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"SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD WITH POWER" "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." (Acts 7:55-56)My heart is always stirred every time I read the 7th Chapter of Acts. We find the account there concerns a mighty man of God by the name of Stephen. Stephen was one of the first deacons, and wow, what a powerful witness he was for the Lord Jesus! When he spoke, he spoke with power. His sermons about Christ the Messiah would leave a group of angry Jews speechless. But you know what those Christ rejecters had the gall to do after they heard Stephen one day? They rounded up a bunch of loud-mouthed liars to give false testimony against Stephen accusing that Spirit-filled "Preachin' Deacon" of speaking against the Law and the Temple. If you and I would have been there that day in that kangaroo courtroom, I'd like to think that we would have jumped to our feet screaming "Perjury! Perjury!" So how did Stephen respond to these lying tongues when he took the stand? Well, he began by giving them a history lesson. He reminded them that God had spoken through the prophets saying God did not live in buildings. Then he reminded them that their forefathers had always killed God's messengers just as they had killed the One that Moses had predicted would come to them.In a fit of rage, like these nothing-better-to-do protesters we see today, they bodily dragged Stephen out to stone him and gnashed on him with their teeth while spewing their hateful spit. But Stephen had a Vision of Victory. It was a vision of Jesus standing to welcome him to Heaven. Now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, the place of Power and Authority, but in verse 56, Jesus stood that day to receive His faithful witness. What a scene that must have been!In verse 60, Stephen's last words on Earth were to his now standing Saviour. As he kneeled down, he cried with a loud voice, "...Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." O, what a Christ-like prayer that was! In Luke 23:34, we see that which was a similar plea Jesus had requested of the Father as He hung on the Cross. Stephen had boldness alright. He was one of Glory's Giants! He didn't back down like a little scaredy cat when threatened, he used it as an opportunity to witness for the Lord. Many people we see today are living in a careless disregard for the God that made them. They ignore His sacrifice at Calvary as if it were nothing at all. We need that holy boldness which Stephen had to speak the Truth in love and without fear. Did Stephen's final sermon on forgiveness touch any hearts? Yes, I believe it did! In the very first verse of the next Chapter, we learn that Saul/Paul was consenting unto the death of Stephen. But that ole former murderer of God's people would one day see the light on the road to Damascus and later become the Apostle to the Gentiles. What a wonderful story of how the Gospel was spread back then! The Saviour touched Stephen, who touched Saul, who would later touch millions for Jesus.Friends, like Stephen, when we stand up and speak boldly for Christ, God's Word will do His Work and accomplish His Will.