Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

So even though the forces of this world were constraining Peter, the believers continued to boldly present their request for Peter's freedom in the Throne Room of God. There is comfort in the Throne Room. When something is going on that is troublesome or vexing, the believer will find himself seeking the Lord in prayer. When something happens that is difficult for a community of believers they will naturally band together in sweet fellowship and join together to pray and be comforted by God and by one another.
APPLICATION
As a leader I need to be ready to call together the team whenever there is trouble for in our prayers and fellowship there is comfort and peace.

Matthew 15:27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

At first blush this scene can be considered a harsh and heartless expression by Jesus, even racist by modern standards. Referring to a needy person as a dog is indeed not something that would be acceptable in this day and age. I would consider it the ultimate irony however once you realize that if it were not for the teachings of Jesus and the prosperity of the church down through the ages it most probably would be completely acceptable to treat one another in a harsh and racist manner. Let us not forget that it was the conviction of the HS that ushered in the movement driven by the British politician William Wilberforce who led the way to abolish the slave trade in the mid 1800's. Let's not also forget even in this country women were not considered full citizens until the suffrage movement in the 1920's - less than one hundred years ago. Although in the book of Ephesians God gave women the same value as men where we are to submit to one another as unto the Lord, it was Jesus Christ and His church which has led the way on matters such as this. All one has to do is look around the world and note the countries and territories where Christianity has taken root and you will find all manner of prosperity, equality, liberty and justice. Even the American experiment was founded on the principals of Scripture in light of freedom of opression and the pursuit of religious and personal freedom.

APPLICATION
I need to remain mindful of the big picture that our faith has had an enormous affect on humankind and that I am playing a vital role in the story of what God is doing. I need to be about my Father's business, as it is the most important business in the universe.

Acts 8:31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

This is the proof text for the need for the bible scholar. The one who spends his time and effort analyzing the text and sorting out all of it's ramifications. This is also a proof text for one of my favorite axioms "in order to learn one must be willing to be taught". The eunuch invited Philip to explain the passage of Scripture thereby setting himself in the place of humbly being willing to receive instruction. That is the place of teach ability, the place of learning.

APPLICATION
I, first need to cultivate and maintain an attitude of teach ability for without it I cannot progress, secondly I need to remember to refrain from instructing others unless I am invited to do so.

Acts 8:30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

Phillip was told to "go that chariot and stay near it" so Phillip ran. His obedience was such that he immediately sprang to action without hesitation eager not to miss the opportunity the Lord was giving him. His attitude was eager and zealous, in the right direction. Unlike Moses who was obedient but eager in the wrong direction, he struck the rock twice when he was instructed to speak to it, he did more than he was asked and with the wrong attitude, it cost him dearly. He portrayed to the children of Israel that the Lord was angry. However with the right attitude we see Phillip doing more than asked and he is rewarded accordingly.

APPLICATION
I need to be obedient quickly and to also cultivate the right attitude.

ACTS 8:29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Many times the Lord will give us instruction to just get us to a starting point where we can then be maneuvered to the next place He wants us to go. He might say go to A and when we get there it becomes obvious what B is all about so we go to B and then C becomes clear. He may do this because there may be lessons we need to learn on the journey from A to B and then to C that we would not have experienced if we just went to C in the first place.
Like Joseph and Mary going to Egypt first then to Nazareth, in that instance it was God protecting them. For Moses and the children of Israel the 40 years in the desert were a time of stripping away and purging of sin. Even for Jesus who only went where the Father told Him to go or who said only what the Father gave Him to speak was led of the Spirit into the wilderness first to be tempted and then into His ministry.
APPLICATION
I need to be careful to be quick to be obedient to the directives the HS gives me even if it seems to be unusual or not enough information.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Defy Logic or Conventional Wisdom

^{ACTS 7:57} At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 

A physical manifestation of an ademant unwillingness to hear any more from Stephen. Seems immature to me. Driven by this emotional outburst these leaders had a foregone conclusion in mind and just wanted to get on with it. How many time have we done something similar by refusing to let facts get in the way of what we wanted to do?  We have become champions of justification, excuses and finding the extenuating circumstance that exonerates our direction in the face of reality and facts which clearly could guide us otherwise.

There is something about rebellion of this sort that can be attractive, how many times does the hero of the story go against the odds and prevail and in the end somehow that elevates him even further because he defied logic and conventional wisdom. Thank God we have the Scriptures and the HS to keep us on the track of godliness which will sometimes cause us by faith to do the thing that could seem erratic or outrageous.
APPLICATION
I need to seek God for discernment to hear His voice and to be willing to do the things that defy logic or sound judgement if indeed He is calling me to.

Power of Encouragement

^{Hebrews 10:25} not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

All the more as we see the day approaching.... very interesting, this means that the further along in this age we get the more prevalent we as believers should be in the posture to encourage one another. Now in order to encourage one another we need to get past the acquaintance stage and progress further to a more deeper level of relationship. Since it is necessary to know what is going on in another person's life in order to sincerely encourage them.
If we are to be known as Jesus' disciples we will be known for our love for one another. How can we love one another if we do not know one another?

So our kinship in Christ is the rail upon which our relationships with one another will ride but our fellowship with one another is where our encouragement will spur us on toward love and good deeds, this will manifest our spiritual growth and maturity.

APPLICATION

I want to be an encourager.  In order for this to be so I need to deliberately clarify my intentions in this regard and I believe that once I do that the opportunities will appear.