🙌It's the Friday Call to Worship!🙌

This week I read an obscure story with a familiar plot.

Ezra 4-6 recounts one episode of God's people returning from a 70-years exile. They faced immediate opposition in rebuilding the temple. Politics, persecution, and twisted truths made it seem there would never again be a place to meet with God. But an extraordinary plot twist came by decree. Enemy accusers received royal, irrevocable notice to stop opposing the temple rebuild. They would face their own demise if they did not also foot the bill and provide for temple sacrifices.

Hundreds of years later, similar politics, persecution, and twisted truths put the Son of Man on a cross. Death and darkness celebrated for three days - until Jesus Christ got up. We no longer have to go to a temple to meet God. He covered us with His righteousness and gave us His Holy Spirit.

Soon after, a Spirit-filled follower of Jesus was put on public trial. Instead of defending himself, Stephen preached the gospel to the enemies of Jesus, even praying for them while they stoned him.

Stephen's final sermon was delivered to Christianity's most vehement persecutor. "Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen's death," and he went on a mission to wipe the name of Jesus off the earth. (Acts 8:1) Instead, Saul encountered Jesus and became Paul - the man God commissioned to spread the gospel furthest, widest and loudest. The enemy tried to wipe out the gospel by stoning Stephen, but God amplified it exponentially - using evil's tactics as a launchpad for light.

The same warfare plays on the news and in our neighborhoods today, and it's just as devastating. An enemy will do anything to block us from Jesus. Faith in Jesus saves us. Worship-filled lives can lead others to salvation too. The enemy doesn't win.

You are called and equipped for such a time as this. Worship Jesus with your whole heart, soul and mind.

Listen to Phil Wickham's "Song of the Saints".