THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria… But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
Acts 8:1, 4 (NLT)
GOD USES MY TRIALS
While assembling their new waterbed, my sister Betty and her husband, Everett, realized they would need a hose. Everett dashed to the hardware store and bought one. They attached it to the bed, ran it through the apartment to the kitchen tap and left to wait for the bed to fill. About an hour later they checked on its progress. That’s when they discovered Everett had bought a sprinkler hose. (Reader’s Digest)
Some trials can be avoided but others can’t. The sprinkler hose incident could have been avoided. In Acts 8, there was widespread persecution that affected the church. Christians were forced to flee for their lives. They were scattered all over the region but God used that scattering to spread the gospel around the known world.
Reflection
There are times when God has to force us out of our comfort zone so He can use us to spread the gospel. There are times when God puts us in difficult situations so we can be light in darkness. What are some of the trials in our nation, community and in your family where God may be wanting to use you as light?
Praise
Praise God for the spread of the gospel around the world as a result of persecution. Pray for believers around the world suffering intense persecution.
