Read Acts 6:1 -8:2 to know more!
His a first Christian who died like Jesus
Stephen shown us the need of forgiveness and the presence of Anger the absence of the spirit. The differnt between the Jews leaders and Stephen is the spirit in his heart.
Stephen is not man-slaughtered by the Jews leaders but murdered.
So before you people let your anger in your heart takes place, think again. Don't do what the Jews leader did to Stephen .
The 3-steps of anger
1. Realize it with our senses through our eyes and ears( when it happens , ask the spirit to filter our anger away)
2. React to it with your emotions in your mind and heart.( we cAn choose how do we want to react, ask the spirit to guide us with our emotions)
3. You respond to it with your actions- by your hands and mouth. "gnashed their teeth at him" ( when we come to the 3rd stage, we must ask the spirit to help us to handle with it by walking away)
Solutions: pray
The result of forgiveness
The absense of angerthe presence of the spirit
1. Be filled with the holy spirit
Galatians 5:22
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
2. Look to god's love intently
Nehemiah 9:17
17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,
"He gazed intently into heaven"
Stephen saw the glory of god that's why he could forgive
3. Stephen knew jesus's mission wholeheartedly
Luke19:10
10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Acts 7:60
60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen plays a part in the conversion of Paul !
The ministry of reconciliation
2 cor 5:17-19
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
God wants us to reconcise with him!
LETS US ALL FORGIVE ToDay!
You are forgiven from the hurt you cause me all these while. No point holding grudges.
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