Monday's Devo - Stephen beget Saul

Read Acts 7
If you want to give someone a synopsis of the Old Testament this chapter is the ticket. Stephen takes us through the scriptures from
Abraham to Jesus showing the religious council how God has dealt with his people and how God's people have dealt with God. He was doing fine till he got to verse 51, then he lets them have it. They resist the Holy Spirit and are no different from the fathers who went before them. He reiterates what Jesus said about the religious leaders, they have the law but do not keep it. They have head knowledge but their hearts are far from God - hardened. They were pretty upset, but Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit looks up and God opens up heaven to him. He sees the glory of God and Jesus sitting next to him. When he tells them what he sees they go balistic and take him out of the city and stone him. They lay their clothes at the feet of young Saul, a Roman officer. Stephen dies calling upon Jesus to receive his spirit and forgiving his slayers.
The devil might have taken Stephen but it cost him dearly because God stole Saul from his camp and Saul carried on Stephen's ministry with even more boldness. Interesting that Saul started his ministry with the same vision Stephen left with.
When it looks like the devil has won...there is always the rest of the story. Jesus always triumps over sin. May we remember what God has done in the past and have faith for the future.