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4. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.Acts 6:4, KJV. These 15 verses contain the growth of the church, the multiplying of disciples, and the dispute of the brethren, that a group of widows were being ignored. Today's verse expresses the Apostles' desire to remain in prayer and in the guidance of the Spirit, to continue to preach the Gospel of Christ. They appointed men of God, honest and trustworthy, filled with God's Spirit, to minister to the widows equally. One of these men is Stephen; he is full of faith and the Holy Ghost, who did great wonders and miracles among the people. And a group of men arose and disputed with Stephen, but they could not defeat the wisdom, nor the Spirit by which he spoke. And they set up false witnesses against him and brought him before the council, saying, he blasphemed Moses and God. All that sat on the council, looking at Stephen, saw his face, and it looked like the face of an angel. The lessons learned here: the church must care for both spiritual and practical needs. Practical tasks need qualified, Spirit-filled individuals, delegated to the needs that arise. Effective ministry often brings opposition, in lies and outside legal pressure. God's grace is powerful in the midst of injustice. Stephen was filled with the peace and glory of God, even while being attacked. God always wins, even when it looks like He has lost. Amen.