember sharing Christ with my brother and his comment was. “What do you know little brother?” I was only 20 at the time. My answer was.” I may not know much about the Bible, but I know that Jesus saved me and came into my heart to stay.” A year later he came to Christ. God can use us all. We only need to tell others about Jesus and let God do the rest. God bless.
Amen, Dennis
Lying, stirring up trouble, twisting our words to charge us with an offense are all tactics people use to accuse us of doing harm to people because of our faith. Stand firm, the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say to defend ourselves with wisdom, a sense of peace, strength, and “with a face like the face of an angel”.
I love that all aspects of ministry are looked at as important to God. It is not just the teachers but here we see them figuring out the logistics of food service. But in any aspect of the church God is looking for people full of the spirit and wisdom to fill those roles. We can’t be part time Christians and full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom can we? Stephen so encompassed these traits that he became a threat and it took lies to try to stop his ministry.
”Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;“
Acts 6:3 NKJV
Just goes to show the equality of the spiritual gifts, the unity of the body, and the equipping of the believers. The men chosen to “wait tables” were by no means less equipped to share the gospel and offer or argue wisdom.