MATTHEW 12:34 … For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

We share Jesus because we live in a world surrounded by people who may know about Him intellectually but have never experienced Him personally. “Connect” is the time when we build genuine relationships—relationships rooted in love, sincerity, and compassion. Sharing Jesus is not just a task to accomplish; it is a sacred responsibility to the God who has given us everything. Yet more than an obligation, it is a joy and a privilege. When our hearts overflow with love, gratitude, and the joy of knowing Christ, it naturally spills out through our words and actions. Telling others about Jesus becomes an overflow of the heart—an outpouring of what He has already poured into us.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for filling our hearts with the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Help us, Lord, to live each day so deeply rooted in Your presence that our words and actions overflow with Your goodness. Teach us to see every person around us as someone You love and desire to know You personally.

May our conversations be filled with sincerity, kindness, and truth. Let the joy of our salvation shine through us—not out of duty, but out of delight in who You are. Give us courage to speak of Jesus with gentleness and compassion, and may our lives reflect the beauty of His transforming love.

Lord, make our hearts so full of You that sharing Your name becomes as natural as breathing. Use our relationships to draw others closer to You, for Your glory and Your kingdom.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Philip, a follower of Jesus

ACTS 8

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Philip, a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, received a clear instruction from God. The Ethiopian eunuch he was sent to meet was no ordinary man—he was a high-ranking official, entrusted with the entire treasury of a powerful and wealthy nation. In contrast, Philip was just an ordinary believer, without position, wealth, or status. From a human perspective, Philip had every reason to hold back. He could have thought, “I don’t speak his language.” He could have feared being misunderstood, rejected, or even attacked by the eunuch’s guards. He could have felt intimidated by their difference in rank, education, and wealth. Yet despite all these potential barriers, Philip obeyed God’s command.

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

Philip, with all his strength, ran toward the chariot. In moments like this, technique is secondary, having a perfect script is secondary, and eloquence is secondary. What matters most is availability—a willing heart that responds to God’s prompting. When the heart is full, the mouth will speak. God had already prepared the situation and the person. The Ethiopian eunuch wasn’t hostile or resistant; instead, he was ready to listen. Of course, not every opportunity to share Jesus will unfold as smoothly as this one did. But our role is not to control the outcome. Our privilege is to sow the seed of the gospel faithfully and let God do the work in the hearts of people.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its 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.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”

In the Old Testament, one of the most powerful and prophetic passages about Jesus is found in the Book of Isaiah—specifically in Isaiah 53. This chapter gives a vivid picture of the suffering Messiah, describing His silent submission, unjust treatment, and sacrificial death. Centuries before Jesus came, God had already revealed His redemptive plan through this remarkable prophecy.

ISAIAH 53:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

It was Jesus who was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Through His suffering, He carried the full weight of our sin and pain so that we might have peace with God. By His wounds, we are healed.

By God’s amazing design, this very passage was what the Ethiopian eunuch was reading when Philip was sent to him by divine appointment. Isaiah 53 unmistakably points to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

God continues to work in this way today. He chooses ordinary people to carry the extraordinary message of salvation. He has already arranged divine appointments—not just in distant places, but often right within our own homes, families, and communities. All He asks is that we make ourselves available and obedient, just as Philip did.

Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will obey My commands.”  Obedience opens the door for God to use our lives as a channel of His grace and salvation to others.

LUKE 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Sharing Jesus is not merely a task to accomplish—it is a matter of eternal urgency and a sacred privilege. Every time we share the gospel, we participate in what brings joy to the heart of heaven.To witness even one sinner turn to God is to understand the very reason for heaven’s rejoicing. God’s greatest delight is to see the lost found, the broken restored, and a soul brought from death to life. What an honor that He allows us to take part in that divine celebration.

The Ethiopian eunuch was a man of success—high position, wealth, and a promising future. Yet, deep within, he knew something was missing. That inner emptiness led him to search for truth, to travel all the way to Jerusalem, and to read the Scriptures. What he was missing was not something—it was Someone. That Someone is Jesus.

Jesus gave His life for us for a reason. Sin had separated mankind from God, and no human effort could ever bridge that gap. Out of love, Jesus stepped out of eternity into time to fix what we could not. On the cross of Calvary, He shed His blood and gave His life—the only acceptable payment for all our sins: past, present, and future. And now, He offers eternal life as a free gift to all who believe.

All that remains is our decision—to receive Him, to trust Him, and to give our life to Jesus, the One who gave His life for us.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus,
Thank You for loving me so deeply that You gave Your life on the cross for my sins. I confess that I have tried to fill the emptiness in my heart with many things, but today I realize that what I truly need is You. Thank You for stepping out of eternity to save me, for shedding Your blood to pay for all my sins—past, present, and future.

I now open my heart to You and receive You as my Lord and Savior. Forgive me, cleanse me, and make me new. Fill me with Your Spirit and help me to walk in Your ways from this day forward. Thank You for the gift of eternal life and for making me a child of God.

In Your precious name, Jesus, I pray.

Amen.