“Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8 NLT)

 

The Bible gives us several different examples of well-lived lives. One is found in Acts 6, in the story of Stephen, the first known Christian martyr. Though he did not live long, Stephen demonstrated several qualities that are necessary for a well-lived life—qualities that allowed him to be used powerfully by God.

First, he had a good reputation. Acts 6:3 says that Stephen was selected to lead a ministry because he was “well respected.” He had personal integrity. He fit the apostle Paul’s description in 1 Timothy 3:6–7: “A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap” (NLT). A well-lived life is marked by a good reputation.

Second, he was “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5 NLT). Stephen lived a Spirit-controlled life. He yielded to the working of the Holy Spirit every day. A well-lived life is one that faithfully follows the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Third, he was filled with wisdom, according to verse 3. We see his wisdom on display in Acts 7 as he quotes from Scripture in presenting the gospel to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council. Keep in mind that it’s possible to have knowledge and not wisdom. There are many very learned people who lack wisdom. They are unable to translate their knowledge into God-honoring application. A well-lived life is one that prioritizes wisdom.

Fourth, he was faithful in the little things. He diligently performed the tasks that were set before him without considering whether the jobs were “beneath him.” He was willing to humble himself and do whatever was necessary to accomplish God’s work. You can never be too small for God to use. Only too big. If you say, “I’m willing to do whatever you want me to do, Lord, and I will be faithful in that,” you’ll be amazed at what God will accomplish through you. A well-lived life starts at the bottom, from a human perspective.

Fifth, he looked for opportunities and seized them. Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. He was accused of blasphemy, but his real crime was serving the Lord faithfully. He surely understood that his life hung in the balance. But Stephen saw an opportunity to speak the gospel truth to people who needed to hear it. So, he seized the moment and delivered one of the most powerful sermons recorded in Scripture. The consequences didn’t matter to him; what mattered was the opportunity to serve Christ and share His message. A well-lived life is one in which opportunities are recognized and seized upon.

Luke, the author of Acts, described Stephen as being “full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:8 NLT). That is also the ideal description of a well-lived life.

 

Reflection question: Which quality of Stephen do you most want to strengthen in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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&ldquo;Stephen, a man full of God&rsquo;s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.&rdquo; (Acts 6:8 NLT)
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The Bible gives us several different examples of well-lived lives. One is found in Acts 6, in the story of Stephen, the first known Christian martyr. Though he did not live long, Stephen demonstrated several qualities that are necessary for a well-lived life&mdash;qualities that allowed him to be used powerfully by God.
First, he had a good reputation. Acts 6:3 says that Stephen was selected to lead a ministry because he was &ldquo;well respected.&rdquo; He had personal integrity. He fit the apostle Paul&rsquo;s description in 1 Timothy 3:6&ndash;7: &ldquo;A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.&nbsp;Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil&rsquo;s trap&rdquo; (NLT). A well-lived life is marked by a good reputation.
Second, he was &ldquo;full of faith and the Holy Spirit&rdquo; (Acts 6:5 NLT). Stephen lived a Spirit-controlled life. He yielded to the working of the Holy Spirit every day. A well-lived life is one that faithfully follows the Holy Spirit&rsquo;s leading.
Third, he was filled with wisdom, according to verse 3. We see his wisdom on display in Acts 7 as he quotes from Scripture in presenting the gospel to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council. Keep in mind that it&rsquo;s possible to have knowledge and not wisdom. There are many very learned people who lack wisdom. They are unable to translate their knowledge into God-honoring application. A well-lived life is one that prioritizes wisdom.
Fourth, he was faithful in the little things. He diligently performed the tasks that were set before him without considering whether the jobs were &ldquo;beneath him.&rdquo; He was willing to humble himself and do whatever was necessary to accomplish God&rsquo;s work. You can never be too small for God to use. Only too big. If you say, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m willing to do whatever you want me to do, Lord, and I will be faithful in that,&rdquo; you&rsquo;ll be amazed at what God will accomplish through you. A well-lived life starts at the bottom, from a human perspective.
Fifth, he looked for opportunities and seized them. Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. He was accused of blasphemy, but his real crime was serving the Lord faithfully. He surely understood that his life hung in the balance. But Stephen saw an opportunity to speak the gospel truth to people who needed to hear it. So, he seized the moment and delivered one of the most powerful sermons recorded in Scripture. The consequences didn&rsquo;t matter to him; what mattered was the opportunity to serve Christ and share His message. A well-lived life is one in which opportunities are recognized and seized upon.
Luke, the author of Acts, described Stephen as being &ldquo;full of God&rsquo;s grace and power&rdquo; (Acts 6:8 NLT). That is also the ideal description of a well-lived life.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: Which quality of Stephen do you most want to strengthen in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God&rsquo;s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from&nbsp;<a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/">Pastor Greg Laurie</a>, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.&nbsp;
*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

A well-lived life is built on a good reputation, the leading of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, faithfulness, and the willingness to seize the opportunities that come our way.

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