Standing for God's truth isn't always easy, and we can see this clearly in the life of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit, empowered to perform miracles and defend the truth with great wisdom. But standing for the truth often brings opposition. The religious leaders couldn't handle his boldness, so they accused him of blasphemy, stirring up false charges to silence him. Just like Stephen, when we stand for the truth of God's Word today, we may face lies, opposition, or even rejection.

What’s powerful about Stephen’s story is that, in the midst of his greatest trial, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. While Scripture often speaks of Jesus sitting at God's right hand, in this moment, Jesus stood to honor Stephen’s faithfulness. This is a reminder to us that Jesus always stands with those who stand for Him. Even when the world turns against us, we are not alone. Jesus is with us in our trials, and He sees our faithfulness.

We should expect challenges when we stand for Christ, but we must not lose heart. Just like Stephen, we are called to speak the truth in love, even when it costs us something. The world may resist the truth, but our reward is not from this world — it’s from Jesus Himself.

So let us keep our eyes on Him, knowing that He stands with us and will one day welcome us home with open arms.

Just a thought,

Pastor Steve