Stephen is recognized publicly in the church as a man full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. He is put in a position of leadership, but becomes known more for the great wonders and signs he was doing among the people. He ends up on trial in front of the Sanhedrin, and this time they can't handle the truth, and he becomes the first Christian martyr.
If you’re seeing a counselor, the idea is that you’ve called in someone to help you do something you are unable to do on your own. To help you. To intercede for you. An advocate that fights for you. That’s the word Jesus uses to describe the Holy Spirit. So, according to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is like having a perfectly wise Counselor, who knows everything about you and everything about God and his commands, his plan, and his will, which means he’ll only ever give you perfect advice, inside of you to help you live your life and obey Christ’s commands. You never need to schedule an appointment!
How would you fill in the blank in this sentence: "If I had ___________, my life would really sing"? We might be tempted to say the Sunday school answer: Jesus! But if the gospel is true, and you have been born again, you already have him! And yet it's pretty rare to hear someone say their life is really singing. So what is it that could make the difference?
When a stone mason begins building, he or she starts with one stone from which all the other stones are laid. As God is building believers into a spiritual house, there is one stone from which all the others derive purpose and significance.
Now that you have this marvelous gift of grace, the good news of Jesus, how do you live as a newborn child of God?