Passage of the Day:
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him, Acts 8:26-31.
Reflection:
The term sober is usually associated with not being under the influence of alcohol. Yet, from a biblical context, passages using sober like 1 Peter 5:8 calls first century Christians to be spiritually awake with a sober mind. Peter is taking about ongoing attacks from the Devil in the spiritual realm. The moment Christians let their guard down is when the door is open for the Devil to come into your life and ravage your soul, Ephesians 4:27. Therefore, as Christians pursue a spirit of fortitude, you’ll strive to remain spiritually awake regardless of how tire your body may be.
Prayerful Action:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” Matthew 26:41.
Developing the Spiritual Guts to Press On:
The apostle Philip was taking a walk one day. Based upon Luke’s account, Philip was spiritually awake and sober, searching for an opportunity to share his faith, 1 Peter 1:15-16. Instead of being focused on his daily agenda, Philip heard the book of Isaiah being read out loud. Rather than simply wait for another chariot to pass by, Philip starts running to catch up. Keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25, Philip listened to God’s whisper and began jogging that likely led to an all-out sprint. By the time Philip caught up, he begins having a conversation with this Ethiopian eunuch. When you’re spiritually awake and sober, God can use you to lead someone into a personal relationship with Jesus, Romans 10:9-11.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
When you’re spiritually awake and sober, you’ll hear and listen to the Voice of Truth. May today’s song inspire you to follow in Philip’s footsteps by being available to minister to others daily.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 