They Know and Obey My Voice
Acts 8: 26 ~ 40
(Caps Used Herein are for Divine Emphasis)
26. And The Angel of The Lord Spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is Desert.
27. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to Worship,
28. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the Prophet.
29. Then The Spirit Said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the Prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31. And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32. The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before His shearer, so opened He not His Mouth:
33. In His Humiliation His Judgment was taken away: and who shall Declare His generation? for His life is taken from the earth.
34. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of Whom speaketh the Prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and Preached unto him Jesus.
36. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be Baptized?
37. And Philip said, If thou Believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I Believe that Jesus Christ is The Son of God.
38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he Baptized him.
39. And when they were come up out of the water, The Spirit of The Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way Rejoicing.
(We are always our happiest as we are Obedient and In The Spirit being Used by God connecting with Souls) :)
40. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
In a world that is ever changing before our very eyes, and, in the 'church world' that is rapidly doing the same, it is Wonderfully Refreshing to be 'Touched by our Bible examples of Christianity' in Acts. Divinity Rules here. Perspective.God's Holy Spirit ways. Hallelujah!
Now to the message for today. In this text we see in vs. 26, that The Angel of The Lord spoke to Philip with explicit direction as to where he was to go and 'as he obeyed', he saw and heard a man reading out of the Book of Isaiah.
God Himself was Personally involving Philip with another man's Destiny (the eunoch). From one leader to another.
A soul seeking answers, 'hanging in the balance' of Salvation. God sent who He Knew 'He could Trust to Spiritually teach His Word', lead this person to Himself.
Father always has a plan; HIS Divine Will and Time. He Orders Circumstances for His Outcome. Divine Intervention for His Holy Will to be Accomplished.
Here, it involved two men. One saved; one not (yet). Both were leaders who were Faithful in their particular vocation.
We see how Precious each soul is to Father God. Yes, He seeks us out, where we are, as we are, for His Truths to be Revealed and Embraced by 'whosoever will' come to Him in Faith. Wonderful Jesus.
I love the Heart of Philip ~ That he didn't hesitate or rebel. Rather, 'he ran' to ... He Knew and quickly obeyed God's Voice. (Jesus said: 'MY sheep Know My Voice and they Follow Me..)
Philip's approach to the eunoch was Lovingly gentle in question form. He asked if he understood what he was reading.
God Himself, by The Angel of The Lord, Commanded Philip. It was as he moved forth, that he came to the right place at the right time, with the very person God wanted him to 'Touch by His Spirit and Truths'. God's Purpose to be Fulfilled in each one of them. Hallelujah. In vs. 29, we see that The Spirit bid Philip further. Step by step he heeded God's leading.
Get that? First, The Angel of The Lord and now, The Spirit of The Lord, Spoke to Philip. He obeyed. God moved.
Does God work through people like this today? Yes. Such Divine Visitations as these plus dreams, visions, and spontaneous Spirit-filled insights, being caught away (see below) plus ~ can (do)..still come to 'whosoever will walk out their Faith in God' day-by-day. Those who 'Abide In Him' Follow His Leading.
Our Bible Christians each ~ had a True 'heart for God and souls'. Result? Their 'Holy fellowship bond as Beloved brethren'. Separate and together their 'busyness' was With God and Souls. Shine for Christ they did ... to the death, each one of them ... separate or together. Sold-out in their personal Relationship with Christ. Not held to 'things' in this world .... not 'of or governed by carnal ways'.
What Joy it is to partake of these dear Saints of God, our Beloved Brethren In The Lord, and 'their Worship of Father God'.
Today ~ The Holy Spirit leads us down the same paths in our 'walk with Christ'. What beautiful examples each of them were of Believers In The Faith'. These dear hearts were not Cumbered with 'Mixture' of 'Carnal fruits and Spiritual fruits'. Partakers of Holy Fellowship Together, they were.
Oh how they Inspire us today and for all time.
Such Stabile souls In Christ's Character with their 'hearts sold out' to merely Follow and Exalt Christ and His teachings.
Liberating souls from bondage Into Christ is their Fruit. Productive 'saints' building God's Kingdom.
After the eunoch's questioning of the Scripture that he'd been reading in Isaiah, Philip taught him about Jesus, his Savior. How He was The Living Son of God, The very Life-giving Fulfillment of Isaiah's Prophecy given many years before by The Holy Spirit.
He taught the eunoch what Jesus brought to us all.
Thus, hearing and Believing The Word of The Lord, the eunoch asked for and was Baptized. A Believer in Christ Jesus.
Philip's mission was completed for the eunoch's Salvation. What happened next? (vs.39) The Spirit of The Lord Caught him Away and they found Philip in another City. Wooooohoooo! Hallelujah! Is there ANYthing TOO hard for GOD?! No. :)
Dear reader, please don't make the grave error of limiting Father God in your own will, time and journey through this life. Only say Yes to HIM .... ALL the time, at any cost! Eternity is waiting for us all. Shalom.
Friday, June 24, 2016
The Beautiful Music Playing Today is Entitled, When I Need You
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