Divine Appointments

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Acts 8:26-40
This text describes the incidence where God used Philip to preach to an Ethiopian who was a high ranking court official. Afterwards Philip was caught up by the Spirit and ended up at Azotus, many miles away. Philip was one of seven men filled with the Spirit to help wait on tables (Acts 6:5,6). He was like anyone else except he allowed the Spirit to fill him and use him. He didn't have his own agenda- he allowed God to lead and direct him.

We first find Philip in chapter 8 going down to Samaria- a place where many others avoided. But because of his obedience a revival broke out and many received the Holy Ghost. Then God spoke to him and sent him into the desert and that is where he met the man from Ethiopia.

Philip had a Divine Appointment from God. He didn't allow his own schedule to dictate to him. He allowed the Spirit to lead him. He stopped what he was doing and followed the Spirit. God wants the church to get to the place of "Divine" happenings, "Divine" placements. Many times we hear the voice of the Lord to do something or go somewhere, but if we hesitate or put it off, we miss that opportunity to see how the Lord would have worked.

He may not lead us to preach a great revival somewhere or witness a great miracle. But in our everyday life there are Divine Appointments from God. We need to be in tune with God and be able to hear His voice. We must be willing to leave what we are doing and follow the Lord. Simply speaking-- be available to the Lord.

Many will take this to the extreme, leaving their places of work in the middle of the day to go here or there or leaving their families and responsibilities behind when God has never spoken to them to do that. But what He is asking of us is that we fine tune our "ears" to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us. We must make ourselves available to Him. We must allow time for the Lord to speak into our hearts. If we do this-- God will give us those Divine Appointments- to go somewhere or to someone and make an impact into their lives for God.

(Taken from Pastor's Bible Study of August 8, 2012)

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