BAD NEWS AND MORE BAD NEWS Agabus holds the distinction of being one of the few named prophets of New Testament times. We have two of his prophecies on record: He predicted a severe famine that would affect Judea, and he foretold Paul’s imprisonment in Jerusalem. “I have bad news, and I have bad news,” we might have heard him say. However, Agabus’s prophecies were not intended as declarations of doom. Rather, they offered information that could be used to prepare the right response. In the first instance, his prophecy stirred the church into action and the disciples provided help for the believers in Judea. In response to the second prophecy, Paul’s companions panicked while Paul rightly took the news as advance notice of God’s plan for him; he declared his devotion to Christ and got ready to go. Everyone learned from that. Should Agabus have held his tongue because of “what people might think”? Of course not! He delivered God’s words because that was his God-given job. God gave him a prophecy; he had to share it. Don’t be timid about serving God with the gifts he’s given you just because you see some natural barrier. Many people around you need your words of encouragement, acts of hospitality, or whatever gifts you have to share. They need it. PRAYER Lord, please use me ... READ The story of Agabus is found in Acts 11:25–30; 21:10–14. While we were staying there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. (Acts 21:10 HCSB)
Posted on: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:41:17 +0000
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