"Now, Last Time During Bible Study, Jasmine Fell in Love..."

That's how my daddy started Bible study during family worship yesterday. We were trying to recall what chapter in Acts we were reading, and Daddy said, "Oh, last time during Bible study, we were on chapter 18, and Jasmine fell in love with Apollos..."

And I had. It's true. 

A few weeks ago, one of my friends on Facebook had a status that read "So-and-so has found her dream guy." Going on to skim the comments, I realized she meant someone in the book of Acts. Now Acts, a book full of the marvelous working of the Holy Spirit as the Lord converts sinners and uses them to perform His mighty deeds among the nations and to impact the lives of other sinners for His glory, is a perfect place to look for your dream guy, or, rather, to learn about the God-glorifying attributes in Christ-centered men, so I didn't think anything of this specific guy she had mentioned...

Until Acts 18: 24-28, when I knew that it just had to have been Apollos: 

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was aneloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. 

Now of course, I haven't truly gone and lost my heart to someone who's been dead for thousands of years, who I've never actually met. :-) But there are so many admirable qualities in Apollos, qualities I would love to find, that my father is certainly looking for, in the man I may, Lord willing, marry. 

• Apollos was an eloquent man (vs. 24)
• Apollos was competent in the Scriptures (vs. 24)
• Apollos had been instructed in the way of the Lord (vs. 25)
• Apollos was fervent in spirit (vs. 25) 
• Apollos spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus (vs. 25)
• Apollos spoke boldly (vs. 26)
• Apollos was, as far as we can tell, teachable (vs. 26) by Pricilla and Aquila 
• Apollos greatly helped the saints (vs. 27)
• Apollos powerfully refuted the Jews in public, using the Scriptures to proclaim that Christ was Jesus (vs. 28)

I think we need more men like Apollos in this world! Beyond that, I think we need more men striving to emulate Christ, to live  lives that bring glory to Him, and we need women with the same goal to unite with them to further the kingdom. 

I can't wait to meet this Apollos in heaven someday, to sit down and talk to him, someone who was fervent and passionate about the gospel! Hopefully, as I grow in grace, we'll have a lot in common by then. :-)

Ps. Speaking of reformation and such, my friend Ahlaischa has just written a wonderful post on the topic! Hop over to "Take Every Thought Captive" and take a look, and leave her an encouraging comment!