Providentially Led by the Spirit (Acts 8:26-40)

God providentially ordained a divine rendezvous. God told a certain man (Philip) to go to a certain place (a desert road) to meet another certain man (Ethiopian eunuch) in a certain carriage who is reading a certain OT book (Isaiah), a certain chapter (ch. 53) and a certain verse (vs. 7-8). God was creating a co--incidence. It's how most people come to Christ.

It's how God brought me to faith: God led me in 1980 from a certain place (M'sia, S'pore) to a certain country (US), a certain city (Chgo) and to a certain hospital (CCH/John Stroger) to meet another certain man (John Lee) at a certain building in the hospital (CCH cafeteria), who was likely praying a certain prayer (Lord, help me raise disciples for Christ), to ask him a certain question (How can I become a missionary?) so that he can teach me a certain OT book (Genesis) that led me to a certain verse (Gen 2:17), which led to my very unlikely but certain conversion in Christ. It was a co--incidence. Unbeknownst to me, God interrupted my life without telling me and completely turned my life around 180 degrees. Do you have a certain story to tell of a certain place in your life when a certain person met you and taught you a certain book of the Bible resulting in a certain change in your life?

Questions and Verses

1. Who were the first non-Jewish converts outside of Jerusalem (Ac 8:12, 17, 25)? [Who was the first Gentile convert (Ac 8:35-39)? Why was this important (Ac 1:8)?]
2. Does life just seem rather random to you? Or do you "see" yourself being providentially led by God?
3. Are you more like Philip (Ac 8:26,29) and Abraham (Gen 12:1-3) or like Jonah (Jonah 1:1-3)?
4. Are you willing to drop anything in order to go anywhere at any time to tell any person the good news about Jesus?
5. Jesus did not open his mouth to save himself (Ac 8:32; Isa 53:7). Will you open your mouth to proclaim him?
6. Like Philip, are you always ready to share "the good news about Jesus" (Ac 8:35)? How can you be ready (1 Pet 3:15; 2 Tim 4:2; 2:15; 1 Cor 2:7-10, 14; Gal 5:16, 18, 25; Jn 4:24; 6:63; Mt 4:4; 24:35)?
7. What do people need in order to understand the Scriptures (Ac 8:31, 34-35; Lk 24:25-27)?
8. Are all Christians called to be witnesses of Christ (Ac 1:8) and to make disciples (Mt 28:19)? How can we (Mt 28:20)?

• Always be prepared. "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Pet 3:15).
• Be prepared in season and out of season. "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Tim 4:2).
• Do your best. "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15).
• Only through the Spirit. "No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: 'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (1 Cor 2:7-10). "The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit" (1 Cor 2:14).
• Walk, be led, live, keep in step with the Spirit. "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Gal 5:16). "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" (Gal 5:18). "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" (Gal 5:25).
  
• Worship in spirit. "God is Spirit, and his worshippers must worship in Spirit and in truth" (Jn 4:24).
• Listen and obey the word of God. "The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life" (Jn 6:63). "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" (Mt 4:4). "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away" (Mt 24:35).
• The Scriptures need to be taught and explained. "He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Lk 24:25-27).

3 types of eunuchs. "For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it" (Mt 19:12).

How's your heart, courage and faith?

The Profound and Sublime Longing of Every Person

Value What Is Unseen and Internal

"Do not value any external thing too highly, even if it were to seem very precious to you. Let go of yourself, and abide with Me continually. Entrust everything to Me and do nothing on your own, and you will always have great freedom of spirit. No circumstances or events will ever be able to upset you. Set little store on what people say. Let everyone judge you as they like. Do not make excuses for yourself, it will do you no harm. Give away everything at the first sign of a demand, even if they were the most necessary things. Do not ask for anything without consulting Me. Allow them to take away even what is due you – respect, your good name – let your spirit rise above all that. And so, set free from everything, rest close to My Heart, not allowing your peace to be disturbed by anything. My pupil, consider the words which I have spoken to you." St. Maria Faustyna Kowalska, Polish Catholic religious sister and mystic. Born: August 25, 1905, Died: October 5, 1938.

Do You Truly Know Yourself?

"You judge me, O Lord, for, although no one 'knows the things of a man but the spirit of man which is in him,' there is something further in man which not even that spirit of man which is in him knows. But you, Lord, who made him, know all things that are in him. Although I despise myself before your sight, and account myself but dust and ashes, yet I know something of you which I do not know about myself. In truth, 'we see now through a glass in a dark manner,' and not yet 'face to face.' … Let me confess, then, what I know about myself. Let me confess also what I do not know about myself, since that too which I know about myself I know because you enlighten me. As to that which I am ignorant of concerning myself, I remain ignorant of it until my 'darkness shall be made as the noonday in your sight.'" —St. Augustine.

Matthew 6:33 (2023)

I. Joy.

In 2022 I don't remember why I chose "Be joyful always" (1 Th 5:16) as my KV for the first time in 40 yrs. But I do know that no matter what happens or no matter what does not happen I MUST have joy in my heart and soul. I'll start with joyful events.

The joy of studying and preaching Exodus for the first time in 2022. In brief, all people need only 3 things without which we will still be enslaved by someone or something and are no different from the slaves oppressed by Pharaoh in Egypt:

1. Deliverance (Exo 19:4; 20:2). We need a Savior (Mt 1:21). No one can save themselves. I need salvation to "be joyful always."
2. Obedience (Exo 19:5; 20:3-17). We need to obey the Law (Jn 14:15) to be happy. I need to obey God "be joyful always."
3. Tabernacle (Exo 25:8; 29:44-46). We need a tabernacle for God to dwell with us (Jn 1:14). I must build my tabernacle to "be joyful always."

In 2023, no matter what, the only 3 things I need--deliverance/salvation, obedience/Law, tabernacle--do not change one iota.

The most joyest event in 2022 is when Johnny, my youngest and 7th grandchild, was born on 2/13/2022. Christy and I baby sit him 3 days a week, 6 hours each day. It is the first time in my 6 decades of life that I've spent so much time with a baby, since I hardly spent any time with our own 4 kids and 6 prior grandchildren when they were babies. But by enjoying baby Johnny 3 days a week I realized that I had missed 10 previous opportunities to enjoy lovely babies.

Next, though this was a loss for our Podil members, it was a happy surprise that John and Maria became a part of our WL church community in mid 2022. Dasha tells me that WL stole John and Maria from them. At the end of 2022 we also celebrated the joyous white wedding of Sarah Gutierez. Finally, what is always joyful all year round without exception is knowing your prayer, love and support for me, despite my many shortcomings and sins. But things happened in 2022 that I was quite sad and sorry about, yet God wants me to never lose my joy in Him.

Departure of friends. When people leave the church after many years or even decades, I feel that I've lost some friends that I at least see every Sunday at church. And if they left the church because of me, I'm sorry that I said things that caused them to leave. Despite the departure of some long standing older and younger people, I know that God has comforted and helped me to keep my heart and to "be joyful always" only because of Christ.

Indicted for a criminal offense. In mid-December half a dozen FBI agents came to my house unannounced to arrest me in hand-cuffs at 7:15 am for committing health care fraud. Without going into detail about the charges, it completely surprised me. It's the first time I've ever been hand-cuffed as a potentially dangerous criminal. I was in detention with leg chains for a day with 2 other convicted felons in the same jail cell, and I was released on bond to be tried at a later date. If found guilty my maximum sentence is 10 years in prison + a fine of up to $500,000. This waiting for a jury trial and their verdict is uncomfortable and distressful with many unknowns. But my key verse says, "be joyful always." I learned practically that joy is a choice which has nothing to do with my situation or circumstances. Even Jesus saw the joy set before him while being tortured, crucified and executed on the cross (Heb 12:2). So "be joyful always" is still a great KV for 2023.

Why did this happen? I've been praying that God would sanctify and purify me to be more like Jesus. So, without a doubt God is faithful to answer my prayer. Would you also pray for yourself for God to truly sanctify and purify you?

II. Because of the possibility and prospect of being found guilty and sent to jail, a few key verses for 2023 are:

• Phil 4:8b--"if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."
• Isa 55:9--"my ways [are] higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
• Mt 6:33--"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness..."
• Heb 13:5--"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,'" which is from Dt 31:6: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

With these verses in mind, being in jail is no big deal in the big picture and in the scheme of things. I hope Christy will visit me in jail. But I have to confess that I will miss seeing my 7-8 grandchildren grow up.

In 2023, God willing, and with your love, prayer and support, John and I will preach. I pray to preach through Acts. Pray for God to bless our outreach and evangelism at UIC. Pray for Ukraine and the end of the war.

"Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you," therefore seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Only You (St. Augustine)

The Desire to Control God and People (Acts 8:1-25)

Samaria, the Spirit and Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:1-25). 

1. Given the history between the Jews and Samaritans (Jn 4:9; Lk 9:52-54), what was remarkable about Philip's preaching and the response (Ac 8:5-8)? What opened the door to his ministry (Ac 8:1-4; 2 Tim 3:12)? Has God used seemingly negative circumstances in your life to advance the gospel?
2. Though Philip [and Stephen] were chosen to serve tables (Ac 6:5) how and why do you think they got into evangelism?
3. What aspect of Philip's activity likely captivated Simon (Ac 8:6-8, 13)? What changed Simon the sorcerer (Ac 8:9-12)? Was he "converted" (Ac 8:13)?
4. What happened when the apostles baptized the Samaritan believers (Ac 8:14-17)? What happens when one receives the Holy Spirit (Ac 2:4; Jn 15:26; 16:8-11, 13; Gal 5:22-23)?  What did Simon see that caused him to be even more intensely interested (Ac 8:18; 2:4; 10:44-46)? What is he really after (Jn 12:43; Gen 3:5; Rom 1:21)? 
5. Why did Peter rebuke Simon so strongly (Ac 8:20-23)? What was Simon's problem (Ac 8:23; Dt 29:18; Heb 12:15)? Is Peter's rebuke applicable to us? How might we be tempted to use God to get what we want? How do we guard against this?
6. What influence does the Holy Spirit have over you? How can you be sure (Prov 1:7; 9:10)?

How should Christians Care for the Poor?

In the U.S., over 15 million children live in poverty, and 64 million people live at less than the minimum wage, including 54% of African Americans (2015 statistics). A 2011 study from Columbia University estimated that 250,000 Americans died each year from causes linked to poverty. While only 4 million tons of food are needed to feed all Americans, 46 million tons of food are thrown away each year in the United States. There are an estimated 10 million homeless people in the US, but more than 12 million empty luxury housing units. Also, two-thirds of all minimum wage workers are women, and many of these are heads of households.

Old Testament texts frequently bid us to care for widows, orphans, and sojourners (Exodus 22:21-22, 23:6, 9; Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 10:18, 14:29, 15:9, 24:7, 14, 19, 26:12-13, 27:19; Psalms 68:5, 72:4, 146:9; Proverbs 15:25, 22:22; Job 29:12, 31:16; Isaiah 1:17, 23, 10:1-2, 58:10; Jeremiah 5:28, 7:6, 22:3, 16; Ezekiel 16:49, 22:7, 29; Amos 4:11; Zechariah 7:10, see also Mark 12:40; James 1:27). In the Gospels, 1 out of every 10 verses is about the poor, and in James, one verse in every five. We can't avoid reflecting on what Scripture says about the poor.

Jesus's words "the poor you will always have with you" (Matthew 26:11) are regularly used to suggest that ending poverty is impossible, that poverty is a result of moral failures, and that the poor themselves have no role in changing their situation. But  "the poor you will always have with you" is actually one of the strongest biblical mandates to end poverty.