Thursday, February 8, 2007
Without Question
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. —Acts 8:26
Philip was used to lead others to Jesus because he was obedient. In Acts 8:26, we read that the Lord said to him, “Arise and go toward the south. . . . ”
How easily Philip could have argued with the angel who gave him these instructions from the Lord. Here was Philip in the city of Samaria. Revival was breaking out. Then an angel comes and says, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
It helps to know a little about the geography, the lay of the land. The angel was telling him to travel about 80 miles from where he was. If you were to make the trip today, you would hop in your car and be there in a little over an hour. But Philip had to walk. And 80 miles is a long walk. It would take days for him to reach his destination.
Note that the Lord didn’t say, “There are people waiting to hear the gospel.” He simply said, “Go to the desert.”
How easily Philip could have said, “Excuse me, but the apostles and the other believers in Jerusalem are at least 30 miles closer. Couldn’t You call one of them? I’m busy here. I’m not the only Christian around. Could You call on someone else?” Yet we don’t read of Philip saying anything like that.
Sometimes God will tell us to do things that may not make sense at the moment. But who are we to question the wisdom of God? That is why Philip was a man whom God could call on. Philip recognized that God knew exactly what He was doing.
Do you recognize that too?
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.
Copyright © 2007 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions,
