Focus
Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything, but God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word.
Read
9 Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. 10 All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.
14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! 21 You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness.” 24 Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”
25 Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
Reflect
Many Christians get all this wrong. They get into Christianity for what they can get from God. There has been a many person gone up followed the Romans road and said the words, but their heart was not in it. No relationship was started with God. As you can find in Matthew 7:22-23, John 1:12, and Revelations 3:20, God always talks in relational terms. Simon the Sorcerer only wanted to get these powers that the disciples had so he could gain money. He did not know it is only through the Power of the Holy Spirit that these miracles took place. Some people today try to treat God as a cosmic bank and if you give X number of dollars then God will give you X number of dollars. They will say if you sow a seed God will give you wealth, health and overall prosperity. Others still take away the power of God and only believe in doing social projects minus mentioning the Gospel of Christ. It is evident if Phillip and Peter had followed either of these plans they would have failed. Peter nor any of the disciples lived in earthly mansions. As a matter of fact, with the exception of John, all the apostles died a martyr’s death according to tradition. If they would have just started food banks and dug cisterns without proclaiming who their LORD was, then they also would not have moved across all of Asia minor spreading across the known world. They of course gave to the poor and performed these mighty deeds such as healing as well as setting up food distribution and doing many things to help the poor and down trodden in the communities they set up in.
Pray
May we live lives of genuine love and discipleship towards God and Neighbor. May we not try to mold God to look like us rather may we stand in awe and wonder at the majestic GOD we serve. May He lead us and guide us. May we not be motivated by money or vain ambition, but only by the Power of God in Christ by the Holy Spirit AMEN.
Go with God!
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