Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 41

February 11;   Acts 8:8;   97/260(VI);   ‘Miracles Bring Joy’

Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

Persecution arose against the Jerusalem Church.  The scattered Christians went everywhere preaching the gospel.  The devil, through the religious leaders, tried to stop the Church, but they only succeeded in spreading the gospel wherever those scattered went.   Philip, one of the waiters on the widows (Acts 6) went to Samaria and preached the Lord Jesus.  He became Philip the Evangelist.  This is a good time to say this.  Start where you are.  Philip was chosen to help feed the widows.  The Bible says Philip was full of the Word and the Holy Spirit.  Philip was faithful in ministering to the widows and the Lord promoted him to be the only man in the Bible called an Evangelist.  Be faithful at what you do for the Lord and He will see to it that you become everything He created you to be.  The people of Samaria were attentive to Philip’s preaching, because great miracles were also happening through his ministry.  God’s Word preached in power and miracles should go hand in hand.  The Bible says that the miracles caused great joy in the city.  Religion will teach that the Lord causes sickness, to teach us something.  I have never seen anyone full of joy when they are sick.  Notice the people of Samaria were full of joy when they saw people healed.  The Lord does not cause sickness, He heals it.  Stay with the Word of God.  Base your beliefs on what the Word says, not the religious teachings of men.  From a waiter to an Evangelist.  Even if Philip was not called to be an Evangelist, because he was full of the Word and the Holy Spirit, he still could have flown in the supernatural.  Every believer can.