OF DEVOTED ZEAL

OF DEVOTED ZEAL 

“Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen…” Acts of the Apostles 8:1 NLTActs of the Apostles 8:1 NLTSaul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

If you have been in the faith for sometime, you might be familiar with Paul’s credentials and why his opinion mattered (see Romans 11Romans 11Likewise, David said, “Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.). What made Paul special is that he genuinely and sincerely believed that his persecution of believers was founded on truth. He zealously believed his doctrine to be true and his actions to be not just good but a service to God. His heart was undivided in his faith, though his counsel was incomplete.

For someone that is indifferent to the ways of God, they may wonder why of all people God would use a former murderer to lay the foundation of the entire New Testament, but let us never forget that the heart posture is the only thing that our Lord looks for before He can commission any man (Proverbs 23:26Proverbs 23:26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.). As it is written, God’s wisdom is foolishness to men and He uses that same foolishness of this world to confuse the wise (1 Corinthians1:271 Corinthians1:27If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.). The devotion Paul carried in his incomplete counsel was a testament to how diligent, productive and effective he would be if his conviction was reframed by truth. Selah

Child of God, today we have christians who can barely keep a consistent streak in serving God one day of the week because their priorities are misaligned. It did not matter if Saul was the most cruel persecutor of the church in his time, it did matter that he believed in the cause he fought for, so much so that he was willing to kill/ die for it. Your wholehearted or halfhearted persuasion in what you believe reflects through the devotion and commitment to serve the one who calls you.

Let your faith tell the story of whom you have believed!  Praise the Lord.

Prayer: Father I thank you for this truth. I know that faith and works go hand in hand and I exercise my faith to influence my works. It shall not be said of me that I served or believed sparingly for you take no pleasure in a double mind. Let the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be pleasing to you, in Jesus name. 

CI.