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Reach Out
Acts 1:8 "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
It is possible to be so committed to preserving what’s good from the past, and enjoying what’s good in the present, that we are blind, or resistant, to what God has for us next. Jerusalem was an exciting place to be; "All the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. They worshipped together regularly; they met in Home Groups to break bread, and shared their meals with great joy. The whole city was favorable to them!" (Acts 2:44-47)
Now there is a problem – no-one wants to leave Jerusalem and carry the message to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth! Life is too good. So how does God get us out of our comfort zone to fulfill His purposes?
Clearly, just telling us won’t do it! The answer is persecution! And it’s an idea we don’t like because we tend to be 'Kodac Camera' Christians. Remember the famous Kodac camera ad? "FREEZE THE MOMENT!" Here is how God deals with 'Kodac Camera' Christians – "there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria….they were all scattered….and went everywhere preaching the word!” (Acts 8:1 ,4).
Here’s a thought, God could be permitting the tough time you’re going through to:
- Dig you out of your rut.
- Get you out of neutral and moving you forward to what He has for you next.
The bottom line for you? In our year of mission “Each one- reach one” – take the challenge. Reaching takes effort and perseverance – staying in Jerusalem too long is bad for you!
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