Standing By Your Faith

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Standing By Your Faith
Date: Friday November 11, 2011
Chapters: Acts 7-8
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-november-11

Hello My Friend,

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:..But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer...If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” - I Peter 4:1-3,7,11-13.

Something amazing happens the second we receive Christ as our Savior, every sin ever committed is forgiven and forgotten, we start our newly Christian life on a clean slate as though we have never sinned. Those who allow Christ to continue to work in their lives begin to change, those worldly things we use to depend upon are replaced by godly things. As we grow in Christ the past often resurfaces, which is Satan's biggest ploy to get us to fall away from God. We do not have to let the past destroy everything we have worked so hard to accomplish nor do we have to let it take back control of us. Embrace the past, praise God for the changes He has made in you and the messes that He has gotten you out of. Seek the strength of Christ, who lives inside of you and keep living by faith and letting Christ change your life, be a testimony of the amazing, wonderful, freedom you have found in Christ. Yes, you will get persecuted at times, but you will always be blessed, if anything you will be resting in the bosom of your Savior in the Kingdom of God forever.

Stephen was a man of God, he was chosen along with six other godly men to head up the first Christian church in Antioch. Stephen was a great man of God, preaching the Gospel and leading multitudes to the Lord, because of this the council sought ways in which too discredit him. Since they could not accuse him of any wrong doing they falsely accused him, siting that he was blasphemous, speaking against the law of Moses. Now he stands before the council to plead his case and interestingly, Stephen began to give them a little history lesson and after that rebuked them as any true man of God will do.

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” - Acts 7:51-60.

Stephen died that day, assured of where he was going, he did not let the fear of dying stop him from telling the truth. While we should have respect for our authorities it does not mean that they have the right to condemn us or restrain us from following our beliefs, yet they do every time a new law is passed that prohibits us from mentioning Jesus. Think about it. Currently, the Bible can not be read in public schools, they are not even allowed to say Merry Christmas, and no symbol even relating to Jesus is allowed on government property. They tell you that the reason they do this is so they do not offend anyone, but the real reason is, just like they stoned Stephen, they do not want to hear the truth because they are the worse sinners of all. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,...Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” - Romans 12:22,29-32.

Philip watched Stephen get stoned, I am sure he was scared that day, wondering if they would come after him too for preaching the Gospel, he could have walked away, instead he continued preaching the Gospel, leading many to the Lord, including a sorcerer. “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:..But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” - Acts 8:9,12,13.

Philip was then led by the Holy Spirit to meet an Ethiopian official on his way home. “And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him...Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” - Acts 8:31,35-38.

These are examples proving that salvation in not a gift given to a specific race or religion, it is given by those who believe and receive Christ as their Savior. We often read in the Book of Acts of people immediately getting baptized, for this reason many religions state that you must accept Christ and get baptized to get saved. This is false, baptism is a symbol of the burial, and resurrection of Christ, as a saved person emerges in the water it symbolizes the burial of those sins, never to be remembered again. As we come up out of the water we are resurrected as a living soul. Baptism does not save us, it is only by asking Jesus to save us that we are saved, what baptism does is make it official. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” - Colossians 2:12

Don't let the past get you down, do not be ashamed of letting your family and friends know that you are a changed, born again soul who has Christ living in you. The more we do for Christ the more we will be persecuted by those who are in the world, but remember this, you shine, you are the light that gives hope to others as Christ shines through you. The more He shines through us, the more others see that they too need Christ. It's all about following the will of God and believing in His Son, after all, we have nothing to be worried about, we will be in heaven one day. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby... Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” - Hebrews 12:11,28.

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, I cannot ever forget the love and mercy that You showed me when You brought me up out of the pit I was in and gave me a new beginning and a new life. No suffering can compare to what I would receive had I not put my faith and trust in Your Son to save me. It is only by Your power that I am what I am today and even though I am going through some struggles I know You are with me and You will see me through them as I stand by my faith in You. Lead me and guide me in Your will and Your way, help me to be a blessing to others, and help me to serve You with all my heart, mind, and spirit. I love You, Lord and ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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