Category: Devotions

Leaders that empty
Acts 6:12

“So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.”

I heard today of how a leader of a church recently led the majority of his people out of his denomination. They all followed him.
It reminded me of the Church where I Pastored for many years where in the early 1980s the Pastor at that time did the same thing and joined another church stream declaring that they were now the true church. The church survived and today no one would know how difficult those days were.
It is relatively easy to stir people up.
It is easy to agitate.
All well and good if it is to turn sleepy people into action.
But so often it is to bring conflict.
One conversation that’s all it takes and suddenly people can be seizing their blessings and throwing them away.
Stephen their amazing deacon, full of grace and power, moving in the gifts of the Spirit is now under threat of being removed of good. All because the people were stirred up by leaders who should know better.
Leaders who stir can often see their crown or reward (the meaning of the name Stephen) being seized from them. They want control and justice and they end up losing grace and power.

The secret place.
Acts 6:11
“Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”

A lot can happen in secret. Conversations and persuasions, lies and exaggerations, plots and downfalls. All in secret. Behind closed doors.
Speaking in confidence is often a road marked with secretive attacks.
These secret believers do more harm than any enemy.
Two people meet to discuss the third persons decisions without the third person being present. It is better that way. For the two people are not interested in the truth but in the perceived truth which they can embellish all the more to make the truth more spectacular.
The truth was Stephen has never spoken blasphemy. But people were persuaded to say he had. People can be persuaded to say and do almost anything.
Be careful on entering the secret place, especially if someone is there wanting to talk!

Wisdom and Spirit
Acts 6:10
“but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.”

There are many who talk, but wisdom is talking with no personal agenda.
Wisdom hunts down inside situations looking for the missing component, unselfishly, sacrificially seeing the good, the whole, the possibility and being brave to say what no one else is prepared to say.

There are many “Thus says the Lord” but only when it supports what that persons wants.
The Spirit speaks outside of the box, is a non-conformist, even offensive at times and says what no one else would ever imagine saying.

The Church needs people who can speak with wisdom and the Spirit today.

We don’t need a devil.
Acts 6:9
“Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen”

It is disturbing where opposition comes from sometimes.
The Freedmen were Jewish slaves set free in Rome who had most probably gained Roman citizenship and then had come back home to Jerusalem. They formed a synagogue where they could worship God in Greek.
They had known hardship having been captured by the enemy, they had experienced the grace of God by being set free and now they were home opposing Stephen, a man of grace.

It is disturbing how opposition can become so infectious. Four more Jewish centres joined in. They agreed with the complaint. So after worshipping God Almighty they joined forces to attack Stephen, a man of power.

It is disturbing how opposition is birthed. It didn’t come from an environment of failure. (Actually the reason why the Church sometimes is in such a bad state is because people failed to rise up at times of bad leadership and they became far too passive and their church is now in decline). No, it rose during a time of the Spirit moving in great signs and wonders among the people.

What was happening within the Jewish synagogues sadly does happen in some Churches all over the world today.

Sometimes the Church doesn’t need a devil, it can do the work for him.
People who have received grace attacking people of grace.
People trusting God’s power influencing others to doubt His power.
People seeing a move of God but not seeing it.
And then back we go to worship God to the applause of our devil who says “well done, I couldn’t have done better myself!”

Grace is needed
Acts 6:8
“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.”

Stephen whose name means ‘crown’ was indeed crowned the church’s first martyr.
But his martyrdom did not happen in the last verse of chapter 7 when he physically died. We so often think that it is here when a person becomes a martyr, where their blood does not spill in vain. But Stephen was a martyr here in this chapter when he began to lay his life down in serving others. It began with the widows table and then as he began to do what only the apostles had done previously that is the working of miracles. He began to reach people’s lives through healings and transformations and through his teaching that the worship of God was no longer restricted to the temple (as 7:48-49 will reveal). Many of us have hoped that if ever the day came when we faced the situation of dying for Christ that we would be given a special grace to do just that, a grace to be a martyr, I am sure that would happen. But the question can be answered now. Are you dying to Christ now? Are you living so that God will be glorified in others now?
When the apostles laid their hands on Stephen he was set apart, he was anointed for works of service to people. But he did those works from a place not only of power but of grace.
A grace that created enthusiasm for God.
A grace that served unselfishly and sacrificially.
A grace that valued people.
A grace that was genuine.
A grace that had a positive outlook.
A grace that was an influencer.
Maybe power follows grace?

Key people
Acts 6:7

“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”

When I am presenting the work of Elim Missions in churches I often show a picture of 2 men baptising a woman in a dirty river. The picture was taken in an Islamic country and yet our missionaries there are seeing amazing church planting growth. The woman baptised is full of joy and the 2 men are laughing. Nothing unusual perhaps even though we all love a baptism. However 12 months prior to that picture being taken those. 2 men were Muslim clerics! They are now followers of Jesus and leaders in the Church.

A large number of priests …

When you pray for missions, pray for people of significance to be saved. Pray for tribal leaders, for fathers, for Koranic teachers. Pray for Buddhist high priests like the one in another picture I have and use. This high priest had a special healing gift and people would come from miles around for his healing powers. He was a Buddhist high priest for over 40 years. But then he got sick and couldn’t heal himself. So one of our missionaries introduced him to Jesus and he was healed by him. So this priest who is 100 years of age went home and led his 90 years of age wife to the Lord also.

We need more and more key people to be saved. He has done it once and He can do it again.

What do people think of you?
Acts 6:6

“They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.”

Last year I introduced a new appraisal system for my staff which involved part self-evaluation, my evaluation of them but also comments from their peers, their team members.
Of course I was running the risk of a mutiny and world war 3 breaking out but I did it because I feel it is so more empowering when you hear what your peers say about you than just those you work for.

These 7 men were presented to the apostles for appointment by people who knew them well.
I think we underestimate the importance of what people think about us.
What you are at home is really important.
Whether or not you are a diligent worker does count.
Whether people think you are nice or obnoxious, easy to get on with or someone to be avoided, these are not just opinions, they are valuable observations.
I don’t think congregational-style leadership is very effective and if Jesus used that approach then we would have a completely different set of disciples! However, a lot less mistakes would happen when it comes to appointments being made if we asked not the boss but their colleagues what they thought of you.
How are you rated at home?
What does the person sat at the desk next to you think of your work?
What do your neighbours think?
It does matter.

TODAY
Acts 6: 5
“This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.”
Stephen known as the first martyr.
Philip was probably the one who saw great evangelistic success in Samaria.
Prochorus is unknown and left for much speculation.
Nicanor is also unknown and there is nothing certain known.
Timon could have been a known bishop but there is no proof that he is the same man.
Parmenus is not even mentioned in legend.
Nicolas is the original founder of the evil sect, the Nicolatians of Revelation, so some people think but it is just an opinion.
Sometimes it is very much about the present that counts. Your life is not all about tomorrow. It may not be important that people remember you. You may not have people talking of you in the next generation. They may only remember your name, they may even forget that.
But today is important. This next 24 hours. Today you are chosen. You are part of the solution not the problem. You are here to serve others. Tomorrow you are not here and your name may even be fading in the memory of people. Not everyone is famous. Not everyone is talked about in the next generation. However, we are called to serve in the present generation. This is your moment now. Today is the day.

There are no short cuts.
Acts 6:4
“…and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word”
Near where I used to live is what used to be a church which has now been converted into offices. In the grounds is a very small brick building, almost like an outhouse. It was the study of John Nelson, the most successful and famous of John Wesleys lay assistants and the pioneer of Methodism in Yorkshire.
That study is still there today despite being over 300 years old.
It is empty. So are many other studies of church leaders in 2016.
Studies have become offices. Prayer with the One has become social media to the all.
How much time is your leader spending in prayer and the preparation for preaching?
Before you complain, then perhaps it would be good to ask yourself: “is it because I am contributing to their many distractions?” It takes a strong leader to find a solution so that it protects the study and the quiet place with God. Many who have fallen for the drug of the Messiah complex roam their Churches and communities ready and waiting to fly into action like Superman. Anything but reading, Everyone but the One, that is the usual unspoken motto.
You see Churches today are needing strategists, problem solvers, business executives, high ranking managers, visionaries, movers and shakers. People are following transactional leaders, democratic leaders, charismatic leaders, introverted leaders, transformational leaders, authoritarian leaders, delegative leader and of course coaches and mentors. So leaders go on the net, get a book or go conference-hopping to be that very person that everyone is dreaming of. Not many are praying and preparing.
So are we surprised with what we have to show?
Encourage your leader today to find time with God. If you are that leader, get back into the study.

The solution is not far from you
Acts 6:3
“Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them”

They came with a suggestion and this was a very clever one. The 7 men were all Greek names. The complaint was from the Greek segment of the church and so it was from that number that people were chosen. The result was that the Grecian Jews felt they were being fully represented in the solution.
Most problems can be solved. But to solve them well takes wisdom and thought. Often the best solution is found within the problem. Look within.