Lots to think about. Philip was eager to do what you told him to, and as a result, brought a eunuch into the family of God, who probably had a tremendous impact in his home town. The seven plagues were/will be intense! And I need to keep control of my tongue. Please help me take what I've learned today and apply it to the rest of the day. Thank you for your amazing faithfulness. You hear me and answer me. That's exciting!
Love,
Acts 8:26-40
Summary
So Philip goes on this journey to Gaza, yeah? And on the way, he meets a eunuch who is reading Isaiah where he's talking about Jesus--perfect timing (but how could it be otherwise? It's God, after all!). So Philip explains the passage and the eunuch then wants to get baptized. So they do it, and right after the eunuch comes out of the water and shows his new life to the world, Philip disappears. Like literally Apparates. The eunuch goes on home to tell everybody (even the queen) about Jesus.
Couple of things I want to point out:
when the Holy Spirit tells Philip to go up to the chariot where the eunuch was sitting, Philip RAN up to it. He didn't mosey his way over.
The eunuch was a very important man in Ethiopia, but he's a Jew, because he just went up to Jerusalem. Or, at least, he's a Gentile who is a part of Judaism. Or something.
The passage in Isaiah is so awesome in and of itself!
I'm not quite sure if Azotus is in Gaza or not, but it's definitely not in the heart of the area. So Philip never really makes it to his first destination--that was just for the eunuch. God's ways are mysterious and surprising.
Hebrews 11:3-7
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith we know that God created the earth. No matter what science says (though there is lots of evidence showing God created the earth). Sit and be still and be in awe of the power of our God. You can make the universe with a word. The. Universe.
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. Honestly, all this sacrifice stuff is a little over my head. I mean, I know that Abel did a lamb while Cain did vegetables, and blood's better than juice in God's opinion. But it's still a little confusing. All I can really think to take away from this is the fact that Abel showed the first example of what Jesus does for us.
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Have I mentioned that I love the person Enoch? I'm sure you're not sick of hearing that. Lord, help me learn how to live like Enoch, one who pleases you in all things.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Can you imagine building a HUGE boat in the middle of the desert? Now we are all his descendants because he did the crazy things. I've often wondered how all the animals could co-exist in a boat for that long. Obvious answer: God. Anyways, act when you've been warned.
Revelation 16
Wow. This is an intense chapter. It's all about the seven plagues. There's sores, blood instead of water (which the saints particularly like), major global warming, darkness, a dried up Euphrates and three frog-demons (how strange is that!), and finally, earthquakes and hail and thunder and lightning, and the earth is basically leveled--no mountains or islands. And this hail is some pretty heavy stuff.
And one verse stuck in all of this: 15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." Basically, there's no way to know what's coming next when. We need to be as ready as we can.
Proverbs 10
9 A man of integrity walks securely. That is a fabulous promise/fact. Doesn't mean he'll never have any trouble in life. But it does mean he's secure in the second life.
19When words are many, sin is not absent. If you just talk a lot, eventually you'll sin, because (as we learn in James) the tongue is basically the evil-est part of the body. So keep a hold on that. 31"a perverse tongue will be cut out." So keep it righteous.