Divine Connection

Acts 8:26-35

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). God cares for all men, whether they do evil, or good. In fact, one of God’s most amazing and unappreciated characteristics is, His patience. Oftentimes, men take for granted, the time God grants them in the earth, but soon that time will expire.

King Solomon helps us understand, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3). God wants all men to submit themselves to His will and authority, so they can reap the best benefits of this life, and the next. Unfortunately, the world has become so corrupt to the point men, women, and children alike, are dying at unfathomable rates. Many pass away too soon, before they can even begin to enjoy the benefits that come with living a saved life. God the Father sees all, knows all, and desires that all come to Him, before their time is cut short. For this reason, the Spirit of God works through those who are attuned to His will, and joins them with others who diligently seek the truth of God’s Word. God is good, and His mercy endures forever, so all who have a strong desire to known Him, will indeed discover the depths of His unparalleled love, grace, and mercy.

Our text introduces a certain man; one who was of great authority, and served under queen Candace of the Ethiopians, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. While it may seem strange for an Ethiopian eunuch to seek worship in Jerusalem, tradition tells that king Solomon taught his religion to the queen of Sheba, who established it among her people. So it was only right for the man to travel to give honor to the God of the great king Solomon. As the man sat in his chariot, he struggled to understand the readings of the prophet Isaiah. It’s evident he had a desire for godliness, but couldn’t grasp its concepts. This was the perfect opportunity for God to connect a man seeking the truth, with another who understood and lived the truth.

During this time, persecution of the church had elevated to astounding rates (spearheaded by Saul, who had recently ordered the death of Stephen), yet the apostles and disciples of Christ continued to branch out to spread the Gospel to different lands. While watching the Ethiopian man from Heaven, struggling to understand the Word, God sent an angel to Philip, instructing him to get up, and go to Gaza. Not knowing the reason for the urgent request, Philip arose and did as he was instructed. When he arrived, the Spirit told Philip to join himself to the same chariot which the Ethiopian man sat upon. I’m certain God was smiling, as He observed the willing and obedient servant, approaching the chariot of someone seeking to know and abide by the truth. After Philip literally ran to meet the man, the Bible says, “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” (vs. 35).

God knows what we have need of, and He always has someone in place, to assist in whatever way possible. The Ethiopian man may have left his estate with questions, but I’m certain he arrived back home with more than he expected. Trust God to help you find answers to questions you may have concerning His Word, or life in general. When you seek God with all your heart, He’ll always send someone to help you gain a better understanding of those hard things you are unable to grasp.

Wanted: Christians

Acts 12:5-11

When Jesus had finally left the earth, His disciples had set their focus on carrying out His commands without hesitation. The great apostles began establishing the foundations of the first church, and made certain that the message of the Gospel was freely given to the Gentile nations as well. The church had all things in common, and when situations became a bit tense, effective prayer and communication easily resolved all issues.

The early church began to strive and thrive in the name of the Lord, but their zeal for God came at great cost. During the development of the church, not everyone was pleased to see it prosper. Certain of the synagogues were opposed to the teaching of the Gospel, for reasons centered around pride and ignorance, and the best way these men thought to hurt the church was to make an examples of its leaders. Stephen, an outstanding leader, teacher, and full of wisdom and the Holy Ghost, was the first to be martyred amongst the brethren. Soon after this tragic event, persecution against the church, which began in Jerusalem, caused the people to scatter abroad, throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. The apostles remained in Jerusalem, and made great lamentation over Stephen’s death.

Following Saul’s conversion and acceptance of God’s will for his life, the message of the Gospel was still being preached by the apostles, but after king Herod decided to add his name to the church oppression party, the apostles were listed at the top of his wanted list. In order to please the Jews, king Herod decided to first kill James, the brother of John. The disciples were obviously aware that the days Jesus had spoken of, were now being lived, and they prepared themselves to face what was to come.

Following the death of James, the wicked king sought to kill Peter next, so they arrested him, threw him in prison, and waited to bring him before the people to be executed. The church in America today, complains that times are hard for them, but they’ve never faced persecution as the disciples did. While in prison, Peter being placed between two soldiers, fell asleep. How could one sleep, knowing they would soon be executed? The Bible mentions that prayer was made without ceasing of the church that God deliver Peter, and He did! The same night Peter was asleep, an angel appeared, released him of the chains that bound him, then led him safely away from the prison. Peter thought he was seeing a vision, and didn’t realize until after his escape, he was set free. Wow! The Bible explains it like this, “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.” (vs. 11). Jesus had told Peter before, how he would die, but this was not his time.

Persecution is inevitable for the children of God, and we must be prepared to stand strong when that time comes. The devil hates God, and those who follow Him because we remind him of what he once had, and lost; fellowship and unity with the Father. Bible times are long gone, and the men who left us the example to follow already fulfilled their purpose, but now we must live ours, and hope to be as bold and firm as the men of old were.

Filled with grace

Acts 6:8-15

When a man knows who he is on the inside, it matters not what others do to try and defame his reputation, because his works will always defend his character. Aside from the twelve apostles who were chosen by Jesus, one of the most notable, and awe-inspiring men in Scripture is Stephen. Of the seven men chosen by the twelve apostles in the early church to attend to the tables where collections were received, and distributions to the people were rendered, Stephen was recorded as having contributed to the edification of the church body in major ways. He was a man full of faith, full of the Holy Ghost and power, and did great wonders and miracles among the people. This is interesting in that it reveals and confirms the truth of the promises and signs for all believers, not only apostles.

The more organized the early church became, the more the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied. What’s surprising is, even the priests were obedient to the faith. Many of these men were bitter enemies of Christ, yet they were also converted. This proved how powerful the gathering of the Saints was, and what a great miracle it was as well.

In all the good the early church brought forth, it wasn’t a surprise to discover that there were some who were motivated to stir up controversy. During the days of the early church’s prosperity and unhindered influence, there arose different groups of heretics, who sought only to silence the voices of God’s chosen vessels. These men even made attempts to hinder Stephen, as he continued to prosper in the works of the Lord, but they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Being full of the Holy Ghost, Stephen no doubt spoke truths that pricked the hearts of those who intended to block his purpose, thus causing them to falsely accuse him of speaking blasphemy against God. How low can you go, to lie and attempt to bring down a man who only does things good in the sight of God, and men? I’m convinced, along with sin, money has the power to make people stupid. These wicked men suborned others (make false charges; swear to do underhand work for money) and set up false witnesses to lie against Stephen, but no matter how far they went to falsely accuse him of wrongdoing, he yet appeared before the people as an angel, because God’s glory shined through his face to convince them that the words he spoke were true.

Being filled with God’s grace, believers today have the same power as Stephen did, to stand strong in the midst of persecution. Oftentimes we shy away from situations that could present potential conflict toward others, but when we spread God’s Word, it doesn’t matter who gets offended, as long as we do as God wills us to. When we stand firm on God’s Word, it’s then His duty to take care of us. Never fear the threats or other hostile actions men bring against you. Instead, trust that the God in you will show up and show out before all those who seek to bring you down.

Walk in love,

Ell