The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 8:4-8,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.”
As the gospel message began its march from Jerusalem out to the rest of the world, Samaria was its next destination. As Jesus gave direction prior to his ascension into heaven, he said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Now, following the proclamation of the gospel in Jerusalem on Pentecost and the days following, at the temple and to the Sanhedrin, and the nation, the gospel moved on to Samaria.
I note the Lord provided a great persecution in Jerusalem to help scatter the believers with the gospel message. He also provided well equipped folks, like Philip, who were instrumental and effective in proclaiming the message. Miraculous signs: paralytics and cripples were healed and evil spirits were driven out of many. The Lord also provided the approval, endorsement and authority of the new fledgling community of believers in Jerusalem to the gospel message, in the sending of key leaders, Peter and John, to Samaria.
This is what I see in this passage: God provides! Despite whatever our agenda is in this life from day to day, God has his own agenda of having the gospel proclaimed to the world. Here we see clearly how he provides in the accomplishment of it. He has chosen to carry on his purposes in a fascinating collaboration with believers, using them as the vehicle to take his message to the world and providing them with all they needed to accomplish just that, and sometimes in surprising ways.
How wonderful our Lord has decided to include us in his purposes, to make us his partners in what he is doing in the world. And what is even more wonderful, is the many ways in which he provides us all we need to accomplish what he desires in the proclamation of his gospel message!
As the gospel message began its march from Jerusalem out to the rest of the world, Samaria was its next destination. As Jesus gave direction prior to his ascension into heaven, he said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Now, following the proclamation of the gospel in Jerusalem on Pentecost and the days following, at the temple and to the Sanhedrin, and the nation, the gospel moved on to Samaria.
I note the Lord provided a great persecution in Jerusalem to help scatter the believers with the gospel message. He also provided well equipped folks, like Philip, who were instrumental and effective in proclaiming the message. Miraculous signs: paralytics and cripples were healed and evil spirits were driven out of many. The Lord also provided the approval, endorsement and authority of the new fledgling community of believers in Jerusalem to the gospel message, in the sending of key leaders, Peter and John, to Samaria.
This is what I see in this passage: God provides! Despite whatever our agenda is in this life from day to day, God has his own agenda of having the gospel proclaimed to the world. Here we see clearly how he provides in the accomplishment of it. He has chosen to carry on his purposes in a fascinating collaboration with believers, using them as the vehicle to take his message to the world and providing them with all they needed to accomplish just that, and sometimes in surprising ways.
How wonderful our Lord has decided to include us in his purposes, to make us his partners in what he is doing in the world. And what is even more wonderful, is the many ways in which he provides us all we need to accomplish what he desires in the proclamation of his gospel message!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
