“And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. . . . As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison” (Acts 8:1, 3).
“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest” (Acts 9:1).
“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven” (Acts 9:3).
“But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).
Stephen’s sacrifice started the Gentile church movement, and he didn’t even know it. Listen up, Christian, having and coveting the presence of God is a natural desire of the new nature, not the old one. Having too much flesh, and not enough God contributes to a bad ending in this life. You have chosen self over God, making yourself a God. Now God’s presence should be welcome in our lives—it really should—and our local church. Now Christian, be honest, If God were to view your temple what would He expose. What do you enjoy more than God? And if you are a lost person, you would know that you are lost. Lost and condemned to a Devil’s hell, yet God extends His invitation of mercy during the convicting time. We need you, our church needs you, our country need Spirit-filled Christians.
So, let us shine like Stephen, come hell or high water. Start to make some serious decisions in your life about your Christianity and your relationship with God. If we would seek the presence of God we’d stop doing a whole lot of stuff. We really would. We’d start majoring on the major stuff. You know yourself. With my own kids, I know they ain’t reading the Bible every day—I just know it! It’s just obvious. You get to doing your own thing, and God becomes a P. S. in your life. See, you’re not listening to Him every day, therefore you are not praying to Him every day like you should. You give Him a thank you Lord for the day, and a thank you, Lord for this—and then you go around asking everybody else to pray for you because your prayer life is not what is should be.
As a Christian, you ought to be talking to God and saying, “I need some answers!” And when God starts answering you, some things will have to go in your life—just will have to—they are taking up to much of your time.
And I’m telling you what. God has been so merciful with our country, because apparently there are some things in His plan of things that He is pleased with. He’s still pleased with some people, but, killing innocent babies, and this lifestyle that is acceptable—that doesn’t please the Lord—that brings judgment from the Lord. So, we as a church, ought to be praying for mercy—continued mercy and grace from our Father. Because ‘where sin abounds, grace much more abounded.’ And I think that that is what we are experiencing in our country right now. But we don’t want to presume upon Him.
We are all going to die. All of us are going to face the Lord Jesus Christ. So, it behooves all of us to start to understand how necessary the presence of God is, and what we need. So, here today, you think about that message—think about when you go home—how you maybe ought to start praying and to read your Bible, and maybe that will clean up some stuff in your brain. Maybe God will give you more opportunities to talk about Him. You need to do that, life is short. You get up, you don’t plan on dying and then Boom! It’s here. Or He sends you to a doctor to get a shock wave—oh my goodness, oh my goodness—we are creatures of habit, people. God has to do certain things to drive us to Him. He will crowd you to Christ—in your life.
Amen.