Thursday: July 11, 2013

READ: Acts 8

THINK: In 1947, the astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was scheduled to teach an advanced seminar at the University of Chicago. He was living in Wisconsin at the time and doing important research but agreed to drive the 100 miles twice a week to teach. The professor carried on with his plans, even though only two students enrolled in the course. He gave them his best, and ten years later these two students won the Nobel Prize in physics, rewarding Dr. Chandrasekhar’s work. Dr. Chandrasekhar himself won the award in 1983.

It seem to make sense at the moment but that prove their worth later in history. The Holy Spirit’s command to Philip to leave Samaria and go down to the desert might fall under that category. He was at the center of a magnificent revival in a city of Samaria (Acts 8:4-25) when the order came. He was one of the believers scattered by persecution in Jerusalem as Saul stirred up fierce opposition against the church.

The Spirit was doing such a wonderful work in Jerusalem and the church was growing at an almost unbelievable rate. And the God determined that it was time for the Word to go to the ends of the earth. He allowed persecution to arise, scattering the disciples. Then the Spirit commanded Philip to head south, out into the middle of nowhere. It was there that Philip met the reason for his trip, the Ethiopian official whose heart was open to the gospel and, through him, helped carry the gospel into a new area of the world.

Even then, the Spirit wasn’t finished with Philip, catching him away and sending him on another preaching tour (Acts 8:39-40). Philip is another great example of what one believer can do when he or she is willing to be used by the Lord. (Acts 6:3). Is there anything happening in your life that can only be explained as the Holy Spirit working within you? God is eager to use you!

PRAY: Ask God to use you to spread the gospel in your world.