Daily Devotions: Thursday, April 16, 2009

Text: Acts 8:1-15

• Why did most Christians scatter from Jerusalem?  What happened as they scattered?
• Where did Philip go?  What did he do there?
• How do verses 9-11 describe Simon the Sorcerer?  What changed when Philip came to town?
• What did the apostles in Jerusalem do when they heard about what was happening in Samaria?
• What did Peter and John do when they arrived in Samaria?  Why?
• What did Simon ask for when he saw what Peter and John did?  How did Peter respond?

Daily Challenge:

• During our Mythbusters series earlier this year we talked about Simon, a man so evil they named a sin after him.  And it’s easy for us to villianize him.  But think about what Simon did.  The authority Peter and John had came from their relationship with Jesus and their obedience in Acts 2, to wait patiently in Jerusalem, praying for the gift God had promised.  Simon, on the other hand, wanted to skip the relationship and take a shortcut to the power and authority.  In what ways are we like Simon?  Are we tempted to skip the waiting and praying and find a shortcut to Spiritual power?  How do we counteract that tendency?

Prayer Focus:

• Pray that God would teach you to wait on Him.  But remember, waiting is not just sitting back and doing nothing.  It’s actively and wholeheartedly seeking God in prayer.  Ask God to show you how you are looking for shortcuts and rushing on ahead of him rather than patiently obeying.