Over the last number of months I have been reflecting a lot about the condition of America and the condition of the church. I am perplexed by both. I am having a difficult time understanding how the culture of the church and the culture of society has changed so radically in such a short period of time.

l’m not mad. I’m in shock and my heart is broken. Everything seems to be upside down. As much as I’m flabbergasted by the philosophies that are being expressed it’s like our society took some sort of “pill” that has altered people’s ability to think rationally and logically. I am literally seeing the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 12:8 where it says:

• “everyone is doing whatever seems right in his own eyes.”

There is this voice inside of me which is speaking with passion … and clarity - You have to do it right. That was my thought from yesterday “Somebody has to do it right.” Are people seeing and hearing the Jesus in us? Do they hear love, mercy, compassion and an abundance of grace. Do they hear the voice of God or the voice of man. 

This is our day, this is our hour - this is our moment. We’re it. God’s counting on us

Haven’t we all experienced times when we have prayed and it feels (emphasis on feelings) that we are not being heard. Not only do our emotions tell us that but Satan sure likes to add his two cents.

I can’t begin to tell you the countless times this has happened to me. How about you? I have often said when this occurs I wonder if God is in Bermuda taking a vacation. Perhaps the strongest emotion that I deal with is discouragement. It is at these times I need to find a “lifeline,” The following verse is my lifeline. Perhaps it too will become one of yours.

• Daniel 10:12 “Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.”

Be encouraged…

In Acts 8 we find the Holy Spirit telling Philip to head south out of Jerusalem. As he does he meets a man from Ethiopia who was a eunuch who the scripture says in 
Acts 8:27 was “a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship”  

It goes on to say:

• Acts 8:28-31 he “was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.” The verse he was reading was from Isaiah 53:7.

Here is what he was reading

• Acts 8:32 “The portion from Isaiah he was reading was this: He was led away to the slaughter like a lamb to be offered. He was like a lamb that is silent before those who sheared him— he never even opened his mouth. (TPT)

There are so many things to see in these few verses. We see Philip’s obedience to the Holy Spirit, the eunuch awareness that he needed help in understanding the scripture (a teachable spirit) but as I awoke this morning and said good morning Father I immediately heard the verse above.

So what do you see in Acts 8:32? What flooded my mind this morning is the portion that says, “He was like a lamb that is silent before those who sheared him— he never even opened his mouth.”

Jesus lived this verse out. It’s one thing to read and quote scripture its quite another to live it. How did Jesus respond when he was beaten, spit on and scourged? He didn’t say a word. 

I’m not going to develop this thought that is best left to the Holy Spirit to show each of us what he is saying to us personally.

“He never even opened his mouth”.