Sunday School with Coach Fee | Living in Faith | March 24, 2024

When life tosses us into the deep end, where do we turn for that lifebuoy of belief? This episode invites you into a candid exploration of faith—its trials, tribulations, and transformative power. Join me, Coach Fee, as we traverse the early days of the church, witnessing the courage and conviction of apostles and believers alike, and consider how their actions echo in our own lives. Standing at the crossroads of spirituality and practical reality, I'll share how personal preparation and an inherent strength can rise to meet the challenges that faith often presents.

As our journey unfolds, we delve into the essence of Stephen's story—a tale of grace, confrontation, and an unwavering commitment to the Gospel. It's a narrative that doesn't shy away from the reality of persecution, yet it's steeped in the unfaltering trust in God's word. Expect to be moved by anecdotes close to my heart, where the resilience of faith turned adversity into a testament of spiritual empowerment. Furthermore, we'll dissect the indispensable role of studying scripture in nurturing wisdom and understanding the divine orchestration in our day-to-day lives.

We round out this episode with musings on how embracing faith in times of adversity can lead to profound inner peace and an outward expression of God's love. Sharing my own transformation, I reveal the journey from building walls to breaking them down, allowing God's light to shine through. Whether facing life's gravest challenges or simply seeking solace in the storm, this episode stands as a beacon of hope, affirming that the peace of Christ surpasses all understanding and can guide us towards a harbor of tranquility even in the most tumultuous seas.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:08

Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. This is Redefining Self with Coach Fee Came on this morning to let you guys know that our Sunday school lesson today was going to be delayed and that I was going to try to come on at 9 pm today. But unfortunately there's been numerous, numerous difficulties and so my computer will not charge. I have about let's see, I have I think I may have about 40% battery left. Yep, 41% battery left. So I've been trying to work other things. I tried coming on on my phone and it kept freezing up. As you all know, I am not at home, so it's just kind of weird. But that's what the enemy does, right? He doesn't want the word to go forward, so he'll do whatever he can to distract us from doing what we're called to do. Good news is that when I was leaving home, I was led to grab my Sunday school book. So if the computer goes out with all my notes on it, I do have my Sunday school book. It has no notes, but I have my Sunday school book and I have the lesson here with me. So I'm just going to be as brief as possible and still try to get the message out.

Speaker 1: 1:47

We're still studying faith and this quarter. This is our spring quarter, which we started I believe it was, let's see here, march 3rd. We started our spring quarter and our spring quarter we started talking about faith. Again, we're still talking about faith, but now we're talking about our own faith. We started out talking about faith, the pillars you know Abraham and David, and we talked about the Hebrew boys and we talked about Ruth and we talked about Daniel Different people who had experienced difficult times but yet stood on their faith and so we went from that to talking about how we can stand on our faith. One of our lessons we talked about sustaining faith. That was our March 3rd lesson, our first lesson in this series where we're talking about our own personal faith. How are we walking in faith? Are we still believing in God even when we go through difficult times? Is our faith? How do we sustain our faith? If you want to see those lessons, you can go to the YouTube page Redefining Self I believe it's youtubecom forward slash Redefining Self 313 and then go to the live tab and you can see all the old ones.

Speaker 1: 3:27

But for the last couple of quarters we've been talking about faith and I think that in this season in my life and probably in many other lives. We don't know sometimes which way to go. Life gets difficult, but these scriptures and these, the word of god, is what's going to give us the foundation that we need to be able to sustain difficult times. So our faith should sustain us. And then we talked about testing our faith. Our faith has to be tested. How do we know, if you know, if we really saying what we believe? How do we know if we're really saying what we believe? But then how does God know? He's going to test us. And then the enemy is going to test us. We're going to be tested to see if what we say we believe we really believe and that we stand on that faith. And then our next lesson we talked on last week about defending our faith to always be ready to give an answer. When someone comes and asks us why do we serve God, we should always be ready to give an answer Amen. And so today's lesson we're talking about living in faith and our devotional reading is coming from Deuteronomy 28 and 1 through 14.

Speaker 1: 4:47

Now background scripture is the entire sixth chapter of Acts, but we're going to only be studying Acts 6, 7 through 15. Amen. And our key text is Acts 6 and 9 through 10, where it says Then there arose searching of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of them of Sicilia and of Asia disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit which he spoke Amen. That's Acts 6 and 9. And so we're still talking about faithful versus faithless. We're examining our own personal faith and where we are in God. So let's look at verse one and I pulled it up in several different versions, but we're going to read the scripture, we're going to pray, read the scripture, and then we're going to go straight into verse one. Father, we thank you for this day that, despite the obstacles, father, that we're still standing on our faith, believing God, that you have begun a good work in us and that you're going to complete that work, father, and that as long as we have you, god, and we stand on our faith, god, there is nothing impossible to those that believe. And so, even as we go forth with our lesson on today, talking about living in faith, father, teach us how to observe your words and how to not just be hearers of the word only, but do us, in Jesus name, I pray.

Speaker 1: 6:26

So in the building of my childhood church there was a room that we call the sanctuary. It contained pews, a high ceiling, a choir loft, a pulpit and an organ. Each week that room served as the location for worship services. While we infrequently used that space, certain behaviors were deemed unacceptable there. For example, holding a water balloon fight in the sanctuary was out of the question for our youth group. The congregation established these expectations as a way to honor God. We knew, however, there was nothing holy about the room in and of itself. We believe that God dwells in his people, and that's 1 Corinthians, 3 and 16. And it says know ye not that Acts 17 and 24 says God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, amen. And so then it says. But we wanted to set aside that room as a sacred space to honor and worship him. Nonetheless, violation of the sacred space of the temple in Jerusalem was a severe matter to first century Jewish leaders. An accusation of such a violation would lead to hard consequences, and we know that in biblical days, people died for lying and doing all types of things in the church building.

Speaker 1: 8:08

People don't hold that same respect for the church as they did even when I was growing up. When we were growing up, women couldn't wear pants in church. If we had on our choir robes, we couldn't go outside with them. Our garments were even sacred. We couldn't wear certain earrings. We had to wear earrings like this. We couldn't wear hoops. We had all types of rules in the church and certain things you didn't do around the church, you didn't cuss around the church. But nowadays they don't have those type of rules anymore because, hey, it's just a place, right, but I think it's a place of God that we still should honor that place. We still should reverence that place as a place where we come together as the people of God, as the church of God, to worship God, amen. So let's go on to our first verse and what I did which I kind of do this a lot but even though it says we were going to start at verse 7, I actually went back to verse 1 so that we can read some of that, and I'm going to be reading from the Amplified Classic Edition. And it says now about this time this is Acts, chapter 6, and we're reading, starting at verse one.

Speaker 1: 9:27

Now, about this time, when the number of disciples was greatly increasing, complaints was made by the Hellenists, that's the Greek speaking Jews, against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked and neglected in the daily administration or distribution of relief. So they were given food and they felt like their women were being left out. So the 12 apostles convened the multitude of the disciples and said it is not seemingly, or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect preaching the word of God in order to attend to serving at tables and superintending the distribution of food. So they had to stop what they were doing to try to handle this piece. So then they had to do something so that there would be a solution to that problem. But they didn't have to be the ones to serve. And that's how you saw them getting other men to come and help them with this task.

Speaker 1: 10:32

And we know that even today, a pastor or the leader of the church, they just can't do it all. They need all of us. Remember we talked about that in previous lessons how we are all a part of the body. If we're the eyes, the eyes can't say they don't need the ears, the ears can't say they don't need the mouth. Certainly we can't go anywhere with our feet. We can't do very much without our hands. Every part of the body is necessary, amen. And so it says. They convened the multitude of the disciples and said OK. I read that part that was first to.

Speaker 1: 11:07

Verse three says therefore, select out from among yourselves, brother, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty. So they assigned seven men that would take on the responsibility of making sure that people were fed, people were getting the things they need, that there was even distribution, that the needs of the people were handled, amen. And so verse four says but we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the ministry of the word. And so really we should be there to support and undergird our pastors and our leaders so that they can do the work of the Lord and we handle the other tasks. Amen. I'd rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than not be there doing nothing. It's not meant for us to come in and just sit. God has called us all to do something in ministry, right and whatever that is, whether it's being a worship leader, whether it's being in the choir, whether it's being a greeter, usher or whatever that task is. Everybody is needed and when we're in position and we're doing what we're supposed to be doing, then that allows the word to go forth freely. Amen. The prayer warriors, the intercessors, everybody needs to be in their rightful place. My sister-in-law, pastor Lisa Gardner, says get in your lane. Get in your lane, whatever that lane may be, and handle what you're supposed to be handling, so that the men and women of God who are supposed to be bringing the word or teaching the word or whatever they're supposed to be doing, will be able to do that freely, amen.

Speaker 1: 12:55

And so verse five says and the suggestion pleased the whole assembly, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith, a strong and welcome belief that Jesus is the Messiah and full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prophets and Nicanor and Timon and Pharmaeus and Nicholas and Prosely, convert from Antioch. So they selected these seven men and it says that convert from Antioch. So they selected these seven men and it says that they were full of faith, they were strong in what they believed. They believed in Jesus, they believed that he was the Messiah, and they were strong in that belief and they were filled and controlled by Holy Spirit. Amen. So they had power and an anointing, or, as they say today, they had oil. Amen. So you didn't just get a word when they prayed or whatever they did, there was some relief, just like when Jesus was walking here on earth. Amen. And so it's. Verse six says and they presented to the apostles who, after prayer, laid their hands on them. And so now here we are, at our lesson for today Amen. And our lesson begins at verse seven, where it says and the message of God kept them on spreading. Kept, I'm sorry. The message of God kept on spreading and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem and besides. A large number of priests were obedient to the faith in Jesus as the Messiah, through whom is obtained eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. So now these men are being sent out. The gospel is being spread all over.

Speaker 1: 14:40

When the church divided, people went everywhere. They were trying to kill them, and Peter and all of them started giving the word of God and preaching the word of God after Jesus left the scene and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. As we know, on the day of Pentecost, they were all in one place. The Holy Spirit fell on them and they began to speak in other tongues and the power of the Lord came upon them. Because what the word of God say? You receive power After that. The Holy Ghost has come upon you.

Speaker 1: 15:11

So now, here they are. They've selected men to assist them with the work and they're going forth in the power of the Lord. And now, here they are, and they're they're. They're believing God, they're keeping the word, and the church is growing, is multiplying, the disciples are growing. Now the disciples are the people who are being called and sent to spread the word, and I believe that's us. The word of God says that, after we have become saved, that they are to train up and teach us how to do the work of the ministry. Amen, they are to train up and teach us how to do the work of the ministry. Amen.

Speaker 1: 15:47

Nobody should be sitting in the pulpit in the audience just because we can't get in the pulpit. We all have a work to do, whether it's in the church or outside of the church, and we all should be spreading the word of God, amen. And so let's look over here at verse. Let's look over here at verse 8. Because this lesson is really honing in on Stephen. It says Now Stephen full of grace, which is a divine blessing and favor from God, and power, strength and ability worked great wonders and signs, miracles among the people. So he was full of grace.

Speaker 1: 16:25

See, we all have this authority that God has given us. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and we're filled with the Holy Spirit, we have power. We have power, we have authority, the dunamis power, and we have the ability to go out and we are supposed to be able to use those gifts. But most of us don't. We hide our gifts, we don't do what we're called to do, and every time I talk, I talk about me, because I can't talk about nobody else, because I'm only responsible for me, right? I'm responsible for working out my own soul salvation with fear and trembling. That's what the word says.

Speaker 1: 17:02

And so each of us have a responsibility to accept Jesus on our own it's an individual, personal thing and then, once we accept him, to do what we need to do to get in position to be able to help others by spreading the word, the good news, however that may be it may be talking to someone in the grocery line, someone on your job, on the plane, in the airport, wherever you are, you should be spreading the good news, amen. But then you have that power and that authority that comes with that responsibility. You're not going to leave us out here without the ability to do the things that we need to do. He said my word will not return to me void. It will accomplish what it was sent to do. Well, who's going to carry that word? We are, and who's going to do that work? We are. We are the mouth pieces, we are the feet, we are the arms, we are the legs, we are the part of the body that does the work, amen. And so let's go to verse nine.

Speaker 1: 18:02

It says, however, some of those who belong in the synagogue of the free men the free Jewish slaves, as it was called and of the synagogues of the Syrians and the Alexandrians and of those from Sicilia and the province of Asia, arose and undertook to debate and dispute Stephen. So there was some confrontation. Now, how many know that it does not matter who we are, how high we are up or how high we think we are, what title we carry. There is always be some opposition in life, especially of those of the household of faith. Amen, because the enemy decides to sift us as wheat.

Speaker 1: 18:47

But what is the word of God said that he has come, that we may have life, and life more abundantly. So even though the attacks came, stephen, just like Paul on last week, stephen stood on the word of God. On last week, when they were trying to come against Paul about Paul, paul said don't look at me, don't worry about what I'm doing. God has already ordained me, god has called me, god has appointed me, he's given me the authority to do what I'm doing. Look at yourself, what's going on in you? And then we talked about the scripture, where it says get that mold out of your eye. And you got somebody got a beam in there and you got a mold of your eye. And you got somebody got a beam in their eye and you got a mold in your eye. But you looking at their, don't look at their toothpick, with that two by four hanging out your eye. Look at yourself, examine yourself. And so here we are again.

Speaker 1: 19:35

And if you really think about it, even during Jesus' time, there's always been confrontation. Everywhere he went, it was someone judging him or trying to trip him up. And it did not stop with the disciples, and it has not stopped with us. It's always going to happen. I put a post on my facebook page last week about people spreading lies and rumors, and here we have the same thing that happened with stephen they spread lies and rumors. That's not true, but Stephen stood on the word of God. He stood in confidence of who he was and what he was in God, the authority that he had, and he continued to walk out. What he was doing Still the power and authority of God, still with the anointing, still healing the sick and whatever he was called to do, he was doing it with the authority that was given unto him. Despite all the hardships that he was going through, despite the confrontation and the attacks, he still stood on his faith.

Speaker 1: 20:39

And we're talking about living in faith. Living in faith regardless to what we're dealing with it, living in faith regardless to the obstacles. And whatever we lose, god will give it back to us more. Look at Job. Job lost everything. His wife told him to curse God and die. His friends judged him and his children, his cattle. He lost everything, but God restored him and gave him back more than what he had before he went through the struggle. We have to stand on our faith, we have to live this thing. We can't just, we have to be it. We have to be who we say we are and walk in the word of God, in the faith, but based on the word of God, amen. And so now verse. Where are we?

Speaker 1: 21:28

At Verse 10, it says but they were not able to resist the intelligence and the wisdom and the inspiration of the spirit with which and by whom he spoke. All the stuff that they were doing, the power and the anointing and the wisdom of God that was in him inspired them. Even though they were trying to attack him and come after him or, as we say today, they sent for him, he still stood on his word, he still did what God was calling him to do. And guess what? Standing still to see the salvation of the Lord. And look what happened. They became inspired. I remember when Paul was doing the same type of work with King Agrippa. King Agrippa said I was almost persuaded because of the wisdom and the power and the anointing, but he kind of backpedaled, right, but these people know they believed. And the Spirit, it said, the inspiration of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, inspired wisdom and knowledge and power and authority. That's where we get it from the Holy Spirit.

Speaker 1: 22:40

I can't do this in and of myself. I cannot. I would not be here absent the Holy Spirit. I wouldn't know what to say, how to say it, when to say it. I wouldn't know any of that and it doesn't really matter about my capabilities, because God is the one who's done the work. He's doing the work in each of us and if he's done and started the work, he will complete the work. If we are the vessels and willing to go, even when we scare. Trust me this. I was scared, I was like, oh no, I can't. I have a speech impediment, I stutter and sometimes I lose my words, I lose my train of thought and I said well, moses gave that same excuse and god didn't accept it from moses, he's not accepting it for me and he's not going to accept it from you. There's a work for all of us and, living in up to our faith, we have to do the work. That's part of it, and so it says.

Speaker 1: 23:43

So it says they were not able to resist his intelligence and his wisdom, that was inspired by the Holy spirit, that he spoke, but some of them secretly instigated and instructed me to say we have heard this man speak with slanderous and abusive and back blasphemous language against Moses and God.

Speaker 1: 24:04

So they lied on him and I remember when I was growing up we used to complain to my mother about everything and I said they said this about you and they did this and I'll be ready to fight even if I lost. I said I don't know man, I'm little. They might win, but they're going to know they've been in a fight, right. But my mother would say why are you upset? What you fighting for? They don't even know me. They lying. They lying about my mama, but they didn't even know my mama. But I didn't care. I was like Peter, I was ready to cut their ear off or whatever. Like you, don't talk about my mama. Oh, I stepped on the crack. I brought your mama back.

Speaker 1: 24:43

The things that kids and immature people will do, that was immaturity. But when we become mature and we're on meat, we don't do those type of things. So they lied, they instigated and I've seen it, I've seen it Even as an adult people lying and instigating. But let's see what happened here. It says Thus they incited the people, as well as the elders and the scribes. They came upon Stephen and arrested him and took him before the council, before the Sanhedrin. That's verse 12, verse 13. And they brought forward false witnesses. How many know that they brought false witnesses for Jesus, against Jesus? How many know that he went from judgment hall to judgment hall and they were trying to accuse him and nobody really wanted to touch it?

Speaker 1: 25:38

And Pilate say I washed my hands and he let the people vote. So to me you're still guilty because you should have made a choice. We have to make a choice. We can't just say, oh, which one you want? Jesus or Barabbas? No, you know he's not guilty. You don't wash your hands. You say I find no fault in it and you let him go. So even in how we live, we know that Jesus is our. We live. We know that this jesus is our savior. We know the holy spirit is here to empower us. And stephen knew it and even though he got arrested, he still stood on what he believed, amen. And so that's what we have to do as christians today, in today's world. Okay, I still got some power over there. My most of my notes are over there, but I'm just reading scripture and giving dialogue. I'll go back to my notes in a minute. I'm just trying to get through the lesson, just in case my computer dies. Amen.

Speaker 1: 26:34

And so then it says um, and they brought four false witnesses who asserted this man never stops making statements against the sacred place and the law of Moses, so he's coming against their man-made rules. Now, law of Moses we know the Ten Commandments was given by God, but they had so many rules you know we talked about this in earlier lessons where they took the law of Moses, and so it wasn't so much of the law of Moses, but they took the law of Moses. And what it said is they tried to put a fence around it to make it even more secure. So they added additional rules on top of rules for the 10 commandments. They didn't need any additional rules, but they made it harder for people to follow them because they added all these additional man-made rules.

Speaker 1: 27:31

And so verse 14 says for we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will tear down and destroy this place and will alter the institutions and uses which Moses transmitted to us. And that is not what that word meant, but of course they took it literally. Why? Because the Bible says that God takes the foolish things to confound the wise. So it's not spiritually designed. Because why? They don't have the spirit of God in them. And if you don't have the spirit of God, you can read the word and think you know what it means. But until the Holy Spirit gives you revelation, the rhema of the word, then you don't really understand the word. You're just reading some words and you think you cannot take a Webster dictionary and literally know what God's original intent was for his word when he wrote it. You have to ask God, you have to go to the source. So you're going to ask Holy Spirit what that word means.

Speaker 1: 28:28

No, jesus is not getting ready to tear down the physical temple. No, he's not getting ready to destroy that. He's talking about all those man-made rules and all the things that have put man in bondage. And the law, the sin, the sin that by one man, adam, sin entered in, and by another man, jesus. Guess what? Now we have the remission of sin. Now sin has no grip on us. He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from sin, amen. And so the last verse says then all who sat in the council in the Sanhedrin, as they gazed intently at Stephen, saw that his face had the appearance of the face of an angel.

Speaker 1: 29:11

It makes me think about when Mary and Martha came together. That was one of the stories that we talked about early on, when we were talking about faith and Mary heard that Martha was pregnant and that she was close to giving birth. And Mary was pregnant with Jesus, but she wasn't close enough earlier. She was early in her pregnancy and wasn't showing yet, and so when she went to see her cousin, the word of God says that the baby began to leap in her. Why? Because the baby John recognized the baby Jesus in her stomach, and then Mary Martha began to get filled with the Holy Spirit and began to worship God.

Speaker 1: 29:54

Amen, before Jesus ever got here. Understand God, holy Spirit and Jesus was in the beginning and they're still here now, all of them. Amen. And nothing is changing in the word he said, not one jot or tittle. We don't change that. His word is his word. But how do we get an understanding of his word? He has to give us that understanding. We have to pray and ask God for revelation. Amen. And the Holy Spirit is there to lead and guide us in all truths.

Speaker 1: 30:23

Satan is the father of lies and just like they accused Stephen and told lies on him and he got arrested. It could be us, the things that they suffered in those days getting boiled and getting crucified and putting in jail, and all the things that happened to those people back in those days for believing in Jesus Christ, believing he was the son of God, believing that he was born of a virgin and spreading the gospel they lost their very lives for it. And most of us probably will never experience that as long as we are on the United States ground. I can say we never will, because it does happen, but not in the magnitude that it happened back in biblical days. So if we're living in faith, then we got to stand on our faith, regardless to what we're going through, regardless to the obstacles. So let me go over here to my notes. Now I've gone through the scripture, let me kind of go through my notes a little bit and then I'm gonna get off of here. It's 11 o'clock at night, but I've had so many obstacles but I refuse to not teach this lesson today, amen. So let's go on down here and we're going to talk.

Speaker 1: 31:41

So when we talk about how the church grew, it says here where is that? As the influence of the gospel message increased among the people, so did the number of disciples. The more people you have, the more people you need to have. The more people you need to teach, the more people you need to minister. So, as the gospel spread and see, that's the thing about it today as the gospel spreads, you're going to need more leaders, you're going to need more people in position to do the work, and that person could be you. That could be who God is calling to do it right. And as the influence of the message increased among the people, so that the number of disciples, when the gospel fails, falls on willing hearts, the fruit will result often in multitudes. The word of God says my word will not return to me void, but it will accomplish what it was sent to do. So his word is not going to return void. When his word goes out, it's going to pierce a heart. Someone is going to be touched by that word. Amen.

Speaker 1: 32:56

And then we talk about the great wonders and miracles that have been attributed to Jesus, where his apostles had that same gifting, same anointing. He told them greater works shall you do than the works that I did, amen. And so we see that even here in these apostles and they called seven guys, prayed over them, laid hands on them and they ended up having the same power and authority that they had. We should look like Jesus, we should walk like Jesus, and then those that are followers of Christ, when they should be able to help us and build us up and train us and send us out, just like they did back in biblical days. No one should be sitting in the church on the podiums. We shouldn't be in their sitting. We have to be there learning. This is what Papa Davis used to tell us. We enter to worship and we depart to serve. So when we come in to learn, we learn the word, we get powered up and we go out and we duplicate what we've learned. Amen, and we should be full of. We've learned Amen, and that's the. We should be full of faith and full of power, because that's what Jesus promised, that he made he when he left here that we were going to have power after the Holy ghost comes upon us and we will do great works, amen. So let's read this story full of power. Great works, amen. So let's read this story full of power.

Speaker 1: 34:28

Bodybuilder Ethan Andrews triumphantly lifted his arms in celebration he had broken his personal bench press record. A commentator proclaimed afterward Andrews is a man who is full of power. The power came through hard work and dedication to the sport. Andrews developed strength and power through grueling hours in the weight room. What are we lifting? Are we lifting up the word of God? Are we reading the word of God? Are we studying the word of God? Amen.

Speaker 1: 34:57

The book of Acts describes Stephen as being full of power. However, his power differed from that of a bodybuilder. The athlete attains physical power through many hours in the weight room. Stephen, however, received spiritual power through his faith in Christ. We have power through our faith. We have power that has been given to us by God to be able to do the works that he has called us to do. Amen, and it says but because of God's grace, we are full of power to proclaim the gospel. Christ is the source of that power. We're simply earthen vessels. To express it, we are earthen vessels. Second Corinthians four and seven says but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of power may be of God and not of us. It's not our power, it's God's power. It's a treasure that we have in earthen vessels. We are earthen vessels, we are bodies, right, we are spirit, we live in a body and we possess a soul, and so we are earthen vessels and the excellency of power is of God. It is not of us. Amen. Let's see what else I have here. Okay, so let's talk about verse 10.

Speaker 1: 36:35

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke, and so that synagogue members were not able to resist Stephen. Does that mean that they agree with the message? Rather, that they had no answer to these teachings. They were astonished, they were in awe, they had oppressed the leading of the Holy Spirit and they were stiff-necked and uncircumcised in their hearts and ears. But Stephen had been chosen because he was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and his irrefutable words were a direct fulfillment of Jesus' promises. So it impacted their hearts. Even though they were heart stony hearts we've all had those stony hearts they were not able to resist the wisdom. It don't matter how much they didn't want to believe the wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit. They had no choice but to understand that, yes, this man is speaking from God.

Speaker 1: 37:36

I remember when my stepdad he kept telling me he met a man and this man was telling him stuff about himself that he had never told anyone and he didn't know how the man did it. And this man ended up being his pastor and we for years tried to get him to come to church with us and things, and he would not. But he met a man. Just like these people met Stephen and other people met Jesus in different places, and they meet us. And when they meet us we should be carrying the word of God and living in faith and letting our faith be present. The word of God said if I be lifted up, I'll draw all men unto me. So all we have to do is plant a seed. The word of God says one plants another water, and it's God who gives the increase, amen. So let's read this story.

Speaker 1: 38:25

Um Elena lived loved to sit in grandma Sophia's living room and inquire about her grandma's life. The elder had 77 years worth entertaining and educating stories. She had been an active member of a local church congregation for her entire adult life. As Alanis grew and faced life's difficulties, she could always count on her grandma to offer biblical wisdom. Grandma Sophia's wisdom came because she had spent her whole life studying scripture and seeking God. It's no wonder that Stephen's opponents could not answer him. God's spirit had filled Stephen with the wisdom of God.

Speaker 1: 39:10

If the thought of speaking about Jesus makes you uncomfortable, be encouraged. The all wise God can and will give you wisdom regarding how and when to speak, as you have prepared yourself to do so. What progress are you making in that regard? Now, I'm a witness to that right. I didn't feel qualified. Listen, it was not that I didn't feel like God was not able. I didn't feel like I was qualified to speak the word of God, even though I had studied and it says Sophia's grandmother has studied her word for years. I've been studying the word of God since my youth, but I still didn't feel like I was apt to teach, like I was qualified or had a word to tell people, and that nobody really wanted to hear me. And I don't care if don't nobody hear it, but one person and one person is impacted that I've accomplished something because I was obedient and did what I was called to do. But here it says a grandma's wisdom. This woman had wisdom because she studied a word.

Speaker 1: 40:13

Second, timothy says we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed of dividing the word of truth. We don't have to worry about dividing it. We won to be ashamed of dividing the word of truth. We don't have to worry about dividing it. We won't be ashamed. God won't allow that, because if we know the word, we study the word. The Holy Spirit is the one that's going to bring it to our remembrance when we need it.

Speaker 1: 40:33

You really think that I get up here and I really have everything written down? No, I have a few notes, I have some scriptures, but the majority of what I say comes by way of Holy Spirit and I'm not. He has. God is no respecter person. If he'll speak through me, he'll speak through you. Study his word and then we'll hear what he says and say what he says and keep it moving.

Speaker 1: 40:56

But listen, this grandmother was able to have this wisdom because she knew the word. This grandmother was able to have this wisdom because she knew the word. It's the knowing the word and doing the word being hearers and doers of the word. And so we saw here that they began to oppose him and that they came up against him. They rose up against him and the Sanhedrin it was a seven-member Supreme Court for matters regarding Jewish law, so 70 people. They stirred up all this stuff and they ended up taking it to the council and listen, even though they might not have received, wanted to receive the word, because of the power and the anointing and the influence that he had by way of God and the Holy Spirit, they were astonished. What you going to do, it's in your face who Jesus is, the authority that he has left us, the Holy Spirit that is in us is evident, and this is the thing with me, I guess. I mean you know, know, we all have to walk out our own soul salvation. We all have to believe for ourselves, but it's so.

Speaker 1: 42:13

It's really astonishing to me that some people don't believe, because when I first started having encounters, I was a young girl, I wasn't even a teenager yet. I was a young girl, I wasn't even a teenager yet, and I was curious about the word and I started reading the word and there was a church a few doors down from my house, on Barnham, and I used to sneak in the back of the church and sit back there and listen and then I would hear what they said and I would go home, I would look in the Bible, I would read the Bible, I would pray, and I've been hearing and being led by God my whole life, even though I didn't always do the right things or say the right things. I've always loved God and I've always known he was there, and so it's really kind of awkward for me when I think about it, Because I believe people are having encounters, but they don't understand them, because I used to think I was crazy. Can I say that I told my mother that I said I think I'm crazy because some of the stuff I'm experiencing, but then it's in the word, and the more I studied the word, the more I knew why I was feeling like I was feeling and why I was hearing the things that I was hearing from God, why I was able to say things to people that I had no knowledge about, and they would look at me and say how do you know that? Or I could walk by somebody they don't even see their face, but I could feel sadness or whatever on there and I turn around you okay, no, I'm not okay. And just a ball of tears, because God was there and people have done the same for me, being able to give me a word or give me some encouragement or say something or walk up to me and say, hey, I was there to give you this $20 and I didn't have no food.

Speaker 1: 44:00

I told y'all the story about the woman across the street from me when I first moved in the house where I'm at now Was bringing me food. I had too much pride to sell people. I didn't have no money or food and she was bringing me food. And when I didn't need the food no more, she stopped bringing me food. And she wasn't bringing me no junk. She was bringing me big bags of lettuce, salmon, whatever I thought I wanted. She was bringing it Socks. She brought me a pair of white socks and I said, god, white socks. God was teaching me and training me to have faith even more than what I had the last five years. My faith has increased immensely because God has taken me through that process. And she brought me food and my family didn't even know when I didn't have food in my house.

Speaker 1: 44:53

This was after my accident and before my money started coming in from my job, because my job stopped the money after the accident, waiting for the insurance company to say what they was going to give me, the insurance company waiting on my job to say what they going to give me, and so I went without money for several months and my little emergency money got depleted and so I needed food. But I had too much pride, which I didn't know. Then it was pride. I thought I was just not bothering nobody, right. But sometimes when we think, oh, I'm just not, then it was pride. I thought I was just not bothering nobody, right. But sometimes when we think, oh, I'm just not going to say nothing, I don't want to bother anybody, sometimes there's pride and God will work all of that out of us while we're living in faith and walking in faith and allowing him to work out the things in us that don't need to be there.

Speaker 1: 45:41

And there was a lot in me. My heart was hard, but it wasn't hard because I didn't love people I've always loved people but it was hard because I was guarding it the wrong way. How many know we can guard our heart the wrong way? Living in faith should look a certain way, it should feel a certain way. It shouldn't be a mean, you know, confrontational type thing. But when you putting up all these, wall after wall after wall after wall, at some point those walls are so tough to people can't receive from you, and so God had to work that out in me too, because, even though I looked mean on the outside, well, while it was nothing but a marshmallow on the inside, but nobody would know that because my heart was so covered up and guarded that it had become like a harder stone, and so God had to begin to chip off pieces from my heart.

Speaker 1: 46:36

We're still talking about living in faith, I believe, and I was doing my best, but I still needed work. I still needed some things cleaned and purged out in me. So now, today, I can stand and say who I am in God and what I believe without reservation and not be ashamed, because the work has been done and it's still being done, because I believe that it's always something. There's always room for improvement. That's what I say. I don't care how good you think you are, you can always improve on something, and so that's it. We're going to continue to allow God to work it out in us so that when we stand before councils or whomever we stand before, that we will stand there and they will see God in us.

Speaker 1: 47:32

See, they said here and they look. When they looked on Stephen, they looked at his face. It looked like the face of an angel. They saw the God in him. Are they seeing the God in us? Are we really living in our faith? Are we living with the power, the dunamis power, that God has given us, the armor that he's given us, are we using it? The words that he given us are life. They are spirit and they are life. Are we speaking them? Are we speaking to our own detriment? Are we believing, to our own detriment, self-limiting beliefs, or are we believing God? Whose report do we believe? That's what God asked me after the accident.

Speaker 1: 48:18

They told me all types, they all. You'll never be able to do this and you'll never be able to do that, and this is going to always be like this. I can't make you no promises. The only person that can make us a promise is God. The only thing that can work out what we need worked out is God. The only person that can help us even to walk out this faith, this faith walk, is God. And then he sends us people. That's why the word of God says forsake not the assembling of yourself together. Why? Because he sends us people to help us walk it out. Iron sharpens iron, but we got to learn how to love each other. That's another part of living in faith.

Speaker 1: 49:03

Stephen stood strong. Even though he got arrested. He still stood on his faith. What would I do if that was me? What would you do if that were you? Would you still say that you love Jesus? Would you still say that Jesus was the Messiah, that he was the son of God? Would we still do that, or would we get afraid? Would we back down? What would we do? Are we really living in faith?

Speaker 1: 49:37

They lied on him, said he was doing all types of things that he wasn't doing. I've been lying on y'all, even as recent as a couple weeks ago, and the way it used to affect me in the past, I'd be ready to fight, but the way it impacts me now is I'm ready to pray. I'm speaking life to that person. I'm like wow. Who said that? Well, that's not true. But the word of God talked about that as well. We have to position ourselves and be the vessels that God has called us to be, so that when they do tell the lies that we don't really have to defend ourselves. We can just be silent and allow God to do the work. Because, guess what, if it's a lie, it's a lie. Let them tell all the lies they want to tell. What is it going to do to you? What is it going to do to me? The days of fighting about lies is over. We're mature Christians now. We're not babes in Christ anymore. We're living in faith, we're walking in faith, it says here.

Speaker 1: 50:49

Then they arose, certain of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of Liberties, and Cyrenians, alexandrians and them of the Sicilia of Asia, disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom of the spirit of which he spoke. Let them talk, let them dispute, but they still were not able to resist the wisdom. They still knew he was a man of God. They still knew that what he spoke was wisdom, that it had to come from the spirit of God. That don't change. Just because they telling lies, nothing does amen.

Speaker 1: 51:29

They said that he was going around lying, saying that for he. We heard him say that. This Jesus of Nazareth, you heard that that you. Now you know the word of God. I say that Jesus came to his own and they didn't receive him. His own people did not receive him. This is the people we're talking about right now. Those were his own people, jews. Jesus was a Jew. Jesus was a Jew. His own people didn't receive him. Jesus did not say that, but they always took Jesus' words and they changed them. And neither did he, neither did he. They didn't hear Stephen say that, but that's what the enemy does, right? He's the father of lies.

Speaker 1: 52:19

So a liar is going to lie and there's nothing you can do about what they say or what they do. Just continue to live a life that's spotless, that has no blemishes before them and before man and before God. Most importantly and it's the word says that men will see your good works and glorify the father, which is heaven. They could not resist or dispute the wisdom and the spirit that from which he spoke. They couldn't, and that's what the way it needs to be for us. We need to be living in our faith, so much so that we're not shaking, that we're not, we don't, we won't. Our foot shall not be moved. What does it say? Like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved because I'm living in faith, amen. So let's read this last little story and we're going to end our lesson. Okay, I don't know what just happened. I don't know what just happened. I just got kicked off, but I'm back. We will end in our lesson by saying that, as people of God, they lied on Jesus. They're going to lie on us, but that does not mean that we do not continue to stand on our faith. If it costs our life, we got to be willing to pay that price. If we lose everything, what shall separate us from the love of God? What shall separate us? So I was getting ready to read this last story and close us out. It says a divine servants.

Speaker 1: 54:57

What should the Christian's response be to attacks and insults to faith? Such attacks might include name calling, harsh remarks or judgment regarding our use of time, energy and resources. These abuses might even come from co-workers, friends or family members. Job's family and friend right, His wife and his friends were the ones that attacked him verbally. The verbal attacks on Stevens led to a physical attack that resulted in his death. It is unlikely that we shall experience the same end as Steven, and we say it's unlikely, but those things have happened in our time, not so much in America as in the other countries, but it does happen. However, this manner of living can inform our behavior, whether or not attacks on our faith result.

Speaker 1: 55:56

Stephen was a student of scripture, demonstrated by his speech before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7 and 2 through 54. Not only did he know the facts of scripture, but he also knew how Jesus fulfilled all of the scripture. His knowledge led him to display confidence and hope. During his interaction with the Sanhedrin. He proclaimed the gospel with the hope that they would believe in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Most of all, stephen faced his final crisis with peace and poise. He displayed a sense of peace that comes from a knowledge of God's will and power. How do you experience peace in the midst of a storm? How do you experience peace when the doctor gives you bad report? How do you experience peace when you walk up to your house and you see a foreclosure notice? Or you go to get in your car and your car is gone, or you go to the bank and you have no money and your children are hungry, or you can't pay your bills. How, and your children are hungry, or you can't pay your bills? How? We're going to live on faith. We're going to continue to stand on our faith, amen, and believe God to do the work that he has promised. Amen, it says most of all. He faced his final crisis with peace and poise. He didn't get belligerent. He didn't start trying to fight and cuss and go crazy. He stood on the word of God that he already knew right. He displayed a sense of peace that comes from a knowledge of God's will and power.

Speaker 1: 57:39

The false accusations did not deter Stephen. He trusted that it was all a part of God's plan. Consider the example of Stephen. The next time you pray, ask the Lord for wisdom, power and peace. When we practice and display these attributes, we can better serve the Lord, especially in the face of criticism or attacks from the world.

Speaker 1: 58:03

This lesson was for me. I hope something from it helped you. But this lesson really was for me. I hope something from it helped you. But this lesson really was for me and a very timely lesson that, even in the face of adversity, even in the face of false accusations, even if they're going to cut our head off or put us on the chopping block or hang us or whatever they're going to do to us, to still proclaim that Jesus is Lord, that he is our savior, that he is the Messiah, the promised Messiah, and stand on that, regardless to what the outcome is going to be.

Speaker 1: 58:46

One good thing is for us is we know that Jesus took the sting out of death and the victory from the grave, and that he said I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, that I will come again and receive you unto myself. That where I am, ye may be also. We also know that the word of God says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and there are so many other scriptures and promises that God has given us, and one also is that he will never put more on us than we can bear. We are earthen vessels. We are earthen vessels, but we have to put off this mortal one day and put on immortality. And I asked this question last week and I'm going to ask it again this week.

Speaker 1: 59:36

If you make it to the gate. We all got to go before God and he asked you why should I let you in heaven? What is that response going to be? Are we going to be able to say that we were living in faith going to be? Are we going to be able to say that we were living in faith that, even though we were accused, lied on, cheated, what the songs they talked about, mistreated mutes, don't go on? Talked about sure, as we born up down level to the ground, but we still have Jesus right. As long as we have Jesus, as long as we accept that God is our Savior, lord is our Savior, and have given our lives to him, we're going to be all right.

Speaker 1: 1:00:19

But if we're still like Laodicea, one foot on the banana peel and the other in the grave, and still haven't chosen what we we believe, thinking we got time See, that's the one of the one of the biggest lies of the enemy is to make us think we got time, thinking we have time that we don't have. Today, when you hear my voice, it says harden out your hearts. I'm standing at the door and I'm knocking. Today is the day that you can begin to live your faith, to live in faith and to accept Jesus as your Savior. And for those of us who love God and already accepted Jesus, we can renew, be renewed, restored every day.

Speaker 1: 1:01:09

Paul say I die daily. So as we walk out this walk, don't be afraid to let God know. Just go to God. He's our father, he already knows everything anyway. Just pour it all out to him. And when he forgets, he forgets. When he forgives, he forgets. When he forgives, he forgets the word said, I throw it into the sea of forgetfulness to remember it no more. So come as you are. God loves us just the way we are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way, amen. So our closing thought is God's wisdom, power and peace will overcome the hardest opponents, the hardest thing that you think you can ever go through. God's wisdom, power and peace will even overcome that, yes, even that.

Speaker 1: 1:02:06

Father, we just thank you for this day. We thank you for this word, lord. We thank you for your wisdom, god. We thank you for this word, lord. We thank you for your wisdom, god. We're not trying to walk in our own wisdom, but we want your wisdom, your power and your authority. Father, give us all that we need to be who you have called us to be, as we accept the call, oh God, to be your children and to be whatever else it is that you would have for us to do. Help us to be ready always to give an answer and to be whatever else it is that you would have for us to do. Help us to be ready always to give an answer and to be living. Our faith, not just talking. Our faith to be walking it, not to be hearers only, but to be doers. And, father, as we go throughout this week, we want to say thank you, first and foremost, for all that you do and all you have already done. We thank you for your promises, we thank you for your son, jesus, and we thank you for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Speaker 1: 1:02:56

Father, we thank you that, even as we walk, god, as we study, as we pray, god, that you will give us the words to say the things to do, the places to go, the places not to go, the people to deal with, the people not to deal with. You will give us all the answers if we just hear, if we just listen. And so, if our ears are plugged God, I decreed it Our ears are unplugged. If our eyes are blurred God I decreed it they're now clear, and that we have clear spiritual vision and clear spiritual ears. God, that we can hear you, we can hear what you're saying to your church, we can hear what you're saying to us, individually and collectively.

Speaker 1: 1:03:36

And, god, we decree and declare, god, that your word, as you said, will not return to you, but it will accomplish what it was sent to do. As we speak your words, god, they will go forth, people will be healed, people will be set free and they will be delivered, god, not because of any fancy thing and it's not about any money or anything like that, but it's all that you will be glorified, oh God, that you will be lifted up and that men will be drawn to you. Just like in the scriptures that we studied today, that the more your word went out, father, the more that your word was spread, the more people came, the more disciples I need, and we're decreeing that that will continue to happen even now, in this day and season. Keep us safe as we go to our prospective homes, people who are out traveling, oh God, during this Easter break, this spring break, father, that people who are traveling will get home safe from their travel. Oh God, that they will be able to love on and enjoy their families.

Speaker 1: 1:04:44

God, we come against incidents, accidents, any trick, plot, employ of the enemy, oh God. And we say, god, that your love, oh God, will radiate and permeate our hearts. It will remove the stone from our hearts, oh God and God, we will have hearts of flesh. We will love like you love, we will forgive like you forgive, and we will be all that you have us to be In Jesus' name. I pray. Amen and amen. See you guys next week.