Acts 8:26-31 Understandest thou what thou readest?

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

-Acts 8:26-31King James Version (KJV)

Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com

9025

...[2] ...Be it known that the true doctrine of the church is that which is here called "the internal sense;" for in the internal sense are truths such as the angels have in heaven. [3] Among priests, and among the men of the church, there are those who teach and who learn the truths of the church from the literal sense of the Word; and there are those who teach and those who learn from doctrine drawn from the Word, which is called the doctrine of faith of the church. The latter differ very much from the former in perception, but they cannot be distinguished by the common people, because they both speak from the Word nearly alike. But those who teach and who learn only the literal sense of the Word without the doctrine of the church as a guide, apprehend only those things which belong to the natural or external man; whereas those who teach and who learn from true doctrine drawn from the Word, understand also things which are of the spiritual or internal man. The reason is that the Word in the external or literal sense is natural, but in the internal sense it is spiritual. The former sense is called in the Word a "cloud," but the latter sense is called the "glory" in the cloud (n. 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8781)... 

Acts 8:14-24 Gifts of God may not be purchased

¹⁴ Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

¹⁵ Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
¹⁶ (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
¹⁷ Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
¹⁹ Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
²⁰ But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
²¹ Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
²³ For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
²⁴ Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. -Acts 8:14-24 Bible, King James Version

I believe the Gifts of God, including the Teachings of the Ascended Masters, should be given freely to others.

Acts 12:11-16 It is his angel

¹¹ And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
¹² And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
¹³ And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
¹⁴ And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
¹⁵ And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. -Acts 12:11-16 King James Version (KJV)

It appears to me that when Peter was knocking at the gate they said "It is his angel" because they thought he must have been killed and was appearing in his angelic spirit body.

Acts 8:5-13 Simon used sorcery

⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

⁶ And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

¹⁰ To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

¹¹ And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

¹² But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³ Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. -Acts 8:5-13 Bible, King James Version

There are white magicians and black magicians. Black magicians can only operate in the lower worlds which are associated with the human state of consciousness because in the Higher Planes of Divine Consciousness there is only the Light and Love of God so no darkness can exist there. It is, I believe, important to realize that black magic is practiced by thinking or feeling negative thoughts and emotions therefore we need to control our thoughts and feelings so they are only positive. Remember the Law of the Harvest, or the Law of Karma, which means that whatever we do to others will eventually be done to us.

Acts 7:55-56 Jesus on the right hand of God

 

 

             Stephen Sees Jesus On The Right Hand Of God

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. -Acts 7:55-56 Bible, King James Version

Many Christians believe Jesus is God yet here Stephen sees a vision of Jesus and God as two separate individuals. Jesus was what some Masters refer to as a godman which is a personification of God on earth. This means one may be a god on earth but God Itself is always greater. Every master has a Master and every god has a God  of a higher order. Jesus may have been standing beside His Higher Self or I AM Presence which He referred to as His Father in Heaven.

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi H. Dowling

CHAPTER 8.

Elihu’s lessons to Jesus' mother in Egypt

¹Again Elihu met his pupils in the sacred grove and said,
⁵There are two selfs; the higher and the lower self.
⁶The higher self is human spirit clothed with soul, made in the form of God.
⁷The lower self, the carnal self, the body of desires, is a reflexion of the higher self, distorted by the murky ethers of the flesh.
⁸The lower self is an illusion, and will pass away; the higher self is God in man, and will not pass away.
⁹The higher self is the embodi­ment of truth; the lower self is truth reversed, and so is falsehood manifest.
¹⁰The higher self is justice, mercy, love and right; the lower self is what the higher self is not.
¹¹The lower self breeds hatred, slander, lewdness, murders, theft, and everything that harms; the higher self is mother of the virtues and the harmonies of life.
¹²The lower self is rich in prom­ises, but poor in blessedness and peace; it offers pleasure, joy and sat­isfying gains; but gives unrest and misery and death.
¹³It gives men apples that are lovely to the eye and pleasant to the smell; their cores are full of bit­terness and gall.
¹⁴If you would ask me what to study I would say, yourselfs; and when you well had studied them, and then would ask me what to study next, I would reply, your­selfs.
¹⁵He who knows well his lower self, knows the illusions of the world, knows of the things that pass away; and he who knows his higher self, knows God; knows well the things that cannot pass away.
¹⁶Thrice blessed is the man who has made purity and love his very own; he has been ransomed from the perils of the lower self and is himself his higher self.

Acts 7:30-32 God reveals His Name to Moses

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob... -Acts 7:30-32 Bible, King James Version

This I believe refers to the appearance of God to Moses where He reveals to him His Eternal Name. 

 

Exodus 3: Moses and the Burning Bush

'Now Moses... came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush... and the bush was not consumed.'

The Angels of the LORD dwell in a world of Flaming Fire which represents Divine Love.

'God called unto him out of the midst of the bush... And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you... And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel... this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.' -Exodus 3:1-2,4,13-15 Bible, King James Version

This is probably the Greatest Secret Key hidden in the Bible. There is great Divine Power in the Holy Name of God, "I AM." The Mighty Ascended Master, the Great Divine Director who is Authority over all Life Streams on this earth until they have Ascended, teaches; "The Great Creative Word "I AM" [is] the Most Powerful Word in the Universe." As Jesus demonstrated thru the use of I AM Decrees the Holy Name of God "I AM" can be placed at the beginning of a constructive affirmation to accomplish our goals in life and after death. For example, perhaps the most powerful I AM Decree Jesus used was "I AM the Resurrection and the Life" (St John 11:25) When we return to our Father in Heaven and stand before Him it is said we will exclaim; "I am That, I AM." In other words, as we stand before our Higher Self, or Mighty I AM Presence, we will realize that this Individualization of God is in fact our own Higher Self the Mighty I AM Presence of God. Jesus of course knew this, which is evident when He said to the Jews such things as; "Before Abraham was, I AM" meaning in fact that before Abraham was born Jesus and all of us existed as an I AM Presence. The reason this Grand Master Key was not taught openly by Jesus was that the people weren't ready for it or especially another Grand Master Key which must be taught with it. This Sacred Fire Key was not permitted to be revealed until the 1930s by one of Beloved Jesus' fellow Ascended Masters Saint Germain. This Secret Key involves using the Violet Consuming Flame, by visualizing or decreeing it, to cleanse ourselves of all our past mistakes or negative karma which we have accumulated over many lifetimes on this earth. If the Holy Fire is the Bridge for the Angels and Gods to our world then it must also be the Bridge for us to enter into their Heavens. Saint Germain represents Freedom to this earth for the next 10,000 years. With regards to Saint Germain Beloved Jesus declares: "I say to the orthodox world...those who cannot accept Saint Germain and the Ascended Masters, will not have My Radiation...In former ages, it was not possible to bring forth the clearness of this understanding which Saint Germain has brought forth today! The Law of the Cosmic Light did not permit it! I brought forth to the world more of the "I AM," than any individual up to the time, when Saint Germain brought this Instruction forth."

Acts 6:2 Should we serve God or serve tables?

² Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. -Acts 6:2 Bible, King James Version

 

Many good people are giving great caring service to others believing that this is all they need to do to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven permanently. On the other hand a few good people have chosen to serve God by turning their attention to the Teachings of the Ascended Masters in this lifetime, while the opportunity is available to them, in order to receive and share these Teachings which if followed will enable mankind to gain the Ascension in this lifetime and therefore be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for eternity and be free forever from the necessity of re-embodiment or reincarnation. The Beloved God Tabor teaches us: "Mankind go on having hundreds of embodiments sometimes, and all the things they think are so important down here, do not do one really important thing! They do not give back to Life one thing which the "I AM Presence" can use to give them their Ascension or purify the world." ('The Voice of the I AM' 1947 January p22)