Into the Desert

Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

The stresses and strains in my life right now are enormous. The burden that God has laid on my heart for a church that teaches discipleship is at war with the responsibilities of the world. The burden that God has laid on my heart to challenge the level of your heart for God is at war with who am I to ask that of you? The burden on my heart to teach the whole Bible full of the promises of God, along with the conviction of God, is at war with a society that cannot handle the truth. The burden that God has placed on my heart for repentance from the pulpits is at war with the level of my sin in one. The burden that God has placed on my heart to preach his Word, wins the war of any reason to keep silent. I am held accountable not only for what I say, but the words that he lays on my heart that I do not utter; I do not preach to seek to make you my friend, I preach to point you to Jesus and to become another disciple of his.

This passage in Acts of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch, or dignitary if you will, is an incredibly deep passage on many levels. There are so many sermons of the applications to our lives on how Phillip and the dignitary handled what God laid on their hearts. All throughout this passage (Acts 8:26-40) is an underlying tone of obedience to our Lord; not one of delayed obedience, but immediately. Phillip was called by an angel to go out onto a desert road while he seemingly was having a successful ministry in town, but he promptly followed his calling. The eunuch was a treasurer, possibly one of prominence and traveling with guards, but surely not alone, for he was reading the scripture to his companions. When Phillip approached the chariot, would they not likely considered him an intruder? Possibly, but the eunuch was obedient to the Spirit of peace that he was feeling toward Phillip, and asked him to join and explain the text. God places those around you, then he prepares their hearts, just as he prepares yours. They will receive what you have to say because God has prepared them, to hear Him, through you. Phillip was heavenly whisked away after preaching God’s Word and baptizing the dignitary so that his heart would be transformed into a disciple for God in his country.

God wants to use you too. God wants you to have an obedient heart that genuinely seeks him with all you heart. God wants you to experience a level of intimacy, love, power, and provision like you only dream of. He wants you to seek Him early every day in prayer and his Word. He wants you to share with others what He lays on your heart. He wants you to put Him first on your list, but until you do, he will only give you glimpses of himself. Matthew 6:33 Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. The Christian life at it’s core is obedience; without it you are lost, but with it you are saved for eternity with the One who died to give you that possibility. Once you grasp sin, the gospel, and sovereignty, your life will be changed forever to a heart that will follow him into a desert to preach what he lays on your heart.