Scattered and Emboldened
by Randy Chambers, 2021-11-12
Acts 8:3-4, NIV: But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
The death of Stephen was certainly not a good thing; but, as God does so often, He took what was intended for evil and used it for good. The people were scattered, but they were also emboldened to preach the Word "wherever they went." They could have, out of fear, been scattered and hid themselves away; keeping silent so as not to be exposed. Yet, they were not silent. Praise God for that. In various parts of the world today, Christians are still scattered; driven out by the sword of persecution. But rest assured, even as God emboldened believers once upon a time, that He still emboldens believers today. In America, as in a number of other nations, we do not know such persecution. However, when such a day comes (and it will come) that we are scattered, may it be that we too are emboldened so that the scattering of the people of God results in the abundant scattering of the seed of His Word.
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