PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Acts 7:44-53
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“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.
God’s 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?
Jesus 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?
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!
“You always resist the Holy Spirit!” What is it about us, about me – that I have inclinations to not follow the right but do the wrong? My flesh or sinful nature nudges me and that puts me in resistance to the Holy Spirit! The more I grow in my faith the more I see it and the more I regret it when I find that I did it again! O Holy Spirit help me to see the big picture and not my immediate pleasure or desire that mitigates against your nudging!
Emmanuel. God with us.
But do I have the eyes to see Him?
Do I have the ears to hear Him?
My God is everywhere. This is my Father’s world.
Open the eyes of my heart Lord.
Let Your Spirit lead me and guide me daily to do Your will.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see You high and lifted up
Shinin’ in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy