A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. Acts 8:29
We must use our circumlocution at once when the Spirit tells us to do the will of God. So Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Esaias and said, understands what thou readest? And he said, How can I except some man shouldest guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not His mouth: This is why the apostle Paul says how can they hear except they have a preacher? And how can he be sent, unless the Lord sends him? These are the questions we have to answer when the Lord calls us into His ministry. My dad always said some were sent, and some just went. He meant the ones that were sent, were sent by God and the ones that went were not sent by God but the devil who masquerades as an angel of light deceiving the people. So you must make sure you are called. Jesus said many are called, but few are chosen.
#And he arose and went and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning and sitting in his chariot reading Esaias the prophet. Acts 8:27,28
Philip was taken by the angel of the Lord to Ethiopia, to behold a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians. Candace was a title like President in America. So the eunuch was reading Isaiah 53 and God was preparing Philip to open his eyes to the teaching of the Messiah who would die on the cross for the sins of the world. I praise God for using his servants to preach the word of God to great leaders who can change the world for good by the grace of God.
#And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. Acts 8:25
After the apostles had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the good news in many villages of the Samaritans. The Holy Spirit had used them to win many of the Samaritans to Christ and now it was time to preach in Jerusalem. And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying Arise and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is the desert. The Lord is allowing them to preach the gospel in the south and preparing him for the Ethiopian eunuch to receive the good news. We too must be about our Father's business spreading this good news about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
#Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. Acts 8:22,23
Simon is commanded to repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven. Peter perceives he is in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. We will have to wait until we get to heaven to find out if Simon was forgiven, for he asked the apostles to pray for him to the Lord that none of these things which ye have spoken will come upon me. We must make sure of our election, for it is dependent upon us to believe in our hearts upon the Lord Jesus Christ and to repent of our sins.
#Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Acts 8:18,19
Simon the sorcerer is rebuked by Peter for thinking that the gift of God can be purchased with money. This is why we must not love money, for it will perish, but he that does the will of God shall abide forever. In this pandemic, people are looking to gain more money so they can keep up with inflation, but it is like putting it in your pockets with holes in them. Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will save us in these days of apostasy. Peter tells him thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. We too must repent of this idolatry and seek the Word of God with all our hearts which lives and abides forever.
#Then laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Acts 8:17,18
Did Simon really have faith? Well, we see that when Peter and John came they prayed for the people and then laid their hands on them, then they received the Holy Spirit. Then Simon saw by the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, so he thought he could give the apostles' money to receive this gift. It is obvious that Simon's faith is not genuine, as he is worshiping money and not the Lord Jesus Christ. So Peter denounced him by saying ye have neither part in this for your heart is not right with God. This is why the love of money is the root of all evil. We must guard our hearts against the deceitfulness of riches. Once you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must use our money for the glory of God. Jesus warned about riches in the parable of the sower went forth to sow. The thorns of riches choke the Word of God out of the hearts of those who love money. Paul warned in II Tim. 3 that they would be lovers of money and not lovers of God. It is not a sin to have money, but if money has us, then it becomes an idol. So Peter warned Simon to repent of this idolatry in hopes that God would forgive the thoughts of his heart.
#Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who when they came down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: Acts 8:14,15
As a result of Philip's preaching, the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard how Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent unto them Peter and John: these two apostles were unlearned and ignorant, but the most important thing is they had been with Jesus. Men and women you do have to have a Ph.D. to preach the gospel, but you must have been with Jesus. So the apostles when they came down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: Now baptism is necessary, but the most important thing is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit which comes by prayer. Jesus told the disciples in John 14 that He was going to send a comforter. The Paracletous who would be in us and upon us. He would take the things of Christ and make them real unto us. So the preaching of the word of God is used by the Holy Spirit to make us sons of God. Then we are baptized with the fire of the Holy Spirit and sealed until the day of our redemption.
#Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Acts 8:13
Did Simon the sorcerer really have saving faith? For he was baptized and continued with Philip while wondering as he beheld the miracles and signs which were done. It seemed like his faith was genuine. Yet we will see that the love of money is the root of all evil and you cannot serve God and materialism. This tragedy is what many are trying to do today, with the stock market at record levels and real estate is booming. There are more rich people in the church today than ever before, yet there is very little true love in the church today. Jesus said if the salt becomes useless, it is good for nothing but to be cast out and trampled under the feet of men. We must make full proof of our faith, for in the day of judgment Jesus will say to some I never knew you: depart from me ye workers of iniquity. What a judgment that will be so let us be at peace with all men and follow holiness, for without holiness no man will see the Lord.
#But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts 8:12
One Simon the sorcerer bewitched the people with his false doctrine, but when they heard the true gospel of the preaching of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they believed, they were baptized both men and women. This does not rule out children were baptized. So it is ok for a child to be baptized, as Jesus said except ye become as a little child ye shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Child-like faith is what we all must have in order to be saved. It is therefore paramount that parents raise up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
#Then Philip went to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Acts 8:5,6
This was not the apostle Philip but the one chosen to take over after the death of Stephen and he was full of the Holy Spirit as manifested by the miracles which he did. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake. What a move of God was going on in Samaria as people were crying out with a loud voice, and many that were possessed with unclean spirits were delivered. And there was great joy in that city. The key to Joy: Jesus first, then Others, and then yourself. How we need more Philips in the church today as many are spreading gossip in the church and apostasy is rampant. We need to pray for a revival to come and that the Holy Spirit will send more workers into the vineyard in these last days.