27 And he rose and went. Acts 8:27
In Acts chapter 8, we see the Gospel being advanced and people coming to know the Lord, when suddenly an Angel of the Lord appears to Phillip and says leave here and go south to this desert place.
Where you and I would probably say “wait, what? Go where? Why? Phillip “rose and went”. Oh what a beautiful picture of an obedient heart.
The result of Phillips obedience is that a eunuch who was reading the book of Isaiah and trying to understand, comes to know Jesus as His savior (through Phillips teaching), gets baptized right there and then and went on his way rejoicing.
Thank you God for Phillips obedience.
Several years ago I was on my way back to work from a Dr. appointment, and for some reason I took a less direct route. Which caused me to have an experience kind of similar to Phillip’s.
As a drove through a neighborhood, known for it’s high crime rate and impoverished population, I felt the Holy Spirit say “pray with her” and I looked around and spotted an elderly African American woman sitting at the bus stop on the corner.
For the next three red lights I discussed with the Lord all the reasons I should keep on a direct path to work. But I was finally so overwhelmed by His leading that I headed back.
I arrived back at the bus stop just in time to see the bus pull away with the elderly lady safely inside. I thought “oh God, please forgive my lack of willingness to serve you”. And then as the bus cleared the intersection, I saw her. A much bigger, younger, less friendly looking lady sitting on the steps that I had passed earlier but because of the direction I was coming from, I couldn’t see her.
I felt the Holy Spirit say, pray with her. Again, that flood of uncertainty and insecurity came back, but I was going to be obedient this time.
So, I pulled up in my new car, got out in my business attire and approached her. The anger, exhaustion, frustration and years of pain and struggle were written all over her face. She looked as if to say, “I don’t know what you want but I have nothing left to give.”
I said “ma’am, I have no idea why I am here. I am coming from a doctor appointment, running late to get back to work and felt the Lord calling me to come pray with you.” Her stiff broad shoulders that had previously held the weight of the world, softened and fell and her eyes welled up with tears. I said “I don’t know what is going on in your life, but God does and if you would allow me, I would be honored to pray with and for you”. We hugged right there in the street and prayed and cried. I told her I loved her and would continue to pray for her (and have) and I drove away.
I honestly believe I was more blessed than she was.
I do not tell you this story, so that you will think more of me, because I went kicking and screaming. There have been times that the Holy Spirit has led and I failed to heed His leading or even hear His voice.
I tell you this because during the last three weeks of being in and out of hospitals, it is incredible the number of divine appointments we have had and how blessed we were because of them.
God wants us to have these blessed appointments and has in fact arranged them Himself.
The question is will we keep our appointment or cancel it?
I pray that today you would be mindful of the divine appointments that God has for you and that you would not cancel on Him. Keep those appointments and be blessed!
Maybe your divine appointment is with the Lord Jesus Himself. Perhaps you are new to our site and don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior at all. If that is the case, your appointment is now and it is on our Life Preserver page. Please go to this page and pray the prayer outlined there. Then shoot me an email at admin@forgiven-n-loved.com and let me know so that I can be praying for you and can help you grow in your relationship with Him.
Luv ya!
