Daily Thought – Seven Secrets from Stephen’s Last Message

When Stephen was accused of speaking against Moses, He was brought infront of the council to justify. He preached the whole history of Israel from Abraham to Jesus in just one chapter Acts 7. I would like to share 7 new things, what Lord taught me through this message.

  1. God is a God of Families: Acts 7:2, And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran(where Terah died). God spoke to Abraham even before the death of Abraham’s Terah (as Terah started with Abraham from Ur (Gen 11:31). Terah knew the call of Abraham.

Acts 7:5 and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession. Lord promises will be fulfilled even if you see nothing now. God revealed HIMSELF to Abram and his dad, Terah too – God promised Abram when Abram had absolutely nothing — God made the WHOLE family know the will of GOD…HE spoke his will in UR itself and not only in HARAN..

  1. Joseph Had tough times: Acts 7:10delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom. 17 when he was put into pit and 30 when he was Governor, in between 13 years, was tough but Lord delivered out of all afflictions.

Joseph suffered so long and so much … God permits tough times and suffering so that you will have the proper maturity to handle the great things of God. God is preparing you for the next battle. Before

  1. God see you as precious: Acts 7:20,It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God Do have low esteem, and feel you are good for nothing. You are precious and Lord made you wonderfully and fearfully. Lord created you in precision.

Acts 7:17 But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham. Lord has set a time for the fulfillment of promises

We are precious in HIS eyes.. If ur promise is getting delayed…Its only because God’s TIME is still coming.. Its on its way…

  1. Moses was great in Words and Deeds in Egypt itself:Acts 7:22, Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. He had great wisdom, he was powerful.

Acts 7:25 And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him. Moses knew at 40 that deliverance is through him. Your call has been planted in you as you desires by God. Lord delights in our desires.

Moses was exceptionally good in speech and action…HE was a powerful man …He knew much before itself that God was going to use him to deliver Israel

  1. Lord remembers your hurt. Acts 7:35This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush

The Lord knows our smallest humiliation … Our smallest pain HE knows and HE will settle it for you…HE takes account of it ALL… God sent an angel with Moses to get done what had to be done.. We have angels with us ..Don’t mess up with your call by taking it lightly

  1. Moses was a Prophet.Acts 7:37This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN

Moses had the revelation knowledge of the birth of Jesus..God made Moses as a prophet to prophesy about Jesus so that Israel would simply listen … Wow at that time to know about Jesus.

  1. Lord will deliver us to evil, when?Acts 7:42 But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven

God permitted them to worship other Gods and stray from God when we do not GLORIFY GOD and give THANKS TO  GOD after knowing GOD(Rom 1:21, For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened)… God’s seal of protection will be taken away when we do not GLORIFY GOD and HONOUR GOD after knowing God… Does your heart NOT HONOUR GOD or THANK GOD…??

HONOUR GOD and HE will make you be HOLY through HIS protection…

Result of not honoring and thanking God from your heart. Rom 1:24,26 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them…. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,

Do not ask “Why me, God ?” rather ask “What through me, God?”

Do not ask “Why me, God ?” rather ask “What through me, God?”

Around 7 months before my wife Susan developed a small cyst in her neck and we initially ignored it as an infection. A few months later another one came up and this time we went to the doctors and after a series of Blood tests, Ultrasound and Biopsy she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Thyroid Cancer. We just froze hearing the news and it was easily the saddest and toughest moment in our lives. Our immediate prayer was ”Why me Lord?”and why did you allow this in our life.

We were advised with the next steps which needed an extensive surgery followed by Radioactive Iodine treatment. The surgery was successful without any complications and was done by Dr.Paul M Jacob, one of the best Endocrine surgeons in the country and his wonderful team @ CMC Vellore (The best and most ethical hospital in our country). Post surgery, we were advised to be ready for a long quarantined radioactive treatment for residual removals and to check if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Staying in the hospital exposed us to the real needs of life looking at the suffering fellow patients who needed love, care and emotional support. Our hearts were moved seeing many suffering patients. We were asked to take the isotope body scan and be ready to get admitted for the radioactive iodine treatment. Life was really tough trying to balance work, kids and the medical process. All through this we knelt down as a family praying to Jesus for a healing miracle and also asked our close friends to support us with prayer. This week when we finally did the isotope body scan and blood tests, a Big Miracle happened.  The doctors were surprised that they could not find even a single cancerous cell in the body (not even a trace) and there was complete healing. Less than 1 percent of the cancer patients get healed without radioactive treatment and by the grace of Jesus, Susan is now officially cancer clean and a cancer survivor.

Staying through in the hospital and battling this deadly disease, Susan has a desire to help cancer patients and has started a new organization called ‘CHRISTCAN’. The word CAN taken from Cancer and the word which says: ‘I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me’. Christcan will specifically work with young kids who have lost either of their parents due to Cancer and also with young women cancer patients. We would have never done something like this if we had not gone through this phase of successfully battling cancer.

So the next time you have a problem, do not ask “Why me, God ? ” rather ask “What through me, God?”.  Never ever Give Up!

–  Joshua Madan, Co-Founder & CEO of Covenant Group.

(This testimony originally appeared on Joshua Madan’s Facebook page and has been republished here with his permission)

 

Daily Thought – If it is tonight ?

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven….after that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thess 4: 16,17

The greatest truth in the Bible is Jesus will come back. Jesus said that day only God the Father knows. Let us just think together, what if God Father send Jesus back to this earth tonight, in that coming one thing is sure we who are believers and alive will be taken up in clouds after transformation to meet Jesus in All His Glory in air.

Few questions to ponder? Will be excited to meet Jesus? Do we really know the great joy to be in Heaven? When all our deeds are passed through fire of God what will remain? Will there be anyone in heaven, who came to know Jesus because of us? Will those who go to hell accuse us for not sharing the truth to them? Will we be crying about all the missed opportunity to share the gospel? Today are we passionate to live, focusing the second coming?

If there is fear about where you will go? Run now to the throne of mercy and set right with God. It is terrible to be doomed into eternal fire of hell.

Prayer:  Lets pray together “Lord I want to invest my whole life for your coming ..”

Daily Thought – Who are we in the Lord ?

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked Ps 97:10

It is the promise of God that He will protect His children and deliver them from the hand of wicked. Let us examine the word, if this promise is true for all those who claim to be children of God? “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” 2 Cor 13:5

Love: Let those who love the Lord.. Ps 97:10. True son or daughter will surely love His / Her father with all their heart. Same way, if we are true children of heavenly Father, then we will love our Lord with all our heart. Do we love the Lord?

Hate Evil: Let those who love the Lord hate evil…Ps 97:10. True love results in actions; it is not just lip service. True love will lead us to hate evil. We will grow from the stage struggling to overcome sin to the stage where we hate sin. Do we hate sin?

Protection: …for he guards the lives of his faithful ones … Ps 97:10. Every faithful child of God will be protected by Almighty. Why do we worry? Let us stop worrying of situation and let us examine and see if we are His faithful ones?

Deliverance: …delivers them from the hand of the wicked Ps 97:10. Never fear trials and tribulations for Lord has promised us to deliver us from the hand of wicked. Let us submit all our burdens and fears at the feet of the Lord.

Prayer: Father Lord; teach me to love you with all my heart. Anoint me with the Holy Spirit that I will hate sin. I confess that my protection and deliverance is only from my heavenly Father. I will no more fear; I will no more worry, in Jesus name. Amen.

Daily Thought – New command: Love like Jesus!

Word: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:33-34

Thought: The word ‘Maundy’ is the Latin word which refers to command or mandate – What is this command which Jesus gave to His disciples – Love like me. Jesus did not come to change the law or give new commandments, but to fulfill the law. So this statement by itself is not new, but the new clause added here is “just as I have loved you” – Jesus lived in the world and set us the standard of love. Many a times we think we love others, but the question is “Do we love like Jesus?” – The unconditional love: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us not expecting anything from us but pouring His grace and loving you and me. As His disciples we are called to show the same love to one another, that people around us will know that we are His disciples. It is easy to love those who love us and love with expectations, but do we love those who do not love – it is not just not doing bad, but doing good. Today, let us not boast about our love for others, but think do we love  like Jesus  everyone, every time, everywhere – Let them know we are Christians by our LOVE.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for sending you son to us and showing us the extent of your love. Help us to understand the extent of the love that we might be able to love others the best way possible to be a testimony for you in the places you have kept us on. Amen.