”Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Acts 8:4New International Version (NIV)
Acts 8:4 Devotional
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went
Acts 8:4 reveals that “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went“. And the verses that follow exemplify or testify about Philip in particular. The verses reveal that courtesy of Saul’s persecution of the Church, Philip “went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there” with signs, that there was joy there.
Storms
What storms are you facing in life? Maybe you are facing storms in your marriage or your relationships, in your business, at school, at work, etcetera. The reality is that there are always storms to face in life. But how you face them is what matters.
The Eagle
The eagle is quite a fascinating bird. One particularly intriguing fact about the eagle is its behavior during a storm.
When a storm sets in, the eagle is the only bird that flies straight into the storm. It sets its wings against the strong winds and lets the torrents propel it higher. Then it rests its wings and lets the storm carry it while it soars. And what the eagle ends up doing is “riding on the storms”.
Therefore, while other birds run from the storm and hide in the trees, the eagle sees the same as an opportunity to soar higher. And indeed, the eagle soars at the highest altitude in a storm.
Consequently, just like the eagle, do not let the storm ride over you. Instead, ride on the storm. Let it propel you higher and take you to another level because every storm you face is actually a gateway to another level in your life.
Moreover, when you go through the storm you come out stronger, wiser, and better than how you were before the storm came along. You discover new strengths (graces) that you never even thought you were capable of (had), you learn new strategies on how to overcome difficulties, and you become stronger!
Riding the storm
Therefore, the believers in the book of Acts (8:1-8) are a great example of ‘riding on the storms’. They faced fierce persecution for preaching the gospel – they were flogged, locked up in prisons and some were even killed for this.
Consequently, the early believers had to run and were scattered all over, away from their families and homes. They however used this as an opportunity to preach the gospel wherever they went. That is how the gospel began to spread widely.
Additionally, God used persecution to spread His gospel. That is, God allowed the first Christians to suffer so that as they escaped suffering in their domiciles, they would take the gospel to where they went to seek refuge.
Prayer/Blessing/Exhortation
The disciples of Jesus faced violent storms. But they let these storms take them to another level in their ministry.
So when the storms of the life of faith come fiercely upon you, spread your wings and ride on them. The stronger the storm, the higher you will soar!
Daily Bible Reading
Matthew 27-28 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
