Category: Acts

Read Acts 8:26-40

What an interesting account. Philip had some help, didn’t he? First, he received an angelic message to go down a certain road. Then the Holy Spirit told him what carriage to walk by.  Later the Holy Spirit showed up and whisked him away. I wonder how many people have angelic visits and don’t realize it and possibly even miss an assignment from God. Philip was obedient, and God opened a beautiful opportunity for him to share the Gospel.

God can open opportunities like this for us, too. We need to be ready. We need to be listening. One of the reasons I call this devotional blog “BE STILL” is to remind us to listen for God. We can get so busy in our lives and so caught up in the noise of society. We often miss hearing the voice of God speaking to us. Had Philip not heard, the treasurer of Ethiopia would not have learned about Jesus and been baptized that day. I hate to think of how many people I’ve not told about Jesus because I was just too busy. Continue reading “Acts 8:26-40 – The Assignment”

Read Acts 8:9-25

Do you remember the game Simon Says? It often turned silly, but it was good practice for our listening skills when you think of it. How often do we just take off in our own direction without listening first? We hear today of a man named Simon who people had been listening to. He was a sorcerer. Because of is magic, people had been seeing him as “the Great One – the Power of God.” We know better, this power is not from God.

Thankfully, Philip was now in their midst talking about the “real” God, the only God, and they believed his message. Simon had opened their ears to listen, and now Philip was able to fill their ears with truth and baptize them. Even Simon himself was baptized. But there was something missing. Soon, Peter and John, the reinforcements, arrived. The new believers received the Holy Spirit with a  touch of their hands. Their blessing was now complete. There were now Spirit-filled believers in Samaria! The Christian movement was spreading! Continue reading “Acts 8:9-25 – Simon Says”

Read Acts 8:1-8

In our last reading we witnessed a dreadful tragedy we now learn Saul approved. We will learn more about Saul as we go forward. This is our first glimpse at a man who was full of evil. He believed he was good, working to maintain Jewish tradition.

Up to now, we have been hearing how the church was growing and people were being baptized in the Holy Spirit. The works of the apostles had been so positive, and the community was thriving. Then, everything changed with Stephen’s death. Fear gripped the people and they fled. Who knew that a madman of sorts, Saul, would rise up and begin his attempts to destroy the church. Satan was doing what Satan does best. He was keeping people from the truth, and he was using a man in power to do it. Continue reading “Acts 8:1-8 – Overcome Evil”

Read Acts 7:1-60

Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. His eloquent retelling of history was drawing them in, I’m sure. It not only was Stephen’s story, it was common to those who were questioning him. Stephen was building rapport with his accusers. For us, it helps us remember all the heroes of faith who have been used by God over time to bring us to this moment. It’s a nutshell sermon that God used to warm them up.

Stephen didn’t stop with Solomon and the building of the temple. He brought it to present time and started accusing his accusers. That took courage, but the Spirit had filled Stephen, and he couldn’t keep silent. Stephen’s words inflamed the Sanhedrin. They were beside themselves. Then Stephen started in with his own prophesying as he saw the glory of God before him. Jesus was standing there cheering him on. Continue reading “Acts 7:1-60 – Be Bold”

Read Acts 6:8-15

In our previous reading, we met Stephen. He was one of the seven Spirit-filled believers chosen to serve. He was chosen for his faith. Today, he is taking heat from the opposition. Usually when you think of opposition, it would be from those on a different side of an issue or belief system. Here it is other Jews that were trying to corner him. Have you ever felt like you were being ganged up on and bullied? It’s even worse when lies are spread without foundation.

The Spirit was with Stephen, and I’m sure the people were amazed at the wisdom Stephen spoke. They had to resort to being devious using others to lie and give false testimony. Why were these Jews so bothered by Stephen? What had he done to them? We may often ask those same questions and wonder what it was we have done to be receiving the ridicule or blame for things we have not done. Continue reading “Acts 6:8-15 – Lies, Lies, Lies”