Intro to Acts 8:1b-8

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/30/2017 7:57 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Intro to Acts 8:1b-8

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 8:1b-8

            Message of the verses:  “And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.  4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.”

            John MacArthur entitles this 18^th chapter of his first half commentary on the book of Acts “The Persecuted Church Reaches Out,” and in his introduction he begins with telling a short version of the men who were killed on January 8, 1956 in the Ecuadorian jungle by the Auca Indians.  The story shocked the world as they look at this is a different way than the mature people who were a part of this tragedy, people like the wives and children who were left behind.  At this point I would like to quote a verse that I have been using to pray for the church in the Central African Republic who are and have been going through great persecution.  “But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation (1 Peter 4:13).”  Just as in the case of the people who thought this was a senseless tragedy in Ecuador so many people who read this verse from 1 Peter 4:13 cannot understand how believers can continue to rejoice at persecutions.  Joy is not an emotional feeling like being happy for we read in the book of Hebrews and chapter 12 and verse 2b “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  As you read the accounts from the gospel of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ you will find joy, but certainly not happiness.

            In this first part of our introduction to these verses I want to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary as he quotes from two of those who were greatly affected by what happened in Ecuador on that January morning of 1956.  We first will look at what Nate Saint wrote, who was the son of one of the martyrs. 

“As we weigh the future and seek the will of God, does it seem right that we should hazard our lives for just a few savages?  As we ask ourselves this question, we realize that it is not the call of the needy thousands, rather it is the simple intimation of the prophetic Word that there shall be some from every tribe in His presence in the last day and in our hearts we feel that is pleasing to Him that we should interest ourselves in making an opening into the Auca a prison for Christ.”  This quote came from Elisabeth Elliot’s book “Through Gates of Splendor.” 

            Next we look at another quote from this book and this time from the author, Elisabeth Elliot’s perspective.

“To the world at large this was a sad waste of five you lives.  But God has His plan and purpose in all things.  There were those whos lives were changed by what happened on Palm Beach.  In Brazil, a group of Indians at a mission station deep in the Mato Grosso, upon hearing the news, dropped to ther knees and cried out to God for forgiveness for their own lack of concern for fellow Indians who did not know of Jesus Christ.  From Rome, an American official wrote to one of the widows, ‘I knew your husband.  He was to me the ideal of what a Christian should be.’  An Air Force Major stationed in England, with many hours of jet flying, immediately began making plans to join the Missionary Aviation Fellowship.  A Missionary in Africa wrote:  ‘Our work will never be the same.  We knew tow of the men.  Their lives have left their mark on ours.’

“Off the coast of Italy, and American naval officer was involved in an accident at sea.  As he floated along on a raft, he recalled Jim Elliot’s words (which he had read in a new report): ‘When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.’  He prayed that he might be saved, knowing that he had more to do than die.  He was not ready.  God answered his prayer, and he was rescued.  In Des Moines, Iowa, an eighteen-year-old boy prayed for a week in his room, then announced to his parents:  ‘I’m turning my life over completely to the Lord.  I want to try to take the place of one of those five.’”

            In our next SD we want to look at the affects of what happened to lives after Stephen was slain for the cause of Christ, as there were many in Jerusalem who were affected by his death, both in good ways and also in bad ways.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Lord I desire to lift up to you this day those who are being persecuted in the Central African Republic that as they continue to be under severe persecution that You would be with them all in a special way to give them the courage they need in order to bring glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that in life of death God’s will, will be accomplished in their lives.  For those who are doing the persecution my prayer is that their eyes will be opened like you opened the eyes of Saul of Tarsus as we read about in the ninth chapter of the book of Acts, so they will realize that they are persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ and will repent of their wrongdoing. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I pray that the Lord will give me wisdom on what I am to bring up in our Sunday school class this coming Sunday as there are at this time many things that are rattling around in my head.

Memory verse:  Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Pharaoh” Exodus 5:2).

Today’s Bible question:  “Where did Jacob send his sons to buy corn?”

Answer in our next SD.

11/30/2017 8:40 AM