Faithfulness and obedience accept the role God has called us to and fulfills it to the best of our ability.

Faith and obedience enable us to fulfill our part of God‘s perfect plan

Heb 11:1 (ESV)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Act 7:1-7

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Act 7:1 (ESV) And the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

What things?

Act 6:13-14 (ESV)

13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,

14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”

Stephen didn’t address the false accusations but took the opportunity to use the very “law” they accused him of being against to point to Christ.

Stephen was faithful and obedient to present the gospel message he had been commissioned to give.

Be who God calls you to be.

Stephen walked boldly down the path to his martyrdom without hesitation. This is what God called him to and he embraced it without hesitation.

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Act 7:2 (ESV) And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

Act 7:3 (ESV) and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’

God called Abraham to leave his birthplace and his family and go to an unknown place. God rarely leads toward comfort and the status quo.

Abraham was faithful and obedient even though he was being called to an unknown place.

Be who God calls you to be.

Change is uncomfortable but realize that He is about transforming us.

Rom 12:1-2 (ESV)

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Be who God calls you to be.

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Act 7:4 (ESV) Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living.

Act 7:5 (ESV) Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child.

Abraham had a part in God’s plan but it wasn’t to possess the land. Abraham fulfilled his part - he was obedient AND satisfied with the role God called him to.

Obedience is doing that which you are called to do and not reaching for more or getting distracted by other things.

Be who God calls you to be.

Abraham was the father of faith. He acted and lived out his entire life without ever seeing that which God had promised - possession of the promised land.

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Act 7:6 (ESV) And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.

Act 7:7 (ESV) ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’

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God’s Narrative will be played out. Seek to know and understand what He is calling you to do and pursue it wholeheartedly!

God takes the Israelites thru this process of slavery before He brings them to the promised land for HIS purpose. Was this punishment? NO! God had purpose in doing it so his name would be glorified!

Be who God calls you to be.

Embrace all that God brings into your life as opportunity to trust Him more for the things that you CANNOT see!