Acts 21:8

Acts 21:8 says, And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.  Paul and those with him separated from those they had been traveling with and went to Caesarea.  There they entered the house of Philip the evangelist and stayed with him.  Philip was one of the first seven deacons but had then been called to be an evangelist.  We may start serving in one role in the church and know that is what God has called us to do, but that doesn't mean we may not be called to another role.  A teacher may feel the call to preach or a pastor to missionary work later, but that does not mean the first calling was wrong.  Paul himself went first to the Jews before being sent by the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. Verse nine adds, And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.  Philip had four daughters who prophesied.  We aren't told any more about their ability than the statement, but since it was mentioned, it had to have been a real talent or ability that they had.  We may want to discredit women in the work of the church, but that is not really what the Bible teaches.  We are told there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female in the eyes of God.  In Joel 2:28, we are told, "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions," (KJV).  Verse ten continues, And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.  Then, after they had been there many days, there came down from Judea a prophet named Agabus.  Verse eleven concludes, And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.  He took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet and said, "Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.” Again, a warning to Paul about what awaited him in Jerusalem.  Even if we know beforehand that following God's plan and purpose for our life is going to lead to hardship, possibly even death, we must press on.  Paul was not going blindly to Jerusalem, but he was going with his eyes wide open to what awaited him.  We must be no less faithful.  Verse twelve declares, And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.  His friends once again, instead of praying for him to be strengthened in his call, begged him to abandon it.  It was not safe.  Verse thirteen adds, Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.  Paul would not turn aside from his mission, saying that not only would he be willing to be bound for the sake of the gospel, but that he would die for it.  We need this same commitment today.  When someone tells us that they know beyond a doubt what God wants them to do, whether we think it is safe or not, may we always pray for them to be strengthened in their call.  If Paul had listened to his friends, we might know very little about him today, because he would have been following the world and not God.  Verse fourteen continues, And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.  When they could not dissuade Paul, they said, "The will of the Lord be done."  That should always be our first statement.