THURSDAY - JULY 2

Read. Acts 8:1b-3
At that time, the church in Jerusalem began to be subjected to vicious harassment. Everyone except the apostles was scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 Some pious men buried Stephen and deeply grieved over him. 3 Saul began to wreak havoc against the church. Entering one house after another, he would drag off both men and women and throw them into prison.

Reflect. The death of Stephen began a time of harassment and opposition to the church. The apostles (the original 12 followers of Jesus) stood firm in Jerusalem,  everyone else dispersed. Recall Acts 1:8, when Jesus told his followers that they would be “witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Perhaps God uses this time of oppression for the witness of Jesus to spread just as Jesus had predicted. 

• The Jesus followers who fled Jerusalem were basically refugees, and there were thousands of them. They left their homes, their families, their jobs searching for a safe place to follow Jesus and share his love. Imagine you were one of these refugees. What is your faith like to make this step? Are you fearful? What about your home, where will you live? What about your family that doesn’t follow Jesus? Take a moment and write a letter to a friend telling them about your experience.

Pray. Loving God, today I pray for those Christians around the world who suffer because of their faith. Give them the strength of the apostles and cover them with your spirit of hope and love. Amen.

COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST

Doug. Bobby. Collier. Glenn. Adam.  Mary.  Clyde.  Linda. Betty Carolyn. Jeff. Albert. Richard. Lois. Ross. Tiny. Donald. Bill. Barbara. Andreas. Helen. Bonnie Brenner. Baker Family. Robert McKenzie Family. Terry Kibler. Carolyn Harlow. Jeremy. Jeff Green. Lyric. Earl Graves. Gail & Mickey Huff.