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Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 18 2025 | Acts 8:36-40 KEY VERSE: “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing." Acts 8:39 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   The Christian walk is an exciting journey in which we are exposed to the thrills of God’s fantastic adventures in various forms. The narratives concerning the biblical characters sometimes seem extraordinary, out of this world and heart-pulsating! Phillip moves from a very successful ministry situation in Samaria in obedience to the voice of God, to a desert road where he meets an important foreign official who receives the Gospel from his mouth. Philip is given the privilege of baptising the Ethiopian eunuch, but the adventure is not over. We must hear Acts 8:39; “ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.”     The excitement of a rapture-like carrying away, whisked away as it were, escorted by God as it were, translated by God as it were, suddenly taken away by the Holy Spirit of God to his new assignment in a place called Azotus to spread the Gospel all the way to Caesarea. Wow, what a breathtaking experience to be had by anyone, anytime, anywhere.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: You can have an exciting experience of life with God in your own way. You can trust God to show up in your life in ways that steal the breath from those who hear your story. You do not need to be carried to Azotus, but you can talk about how you were moved from sinfulness to holiness, from being an ordinary human being to becoming a conscious child of God. That is an exciting life, enjoy it. PRAYER: Dear Father in Heaven, I am grateful for the new birth and the exciting experience of becoming a child of God and a member of your blessed, holy family. And now, Lord, I pray, grant me the ear that ears, and the heart that obeys, so that moved and led by your Holy Spirit, I will know the thrill of walking with   you and walking before you, and enjoy the thrilling life from anywhere to my Azotus. For Christ’s dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 138:   Ruth 4 - Redemption and Restoration DAILY word study: AWAY The word away in Acts 8:39 (Greek: ἥρπασεν, hērpasen) means “to snatch, seize suddenly.” It conveys swift removal, used elsewhere in reference to powerful divine action (see 2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Philip’s removal wasn’t random. It was Spirit-directed. He had completed one assignment and was suddenly taken to the next. God’s Spirit moves people purposefully. Reflection: You may not vanish like Philip, but the Spirit can move you into the next phase of your calling. Don’t resist divine transitions. Stay ready for Spirit-led change.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 17 2025 | Acts 8:36-38 KEY VERSE: “ As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptised?" Acts 8:36 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   Different Christian groups practice baptism in different ways and for different age minimums. What is essential is that there is an understanding that the Lord Jesus instructed that those who believe in the Gospel of the Kingdom are to be baptised. The Ethiopian Eunuch understood the significance of baptism as an initiatory rite of conversion from one religious or spiritual condition to another. As a Gentile convert to Judaism, he would have gone through a water baptism to mark his conversion. Now that he stood on the verge of another conversion, he asked for water baptism to mark that new beginning. Water baptism does not save the human soul; it is the heart conversion which happens when we believe in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus for our sins, which precedes the water baptism, it is the pledge of a new conscience to God, that settles the mater of our soul’s destiny (1 Peter 3:21). This clarification is helped in the context of our text when in Acts 8:37(NIV), often presented as a footnote in some translations of the Bible, we read, ‘ Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Have you believed in Jesus Christ as your Saviour who died in your place, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world? If so, have you been baptised in obedience to His instructions? If not, please talk to your church leaders and get this done quickly. It is your first demonstration of obedience to your new Master. PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the ordinance of baptism. Thank you for the significance of my new life in Christ. Please help me to live the baptised life; baptised by the Spirit in the spirit realm and baptised by water to identify with Christ in His death and resurrection unto a new life. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 137:   Ruth 3 - Ruth’s Bold Request DAILY word study: WATER The word water in Acts 8:36 is ὕδωρ (hydōr) in Greek. It refers to natural water - used for washing, cleansing, and life. In baptism, it symbolises spiritual cleansing and death to the old self. For the Ethiopian eunuch, water marked the threshold of a new beginning. He already believed. Now he sought to seal it through the ordinance Jesus commanded. Baptism is not about the water’s power—it is about what the heart has already believed and received. Reflection: Water cannot save, but water speaks. It testifies that the believer has identified with Christ in death and resurrection. See Romans 6:3-4 for the clear link between baptism and the new life in Christ.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 16 2025 | Acts 8:32-35 KEY VERSE: “³² He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ³³ In his humiliation, he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." Acts 8:32-33 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   It is a normal human response to want to cry out and make an impression when we are wronged. God's plan to save His fledgling sinful creation demanded that the Lord of glory consciously and intentionally sacrifice Himself for us and for our redemption. This necessity was so strong that the God-Man Jesus chose to absorb the pain and humiliation of the process without claiming His rights or asserting His innocence. In the text of Isaiah, which the Ethiopian eunuch was reading, a dimension of the self-humiliation of the Son of God, God in human flesh, to save human souls, is captured. The language is mild but captures a profound truth;  "³² He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ³³ In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."   Christ left His glorious throne above to come to a dark, sin-stained world. He chose to submit to the will of the Father rather than free Himself from those who arrested Him and maltreated Him. In his distress, He did not defend Himself. In the crucifixion, He did not call down legions of angels to free Him. He took the blows we should have taken.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: The Lord Jesus kept to the humiliation and pain and bore the cross to free us from our eternal Hell. Will you keep to the righteous life and tough ministry, in spite of pain, to honour Him and glorify Him? PRAYER: Man of sorrows, help me bear the pains imposed by my following you. Grant me grace to stay strong, humble and quiet when my faith is tried. Hallelujah, what a Saviour! For your dear Name’s sake,   Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 136:   Ruth 2 - Ruth Meets Boaz DAILY word study: HUMILIATION The word humiliation in Acts 8:33 is translated from the Greek ταπεινώσεως (tapeinōseōs), which means lowness, humility, or abasement. It reflects a state of being made low, stripped of dignity, or brought down in status. Isaiah prophesied this about the Messiah, and Philip affirmed it about Jesus. Christ did not just experience suffering—He allowed Himself to be shamed, misjudged, and treated as worthless. This was not weakness but submission to the Father’s will. Reflection:  Humiliation marked the path to our salvation. Jesus did not protest. He did not shift blame. He bore it all and stayed silent. His silence shouted redemption. See Philippians 2:5–8 for Paul’s powerful echo of this truth.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 15 2025 | Acts 8:32-35 KEY VERSE: “ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus." Acts 8:35 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   The Good News of salvation is that God loved His fallen, sinful human creation. He sent Jesus Christ to come and die for us and in our place. If we believe that He stood in our place, we will no longer come under God’s judgment and condemnation. Instead, we enter into a new and everlasting life. This is the underlying theme of the whole Bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament.   We must not buy into the view that the Gospel is a New Testament concept. From the text of Isaiah 53:7-8, which the Ethiopian eunuch was reading, Philip was able to explain how Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the Saviour of the world who offered Himself freely for human salvation.   We must see the revelation of the eternal plan and purposes of God throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. When the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ met the two confused disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:25-27 (NIV), we read, “ ²⁵ He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"  ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself .”   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you able to see Christ and His redemptive work in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament? Look carefully and you will see how the Good News is beautifully predicted in the Old Testament, and wonderfully fulfilled in the New Testament. PRAYER: Lord, like the two disciples on the Emmaus Road, I often fail to see the Christ and the Good News in the Old Testament. Please help me understand that I might see wondrous things out of your Word. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 135:   Ruth 1 - Naomi and Ruth’s Loyalty DAILY   word study : GOOD NEWS The phrase good news comes from the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), meaning a message of victory, salvation, or joyful announcement. In ancient times, heralds brought euangelion after a battle—the king had won.   Philip didn’t teach an idea—he told a true story of victory. He declared the good news of Jesus, starting from Isaiah 53, and explained how Jesus fulfilled the prophecy as the suffering Servant.   Reflection: Jesus stands at the centre of all Scripture. Whether you read from Moses, the prophets, or the gospels, the Good News speaks of Him. Look again. Listen again. See how God planned redemption from the beginning. See Romans 1:1-4 for Paul’s summary of the Gospel promised through the prophets.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 14 2025 | Acts 8:26-31 KEY VERSE: “. . . So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." Acts 8:31 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   In our walk with God, He calls on us to obey His Word, which is written in the Bible and spoken to us as individuals in various ways (sermons, counsel, dreams, music, etc.). When we hear from God and follow His voice gladly, we are ushered into God’s blessings. In God’s dealings with Philip in Acts 8, there is a progressive interesting movement that shows obedience to God leads to the blessings of God. When Philip received the angelic message to go to the desert road (verse 26), he set out to obey the directive (verse 27). He did not have any idea who was involved and what the assignment was to be. Still, in the process of obedience, he had the privilege of meeting a very important man whom he might never have had the privilege of meeting: the Minister of Finance of the wealthy Queen Candance of the Ethiopians. Further directive by the Spirit to Philip was “ Go to that chariot and stay near it ", Acts 8:29 (NIV). Philip’s response was to run up effortfully to the chariot. He hears the man in the chariot reading a portion of the Book of Isaiah and asks if the Ethiopian understood what he was reading. Acknowledging his need for someone to interpret the text to him, the Ethiopian “ invited Philip to come up and sit with him .” Acts 8:31 (NIV).   Philip’s persistent and joyful obedience led him to sit in the chariot of a Minister of Finance, with the privilege of teaching him the rich Word of God.   We must be attentive to God and follow His directives to us. When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you able to hear from God? Do you willingly follow the voice of God? If you need help, please talk to someone who can help you tune your heart to God and follow the thoughts of God that come to you. They will lead you to blessings. PRAYER: Faithful God who is no person’s debtor, you reward those who follow your instructions. Please help me hear you more clearly and follow you more closely, day by day, so that I might walk into your blessings. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.   THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 134:   Judges 20-21 - War Against Benjamin; Wives for the Benjamites DAILY word study : INVITED The word invited in Acts 8:31 comes from the Greek (parekalesen), from the verb (parakaleō), meaning to call alongside, to urge, to summon with favour. It implies both a welcome and a request to come close. The Ethiopian official didn’t just allow Philip into the chariot. He welcomed him with honour and need. God used Philip’s obedience to open a door of influence that couldn’t be forced. He was invited in. Reflection: God places us where people are ready to receive what He has deposited in us. We don’t need to push our way in. If we obey and stay sensitive, doors will open, just like they did for Philip. See Luke 14:10 for another example of being called up by invitation.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 13 2025 | Acts 8:26-29 KEY VERSE: “The Spirit told Philip, 'Go to that chariot and stay near it.'” Acts 8:29 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   When God has an assignment for us, He will locate us where we are, interrupt what we are doing and redirect us for His purposes. God intended to send the Good News to Africa, and He had prepared a man from Ethiopia who would carry the message to the continent. For this purpose, God stepped into the very successful ministry of Philip in Samaria and sent him, " Go south to the road - the desert road - that   goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." Acts 8:26 (NIV).   From the public stage of the massive rallies, God asked Philip through the angel to go to the desert road. Certainly, the desert road would not have the big audiences that Philip had become accustomed to. When he obeyed and set out for the assigned place, he came into contact with the Ethiopian eunuch, the man God had targeted to carry the message to Africa. The Spirit directed Phillip.  ‘The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."’ Acts 8:29 (NIV). We need to be sensitive to God in very practical ways; an angel spoke to Philip, the Holy Spirit spoke to Philip, and we must obey this sense of God by which He sends us to serve His purposes in this world.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Can you hear the voice of God amid your busy, productive activities? Have you identified the direction in which God is leading you, and can you see the chariots with your assignment? Stay close to those chariots. PRAYER: Dear Lord, your ways always surprise my thoughts and are always right. Please help me to hear your voice in the midst of all that I do, and please guide my heart to respond in obedience to your leading. For the chariots you bring my way, Lord, help me move to them and stay nearby until I serve your purpose. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.   THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 133:   Judges 19 - The Levite’s Concubine DAILY word study: STAY The word stay in Acts 8:29 is translated from the Greek κολλήθητι (kollēthēti), from the root κολλάω (kollaō), meaning to glue, cling, or attach oneself closely to something. The Holy Spirit didn’t just tell Philip to approach the chariot, but to stay close—intentionally, closely, attentively. The word carries a sense of devotion and physical nearness, not momentary contact. Reflection: God often calls us to not just step into an assignment but to remain near it with attention and consistency. Chariots represent people, places, and moments God places in our path. When He tells you to stay, do not wander. See Ruth 2:8-9 for another use of staying close in divine positioning.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 12 2025 | Acts 8:25 KEY VERSE: “When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.” Acts 8:25 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   “Peter and John returned to Jerusalem.” Why did they not stay in Samaria? They preached the Gospel in many Samaritan villages, which could have formed the basis of a new and vibrant ministry, possibly rivalling the Jerusalem church. They could have named it THE SAMARITAN CHURCH OF THE HANDS-LAYING APOSTOLIC DUO. But “Peter and John returned to Jerusalem.”   Christian faith is entered into individually, but that personal choice immediately makes us part of the universal Body of Christ, the Church (1 Cor. 12:13). We are born again alone to be grown in sanctification and ministry together with other Christians. Christian ministry must not be freelance and unaccountable.  The early Apostles of the Lord felt a sense of responsibility and accountability to the leadership of the Church in Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul in his time found the Church in Antioch as his home and sending-church and reported his missionary exploits back to that base (Acts 18:22-23).   We must have a church-base for any and all the many gifts God has given us as individuals. No amount of gifting should make us detach from a local church commitment, which becomes our reference point and our reporting ground. For individuals with itinerant gifts like singing, playing instruments, preaching, or teaching, whatever our gifts, we must submit to some pastoral authority in some local church so that God’s work in and through us is seen as the extension of the life of the Church together.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you committed to a local church to which you are accountable in your Christian walk and ministry? Keep it up; it is important to your walk with God. PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your Church and its expression in local churches. Please help me love my local church and find the support I need for my life and ministry. Lord bless our church leaders so that they will be a blessing to all of their members. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.   THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 132:   Judges 17-18 - Micah and the Danites DAILY word study: RETURNED The word returned  in Acts 8:25 comes from the Greek ὑπέστρεψαν (hupestrepsan) , a form of ὑποστρέφω (hupostrephō),  which means to turn back, to go back to a place one came from.  It implies intentionality and responsibility. Peter and John had fulfilled their mission in Samaria. Instead of staying to build a new base, they returned to Jerusalem, their spiritual and leadership centre. The word here shows more than travel; it reflects submission to spiritual order. Reflection When God gives you a platform or a gift, don’t disconnect from your base. Go back. Stay rooted. Like Peter and John, let your journey end where accountability and spiritual covering remain strong. See Acts 14:26-28 for another example of returning to a sending church.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 11 2025 | Acts 8:18-24 KEY VERSE: “Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” Acts 8:24 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   The God revealed in the Bible is a God of principles and will not condone among His people what He condemns in unbelievers. Concerning God's holiness, the concept of sin becomes understandable. When we offend God's being and ways, we sin against Him, and because He is a just moral Being, He punishes wrongdoing.  When we sin against ourselves, our neighbours, and ultimately against God, it is necessary that we seek to make amends, and quickly and genuinely so, if we are to be forgiven and restored into fellowship with God. When Peter confronted the wrongful heart of Simon in his thinking that he could buy the graces of God with money and painted to him the true dark picture of his heart, which made him unsuited to be used by God in the way he was asking for. Simon’s response was one of swift admission of wrongdoing, and a call for intervention of godly men for the avoidance of the possible negative consequences that could have befallen him; Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me." ( Acts 8:24).   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: How do you respond when God directly or through other people brings you awareness of some wayward ways? Do you seek to make excuses and dig yourself in deeper? Or do you fall at the foot of God and seek divine grace and forgiveness? What about where the offence is clearly against your fellow humans? PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I worship your majestic holiness and declare that there is none like you in purity and perfect holiness. I acknowledge that I sin, by my thoughts, words, actions, and inactions. Please give me a heart that recognises sin and seeks to make amends quickly. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.   THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 131:   Judges 16 - Samson and Delilah; His Death DAILY word study: HAPPEN In Acts 8:24, the word translated as “happen” comes from the Greek ἐπέλθῃ (epelthē), from the verb ἐπέρχομαι (eperchomai), meaning to come upon, to overtake, or to happen suddenly. It describes something that arrives with force or impact, often unexpectedly. Simon’s plea—“Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me”—shows his fear that the judgment Peter warned of could come upon him at any moment. The word choice emphasises the certainty and seriousness of divine consequences, not mere possibilities. This was no light matter; Simon understood that unless he repented, God's judgment would overtake him decisively. Reflection Simon’s plea shows that God’s warnings demand action. Conviction is not the end goal—repentance is. When God exposes sin, respond quickly before judgment overtakes you.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 10 2025 | Acts 8:18-23 KEY VERSE: “¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:18-19 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   The English language has coined the word SIMONY, possibly from this biblical incident of Simon trying to trade in the free, gracious gifts of God. The Church must wake up to Simon in all his forms. Peter did the right thing by confronting the sin of Simon right there and then. Peter reached into the spirit of Simon and laid bare his true spiritual state, controlled by a materialistic worldview that thinks spiritual relevance and power can be purchased with money, though he had been born again.   When we try to use money to buy spiritual gifts and positions in the Church or to influence decisions of the Church, it shows that our hearts are not right, and we may not be truly part of God’s movement of the time, even though we may be truly born again. Simony has a close relative called cronyism, and they have two cousins called tribalism and racism. These are sinful attitudes and behaviours that rear their ugly heads wherever God’s Church is, and work through hearts that need some circumcision.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Lay your heart bare before God and find out if there are any seeds of manipulation by money or seeking to control God’s Church with the money that you give to the Church. PRAYER: Lord, I reject simony, racism, tribalism, pride, and all behaviours and attitudes that show my heart is not right. Cleanse my heart, O God, and let me be used mightily by you for your glory and honour and for the blessings of your people. For your dear Name’s sake,   Amen.   THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 130:   Judges 15 - Samson Defeats the Philistines DAILY word study: SIMONY The term Simony comes from Simon Magus in Acts 8. The word entered church vocabulary by the 11th century, derived from Latin simonia and Old French simonie. Simony refers to the sin of buying or selling spiritual gifts, church offices, or sacred things. Simon thought God’s power could be purchased like merchandise. His heart craved the benefits of the Spirit, not the Spirit Himself. Reflection This story presses a hard question: Do you want God or only His gifts? Whenever faith becomes a transaction instead of a surrender, we risk falling into Simon’s trap. See 1 Timothy 6:5–10 for Paul’s strong warnings about treating godliness as a means of gain.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 9 2025 | Acts 8:18-19 KEY VERSE: “¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:18-19 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   Money is good, I can tell you that, and you know it well; but money is not everything. Money is a tool that God gives us to do His will while here on earth. Money is a good servant but a very bad master, especially when it is used to bully systems, buy people, and attempt to bribe God. We have been informed that Simon the Sorcerer believed in the preaching of Philip and was baptised. So far, so good. However, Simon needed to change his thinking about the spirituality of Christianity, which was against the spirituality of his life before conversion. In his pre-Christian experience, he was the showman; he knew how certain spirits operated and what rites, rituals and steps could get them to tantalise the minds and spirits of the people around Samaria. People would pay him to bring about certain realities for them, and maybe when he thought he needed more power, he could go to other magicians and buy additional powers.   With this mindset, Simon, when he saw the divine operation in the impartation of the Holy Spirit through the specially God-arranged laying on of the hands of the Apostles Peter and John, offered money to buy the power to also lay hands on people so that they could receive the outpouring of the Spirit. Simon made mistakes. He thought money could buy God and the gifts of God. He wrongly thought that the Apostles were the possessors and willful dispensers of the power to make the Spirit happen.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Be sober and regulated in your moves around God. You cannot buy God, bribe God, or bamboozle God. Approach spirituality with a true knowledge of the Bible and in humility. PRAYER: Dear God in Heaven, how foolish I am to think that I own you and can manipulate you. Please give me a proper understanding of your gracious permission for my participation in your grace, and please steer me from making a mess around you. For your dear Name’s sake,   Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 129:   Judges 14 - Samson’s Marriage and Revenge DAILY word study: GIVE ME The Greek phrase for “give me” in Acts 8:19 is δώτε καὶ ἐμοί (dote kai emoi) — from the verb δίδωμι (didōmi), meaning to give, to offer, to grant. The request may sound simple, but it carries a misunderstanding. Simon didn’t ask with humility—he tried to transact with God. The words show a command tone, as if spiritual gifts could be exchanged like goods. It reflected his old worldview, not the new life of faith. True faith abandons transactions and opens itself fully to grace. Reflection: Examine yourself to ensure you aren’t bargaining or bidding for what God gives freely by grace.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 8 2025 | Acts 8:14-18 KEY VERSE: “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.” Acts 8:14 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   Humans have created and continue to create barriers among themselves, barriers of tribe, race, class, education, etc. The biblical distinction between Jew and Gentile had been taken away from the divine purpose of identifying Israel and using the nation as the cradle for the manifestation of Messiah, for the benefit of the whole of humanity (Gen. 12:3). The Jewish mindset had set their humanity above that of the Gentiles, and of the Samaritans who were a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles. This thinking needed to be dealt with by God so that the Gospel would become useful to the non-Jewish world. God had to break down the barriers of separation. It is noteworthy that  “ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them .” The Apostles in Jerusalem were surprised when the Gospel took root among the despised Samaritans. As responsible custodians of the ministry left behind by the Master, the Apostles sent Peter and John to firm up the bond of the new family relationship created by the entrance of the Gospel. God wanted the Jewish Christians to realise that they were one with the non-Jewish believers, so God held back the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit should have happened at the moment of Samaritan conversion ( For we were all baptised by   one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. - 1 Cor 12:13), but in this case God wanted the Jewish Christians to lay hands on the Samaritan believers, that way receiving them as fellow children of God, and breaking down the walls of separation.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are there any walls of separation you are holding up between you and other humans, generally, especially in the context of the church? Is tribe, gender, education, or politics separating you from others? In Christ, you need to work at it with the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Let God help you bring down the walls. PRAYER: Lord, please forgive me for putting up and supporting the walls that separate. Let me not call unclean what you have cleansed. For your dear Name’s sake,   Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 128:   Judges 13 - The Birth of Samson DAILY word study: ACCEPTED The Greek word translated as “accepted” is δέχομαι (dechomai), which means to welcome, receive, or take in gladly. It reflects an active openness and readiness to embrace something. In this passage, dechomai describes how the Samaritans welcomed the Gospel — not casually, but with full commitment. This shows that acceptance involves more than hearing; it means embracing truth in a way that transforms life and community. Reflection When people welcome God’s word like this, walls of division start to crumble, and new unity takes root.

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 7 2025 | Acts 8:9-13 KEY VERSE: “Simon himself believed and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.” Acts 8:13 (NIV)   MESSAGE:   The material and immaterial world around us is packed with spiritual reality beyond what the eye can see.  This is as true as electromagnetic waves, television, and radio bands bombard us from every angle. But we need to engage these spirit forces to experience and benefit from them. Samaria and its environs, like anywhere on Earth today, were buzzing with spiritual reality, and the champion connection to this reality was a man called Simon. Simon engaged his magical knowledge and power (not the sleight of hand of entertainment magicians), but contact with real spirits the world calls gods (1 Cor. 8:5).   When the Gospel got into that city of Samaria, the power of the Gospel diminished the power of the magical system presented by Simon the Sorcerer. The darkness of the gods of Simon gave way to the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Simon believed (praise the Lord). Many people follow lifeless gods, systems, and powers. They need to encounter the power that surpasses all powers, and when that happens, they will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive new motivation for life.   FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: What power controls your life, your thoughts, your actions? What are the forces that influence you and to whom you bow? Let your Lord be Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and bow to Him alone. Help other people to come to terms with the lordship of Jesus Christ. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, I declare before Heaven and Earth that there is no other god but you alone. All other gods measure up to nothing in the light of your eternal majesty and power. Please help me live under your canopy and lead other people to you. For your dear Name’s sake,   Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!! The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 127:   Judges 12 - Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim; Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon DAILY word study : SIGNS The Greek word translated as “signs” is σημεῖα (sēmeia), which comes from sēma, meaning a mark or token. In the New Testament, sēmeia refers to acts that serve as visible evidence of divine power, pointing clearly to God’s work. These signs validated the gospel message and showed that true authority rested in Jesus, not in human skill or magic. In Samaria, the people saw a difference between empty wonders and authentic moves of God. Even Simon the Sorcerer recognised the greater power when faced with these undeniable signs. Reflection: Simon had power, but when real signs appeared, he followed the truth. People still respond to power—let your life carry the kind that points to Christ.