Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 1 Sep 2007

Today’s word of encouragement is taken from Acts 8, and the main point from this chapter can be broken to these two points. Firstly when God says Go, speak, move, we must obey. Secondly, we must pray that God will strategically bring the right people into areas where they can make the greatest impact for God’s kingdom. In the government, in business, in entertainment, in sports, in education, in arts, science, technology, and many more. When Philip was told to go south he obeyed God and was used strategically by God to influence an Ethiopian man who was an important official, holding a key position. Imagine what if God called you today to go, to talk to a stranger, would you go?
Acts 8:26, Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
For a moment imagine this, the life of this Ethiopian man is recorded in the Bible, because Philip like anyone of us chose to step out in faith and be used by God. Today, let us not only be challenged by God to step out in faith and Go! But we would also pray that God will bring the right people to influence men and women who hold key positions where they can make the greatest impact for God’s glory.