Kyle C. Statham
Welcome to the Triple Hares Weekly devotion. We hope these devotions will provide spiritual stability for you and your family, providing you with encouragement to help you through your week.
This first devotion was inspired by a church sermon that I heard from Pastor Sturm, at New Life Church, in Corpus Christi, TX. If you are ever visiting the beach or stationed in Corpus I encourage you to check his church out. They provide excellent child care and have a devoted group of men and women that offer a variety of uplifting services.
Acts 6:1 - 7:60
To give a brief over view of this passage, and provide little context of what is going on:
The Church of Acts, the First Church to be established after Christ ascended into Heaven, is faced with a ministry crisis. The widows of the church were lacking in food, and the Jewish society excluded the Christian widows from any type of assistance. The leaders of the church were vastly overwhelmed with ministries and administrative tasks, and decided to select seven leaders to build a ministry to oversee the food distribution of the Christian widows.
Stephen was one of these selected. He saw a need and wanted to be apart of fixing that need. Years go by and the ministry flourishes. Stephen is no longer just a bread delivery boy, but a minster of Gods Word, preaching everywhere he goes, seeing multitudes turn to Christ. He became so big that when the Jewish leaders wanted to make an example of someone in the Christian church, they chose Stephen. The Jews framed him and brought him to trial before the Jewish leadership. Stephen was able to boldly proclaim Christ, and demonstrated through Jewish history that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for. The Jews became upset with Stephen, specifically after he basically accuses the Jews of killing their Messiah.
Stephen did not necessary have a happy ending. He was stoned to death, but not before seeking Gods forgiveness for the Jews. Stephen became one of the great Martyr’s of the Christian faith, and his death has been used to lead countless souls to Christ. Stephen did not know that a simple ministry of feeding widows would turn into God using his life to inspire generations to turn from sin and join God. We need to be like Stephen leaping at the smallest callings God places upon our hearts, and see where God leads them.
I don't believe Billy Graham started preaching believing that he would become one of the most popular evangelical preachers in the World, influencing world leaders and turning millions to Christ. Casting Crowns, began as a small worship band turning their youth sermons into songs to relate better with their congregation. They had no idea that God would take their small little worship band and turn it into the number one leading Christian Rock band. Their music and ministry has healed the souls of thousands and have led even more to Christ.
Dr. Jerry Falwell, started a small little college on a mountain, he had no money, but he knew God was calling him to build a school where Christians could go, grow in their faith, and earn a solid education. Today Liberty University is the largest christian university in the world, and through their efforts are seeing Christians placed in every business field in the world. They are literally helping to create influential christians who are actively changing the world.
Our prayer for Triple Hares is that God will take our ministry of helping the spouses and families of our veterans and turn it into a great outreach for his Kingdom. We never know what God has planned for the passions he places in our lives, and our imagination is not nearly sophisticated enough to understand his purpose. We can only take the leap of faith, be obedient to him, and make the most of the opportunities he has given us. If we are faithful to do as he instructs us, then he will see his will to completion for his Kingdom. 2 Thessalonians 3: 3, Philippians 4: 19, Romans 8: 28, 1 Thessalonians 5: 23-24
Below I am going to post some questions to guid your reflection. These are the same questions I asked myself after hearing this message and further studying it on my own. I encourage you to keep a journal and periodically reflect upon these answers and see where your life has taken you since.
Has God burdened you with a mission, ministry or calling?
Have you been obedient in following God into this calling, or have you let doubts, fears, and uncertainty hold you back?
Have you shared your calling with anyone else?
Are you actively praying for God’s calling to be revealed to you, or for his strength to prepare you for his calling? Are you having others pray for you as well?
What can you be doing on a daily bases to prepare for God’s calling?
God burden me with a ministry to serve our spouses and families. When I first felt this calling I made every excuse in the book to delay it. It was only after I began praying about it, telling my wife and friends about this calling that I discovered that this calling was something shared among many of us. Now as a team we are taking the challenge of God’s calling upon our lives, and praying that he gives us the strength and knowledge we need to (not screw it up to bad), and to trust in his faithfulness to see it succeed.
If you would like to talk more about this particular devotion, seek prayer, feeling called to the Triple Hares Ministry, or are seeking assistance in your calling, please leave us a comment on our Triple Hares Ministry main Page.
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