March 31
(Acts 8:1-4 NIV) “And Saul was there, giving approval to (Stephen’s) his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. {2} Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. {3} But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. {4} Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
(Acts 1:8 NIV) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus told His disciples that they would be His witnesses to the ends of the Earth. Little did they know that it would be a violent persecution that scattered them like seed in the wind. The infant church had no grand world missions program. It started as simply a matter of survival. As Saul and his cohorts began to intimidate and destroy those of the faith, many were forced to flee for their lives. But Saul’s strategy failed. In fact, it actually served to multiply and amplify the message. No one can silence Christianity. One cannot put a bridle and bit on the power of God. Everywhere the new disciples went they shared the gospel and the story of the resurrection. The gospel spread throughout the region because of those scattered disciples. Think about this the next time you end up in a place where you don’t want to be, under less than favorable conditions. Perhaps God has you there for a reason. – Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day
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