Monday 2-1-16 (Home in Modesto,
California)
Scripture reading for today: Exodus
30 – 32 Acts 8
S=Scripture O=Observation
A=Application P=Prayer SOAP for the soul.
S. Acts 8:26-29 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying,
"Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from
Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a
man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the
Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to
worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the
prophet. NKJV
O. Philip was
preaching and working miracles in Samaria. Many people were being added
to the church and after the arrival of Peter and John these new converts
received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now an angel came to Philip to call
him away from this successful ministry to another location. What follows
seems to me to be Philip doing the work of an angel. He obeys the Spirit
and closes in on a chariot of a man of high authority in Ethiopia. He
leads this hungry heart to Jesus, takes him down into a pool of water and
baptizes him and suddenly disappears. As far as this Ethiopian was
concerned he probably felt that he had been visited by an angel. The word
for “angel” in Greek can also be translated “messenger”. Certainly Philip
fit that description.
A. But why would God sent
an angel “messenger from heaven” to do ask an “earthly messenger”, a man of God
to do the work of an angel? These early disciples were learning their
roles. They would each become “messengers of God” sent to speak into the
hearts of hungry sinners... even religious sinners.
I am reminded of a trip in Argentina when I took a
wrong turn and ended up on some disappearing cow trail alongside a fence in the
pampa fields. Finally the trail led me to a little village with a service
station. I stopped to buy gas and ask directions. I was in a
hurry. I was going to arrive late for a meeting with a pastor. The
station attendant saw my Bible and asked who I was. He begged, “Oh!
Pastor, maybe your can help me. I don’t know how to get the victory over
my sins!” I suddenly realized I was not lost. God had directed me
to a hungry heart. I entered the service station with my Bible and led
this man to a glorious experience with Jesus. When I left that village on
a bumpy, dirt road, I was pouring tears... thanking God that He had led me to a
hungry heart.
P. Dear Lord Jesus,
sometimes I feel like I am just spinning my wheels... like I am lost.
What am I doing out here in the middle of nowhere? But so often I find
that You have a master plan. I am not lost. I am just on an angelic
mission to reach another lost soul. Help me to always welcome your
“angelic missions” and even when I feel lost, and to rest assured that Your
Holy Spirit is guiding me to some hungry, lost soul. Amen
Ralph
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