The Acts passages I enjoyed this morning showed me individuals heeding the call of the Spirit. Now that's exciting stuff! When folks heed the Spirit, though, they do some unusual things.
There was Phillip who heard God say, "Leave this busy ministry and head out to the desert." There was a man there--a powerful man who had the heart for God. He had been to Jerusalem but knew there was 'more to the story.' The Spirit had prepared him; Philip obeyed...and it is believed that the eunuch launched the dynamic church of North Africa from this event.
Then there was Saul. The Spirit called him to take everything he had built his life on...and toss it aside to build on Jesus Christ. From a persecutor of Christians to the slave of Christ, this man wrote the bulk of the New Testament! Or how about the Spirit's instruction to Ananias? "Go see that guy who has been killing Christians; He's my chosen servant." Eeek! Aren't you glad these individuals listened to the Spirit?
Do we remember He talks with us too? I get so caught up in my soul...the burdens of my heart, the things of my mind and my own 'I wants' that I can be deaf to the Spirit. I want to listen and obey with all my heart.
Before I leave you, we should look at the reality of living only with knowledge and without the Holy Spirit. In 'Christianese' we often speak of the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. The Spirit must prepare hearts and process knowledge for true conversion. In Samaria, a place which speaks to me of truth intermingled with error, many responded to Phillip's message. They believed in their heads but their hearts were not engaged. Faith is a heart thing...what we know must become the basis for how we live. The Lord is patient with us; what we really trust and seek will become evident. Renewing our minds is the way to transformation...but the Word without the Spirit is a sad state. Don't settle for knowledge; ask the Spirit to reveal a step of faith that will move you forward. A step that takes what you know and walks out on it!
There was Phillip who heard God say, "Leave this busy ministry and head out to the desert." There was a man there--a powerful man who had the heart for God. He had been to Jerusalem but knew there was 'more to the story.' The Spirit had prepared him; Philip obeyed...and it is believed that the eunuch launched the dynamic church of North Africa from this event.
Then there was Saul. The Spirit called him to take everything he had built his life on...and toss it aside to build on Jesus Christ. From a persecutor of Christians to the slave of Christ, this man wrote the bulk of the New Testament! Or how about the Spirit's instruction to Ananias? "Go see that guy who has been killing Christians; He's my chosen servant." Eeek! Aren't you glad these individuals listened to the Spirit?
Do we remember He talks with us too? I get so caught up in my soul...the burdens of my heart, the things of my mind and my own 'I wants' that I can be deaf to the Spirit. I want to listen and obey with all my heart.
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