Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 8-16-18

August 16, 2018

Acts 6:8-15 The Message (MSG)

It is my prayer that everyone who reads this devotion makes a point to attend a weekly worship opportunity where the Spirit of God is actively moving through anointed spiritual gifts and the faith of the people growing.  God calls everyone to experience the power of his presence during corporate worship; this power comes when the Word is spoken–the Son is exalted–and God’s Spirit rests on surrendered, hungry hearts to bring healing and a greater measure of wholeness.

When the powerful presence of God is not experienced in worship there are reasons for it.  Maybe it is because the people attending the worship service grieve the Holy Spirit by their hard hearts; those who reject God’s Word as a Voice of authority or hinder the work of spiritual gifts.  Maybe people are there to put in time and not really there hungry for an encounter with Truth that brings healing and growth. Maybe people gather but come expecting nothing, so they leave with nothing.  Maybe the spiritual leaders themselves have grieved the Spirit and hindered the power and focus of Truth. I’m sure the list can go on and on, but the common thread for not experiencing the presence of God in worship is due to human disobedience or dishonor of Christ’s place as Head of the church.  God is not to blame; we are.

An example of religious leaders who grieve the Spirit by dishonoring Christ’s place as Head of the church can be found in our passage, today.  Stephen, a man chosen by God–anointed–full of grace and power in the Holy Spirit is falsely accused of blasphemy (disrespect of the holy).  Signs, wonders, and changed lives follow the work of the Spirit through Stephen.  He is so filled with the Spirit his face glows with the glory of God.  And yet, a group of leaders feel justified to oppose him, encourage others to falsely accuse him, and in time silence the voice of the Spirit through Stephen.  I imagine these folks went on with worship as usual once Stephen was gone; but I wonder how much of it God occupied with such resistance to his grace and power.  

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