1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and they stoned Stephen calling upon God 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit Acts seven fifty nine, 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: my God. In the same way, Stephen displayed an unwavering 4 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: commitment to his convictions. Unlock this level of conviction in 5 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: my life. In the face of authorities with the power 6 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: to execute. Stephen remained strong as he stood and expressed 7 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: what he knew to be the truth, both about Jesus 8 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: and the religious leader's stubborn hearts. In the same way, 9 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: allow my life to resemble the same spirit and strength 10 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: that Stephen possessed. May my life prove that I have 11 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: the presence of God in it. May my life prove 12 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: that I base my commitment on a biblical foundation. Allow 13 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,839 Speaker 1: me to spot out and see the error of past 14 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: thinking and old ways of being. Allow my life to 15 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: stay steadfast as I keep my eyes on You, Jesus, 16 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: for I declare that commitment moves past the mind and 17 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: emotions and go straight to the will. Thank You for 18 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: my commitment that brings my mind and emotions into alignment 19 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: to achieve my purpose at all cost. Like Stephen, I 20 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: will look up to the heavens to gain my strength 21 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: and encouragement in Jesus name. Amen. Listening to these daily 22 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the 23 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: Lord by listening to to day's Bible in a Year, 24 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot com. 25 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: A new enemy. In our last story, the Apostles were 26 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: beaten and imprisoned for preaching the name of Jesus, healing 27 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 2: the sick and feeding the poor, just as their Lord 28 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 2: before them. The Apostles found themselves suffering for the sake 29 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 2: of restoration. Now we see a new character arise. A 30 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: man named Stephen comes onto the scene to boldly proclaim 31 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: the good news of Christ. However, there is an evil 32 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: lurking near. A man by the name of Saul watches 33 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 2: and waits for his opportunity to strike Stephan and any 34 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: Christian who dare mention the name of Jesus. Inspired by 35 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 2: the Book of Acts. 36 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack grayel with today's episode of the 37 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year. Thanks so much for joining us. 38 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 3: In our last time together, we heard about the religious 39 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 3: leaders as they threatened the Apostles teaching and put them 40 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 3: in jail. God then sent an angel to open the 41 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 3: prison gates and send them to the temple again preaching 42 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 3: the Gospel of Jesus. Their opponents could find no real 43 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 3: reason to keep them in prison, and at the council 44 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 3: of one of their own Gamalio, they released the apostles, 45 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 3: but only after beating them and warning them to never 46 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 3: speak about the name of Jesus again. Of course, the 47 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 3: apostles would never stop. You might as well tell the 48 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 3: sun to stop shining. And they continued preaching the Gospel 49 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: of Christ and winning more and more people to a 50 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 3: relationship with Christ, more souls for Jesus. Today we'll hear 51 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 3: about Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who spoke boldly of 52 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 3: Christ and paid the ultimate sacrifice. And Christ will also 53 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 3: meet a new enemy to the Gospel, a zealous young 54 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 3: rabbi named Saul, who will lead the hunt for any 55 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 3: would proclaim the name of Jesus persecuting Christians. So let's 56 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 3: listen now to this reading from the Book of Acts. 57 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: Jews, Greeks, Romans, and many others were catching on to 58 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 2: the story of Jesus. One by one they joined the 59 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: Apostles of Jesus. Together they served their communities and one another. 60 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 2: They were committed to the feeding of orphans and widows, 61 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 2: and daily they met with one another to pray and 62 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: seek the truth of God. The church was becoming so 63 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 2: large that the disciples could no longer meet the needs 64 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 2: of everyone on their own. So they appointed men of 65 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 2: good reputation and strong faith to meet the needs of 66 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 2: the poor and destitute. Among these men was a man 67 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 2: named Stephan, a man filled with God's spirit and boldness. 68 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: Daily Stephan would enter into the temple gates and preach 69 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: the Gospel. His words were like sweet honey to weary hearts. 70 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 2: He spoke of forgiveness, empowerment, and repentance. However, the enemy 71 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 2: was at work among the religious leaders. They conspired against 72 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: Stephan and spread false rumors about his character. Yet Stephan 73 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: seemed immune to such dissension. He continued to serve, preach, 74 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 2: and love. No argument could come against the truth he proclaimed, 75 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 2: and no rumor could undermine his good reputation as an 76 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: honest man. They brought him before a court of leaders 77 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: and judged him for his words. Do you speak out 78 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 2: against Moses and Abraham? They asked, isn't your devotion to 79 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 2: this Jesus an affront against our ancestors? Stephan looked around 80 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 2: the room and saw scowls like wolves. Jesus was brought 81 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: before this very court before he was crucified. He boldly 82 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 2: stood before them and spoke only the truth. So Stephan 83 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 2: would do the same, no matter the cost. Stephan closed 84 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 2: his eyes and prayed to the Lord for a moment. 85 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: Then he lifted his eyes to all the men, You 86 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 2: stiff necked people, You are unclean in your heart and ears. 87 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: How long will you resist the spirit of God speaking 88 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 2: to you. It was your fathers who killed the prophets 89 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 2: of old, and it is you who follow in their 90 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 2: footsteps by slaying the Messiah himself. You hold to the 91 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 2: words of Moses so tightly, but you have missed their 92 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 2: true meaning. The entire room erupted in anger. Stephan could 93 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 2: not even take a second breath before he was stormed 94 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 2: by temple guards. A club flew straight to his jaw 95 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: as he fell to the floor, and he was bound 96 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 2: in ropes. Stephan was tackled to the floor as he 97 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 2: took kicks to his face and ribs. He peered towards 98 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: the door. A man was standing at the entrance, smiling 99 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 2: at him with a crooked grin. The man who had 100 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 2: conspired against him and many others, the terror of all Christians, 101 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 2: Saul of Tarsus. Stephan was drug by his feet out 102 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 2: beyond the gates of Jerusalem. An angry mob of temple 103 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: goers and pharisees followed. As the gods tied Stephan to 104 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: a facing the crowd, Stephan scanned his surroundings. They were 105 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 2: outside the city gates, which could only mean one thing. 106 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 2: Stoning Stephan's bruised eyes watched as men picked up rocks 107 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 2: the size of their fists. Evil grins and angry scowls 108 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: surrounded him. Stephan breathed in deeply and looked up to Heaven. 109 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 2: He fixed his gaze firmly to the skies, directing his 110 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: heart towards his lord. I see the King of Glory, 111 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: Stephan said, his tears streamed down his face. I see 112 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: the heavens opened in the Son of God standing at 113 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: the right hand of the Father. As Stephan yelled this, 114 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 2: the crowd erupted in battle cries and through their stones. 115 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 2: One stone was hurled directly at his chest, cracking his 116 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 2: ribs in sternum. Another cracked his knee in shin. Stephan 117 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 2: gave out a blood curdling scream. Stephan had his gaze 118 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 2: firmly fixed towards heaven. As the barrage of stones flew 119 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 2: through the air, Stephan whispered, Lord, but do not hold 120 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: this against them, until another stone hit his temple, knocking 121 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: him out. Stones continued to fly towards Stephan's lifeless body 122 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: until he was reduced to a pile of flesh and 123 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: broken bones. There behind the crowd holding people's coats and 124 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: garments was soul of Tarsus. As people took back their 125 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: clothes and walked away, Paul stepped forward to observe Stephan's 126 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 2: mangled corps. Paul spat at it, blasphemous Christian, He hissed, 127 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 2: Then he turned away, hell bent on destroying and murdering 128 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 2: every last man, woman, and child who dared proclaim the 129 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 2: name of Jesus. 130 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 3: As we begin today's reading, we find a growing number 131 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 3: of Christian believers. The Holy Spirit is working through the 132 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 3: disciples to bring more and more people to faith in 133 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 3: Christ and into the fellowship of the Church. This church, 134 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 3: the community of Faith, loved one another and served with 135 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 3: the heart of Christ, caring for those in need, including 136 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 3: the widows among them. As the church grew, this task 137 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 3: became too much for the apostles to take on alone, 138 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 3: so seven godly men were selected and appointed as deacons. 139 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 3: These deacons would handle the care of the community and 140 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 3: the church. But just as the size and influence of 141 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 3: the church was growing, even winning many religious leaders and 142 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 3: priests to Christ, so also was the hatred of those 143 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 3: who opposed the Gospel, who wanted to destroy this movement, 144 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 3: the movement of Jesus Christ. We learned that one of 145 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 3: the seven men chosen to serve the church was a 146 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 3: man named Stephen. What a man. He was filled with 147 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 3: the Holy Spirit and had a desire to spread the 148 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 3: good news of the Gospel. Soon Stephen began facing stiff opposition, 149 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 3: and those trying to discredit him brought false charges of 150 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 3: blasphemy against him because they could not tear down his arguments. 151 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 3: They accused Stephen of speaking against Moses and the law 152 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 3: and saying Jesus would destroy their customs and places of worship. 153 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 3: It is a reminder to us that the enemy does 154 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 3: not fight fair. The devil knows he is no match 155 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 3: for God's truth, and so he often attacks with lies, 156 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 3: just as he did with Adam and even the garden. 157 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 3: These lies and half truth are an attempt to stop 158 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 3: God's plan in God's purposes. Stephen was taken before the 159 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 3: High Priest and ask if he was in fact saying 160 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 3: such things. He could have simply denied Jesus and tried 161 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 3: to walk away by explaining himself, but Stephen saw this 162 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,839 Speaker 3: as an opportunity, an opportunity to boldly preach Jesus before 163 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 3: a crowd of people, and that's exactly what he did. 164 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 3: He went all the way back in the scriptures to 165 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 3: Abraham and trace the line of God's promise to the 166 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 3: father of the Jewish faith, all the way to the 167 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 3: Jewish Messiah. It is quite a Bible study when you 168 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 3: hear it, when you read it. He was showing them 169 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 3: that everything written in the scriptures, both the Law and 170 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 3: the prophets, was leading up and pointing to Christ, who 171 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 3: is the fulfillment of it all. And yet the people listening, 172 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 3: so many of them were still blind to the truth, 173 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 3: rejecting Jesus, rejecting God's word. And just as they killed 174 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 3: the prophets who spoke God's word and announced the Messiah's coming, 175 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 3: they will now kill one of God's preachers. The words 176 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 3: of Stephen enraged the council, and those gathered and were 177 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 3: told that they were grinding their teeth. They were just 178 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,839 Speaker 3: filled with rage. This is how much they hated hearing 179 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 3: the truth. Then, in Acts seven fifty five, here's what 180 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 3: we read. But he that is Stephen, full of the 181 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 3: Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of 182 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 3: God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 183 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 3: What encouragement just to see a little bit of heaven, 184 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 3: a glimpse of God's glory. But rather than keep the 185 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 3: vision to himself and hold on to the comfort of 186 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 3: knowing that he was right, Stephen again spoke to the crowd, 187 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 3: telling them what he was seeing. It was too much 188 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 3: for them, so they rushed him, took him outside the 189 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 3: city to be stoned, and there he was martyred. Stephen 190 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 3: became the first of many Christian martyrs that day, just 191 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 3: as Jesus had told the disciples before he ascended that 192 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 3: soon they would be taken where they did not want 193 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 3: to go, they would face persecution. Stephen was then led 194 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 3: to his death, and yet even in that moment, he 195 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 3: echoed the very words of Jesus from the Cross, Father, 196 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 3: forgive them receive my spirit when we face opposition and resistance, 197 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 3: or cancelation, even persecution and suffering for preaching the truth 198 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 3: of the Gospel. How are we going to react? How 199 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 3: will we respond? Will we be courageous and confident or 200 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 3: will we be cowardly? Will we keep sharing Christ no 201 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 3: matter the consequences. Will we bodally stand for Christ in 202 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 3: our generation? Will we see the glory of God and 203 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 3: experience the grace of God and share that with others 204 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 3: without compromise? 205 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: And what is our. 206 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 3: Attitude to those who hate the Gospel or the gospel 207 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 3: that we preach? Do we fight back? 208 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: No? 209 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 3: In Christ, we submit our lives to God's hand and 210 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 3: seek forgiveness, even for those who may oppose us and 211 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 3: could even hurt us. Stephen, in the midst of these 212 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 3: tragic circumstances, did not waver. He gave his life to 213 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 3: follow Jesus all the way to heaven. Finally, as we 214 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 3: closed out today's reading, we met a man who would 215 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 3: soon break onto the scene as the most fierce enemy 216 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 3: of Christ and the Church. A young man, a rabbit 217 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 3: rabbi by the name of Saul, who stood and watched 218 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 3: as Stephen was stoned, even held the garments of those 219 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 3: who stone them. He watched Stephen die. All hated the 220 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 3: followers of Jesus, and he was about to unleash a 221 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:07,599 Speaker 3: level of persecution that early believers had not yet experienced. 222 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 3: But nothing could stop the movement of God's spirit. Nothing 223 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 3: could stop the Church of Jesus Christ. And the next 224 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 3: time we'll hear how God worked through Philip to take 225 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 3: the good News to Samaria and even to the ends 226 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 3: of the earth. Let's pray together, Dear God, how we 227 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 3: thank you for the example of Stephen's courage. May our 228 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 3: faith be fearless. May we boldly proclaim the good News 229 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 3: of Jesus. May we live and stand for our faith 230 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 3: no matter what we may face. Give us your strength, 231 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 3: O God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, 232 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 3: may we live and die for you and for your glory. 233 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 3: In Jesus' name. Amen. Again, we thank you for listening 234 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 3: to the Bible in the Year podcast. I'm personally grateful 235 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 3: for the incredible response that we're receiving. As now twenty 236 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 3: three million and people have downloaded the Bible in a year. 237 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. I want to 238 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 3: encourage you to pass the podcast along to others by 239 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 3: telling people about what they can find at Prey dot 240 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 3: com and making prayer and Bible study and Christian living 241 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 3: a big, big part of their lives. If you enjoyed 242 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 3: this podcast, then share it with someone you know, and 243 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 3: I want to thank you for being with us each day. 244 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 3: And if you want more resources as to how you 245 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 3: can grow in your faith, how you can share your 246 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 3: faith and boldly stand fearlessly for the Lord Jesus Christ, 247 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 3: then visit Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham dot 248 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 3: org and there you will find resources for Christian growth 249 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 3: and maturity and witness. God bless you, and we look 250 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 3: forward to the next time together. 251 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 252 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: solution for christ to save money without sacrificing quality. Welcome 253 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: to the Pray News podcast, where hope is our only bias. 254 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: Each day, we'll unpack the most prominent stories happening in 255 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: the news and offer a Christian perspective. We won't shy 256 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: away from the hard topics, and we won't dilute the 257 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: hopeful message of Christ. This is more than a daily 258 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: brief on the news. It's a way to be informed 259 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: and transformed. Listen to Prey news on the iHeartRadio app, 260 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.