Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - Oct. 4, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Simple Obedience
But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
—Luke 11:28
Philip was a man that God could call. He was used to leading others to Jesus because he was obedient. As he proclaimed the gospel in the city of Samaria, revival was breaking out. People were putting their faith in Christ.
But then an angel of the Lord appeared to Philip and said, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (Acts 8:26). Philip could have argued with the angel. How easily he could have said, “Excuse me, but the apostles and other believers in Jerusalem are at least 30 miles closer. Couldn’t you call one of them? I’m busy here.”
But we don’t read of Philip saying anything like that. He just obeyed. God didn’t tell him, “Philip, there are people waiting to hear the gospel.” God’s instructions were simply to “arise and go toward the south. . . . ” It may not have made any sense to Philip at the time, but the Bible tells us that Philip “arose and went” (see Acts 8:27).
Sometimes God will tell us to do things that may not seem to make sense. But Isaiah 55:8–9 says, “ ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ”
Philip understood that God knew exactly what He was doing. Do you understand that too? When you simply obey, you will look back later and be glad you did. And as time passes, you will see that God knew what He was talking about.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.
Copyright © 2007 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions,
