Epiphany, Encounter

Have you ever had an epiphany? Did the light bulb suddenly come on? Did you feel enlightened at that moment? Did it stick with you for several days or even longer? How did the epiphany come about? Was there someone responsible for it? Was it God who gave you the insight?

Epiphanies can be very enjoyable. They can point us in the right direction. They can be the solution to a problem we have been wrestling with. They may simply suddenly come to us out of the blue. They may come to us when someone says something that triggers it.

Saul received a message from Jesus that turned into an epiphany. The light of Jesus literally came on and flashed around him. Saul was struck blind and was completely dumbfounded. He was confounded by the voice. He was told it was Jesus who was speaking to him. Imagine his further confusion, wondering how a dead man could be speaking to him. He had to be thinking that maybe what the people of the Way were saying was true.

Saul would soon discover Jesus was very much alive and working in this world. He would even spend time with Jesus, learning about His ministry and fulfillment of prophecy. This encounter with Jesus was just the beginning of him becoming the apostle to the Gentiles. He would be known largely as the apostle Paul once he started his mission to the Gentiles.

Though we may never encounter Jesus in the same way Saul did, we may encounter Him in epiphany moments. He can provide us with thoughts we would not normally have had. He can point us in the right direction when we need it most. Jesus is still very much active in the world today. We simply need to keep our eyes, ears, and minds open to recognize Him.

I pray we all know that Jesus is alive and active in our world. I pray we stay open to hearing Jesus speak to us. I pray each one of us will listen and follow Jesus as he leads us where He wants us to go. Jesus is alive. Jesus is active. Be open to hearing Jesus. Follow His lead.

Acts 9:3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

Despair To Celebration

Have you experienced a dramatic turn of events? Have you been lifted from the depths of despair to be raised to the heights of celebration? Have you gone from barely being able to pay your bills to being able to save for the future? Have you thanked God for the change?

We experience ups and downs, positives and negatives throughout our lives. There are small changes that occur each day. Those we often take no notice of. However, it is often the small changes each day that lead to a much larger change over time.

It is only when we stop to look back over time that we see the large change that has taken place. Often, when we are young, just starting life as an adult, we struggle financially. We barely earn enough to pay our bills. We long to have what our parents have, but we don’t want to wait thirty years to get it. Yet, for most, it takes many years to accumulate financial stability.

Some experience deep sorrows through the loss of a loved one or a heartbreaking loss of a relationship. In the days, weeks, and months that follow, we may not think we will ever get over it. The truth of the matter is, we won’t. However, we will grow from it and experience times of celebration again. We overcome the sorrow and joy returns.

How does this happen? We can attribute it all to God. He works in our lives when we don’t realize it. He puts new people into our lives. He arranges for a promotion in our job or new job for us. God lifts us out of the depths of despair and sets our feet to dancing with joy. Therefore, we should praise him and give him the thanks he deserves.

I pray we all know that sorrow and despair will not last. I pray we look forward to the joy of God coming into our lives. I pray each one of us praises God and give him thanks for working in our lives. Celebration will come. Joy will come. Praise God. Thank God for lifting you up.

Psalm 30:11-12

You have turned my mourning into dancing; 

you have taken off my sackcloth 

and clothed me with joy, 

so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. 

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Rest In God’s Favor

Have you thought God was angry with you at times? Have you had nights of sadness, shedding many tears? Have you considered that God is on your side for your lifetime? Have you noticed that joy comes after sadness? Do you still praise God? Do you give God thanks?

When things go badly, we may think God is angry with us, and he may be. Yet, God does not stay angry with us for long. He forgives us. He knows we are human and fallible. And because God walked this earth in Jesus, he is on our side and sheds his blessings on us.

Sadness comes in many forms, but it won’t stay. We shed tears as we weep over the loss of a loved one, a job, a relationship, or any other loss. Yet, joy will follow the sadness. When we are in Christ, joy will come because He cares for us. He will bring us joy in unexpected ways. We just need to look for it and recognize it when we see it.

Because God is on our side and he brings us joy, we should always praise him and give him thanks. Praise him for his many blessings. Praise him for his awesome plan for your life. Give God thanks for your health. Thank him for your job. Thank him for your family. Thank him for the joy you have. Thank him for caring about you.

I pray we all know that we rest in God’s favor for a lifetime. I pray we trust that joy will come following sadness. I pray each one of us with praise God and give thanks to him for all he has done for us. You have God’s favor. Your joy comes from God. Praise God. Give thanks to God.

Psalm 30:4-5

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, 

and give thanks to his holy name. 

For his anger is but for a moment; 

his favor is for a lifetime. 

Weeping may linger for the night, 

but joy comes with the morning.

Myriads of Myriads

What is the largest crowd you have ever been a part of? Have you been to a sporting event with several thousand? Have you been to a concert with several thousand? How large is the city you live in? Are there thousands living there? How many do you think are in heaven?

Being in large crowds can cause anxiety for some folks, but I’m not one of them. I have been the NFL Football games with approximately seventy-five thousand people. I was at the very first stadium show done by Garth Brooks and there were approximately eighty thousand people at it.

However, I have never been in a crowd of thousands of thousands. Think about the number of people that is. Just one thousand times one thousand is one million. Therefore, a crowd of thousands of thousands would be millions. John tells us that in his revelation there were myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. Myriad can mean countless. Imagine countless upon countless people!

Why is this important to us? That is the number of people, according to John’s revelation given to him by Jesus Himself, who will be with us in heaven and for all eternity. If we for some reason think there will be a select few who are accepted by God, we are grossly mistaken. There will be countless people with whom we will spend eternity. Only God knows how many that will be.

So, rather than judging others and thinking there is no way they are getting to heaven, perhaps we should instead look at them as one who just might be there with us. Maybe if we look at them as though we might spend eternity together, we will look at them a little differently. Maybe we will begin to treat one another with love, just as Jesus treated people with love.

I pray we all realize there will be countless people with us in heaven and eternity. I pray we see others as people we may spend eternity with. I pray each one of us will love others as Jesus loves us. You will spend eternity with myriads of people. Love others as Jesus loves.

Revelation 5:11-12a Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,

One Body, One Spirit

How many differences do you notice on a daily or weekly basis? Do you note the differences in people? Their hair color? Whether they are short or tall? What about the language they speak? Do you notice their style of clothing? How do you feel about those differences?

There are differences in all of us. We see those differences every day, if we merely take a moment to notice. We can point out the differences among every person we meet, even identical twins. Yet, we are called into unity through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Does coming together in our differences seem odd? Let’s look at an example we all are familiar with. Take the car you drive. How many parts do you think it consists of? On average, a vehicle consists of approximately 30,000 parts. Each part is designed for a specific purpose. Such is the case with each of us.

God has uniquely created each of us for a purpose. It is only as we come together in unity through Jesus, becoming His body here on earth, that we can serve the larger ministry God desires of us in the world. No one person can do it all. No one local church can do it all. It requires all of us working together, using our gifts, to carry out the mission God has given us. The more we meld together our gifts, the more effective we can be in reaching people for Jesus, and thereby transform the world.

I pray we all realize we cannot do it all on our own. I pray we recognize our gifts and our purpose in this life. I pray each one of us commit to coming together to share our gifts so that we can better carry out the ministry God has given us. See the differences. See the possibilities. Unify to carry out God’s plan.

Ephesians 4:4-6 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Life Altering

Have you ever heard something you thought was too good to be true? Have you heard someone claim to have witnessed something that you think is impossible? What did you do? What did you say? Did you ask them if they were playing a joke on you?

We hear people make claims that we can’t believe are true. We may think they are trying to pull one over on us. We hear promotions of products that we are sure is an exaggeration. There is no way anything can be that good. And of course, there are the scams we hear today.

We have heard and maybe said it ourselves, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Thomas operated in this way. So, when the other disciples told him they had seen Jesus, he balked at their claim. He knew there was no way Jesus was alive. He knew Jesus had died on the cross. Though he had seen Jesus raise people from the dead, he could not comprehend anyone raising Jesus from the dead.

It is true that Thomas had heard Jesus say He would rise on the third day. But like the other disciples, he did not understand it. It is likely Thomas believed in the resurrection, just as most Jews of his time did. Yet, their understanding was that the resurrection would come at the end of time.

The question we must wrestle with is much the same as Thomas wrestled with. Will we believe Jesus rose on the third day? If we do, how does it change us? Or does it? The resurrection should change us immensely. It should cause us to call Jesus Lord and Savior. It should be a life altering belief.

I pray we all wrestle with believing the resurrection. I pray we believe Jesus rose on the third day. I pray each one of us has a life altering belief in the resurrection that results in a strong faith. Wrestle with the question. Believe Jesus rose on the third day. Have a life altering belief.

John 20:24-25 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A Joyful Scare

Have you ever had someone quietly sneak up on you and scare you? Have you walked around a corner and be scared because someone was standing there? Were you trembling for a few minutes after that? Have you thought about how the disciples felt when Jesus just appeared?

When people sneak up on us or we simply turn a corner and there they are, it can be a bit unnerving. I typically walk quietly, thanks to my training in the Marine Corps. More times than I can count, I have unintentionally scared my wife or a daughter by being where they didn’t expect me.

What Jesus did was something else entirely. He just appeared. He wasn’t there, then suddenly He was. They were likely sitting and talking about what had happened. They may have been discussing how they were going to get out of Jerusalem with their lives. Suddenly, Jesus is standing in the room with them.

If you have every been scared by someone unexpectedly, you can imagine how the disciples felt. Think about it for a moment. Imagine sitting in your living room having a discussion. Suddenly someone is standing there. We might jump right out of our skin. We might scream. We might be trembling for more than a few minutes.

But Jesus came to comfort them and to let them know He had risen from the dead, just as He told them He would. He greeted them with peace. Though it is not recorded, I can only imagine the joy they felt when they recovered from their fright and the questions they asked. I’m sure there were a lot of smiles and laughter. Perhaps we should smile more when we talk about Jesus. I think it would make Him a lot more attractive to the people we are telling the gospel to.

I pray we all are joyful when we think about Jesus. I pray we think about what it would have been like to be a disciple in that room. I pray each one of us smile more when we are telling others about Jesus. Be joyful. Think about Jesus often. Smile when telling others about Jesus.

John 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

Rightful Response, Part 2

As we continue from yesterday, Peter continues his rightful response to the high priest. He explains what happened in a distinct, short message. Peter is merely explaining why he and the other apostles must continue to preach the gospel to the people.

Peter states only the facts. Though it may seem as though he is accusing the high priest, he is really stating a fact—one the high priest knows all too well. As part of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council of leaders), the high priest was there when they condemned Jesus.

Peter goes on to state what he and the other apostles know—that Jesus was exalted and is at the right hand of God the Father. He states that because of Jesus’ sacrifice and exaltation, He is our Savior, and we have forgiveness through Him. To the high priest, this would have been blasphemy. The only way the Jews knew to be forgiven was through sacrifices on the altar in the temple.

Peter turns the high priest’s world upside down, much like Jesus turned the world upside down. It is through the humble that God works. Jesus was a humble servant who obeyed the Father’s will, went to the cross for the redemption of the world, and through Him all people may be forgiven. But Peter says Jesus came to call Israel into repentance. Unfortunately, their leaders did not repent and would not follow Jesus.

Peter wraps up his response by stating they were witnesses to it all. They saw Him arrested. Peter saw the sham trial. They saw Jesus taken away to be beaten. They saw Him trudging down the street with the cross. They saw Him die. They saw the empty tomb. They saw Him in His resurrected body. They talked to Him after He was resurrected. They saw Him taken up to heaven. They were the best witnesses.

Ultimately, Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, convinced the high priest to let them go. His reasoning was this—if it is of human origin, it will die; if it is from God, it cannot be stopped. Imagine what we could do if we worked within God’s will, obeying him in all we do.

Acts 5:30-32 “The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Rightful Response, Part 1

Have you had a response for every accusation? Was it a rightful response or just an excuse? Peter and the apostles with him had a rightful reason and response. Though we are not told how many were with Peter, we know there was at least one other apostle with him.

The high priest was upset with them for performing miracles and preaching about Jesus. In fact, he had them captured and put in prison. Yet, God had freed them from prison by directing an angel to open the doors of the prison. They were once again preaching in the temple.

This infuriated the high priest. His orders were being disobeyed. The apostles were continuing to do what he had told them to cease and thrown them in prison for. The captain of the temple police apprehended the apostles and brought before the high priest again. The high priest is less worried about the blood of Jesus and more worried about his own. Isn’t that how it typically goes? The accusers are always worried about themselves.

However, Peter boldly states that they must obey God rather than human authority. Now, let’s be careful about our interpretation of what Peter did. True, he disobeyed human authority. Yet, he did not break laws in doing so. All he did was preach the gospel. He did not protest, cause a riot, destroy property, nor rebuke the authorities. What did he do? He continued to preach the gospel. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Perhaps we would do well to worry less about human authorities and concern ourselves with obeying God. Maybe, just maybe, we should spend more time telling others about Jesus and less time worrying about what human authorities are doing. Doing so would make us more like Peter and less like the rest of the world.

We will continue with Peter’s response tomorrow.

Acts 5:27-29 When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

Gate of Righteousness

What does being righteous mean to you? It can mean different things to different people. For some, it can mean perfection, never doing anything wrong. For others, it can be the process of moving toward perfection, even if never achieved. What if righteousness did not depend on us?

In the strictest sense, righteousness is perfection. Yet, we all know that only God is perfect. We also know that only one person who walked this earth did so perfectly, that being Jesus. Through His perfection, God’s grace, and God’s love for us, we are considered righteous.

As the Psalmist writes, Jesus is the gate of righteousness. Because of Jesus dying on the cross and being raised on the third, the gate of righteousness is opened to all. It is our decision to walk through the gate or remain on the outside. When we walk through the gate of righteousness, by the waters of baptism and accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become righteous by the blood of Jesus.

As we realize the amazing grace of God that allows us to be righteous, we naturally give thanks to God. Our eyes are opened, and we understand that we could never be righteous on our own. It is Jesus who is the gate by which we enter righteousness. It is in Him that we are washed clean of our sin. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that changes us into the person God made us to be.

Therefore, give thanks to the Father for his wondrous plan to redeem us. Give thanks to Jesus for obeying the will of the Father. Give thanks to the Holy Spirit for working in our lives to make us into the person we were created to be. Give thanks for the righteousness of Jesus that covers us when we walk in Him.

Psalm 118:19-20

Open to me the gates of righteousness, 

that I may enter through them 

and give thanks to the Lord. 

This is the gate of the Lord; 

the righteous shall enter through it.