Is Jesus Christ a Fairy Tale to You, Or Do You Really Know Him?

…In every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.
— 1 Corinthians 1:5,6

The State Hermitage, which is the most famous of all Russian museums, is located on the banks of the Neva River in St. Petersburg, Russia. Within its walls is a huge collection of religious paintings that were collected from the time of Catherine the Great. This museum, the former Winter Palace of the Russian czars, is fabulous beyond description and attracts millions of visitors who come to view this world-renowned art collection and to see the opulence in which the czars lived.

The first time I visited the Hermitage was near the end of the Soviet Union; thus, communism and atheism were still dominant in the nations that comprised the former USSR. As I walked past the section of paintings by Rembrandt, I saw the painting of Lazarus being raised from the dead by Jesus. The painting was so moving that it drew me nearer to observe the painting from up close. Then I read the plaque on the base of the frame, which said, “The Fairy Tale of Jesus Christ Raising Lazarus From the Dead.” I was stunned that Lazarus’ resurrection was referred to as a fairy tale.

But as I moved from that painting of Jesus to others that depicted scenes from Jesus’ life, I realized that they were all officially identified by State authorities as various “fairy tales of Jesus Christ.” Communists wanted to discredit the Gospel. By calling the works of Jesus “fairy tales,” they were attempting to put the Gospel on the same level as Peter Pan or as Little Red Riding Hood.

However, my experience in the museum that day caused my mind to start thinking in another direction. I began to consider how so much about Jesus Christ really is a fairy tale to many people, including Christians who read their Bible and love the Lord. When they read about the miracles He performed, they relegate His miracle-working power to a limited historical time frame that is long past and to a people who are no longer alive. They then conclude that they cannot expect such miracles today. Thus, the only thing they really know regarding Jesus’ power is what they have read in the Bible. Never having personally witnessed His miracle-working power, they can only fantasize and try to imagine what His miracles must have been like. As a result, much of what they know about Jesus is purely mental, imaginary, or speculative — similar to the way they might view the hero in a fairy tale or legend.

But God never intended for Jesus to be only a historical figure who did something in the past. Jesus is alive today, and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, Jesus brings His supernatural reality right into the midst of the local church! This is why Paul told the Corinthians, “…In everything you are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you” (1 Corinthians 1:5,6).

The Corinthian church was so abundantly endowed with spiritual gifts that Paul says they were “enriched” by Jesus with gifts of utterance and knowledge. “Utterance gifts” would include the vocal gifts, such as tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. Knowledge gifts would include the revelation gifts, such as the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits. Prophecy could also fall into this category.

According to Paul, the Corinthian believers were loaded with these types of gifts. In fact, they had so many of these gifts in operation that Paul used the word “enriched” to express the extent to which these gifts were operating in that particular local church. The word “enriched” is from the Greek word plousios, and it means to make extremely rich (see January 23). It describes incredible abundance, extreme wealth, immense riches, magnificent opulence, and extravagant lavishness.

This Greek word denoted people whose wealth was growing so fast that they were never able to quite figure out how much fortune they possessed. With their wealth, they ruled and controlled society. Hence came the word “plutocrat,” which is used in today’s world to portray a person who is endowed with great wealth, opulence, fortune, and power.

When Paul uses the word plousios to express how many gifts of the Spirit were in operation in Corinth, he is telling us that this church was filthy rich with spiritual gifts and manifestations. In fact, Paul went on to say, “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7). The words “come behind” are taken from the Greek word hustereo, meaning to fall short, to be inferior, to be left behind, to lack, or to come in second place. Paul uses this word to say, “In regard to spiritual gifts, you are second to none when it comes to the manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit. No one has more gifts of the Spirit in operation than you do.”

Paul told them that these gifts were vital, for they “confirmed” the “testimony” of Christ among them (1 Corinthians 1:6). The word “confirmed” is the Greek word bebaioo, which means to make firm, concrete, or stable; to authenticate; to verify; to guarantee; or to prove to be true. The word “testimony,” from the Greek word maturios, describes a personal testimony that is so strong, it could stand up to scrutiny in a court of law. But when a “testimony” (maturios) is “confirmed” (bebaioo), it is extra powerful! Now we not only have a witness — that is, a person or a group of people who possess concrete knowledge and facts — but we also have confirming evidence brought forth to validate their knowledge and verify that their report is bona fide truth.

Now let’s connect this concept to the gifts of the Spirit in the Corinthian church. According to Paul’s account, the believers in that church were enriched, loaded, and mightily endowed with the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts, he said, confirmed the testimony of Jesus Christ in their midst. What did they know of Jesus Christ? What was the testimony they possessed and proclaimed about Jesus Christ? From a historical perspective, they had been taught and therefore knew that:

•  Jesus was a Prophet.
•  Jesus was a Healer.
• Jesus was a Miracle-Worker.

However, the Corinthian church didn’t just intellectually know these things about Jesus because of books they had read. They experientially knew Him in this way because the gifts of the Spirit literally energized and authenticated what they intellectually knew of Jesus.

By means of the Spirit’s manifestations, Jesus the Prophet operated before them all in their church services. They didn’t need to fantasize about what Jesus the Prophet was like, because Jesus the Prophet regularly operated in their midst through the gift of prophecy. They didn’t have to try to imagine what it had been like when Jesus healed the sick, because the gifts of healing mightily functioned among them, causing them to experientially know Jesus the Healer. There was no reason for them to speculate about what it must have been like to see Jesus’ miracles, for they consistently had the working of miracles operating in their church services, making Jesus the Miracle-Worker a reality to them. The gifts of the Spirit lifted Jesus right off the pages of history and brought Him into the midst of the Corinthian church services.

First Corinthians 1:6 could be translated:

“Everything you’ve heard and believed about Jesus Christ has been authenticated, proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, verified, and guaranteed to be true because of the gifts of the Spirit.”

What does all this have to do with you and your relationship with God today? If there is no operation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts in your life or in the church you attend, an entire supernatural element of Jesus Christ is missing from your life. God never intended for your salvation to exist only on an intellectual level. He gave the Holy Spirit to the Church to bring the overflowing, abundant life of Jesus Christ right into the life of His people! There is a whole level of understanding Jesus — who He is and how He operates — that can only be comprehended by observing and participating in the working of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wants to confirm everything you know about Jesus. He wants you to know Jesus the Prophet, Jesus the Healer, and Jesus the Miracle-Worker. When these gifts operate through you or on your behalf through someone else, they give testimony to the fact that Jesus is still alive, still healing, and still working miracles today. Thus, by means of these marvelous spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit both teaches you and speaks on behalf of Jesus Christ.

So are you ready for the Jesus of the Bible to step off the pages of history and into your life or into the life of your church? If the answer is yes, ask the Holy Spirit to start moving supernaturally in your midst. And if you sense an inner nudge to step out in faith and let God use you in spiritual gifts, don’t hesitate to obey. That’s the Holy Spirit talking to you! Perhaps it’s your turn to step forth and allow the Spirit of God to work supernaturally through you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for the ministry of the Holy Spirit and for His powerful gifts that make Jesus so real to me. Help me understand my need for the Spirit’s gifts. Arouse a spiritual hunger inside me that makes me earnestly yearn to experience more of these gifts in my life and in my church. I know You gave the gifts of the Spirit because we need them, so today I am choosing to open my heart so I can experience more of Your power as these supernatural gifts begin to flow through me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am a vessel for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts operate through me and bring the living reality of Jesus Christ to me and to those who are around me. I am not afraid to obey what the Holy Spirit prompts me to say. I am not hesitant to act when the Spirit prompts me to step out in faith. Because I obey the leading of the Spirit, God’s power mightily flows through me to others who are in need.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever thought that the miracles of the Bible were for a different time, not something you were supposed to experience on a consistent basis in your life or in your church?

2. Can you ever recall a time in your life when the gifts of the Spirit operated through you? If so, what was that experience like?

3. In order for you to become a more yielded vessel so the Holy Spirit can use you, what changes do you need to make personally in the way you think and the way you believe?

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
— 1 Timothy 3:15

Today I want us to look at the meaning of the word “church” as it was understood in the First Century AD when the Church was first emerging. This teaching goes a little deeper than we usually go — but for lovers of the New Testament, it will be filled with insight and revelation.

The term that the Holy Spirit chose to describe the newly emerging Christian community was the Greek word ekklesia. This word is a compound of the Greek words ek and kaleo. The word ek conveys the idea of an exit or a separation, and the word kaleo means to beckon, to call, to invite, or to summon. When these two words are joined, they form the word ekklesia, which describes those who are called and separated to a prestigious assembly.

The earliest examples of the word ekklesia is found in writings about Athens, where it was used to denote a prestigious assembly of Athenian citizens who regularly met to discuss civil matters. At these meetings, the distinguished citizens determined laws, debated public policy, formulated new policies, argued and ruled in judicial matters, elected the chief magistrates of the land, decided who should be banished, and so on. To be called out from society and invited to be a member of this assembly was a great honor.

The reason the Holy Spirit chose the word ekklesia to describe God’s people becomes more and more evident as one studies this subject. The New Testament meaning of ekklesia is clear: The local church is a body of individuals who have been called out, called forth, and separated for the purposes of God. The church is God’s assembly in every town and city — composed of people who have been saved and called out to make eternal decisions that will affect the very atmosphere of their local region.

God never intended for the local church to be simply a quiet, hidden body of believers. Rather, He intended for a church to be His voice and ruling power in each community — a special assembly comprised of people who have been called out to make decisions that will impact the atmosphere of their local environment for God.

Therefore, when the New Testament used the word ekklesia to depict the local church, it is conveying an incredibly important message right from the start: God’s plan for each congregation was not that they hide and cower in fear, but rather that they rise to a position of power and influence in the place where God had called them to fulfill their specific assignment for their region. The church was intended to be a brilliant beacon of light in the midst of dark and troubled towns, cities, and regions.

The believers in the early New Testament were suffering terribly as a direct consequence of persecution. Church meetings had to be conducted in secret because swift retribution would be brought upon them if their actions were ever made known. Yet despite the fact that these believers were suffering immensely and forced to meet in secret, Christ still acknowledged them for who they were — His ekklesia, called out from the world and separated to exercise spiritual power over the bleak and seemingly hopeless atmosphere that surrounded them.

Regardless of how dark and oppressive the situation seemed to be or how much these believers struggled, it didn’t change Jesus’ view of them. They were His precious, appointed ekklesia — His governing body in their respective towns, cities, and regions. And that is still how Jesus views the local church! Each body of believers has its own specific assignment, and each believer is assigned to a specific ekklesia! All local bodies fit within a larger common purpose: that of furthering the Kingdom of God on this earth by equipping the saints and being an influence of God’s truth and righteousness to a lost world.

So I encourage you to ask yourself today: Do I know in my heart that I am planted firmly in my God-ordained company of believers? Am I positioned in the ekklesia that holds His assignment for this season of my life? Then renew your commitment to be all God has called you to be to help the ekklesia to which He has joined you extend its influence. As that local body extends His voice into the surrounding culture, the spiritual atmosphere of that region will be changed to the glory of His name!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for saving me and calling me to be a member of Your precious Church. Help me see Your Church the way You see it — anointed, precious, and powerful. I ask You to help me be faithful in the church where You have planted me so that I will flourish as I use my gifts and talents there and do all I can to be a positive contributing member. In conjunction with everyone else in our church, I ask You to help us be an expression of Your voice that affects the city where I live.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I love the church where God has called me. I use my gifts and talents to help in the various ministries and departments of the church. I give my tithes and offerings there, as God commands me to do in His Word. I pray for my pastor and listen carefully as he preaches what he believes God has to say to us each week. When he looks for someone on whom he can depend, my pastor knows that I am one he can turn to rely upon. I declare that our church is growing, is getting stronger and stronger, and that we are becoming a greater light to our city.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. So what did you learn new about the word “church” today? Was any of this new information and insight for you? What was the primary thing you gained from reading it?
2. How does what you read in today’s Sparkling Gem affect your view of the local church and the role of your pastor?
3. After reading what a privilege it was to be a member of the early ekklesia, how does this affect your view of your membership in your local church?

The Right Way To Die!

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
— 2 Timothy 4:7

When I was just old enough to get a job, I heard about a job opening at the huge cemetery just down the street from where my family lived. The old caretaker needed someone to mow the cemetery lawn. So one day I walked down to the cemetery and knocked on the door at the caretaker’s residence. When he came to the door, I said, “Sir, I understand there’s a job opening here. I’ve come to apply for that position.”

The old man, who had been the caretaker for more than forty years, looked me over and asked me a few questions. Then he told me to report to work on the following Monday.

That following Monday I started my short career at the local graveyard — my first real job! Every day after school, I quickly dashed down the hallway to put my books in my locker, and then rushed across town to the cemetery, pulled out my lawnmower, and went to the next section of the cemetery that needed to be mowed. Five days a week, I lived and worked among the dead!

Each day, I mowed and edged the weeds around new graves, old graves, mausoleums, and one section of the cemetery that was so old, no one could decipher the inscriptions on the limestone markers any longer. When it was time to bury someone, I helped dig the grave, lower the casket, and fill the grave with dirt. When the flowers wilted that loved ones had placed on the graves, I was the one who gathered up the dead flowers and took them to the garbage. I helped put up the tent that loved ones stood under during gravesite rites, and then I helped take it down.

Working in a graveyard had a very strong effect on my life in those formative years. God used that time in the graveyard to make me think about the seriousness and temporal nature of life in general, as well as what I was going to do with my own life.

As I walked between the tombstones, I’d look at them and ask myself, Who were these people? What did they do with their lives? Did they contribute anything to the world, or did they just live, die, and then disappear into these graves? Every day I thought about these questions. It made me determine that I would not pass from this earth without doing something significant for God with my life. I resolved that when I died, no one would have to ask, “Gee, I wonder who he was and what he did with his life?” To me, it was totally unacceptable that I would end up like so many others had — as just another name on another tombstone.

People don’t like to think about dying, yet death is a reality each of us ultimately has to face. We may hope and wait for Jesus’ return in our lifetime. But if He doesn’t come before we die, then a day will come in all our futures when we will be laid in a coffin. Family and friends will come to our funeral services; the casket lid will be closed for the last time; and we will be lowered into a grave that will then get packed with dirt. Later our graves will have grass growing on top of them — and a young boy will push the lawnmower over them as a part of his job, just as I did years ago.

Like it or not, there is a funeral in all our futures unless Jesus comes while we are still alive. This thought may sound morbid, but if you live with this unavoidable fact before you at all times, it will help you to live a more balanced and committed life. Why is that? Because when you live thinking only of today, everything seems monumental. Yet the truth is, most of the things that steal our peace, hinder us from doing what God wants us to do, disrupt our joy, and hurt our relationships won’t matter anymore when we die and stand before Jesus. The only thing that will matter then is what Jesus will say to us when we stand before Him and look into His eyes.

The apostle Paul told us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Because Paul lived with the awareness of that moment when he would stand before Jesus, he was able to keep pushing ahead even when times became exceedingly difficult. He knew that eventually life would pass and the difficult trials would end, and he would stand before Jesus to give account for his life.

This is why Paul wrote, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

I love this verse, because it sheds light on Paul’s attitude toward life and afflictions. He didn’t like afflictions and he stood against them, but he refused to over-magnify them, choosing instead to view them as “light afflictions.”

Would you call Paul’s problems “light afflictions”? He faced rejection from some of his closest friends and, even worse, by many of the churches in Asia (2 Timothy 1:15). He had been severely beaten several times (2 Corinthians 11:24,25). He had been shipwrecked three times (2 Corinthians 11:25). He had lived through perils in the city, in the wilderness, and at sea. He had been in peril of robbers, of heathens, and of false brethren and had endured periods of hunger, thirst, and sleeplessness (2 Corinthians 11:26,27).

These were monumental problems, yet Paul refused to let them be monumental in his life. Instead, he deemed them “small stuff” — mere distractions compared to the eternal glory that awaited him.

What enabled Paul to press ahead when he was being assaulted so viciously? How could he maintain such a victorious attitude? How is it that he never surrendered to weariness, exhaustion, or to the devil’s attacks?

These questions can all be answered by the foremost desire of Paul’s heart: That he would one day hear Jesus say to him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Paul’s driving motivation was his anticipation to hear Jesus say those words and to know that he had finished his race well. This is why Paul said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy…” (Acts 20:24).

At the end of his life, he wrote to Timothy and triumphantly declared, “I have fought a good fight…” (2 Timothy 4:7). The words “fought” and “fight” are from the Greek word agonidzo. This word means a struggle, a fight, a combat, or a fierce competition, and it is where we get the word agony. By using this word, Paul tells us that some of his ministry has been a real struggle — difficult, fierce, and agonizing. Yet Paul never budged an inch! He stayed in the fight and was faithful to his call!

This verse could literally be translated, “A good fight — that’s what I fought!” That proclamation has the sense of victory and exhilaration. These are the sentiments of a man who has no regrets. He is proud of the contest in which he has been engaged. Regardless of all the others who have dropped out of the fight, Paul can say, “I stayed in there. A good fight — that’s what I fought!”

Then Paul goes on to tell us, “…I have finished my course….” This word “course” is the Greek word dromos, which always describes a foot race or a running track. Also, notice that he referred to his life assignment as “my course.” Paul knew precisely what race he was called to run, and he didn’t attempt to run anyone else’s course. In spite of all the things that tried to slow him down, knock him out of the race, and defeat him, he refused to quit running! No matter what happened, Paul just stayed right on track — true to the course God had given him. Thus, this part of the verse could be translated, “My race — I ran it with all my might, never stopping until I knew I had reached the goal and finished it!”

Lastly, Paul writes, “…I have kept the faith.” The Greek word for “kept” is the word tereo. It is the same Greek word used to depict a watch of soldiers who were positioned to protect something important. The job of these soldiers was to stand guard and to keep watch. They were to be faithful and remain committed to their charge of keeping watch regardless of the kind of assault or the number of attackers they might encounter.

This is the word Paul uses when he says, “I have kept the faith.” Even though he encountered difficulties and challenges, he never left his post or surrendered to the assaults and attacks that came against him. Through it all, Paul kept watch over the mission and the message God gave him!

When you put all of this together, Second Timothy 4:7 could be understood to say this:

“A good fight — that’s what I fought! My race — I ran it with all my might, never stopping until I knew I had reached the goal and finished it! The faith — I protected it, guarded it, and watched over it with all my heart and strength. In spite of the assaults and attacks, I stayed true to my assignment!”

This soldier of the Lord has everything to shout about! His ministry may have been difficult, but he made it! Paul never gave an inch to the enemy. Now as he faces his own death, he isn’t fearful; rather, he rejoices because he knows he has done well. He’s ready to depart this earth and to be forever with his Lord! Looking toward that moment when he will finally stand before Jesus, Paul confidently writes, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

When you are tempted to be sidetracked and distracted by the problems of life, try to find a few minutes to be alone with the Lord. Remind yourself that all your problems are fleeting and that they will soon pass. But your obedience to God is eternal, so there is nothing more important than doing what God has told you to do.

When you stand before Jesus, all the challenges you faced will be forgotten, and just one question will remain. Jesus will want to know, “Did you do what I asked you to do, or did you get distracted and let the cares of life stop you from fulfilling your assignment?”

It will help you live a more balanced and committed life if you will keep everything that happens to you in perspective of that day when you stand before Jesus. Don’t you want to look into His face with confidence? Of course you do. So take the attitude of the apostle Paul. Decide to deliberately view your problems as nothing but “light affliction” that won’t last too long. On the other hand, what you do with God’s call on your life will last forever, so don’t let those measly little problems prevent you from pushing onward toward the high calling of God!

Just as the apostle Paul finished his race with joy, you can finish your course with joy and victory as well. Determine today that you will be a soldier of the Lord who can look back one day and be proud of the fight you fought, the race you ran, and the faith you kept — a soldier with no regrets!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to keep my focus and to not allow the challenges I face to distract me from fulfilling Your will for my life. I know that the enemy keeps surrounding me with distractions because You have called me to do something important. Rather than let these nuisances break me and steal my joy, help me keep my eyes focused on that day when I will stand before You. I ask that Your Spirit will supernaturally energize me to push beyond the obstacles and keep pressing forward to the high calling You have designed for my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly declare that I am a winner and not a loser. I don’t throw in the towel and quit when it gets hard; instead, I dig in my heels and refuse to surrender the territory that God has called me to conquer and possess. I live my life seriously and with balance and commitment. Because of God’s Spirit inside me, I am tougher than any challenge and stronger than any foe. I fight a good fight and run a good race — and I successfully guard over and hold tight to the assignment God has given to my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever thought about what people will say about you after you have died? Will they know of the contribution you made in life, or will they ask, “Gee, I wonder who that person was and what he (or she) did?”

2. Can you verbalize what God has called you to do with your life? If someone asked you to describe your life assignment, would you be able to intelligently answer his question?

3. If you have allowed the challenges of life to distract you and throw you off schedule in doing God’s will, don’t you agree that it’s time for you to get back on track again?

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

— Ephesians 1:22

In the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt, there is an exquisite display of the treasures of King Tut (Tutankhamun) — the boy pharaoh who died at a very early age and whose tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in the year 1922. I’ve been to Tut’s Tomb in the Valley of the Kings, and on multiple occasions I’ve seen the display of treasures found in his tomb that are on view in the Egyptian Museum. This museum is one of the world’s greatest — filled with artifacts from the ancient world. However, of all the relics on display, there is something uniquely breathtaking about the treasures of King Tut. Each time I’ve been there, I’ve found myself especially fascinated by one group of items in the collection — the walking canes that were used by King Tut.

As one might expect, these canes are long and slender and are decorated with gold, silver, ivory, precious stones, and rare woods. They were not designed to fully carry the weight of an individual, but rather were intended to convey symbolism to anyone who saw Tut walking with these items in his hand. I first realized this fact when I took a closer look and saw the unique carvings on the bottoms of each of these canes.

These walking canes are each shaped like a shepherd’s staff with a u-shaped hook on one end. However, instead of being placed at the top of the cane like a typical shepherd’s staff, these hooks were formed at the base. Engraved along the length of each hook are images of conquered peoples from foreign lands lying prostrate on their stomachs with their arms reaching upward in adoration of the Pharaoh. Every time the pharaoh walked with his cane in hand, these figures literally rolled on the bottom of cane, symbolically bowing before him. This imagery conveyed a strong message — namely, that all of Egypt’s enemies were defeated and directly under the feet of this mighty Pharaoh.

When I first recognized the meaning behind these carvings, I was reminded of the apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:22, where he wrote, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.” Paul’s choice of words in this statement is very powerful, so let’s take a moment to examine the original Greek language.

The word “under” in this verse is the Greek word hupotasso. This word was originally a military term meaning to subjugate or to dominate. It described forcibly subduing a conquered people and putting them in their place, and it is the exact idea that the images on King Tut’s canes were designed to convey. However, Paul’s use of this word in Ephesians 1:21 was not figurative or symbolic at all. Jesus Christ — through His death on the Cross, subsequent resurrection, and ultimate ascension on High — literally put every foe that ever existed under His feet.

Paul elaborated on this in Philippians 2:9, saying, “Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (see Philippians 2:9-11). Nothing in the universe is more highly exalted than Jesus Christ. His throne rules above all — above all human authorities, military authorities, and spiritual authorities. There is simply no one who rules higher or more majestically than Jesus.

Today King Tutankhamun is wrapped in burial shrouds and encased in a coffin. He is dead, but Jesus sits exalted at the right hand of the Father, and all nations, principalities, and powers must forever bow before Him! That in itself is an awesome thought to consider.

But you also have this truth to digest and apply to your life today and every day as well: As you read on in Ephesians, you find out the Father raised you to sit with Jesus in the heavenlies, far above all principalities and powers (see Ephesians 2:6), and He gave you all the authority invested in His name! So you have something over King Tut as well, because the devil and all his demon forces are under your feet in Jesus’ name! Let that truth sink in today — and determine to see and respond to every situation you face from that position of authority that Jesus gave you in Him when you received Him as Savior.

The devil’s strategies are under your feet. As you respond more and more from that position of authority, you will see situations that looked messy or even impossible begin to turn around for the good of all involved — and all to God’s glory!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father of glory, I thank You that when You raised Jesus from the dead, You raised me up and made me to sit down together with Him at Your own right hand. Father I honor You for the blood of Jesus Christ that purchased my salvation. Holy Spirit, teach me day by day to exalt the name of Jesus in every situation of my life, as I crush every strategy the enemy wages against me through the power of Christ’s magnificent name!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I am seated together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. My life is hidden with Christ in God. I am in Christ, and by His Spirit, Jesus Christ dwells in me. He is the Head of the Church, which is His Body on the earth. Since I am a member of His Body, as He is, so am I in this earth. In every situation, I honor the Head by exercising His authority to enforce His will upon the earth.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. People often treat political leaders like their legacy will be remembered forever, but I challenge you to name the last ten presidents of the United States.  Who among them held political office the longest?
2. Which king in the Old Testament was referred to as the king of kings? Nations literally bowed before him, and he changed the course of history. Can you name him?
3. Of all the kings who have ever ruled, Jesus is the longest ruling and most exalted.  It is simply a fact that there will be no end to His Kingdom. What thoughts arise in your heart when you consider the power, glory, and stability that belong to our Lord Jesus Christ?

Far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

— Ephesians 1:21

Once when I was browsing in an antique shop in Russia, I came across an old, folded document that was covered in elegant, elaborate Russian handwriting. I could see that it was authentic, so I asked the shop owner if I could hold it in order to take a closer look. As I carefully unfolded the paper, I saw much to my amazement that I was holding a personal letter written by a Tsar of Russia to announce the birth of his son! I was stunned to be holding such an important piece of Russian history in my hands.

The imperial insignia was still pressed into the broken wax seal, and on the back of the letter was an inscription with all the names and titles of this particular Russian Tsar. The beautiful handwriting described him as:

Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, of Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod, Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Poland, Tsar of Siberia, Tsar of Tauric Chersonesos, Tsar of Georgia, Lord of Pskov, and Grand Duke of Smolensk, Lithuania, Volhynia, Podolia, Finland, Jerusalem, [and so forth, and so forth, and so forth].

The point of these titles was clear: There was no higher name and no greater power than the Tsar of Russia in the realms of his rule. But when I saw this Tsar’s amazing list of names, titles, and ranks, I immediately thought of how highly exalted Jesus is above all others — including kings and queens and nobility of every type. In fact, Ephesians 1:21 says that Christ’s resurrection exalted Him to a position at the Father’s right hand, “Far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the world, but also in that which is to come.”

Let’s take an in-depth look at this verse to learn exactly how exalted Jesus Christ is in this universe. First, we see that the apostle Paul declared that Jesus is exalted “above all….” In Greek, this word “above” is huperano, which means high above or far above and refers to both rank and dignity. In the context of this verse, it means quite simply that no one in the universe has a higher rank, name, or position than Jesus Christ! Furthermore, to affirm Jesus’ highest position, Paul added the word “all,” which is a translation of the Greek word pas, meaning anything and everything. By using these two words together, huperano and pas, he left no room for misunderstanding or doubt regarding his message — that Jesus Christ holds the highest and most exalted position in the entire universe. He is literally “above all.”

Paul went on to describe the specific categories that Christ is above. First, he stated that Christ is “above all principalities….” The word “principalities” is from the Greek word arche, and it denotes rulers of the highest level. This encompassing term refers to all human rulers, including kings and politicians. However, it must be noted that the word arche is also used in Scripture to refer to angelic beings. This means Paul was declaring that Christ’s exalted rank is far above all human rulers and angelic beings. The natural and the spiritual realms are both under the dominion of Jesus Christ, and there is absolutely no one in any realm more highly exalted than Him.

Paul then mentioned Christ’s superiority over “powers.” The word “powers” is the Greek word exousias. This word describes people who have received delegated power, and therefore is often translated authorities. In the context of Ephesians 1:21, this word exousias refers to people who hold public office and wield authority entrusted to them by their superiors or through an election. Paul was teaching that although these individuals yield substantial power and influence in the affairs of the world, their authority pales in comparison to that of Jesus Christ. At the time Paul penned these words in the First Century AD, this was a very dangerous and powerful statement to make, because Roman political powers were actively persecuting the Church and attempting to suppress the message of the Gospel. However, Paul wanted his readers to know that no matter what authority a politician might try to exert over the Church, Jesus had a rank that was even higher than most powerful human authorities.

Next Paul wrote of “might,” which comes from the Greek word dunamis. The word dunamis denotes explosive power, but it also was regularly used to describe the full strength of a military force. By using this word, Paul declared that Jesus is exalted in His authority and power even above all the military forces in the world today.

As if this list is not already complete enough, Paul added one more word. He stated that Christ is supreme above all “dominions.” This is the Greek word kuriotes, which means lordships. It could refer to any world system, political, financial, or any system of any type. There simply is no system more high-ranking that the Lord Jesus Christ!

Finally, to make sure he has included everyone and everything on his list, Paul added “…and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come….” In one sweeping statement, Paul declared that Jesus is Lord over all. He is literally superior to rulers (arche), elected leaders (exousias), military powers (dunamis), and constitutional authorities (kuriotes). He is literally Lord over all!

Today that old Russian document I found in the antique shop is framed and belongs to a high-ranking politician in Moscow to whom I gifted it. It is a remarkable document about a dead Tsar who persists only in distant memory as a historical figure. In Russia’s history, no one was more highly exalted than the Tsar; however, in all of human history, no one has ever been more highly exalted than Jesus Christ. He is alive today and sitting at the Father’s right hand, where He reigns forever as:

King of kings, Lord of lords, The Blessed and Only Potentate, The King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, The Anointed One, The Christ, The Messiah, The Chosen One, The Lamb of God, The Glory of God, The Word of God, The Only Begotten of the Father, Emmanuel, Son of Man, Son of God, Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, The Power of God, The Wisdom of God, The Only Wise God, Prince of Peace, Redeemer, Chief Shepherd, Great Shepherd of the Sheep, Great High Priest, Universal and Supreme Head of the Church — God in the Flesh!

 

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I acknowledge and declare that You are literally and utterly Lord over all! You reign supreme and powerful above everything and everyone that is or is to come. I worship and exalt You, Jesus. No one and nothing is equal to or greater than You! I reverence and submit to your Lordship, and I resist any work of the flesh or the devil that would defy Your Lordship in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that Jesus is my Lord, and I exalt Him as Supreme Ruler over every area of my Life! Every title conferred upon Him establishes a specific victory in my life. Jesus rules as my Prince of Peace; therefore, anxiety, agitation, and fear may not dominate me. Jesus reigns as my Redeemer; therefore, sickness, poverty, oppression or any work of the enemy may not establish any control or influence over me. I walk in truth that Jesus alone is my Lord, and this truth makes me free indeed!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What does it mean to you personally when you say “Jesus is Lord!” ?
2. What areas of your life do you need to surrender to Jesus’ Lordship? Why not make a list so that you can pray over it and make it a matter of personal consecration?
3. The name of Jesus wields ultimate authority over all the works of the enemy. What situation in your life, family, or business needs to bow to the name of Jesus? How will you enforce the Lordship of Jesus in that situation?

Let God Breathe Into Your Life!

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
— 2 Timothy 3:16

Would you be interested in getting plugged into a power source that will permeate you with extraordinary energy, vitality, strength, and wisdom to assist you in overcoming any challenge that comes against you? Of course you would like to have that kind of help! The amazing thing is that you already have it at your disposal! However, you may not have learned yet how to tap into this power source to receive its full benefits.

Right there in your home or apartment is a source of power beyond your wildest imagination. It’s probably sitting on a shelf, situated nicely on a table, or perhaps even kept in the magazine rack in the bathroom. Or maybe you keep this source of power in the drawer of your desk at work or on the back seat of your car.

You may have guessed by now that I’m talking about your Bible, which is one of the greatest sources of power on earth! If you learn how to tap into God’s Word and let its power flow into you, it will equip you with wisdom, answers, and the power to overcome in every single situation in life.

When Timothy felt attacked on every side by difficult situations he was facing in the city of Ephesus, he wrote to Paul, seeking answers and help to his various dilemmas. Expecting counsel and advice from Paul, he received a letter from Paul that contained these precious words: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Especially notice the word “inspiration” in this verse, for this word is a powerhouse when you really understand what it means! It comes from the Greek word theopneustos, a compound of the words theos and pneuma. The Greek word theos is the word for God; however, the real secret to this powerhouse is the second half of the word, pneuma, which comes from the Greek root pneu.

The root pneu communicates the idea of the dynamic movement of air. For instance, it can mean to blow, as to blow air or to blow air through an instrument to produce a distinct musical sound. There are also places where it is translated to breathe or to emit a fragrance. Finally, this root word can be used to denote the projection of emotions, such as anger, courage, or goodwill.

But when the root pneu becomes pneuma, as in this verse, it carries a more profound range of meanings, including life, force, life-force, energy, dynamism, and power. The Jews considered the pneuma to be the powerful force of God that created the universe and all living things, and the force that continues to sustain creation. In the Old Testament, the pneuma of God would sometimes move mightily upon a person, enabling him to do supernatural feats.

When this word pneuma is compounded together with the word theos, it forms the word theopneustos, which is where we get the word inspiration. Together, these words literally mean God-breathed. The word theopneustos — or “inspiration” — is the picture of God breathing or emitting His own substance into something. Just as a musician would blow on an instrument to produce a distinct sound, God mightily moved on those who wrote the Scriptures, and they temporarily became the instrument through whom God expressed His heart and will. They were the writers, but God was the Great Musician who breathed upon them, His instruments. Thus, the Bible is God’s message delivered through human writers to you and me.

Just as the word pneuma can carry the idea of a fragrance, the Word was breathed out from God and thus carries His very essence and fragrance within it. Since the word pneuma can also portray the projection of emotions, this tells us that God projected the totality of His emotion into the written Word when He inspired its writing. Therefore, the Word not only conveys an intellectual message, but it has God’s heart in it as well.

It’s important to understand that the pneuma of God didn’t create the Scripture and then depart from it. This power — the same pneuma power that originally created and continues to sustain the universe — is still working inside the Word, upholding and empowering it to be just as strong as it was the day it was penned by “God-breathed” writers.

Let me give you this very simple example of the word theopneustos. If I hold a deflated balloon that is without form to my lips and breathe into it, the balloon will inflate. The blowing of my breath into that deflated little piece of rubber causes it to fill up so that its true form becomes visible. When the balloon is fully inflated, I tie a knot at the base to trap the air within. Now the air that filled up the balloon and caused it to take form is the same substance that empowers it to sustain its form. It was my breath that created its form, and it is my breath that now sustains it. And if the molecules inside the balloon were analyzed, it would be found that a part of me is held inside in the form of the air I breathed into it.

Now let’s apply this to the Bible. When God was ready to speak to mankind, He held up human language to His mouth and breathed into it. After breathing His pneuma power into the language to produce life-giving words, God moved upon the hearts of those He had called to write His Book, and men began to write under divine inspiration. As God continued to breathe on words and phrases and sentences, His Word began to form and take shape until finally it had become the Bible as we know it today.

Today the same breath of God that caused the Word to materialize in written form is now held inside the Bible. It was God’s own breath that caused this Word to manifest in the first place, and now His own Presence, His breath — His “molecules,” if you will — are permanently held inside the Word of God itself. In other words, God didn’t just inspire the writing of the Bible. God Himself — His life, His life-force, His essence, power, energy, dynamism, and power — is contained inside the Word.

Think about it — the Bible you own that is sitting on a shelf, stored away in your desk drawer, sitting on the back seat of your automobile, situated nicely on your coffee table, or placed on the nightstand next to your bed contains the very life, essence, energy, and dynamism of God Himself! If you’ll get hungry for more of God and determine to meditate on this truth long enough to tap into it, God Himself will come pouring out of the Bible into your life and situation. The pneuma held inside the Word will blow mightily upon you and upon the situations that surround you — and when that happens, everything will change!

Because of the word theopneustos, Second Timothy 3:16 carries this idea:

“All scripture came into existence because God Himself breathed upon men, who then wrote as this divine breath moved upon them — and thus, the Word took shape and came into existence.…”

The supernatural breath and life of God that is held within His written Word is the reason Paul went on to say that the Word is “profitable.” The word “profitable” is the Greek word ophelimos, and it means helpful, profitable, useful, beneficial, or something that is to one’s advantage. Paul goes on to list all the ways that God’s Word brings benefit to the one who reads it, meditates on it, and taps into its pneuma.

So when Paul wrote to Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…,” he was reminding the younger man that because Timothy had the Word, he possessed the greatest source of power and energy that exists! If he would get into the Word — tapping deeply into its internal resource and allowing the life of God in that Word to flow up, out, and into his life — enough power would be released to change every difficult situation he was facing.

That is why Paul said the Word is “profitable.” Wouldn’t you agree that this kind of power operating in your life would be to your advantage as well?

Once you understand the meaning of this word “inspiration,” you realize that the Bible is not just a Book about God; it is a Book that actually contains God. His own breath and Spirit are contained within it. That’s a very good reason why you should spend time studying and meditating on God’s Word. By studying and meditating on the Word, you will learn to unlock the power contained within it. And when you have unlocked that door, the power of God will come pouring into your life and into the situations you are facing. Believe me when I tell you that when this power begins to operate, it will definitely be to your advantage!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I’ve been asking You for power and strength, not realizing that I have the source of  Your power and strength sitting right in my house. Forgive me for not spending enough time in my Bible to tap into the power that is held within it. Starting today, I want to make Your Word a priority in my life. When I am tempted to be lazy and to put off reading my Bible, please help me say no to my flesh. Help me choose to pick up my Bible and read it whether I feel like it or not, taking it deep into my heart and letting the power inside the Word begin to work in me and in my situation.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I have determined to read and meditate on the Word of God on a regular basis. The power of the Word works mightily inside me because I take it deeply into my heart. It transforms my thinking, renews my vision, forces darkness out of my mind, and blows like  a mighty force into every part of my life. There is nothing stronger at my disposal than God’s Word, so I make it a priority in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of an instance in your life when you literally felt the power of God’s Word flow into you and energize you to deal with a situation you were facing? If so, when was that and what was the end result of the power you felt so strongly that day?

2. Does God’s Word have a say-so in your life, or is the Bible just a book you carry to church and read only when you hear a sermon being preached?

3. How much time do you spend reading your Bible in a given week? Do your Bible-reading habits reveal that you are digging deep to get everything out of the Word you possibly can? Or are you reading just enough to barely get by — certainly not enough for its power to be released inside you?

The Post-Resurrection Appearances of Jesus Christ

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, And saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
— John 20:22

On Resurrection Day itself, Jesus appeared to the disciples at various times and places. It was simply a physical impossibility for Him to be at so many different places in one day. These appearances therefore revealed that Jesus’ glorified body didn’t have the same limitations His earthly body possessed before His resurrection and glorification. The Bible makes it plain that in His glorified condition, He was able to appear, to disappear, to travel great distances, and to even supernaturally pass through a wall or the locked door of a house (John 20:26).

On the same day Jesus was raised from the dead, He not only appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the garden tomb (John 20:14-17), but to two disciples as they walked from Jerusalem to the city of Emmaus (Luke 24:13-31). When the three men sat down to eat together, Jesus blessed the food. After hearing the way He blessed the food, the two disciples instantly recognized it was the Lord — just as He suddenly “…vanished out of their sight” (v. 31).

That same evening, Jesus supernaturally traveled through the walls of a house where the disciples were gathered, miraculously appearing right in front of them. John 20:19 tells us about this amazing event: “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews….”

This verse says that when the disciples gathered for dinner, they made certain “…the doors were shut….” The word “door” is thura, which lets us know this was a door that was large and solid. But as if this were not enough, the verse tells us that these doors “were shut.”

The word “shut” is the Greek word kleio, meaning locked. Doors of this kind were usually locked with a heavy bolt that slid through rings attached to the door and the frame — like the deadbolts we use in doors today, only heavier. This door would be difficult, if not impossible, to break down. The fact that it was locked “for fear of the Jews” tells us that the disciples had moved into a mode of self-preservation and protection.

With rumors of Jesus’ resurrection already filling the city of Jerusalem, there was no certainty that the leaders who crucified Jesus wouldn’t try to arrest the rest of the apostles and do the same to them as they had to Jesus. We know that the Roman guards who fled the resurrection site “…shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done” (Matthew 28:11). To prevent the people of Israel from knowing the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, the chief priests and elders bribed the soldiers to keep their mouths shut about what they had seen. Verse 12 tells us, “And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers.”

The chief priests and elders fabricated a story and told the soldiers what they were to say when people asked them what happened: “…Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept” (v. 13).

The soldiers’ admission that they had slept on the job would deem them worthy of punishment in Pilate’s sight, so the religious leaders further assured them, “And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you” (v. 14). The soldiers listened to the religious leaders’ plan and were satisfied with the amount of money being offered to them to keep silent. Verse 15 then says, “So they took the money, and did as they were taught.…”

Once the chief priests and elders had bought the testimony of the Roman guards, they were positioned to make some serious arrests. First, we know that they were already asserting that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus. But to steal the body, they had to either overpower the Roman guards or creep past them as they slept. Either way, this would be deemed a terrible dishonor to the guards’ reputation. And if the disciples were caught, they’d potentially be put to death for this action.

To open the tomb, the governor’s seal had to be broken. Breaking that seal was an offense that required the death sentence, for this was a breach of the empire’s power. No doubt the same angry mobs who cheered while Jesus carried His crossbeam to Golgotha were still in the city. The city was already in turmoil due to such strange happenings — the sky turning dark in the middle of the day with no natural explanation; the veil of the temple rent in half; the various earthquakes shaking the entire surrounding territory. It wouldn’t take too much to put the whole city on edge and turn them against the disciples. This is why the disciples were locked behind closed doors that evening.

But although the doors were sealed tightly shut, Jesus supernaturally passed right through solid matter and appeared in the midst of the disciples. John 20:19 says Jesus came “…and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”

No doubt this sudden appearance must have terrified the disciples. Luke 24:37 tells us that “…they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.” This is why Jesus told them, “…Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (vv. 38,39).

Notice Jesus said, “…Handle me….” This is the Greek word psilaphao, and it literally means to touch, to squeeze, or to feel. He gave the disciples permission to examine His resurrected body to see that it was a real body and not a spirit.

All of a sudden Jesus asked them, “…Have ye here any meat?” The following verses say, “And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them” (Luke 24:42,43). After eating the fish and honeycomb, Jesus began to speak to them from the Scriptures, pointing out key Old Testament prophecies having to do with Himself. Luke 24:45 says, “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” Jesus explained to the disciples that repentance would have to be preached in His name among all the nations, but that it was to begin in Jerusalem. This is when He told them, “…As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21).

The disciple Thomas had not been present in the room that night when Jesus passed through solid matter and entered into the room. Later that evening Thomas joined them and heard the news, but by that time Jesus was already gone. He scoffed at the other disciples and said, “…Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).

Eight days later, the disciples were behind locked doors again, but this time Thomas was with them. John 20:26,27 says, “…Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” Of course, after this event, Thomas believed!

Jesus appeared to His disciples again, this time at the Sea of Tiberias. Peter, Thomas Didymus, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples followed Peter to the seacoast to go fishing. But after fishing all night, the disciples had caught nothing.

Then in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore and called to them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Although they weren’t sure who was instructing them, the disciples obeyed anyway — and caught so many fish that they weren’t even able to pull their nets into the boat! That’s when they recognized that the Man who had instructed them was the Lord (John 21:2-7).

Before the evening was finished, Jesus had sat around a campfire with them, eaten fish with them, and spent time fellowshipping with them. John 21:14 says, “This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.”

Then finally, the disciples gathered together on the same mountain in Galilee where Jesus had first ordained them. He appeared to them there, and gave them the Great Commission. He told them, “…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In addition to these appearances recorded in the Gospels, First Corinthians 15:5-7 says, “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.” Acts 1:3 says “…He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

How about you? Do you experience Jesus Christ in the daily activities of your life, or is Jesus just relegated to church services and Sunday school? From what you just read today, you now know that Jesus was “in the midst” of His disciples after His resurrection. They ate with Him, talked to Him, and fellowshipped with Him. Jesus even helped them catch fish! The resurrected Jesus drew near to His disciples — but is He near to you as you go about the activities of your daily life?

Even though Jesus is seated right now at the right hand of the Father on High, you can know Him intimately through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Great Revealer of Jesus Christ. Just ask the Holy Spirit to show you Jesus, and He will be faithful to make Jesus real to you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want You to be so real in my life. I know that You are willing to make Yourself known and felt in any part of my life that I will surrender to You. So I choose right now to surrender more of me so I can experience more of You in every sphere of my existence. Jesus, please have Your way in my life. Do whatever You deem necessary to make me the kind of person I need to be to know and experience You better.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that the Presence of Jesus Christ is felt in almost every area of my life. I am surrendering more and more of me to Him every day, and as a result, I am expecting a stronger Presence of God in my life. As I give more of me to Him, He gives more of Himself to me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you experience the reality of Jesus in the everyday activities of your life?

2. Can you think of a particular instance when you sensed the Presence of God in your life much more strongly than usual?

3. Do you recall what that experience did for you? Did it help you draw closer to the Lord or produce permanent changes in your life? If so, what were those changes?

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved….

— Colossians 3:12

If you know Jesus Christ today, it is no accident. God personally summoned you to know Him. The fact is, God looked out into eternity and saw you — and He said, “I want you. I’m calling you out of this lost world to belong to Me!” God literally chose you for Himself, which ought to be one of the truths you speak to yourself every day!

How can we know that to be true? God gives us that assurance in Colossians 3:12, where it says, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved….” This verse is very important for us to understand because it tells you and me what God thinks of us. This is vital for us to get into our hearts, because we need to know what God thinks of those whom He has redeemed.

Pay close attention as we dig into this verse. Let these truths sink deep into your heart — because they have the power to transform the way you think about yourself!

Colossians 3:12 begins by saying, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God….” This word “elect” is the first word that reveals what God thinks of us. It is the Greek word eklektos, which is a compound of the words ek and lego. The word ek means out, and lego means I say. When they are compounded, the new word literally means, “Out, I say!” In other words, God loved us so much that He called us out from a lost eternity and began the process of making sure we came to Christ. For that reason, the word eklektos can be translated elected or selected, carrying the idea that we are personally chosen by God.

The verse continues, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy….” This word “holy” is the Greek word hagios, which in ancient times described awe, respect, and reverence for a holy place or a holy shrine — a place separated and set apart from other places. Consequently, the word eventually came to refer to something that was separated from the rest of the world and was thereby sanctified, consecrated, or holy. The use of this word in the New Testament tells us that once we came to Christ, the blood of Jesus separated us, consecrated us, and made us holy. He removed our past sins and threw them into the sea of forgetfulness, separating our sin from us as far as the east is from the west (see Psalm 103:12).

The word “holy” (hagios) means that God Himself respects you as a holy dwelling place for His Spirit. God sees you as consecrated and sanctified, different from others, so special that you are in a totally separate category from the rest of the world.

So the next time the devil tries to tell you that you’re too fat, too skinny, too homely, not spiritual enough, undeserving, or inferior in any way, read the preceding paragraphs to him as a rebuke! Then the first thing every morning, look in the mirror and declare: “I am holy! Jesus’ blood separated me from my past! He wiped it out and cleared the slate! He threw my sin into the sea of forgetfulness and separated it from me forever. Now I am clean, set apart, and consecrated — and God Himself respects me as the temple of His Spirit!”

All these things are absolutely true about you. That’s why you must do your best to live in obedience to God’s Word and to avoid grieving the Holy Spirit who resides within you (see Ephesians 4:30). Whenever you do anything out of order or anything that would bring grief to the Holy Spirit living within you, just confess your sin to the Father, and you will be immediately and completely cleansed by the blood of Jesus (see 1 John 1:9).

Next, Colossians 3:12 goes on to say, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved.…” This word “beloved” is the Greek word agapao, which comes from the word agape, the Greek word for love. The tense used in this verse is very significant, because it means God has loved us in the past; He still loves us in the present; and He will continue to love us in the future.

Do you remember moments in your past when you were so very aware that God loved you? Were there moments when you felt overwhelmed by God’s forgiveness, acceptance, and tender care for you, even at times when you knew that you had done something wrong and didn’t deserve His love? The psalmist David wrote that God’s love is unfailing. In Psalm 36:7 (NIV), David said, “How priceless is your unfailing love….” In fact, David and the other psalmists were so aware of God’s “unfailing love” to sustain them that they wrote about it 70 times in the book of Psalms.

Are you still aware today that God loves you with an everlasting, unfailing love? God’s love for you has never changed. He loves you today as intensely as He loved you yesterday! You may have done things that were not appropriate for a child of God to do. But nonetheless, you are His child, and He loves you with an everlasting love. Even if you’ve largely ignored God and you need to ask His forgiveness, He never forgets that the Holy Spirit lives in you, and He respects you as a dwelling place of His Spirit. And the really great news is this: God’s love for you tomorrow will also be unfailing. It will never change. Even if you fail, God’s love for you will not fail. His love is steadfast and unchanging toward His sons and daughters.

Before I finish this point about you being the “beloved” of God, I want to take some time to explain further what the word agape really means, since it is one of the Greek words Paul used in Colossians 3:12 to reveal what God thinks of you.

This word agape refers to what I call high-level love, for there is no higher, finer, or more excellent love than agape love. In fact, the word agape is filled with so much deep emotion and meaning that it is one of the most difficult words to translate in the New Testament. Trying to explain this word has baffled translators for centuries; nevertheless, I’m going to try to clarify the meaning of this powerful word.

Agape occurs when an individual sees, recognizes, understands, or appreciates the value of an object or a person, causing the viewer to behold this object or person in great esteem, awe, admiration, wonder, and sincere appreciation. Such great respect is awakened in the heart of the observer for the person or object he is beholding that he is compelled to love it. In fact, his love for that person or object is so strong that it is irresistible.

In the New Testament, perhaps the best example of agape is found in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In the phrase, “For God so loved the world,” the word “love” is the word agape.

This means that when God looked upon the human race, He stood in awe of mankind, even though man was lost in sin. God admired man; He wondered at man; He held mankind in the highest appreciation. Even though Satan held mankind captive at that moment, God looked upon the world and saw His own image in man. The human race was so precious to God and He loved man so deeply that His heart was stirred to reach out and do something to save him. In other words, God’s love drove Him to action.

You see, agape is a love that loves so profoundly that it knows no limits or boundaries in how far, wide, high, and deep it will go to show that love to its recipient. If necessary, agape love will even sacrifice itself for the sake of that object or person it so deeply cherishes. Thus, agape is the highest form of love — a self-sacrificial type of love that moves the lover to action for the sake of the beloved.

When you put together the meaning of these three words in Colossians 3:12, you gain a deeper revelation regarding what God actually thinks about you. He has personally chosen you; He has separated you from your sin; He respects you as the dwelling place of His Spirit; and He loves you so much that His thoughts are continually turned toward you, causing awe, admiration, and wonder to be drawn from His heart. That is what God thinks about you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I am in awe of Your great love toward me. Thank You that even before the foundations of the world, You looked into eternity and saw me personally. When You fastened Your gaze upon me, Your heart of love opened toward me and You deliberately chose me that I might know You. Holy Spirit, You are the treasure within my earthen vessel. Help me see myself as the Father sees me. Then empowered by the confidence of His love and favor, strengthen and guide me to walk as a continual demonstration of that love to others for the glory of Your name!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am personally summoned by God to know Him intimately. When God sees me, His great “agape love” for me compels Him to behold me with an admiring gaze as when one beholds a treasure with awe and wonder. I am the chosen dwelling place of God’s own Spirit. Therefore, I am valued greatly and esteemed highly by Him. I believe and receive God’s great love for me, and today I walk in the reality of its irresistible strength and power. I am continually aware of His love for me, and for that reason, I remain secure and my faith in Him never fails!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Describe a moment when God’s unfailing love for you left you feeling overwhelmed and speechless.  How did that moment and expression of God’s love for you change your walk with God and your relationship with others?
2. As you meditate on how God thinks about you, how does that change the way you think about yourself?
3. Did you realize you were the special dwelling place of God and that God respects you as a consecrated dwelling place? If you really embrace that truth, how will that help to shape your self-image?

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?…
— John 20:11-13

When Peter and John left the garden, Mary Magdalene remained behind. She had followed the two men, possibly hoping to obtain a clearer understanding of what she had experienced that day. All she knew was that her day started with a desire to come to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. But when she arrived, the stone was rolled away, and an angel was sitting on top of the great stone (Matthew 28:2)! Then when she entered the tomb, she first discovered another angel (Mark 16:5) and then suddenly found herself in the presence of two angels inside the tomb (Luke 24:4)!

The angels had told Mary, “He is not here, but is risen…” (Luke 24:6). But if Jesus was risen as the angels had said, where was He? How could she find Him?

Feeling dejected and alone, Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. The Greek tense means continually weeping, highlighting the fact she was extremely troubled about the inexplicable events that were happening. Most of all, she wanted to know what had happened to Jesus. John writes, “…she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre.…” The word “stooped down” is parakupto, the same word used in John 20:5 to portray John taking a peek into the tomb. Now it was Mary’s turn to bend low and peer into the empty sepulcher — but when she looked inside, she saw something she didn’t expect!

John tells us, “…She stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain” (John 20:11,12). The word “seeth” is the Greek word theaomai, which tells us assuredly that Mary fixed her eyes on the angels and determined to look them over and to take in the whole experience. First, she saw that the two angels were “in white.” This agrees with all the other experiences of angels that eventful day. All of them had been dressed in shining white with a lightning-bright appearance. All the angels seen that day also wore the same type of robe — like the long, flowing regal robes worn by warriors, kings, priests, or any other person of great power and authority. The usage of the word theaomai (“seeth”) tells us that this time Mary visibly studied every single detail of the angels she saw in the tomb.

John goes on to inform us that Mary saw these angels “…sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” This statement is in perfect agreement with the interior of a rock-hewn tomb during biblical times. Past the entrance of such a tomb, a smaller separate room with a table-shaped pedestal, also carved from stone, was usually located to one side. On this rock slab the body was laid to rest after being dressed in burial clothes and perfumed by loved ones. The head would be slightly elevated, causing the trunk of the corpse to lie in a sloping downward position with the feet resting against a small ledge or in a groove, either of which were designed to keep the body from slipping from the slab.

When Mary saw the angels, she noted that one was seated at the top of the burial slab and the other was seated at the foot. In between these angels, she could see the empty place where she had personally viewed Jesus several days earlier. Luke 23:55 tells us that after Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, Mary Magdalene and other women who came from Galilee “…beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.” The word “beheld” (theaomai) means to gaze upon, to fully see, to look at intently. These women inspected the tomb, gazing upon the dead body of Jesus to see that it had been honorably laid in place. Because Mark 15:47 uses the imperfect tense to tell us how the women looked upon Jesus’ dead body, it means these women took plenty of time to make certain He was properly laid there. Now Mary saw the same spot where she had so carefully labored days before, but the dead body she cherished was no longer there.

As Mary looked and wept, the angels asked her, “…Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus” (John 20:13,14).

Stricken with sorrow, Mary withdrew from the tomb just in time to see a man standing nearby. Due to Jesus’ changed appearance, she was unable to recognize Him. Verse 15 tells us what happened next: “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”

At that very moment, Jesus tenderly said, “Mary.” Upon hearing that voice and recognizing the old familiar way in which He called her name, “…she turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master” (v. 16). Although Jesus’ appearance was different now, Mary knew Him by His voice. This reminds me of John 10:27, when Jesus told His disciples, “My sheep hear my voice.…” Mary knew His voice and recognized that it was her Shepherd who stood before her.

In Revelation 1, John tells us about his vision on the island of Patmos. In the midst of this phenomenal divine visitation, he says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet…. and I turned to see the voice that spake with me…” (Revelation 1:10,12). Like Mary, when John heard that voice, he recognized it as the voice of Jesus. This is why John writes, “…I turned to see the voice that spake with me.”

Of course, it is impossible to “see” a voice, but John recognized the sound of that voice and turned to match the face with the voice he heard. He knew it was Jesus. But as Mary had also discovered, Jesus’ physical appearance looked radically different from the Jesus whom John had known in His earthly form. But the voice of Jesus never changed, and John immediately recognized it.

It appears that Mary reached out to cling to Jesus with her hands, but Jesus forbade her, saying, “…Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). With this one statement, Jesus let it be known that everything had changed because of the Cross. Now a new relationship with God was available to the apostles and to all who would call upon the name of Jesus Christ! John 20:18 goes on to say, “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.”

Today we rejoice that Jesus is alive! Because of what He did for us at the Cross, now we have access to God the Father. This was the purpose of the Cross: To redeem mankind and to put man back in right relationship and fellowship with his Heavenly Father. Jesus paid it all! He finished the work of redemption so that today we can be in right relationship with God by accepting the work of Christ on Calvary by faith.

I encourage you to be bold in recognizing the voice of Jesus. If you belong to Him, then you do know His voice. Mary knew His voice; John knew His voice; and your born-again spirit knows His voice. If you’ll take the time to listen, you will hear the voice of Jesus calling out to you just as He tenderly called out to Mary that day in the garden. He knows you by name, and He wants to enjoy close fellowship with you. So take the time to listen!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for being my Good Shepherd! I am so thankful You speak to me and lead me through life. I’m sorry I haven’t listened to You so many times when You have tried to warn me, help me, and guide me. I have lost so much because I didn’t listen when You spoke. But rather than focus on my past losses, I determine to do everything within my ability to hear You now and to obediently follow what You tell me to do!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly confess that I know the voice of Jesus! He is my Shepherd, and I am His sheep. He promises that I will know His voice and that the voice of a stranger I will not follow. Therefore, I declare by faith that I recognize the voice of Jesus when He speaks to me. I am not hesitant to follow, but I am bold and quick to obey what He speaks to my heart.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How long has it been since you heard the voice of Jesus tenderly speak to your heart?

2. It takes time to develop any relationship, so are you giving time to your relationship with Jesus so you can get to know Him better and allow Him the opportunity to speak to you about your life?

3. Are there certain times or places in your daily routine when you are able to hear Jesus speak more clearly to you than at other times? For instance, do you hear Him best when you’re alone at home, driving your car, worshiping at church, or having a private time of prayer?

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them.
— Acts 17:32,33

There are a wide variety of reactions to the preaching of truth. I’ll give you an example from my own life — a personal experience I will never forget when I received multiple mixed reactions to a message I preached. I remember how stunned I was at the different ways people responded to what I ministered. To me, the message was thrilling, life-changing, and powerful, and I was so excited about the prospect of preaching it. I could hardly wait for the day to come to deliver what God had put on my heart, since I anticipated that people would respond to it the same way it had affected me. However, when I preached the message, people’s reaction was not exactly what I expected!

By the time I had finished preaching, it was obvious that some people were visibly blessed. However, others were upset and even furious with what I had said! Then there was a third group that wouldn’t immediately respond one way or the other, saying that they wanted to put their opinion “on hold” and think about what I had taught for a while.

I was shocked. I wondered, How in the world could this message produce such a mixed reaction, and how could it possibly anger people? I assure you that my intention had not been to make anyone angry, but only to speak a word from God that would set people free.

I was so perplexed that I decided to make copies of the message and send it to several nationally known ministers I respected and ask them to listen to it and give me their reaction to the message. As I waited to hear from them, I wondered what kind of response they would give me to this message. As the written responses came back, one after another said, “Not only is this message needed, it is very needed — and I would like to schedule you to come preach it in my church!”

Anyone who has been in the ministry long can testify that there is often a mixed response to the teaching of truth. What thrills one person can be a source of irritation to another person. When I was a younger man in the ministry, this varied reaction was confusing to me. But through the years, I have learned to expect the preaching of God’s Word to elicit different responses from different people.

Since you will one day stand before Jesus to give account for what you preach, it is crucial that you inwardly know you are saying exactly what He wants you to say; then you must trust the Lord with the results. As God’s messenger, you are ultimately responsible to speak what He puts on your heart, regardless of the response from your listeners.

When Paul concluded his message in the Athenian court, he had a very mixed response to his sermon. Acts 17:32,33 tells us, “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them.”

This verse tells us that “some mocked” when they heard Paul’s message. The word “mocked” is derived from the Greek word echidna, which is the word for a poisonous viper. This word echidna is exactly the same word used in Matthew 3:7, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 23:33, and Luke 3:7, when Jesus referred to the religious leaders of his time as a generation of “vipers.” By using this vivid word, the Holy Spirit lets us know that when Paul concluded his masterful message, one group was so furious that they wanted to sink their fangs into him! They were livid and fuming because of what Paul preached.

That was one reaction to Paul’s message, but there were other reactions as well. Acts 17:32 goes on to tell us, “…Others said, We will hear thee again on this matter.” This second group wasn’t jumping and shouting, “Amen!” But the fact that they were open-minded and wanted to hear Paul again constituted a significant victory for the Kingdom of God. This means they were interested — and for judges in the highest court of this pagan land to be interested in the Gospel was a huge development!

This was a massive triumph for Paul’s ministry. Sometimes when a door of opportunity remains open rather than slamming shut, that open door is in itself a great success. Sure, these Athenian judges didn’t walk the aisle or pray the sinner’s prayer. But they wanted to hear more, and that let Paul know that he still had an open door into their hearts.

Acts 17:33 says, “So Paul departed from among them.” The Bible doesn’t explicitly say how Paul felt when he walked out of the amphitheater. However, we do know that he had enraged one group, interested another group, and had no visible proof that anyone would be saved as a result of his preaching that day. It is likely that he felt like a failure or thought he hadn’t performed as powerfully as he had hoped.

Although the response to his message was very mixed, there was a small group of notable people who not only heard it but were deeply touched by it. Acts 17:34 says, “Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” These people believed the truth they heard and desired to know more.

This verse tells us that “certain men clave unto him.” I want you to especially notice the word “clave.” This word is taken from the Greek word kollaoo — a word that means to glue to, to cleave to, to adhere to, to attach one’s self to, or to associate with. There is no doubt that this word conveys the idea of discipleship and faithfully following after someone else. We know that these individuals were saved as a result of Paul’s ministry that day, because this scripture tells us they “believed.”

Among this group of new believers was “Dionysius the Areopagite.” This man’s name indicates that he was named in honor of the Greek god Dionysius, which tells us he had been reared in a very pagan home. The Bible also tells us that Dionysius was an Areopagite. This word is taken from the word Areopagus, which describes the highest court of the land. We therefore know that this newly saved Dionysius was one of the 12 judges who ruled in the highest court in the entire nation.

This man’s conversion was no small victory! Because he was one of the 12 judges who ruled the land, he was well known in Athens and throughout all of Greece. The early Christian historian Eusebius later wrote that Dionysius became so rooted in the faith that he was eventually named the bishop of the church at Athens and died a martyr’s death.

In addition to Dionysius’ conversion, Acts 17:34 says that “a woman named Damaris” was also converted as a result of Paul’s message in the high court. Although the Bible doesn’t give us much insight into Damaris, we do know that, like Dionysius, she was a very wealthy aristocrat. The verse goes on to tell us, “and there were others with them.” The original language implies that although this group was not huge, it was a notable group of people who were probably members of the upper class. The seed of God’s Word became deeply rooted in their hearts, and they kept the fire burning in Athens long after Paul’s departure.

I am sure that Paul must have been perplexed by the mixed reaction he received to his message that day. Just as was true in my case, some were blessed, others infuriated, and others held their reactions to themselves. If you were just counting numbers, it would appear that the message Paul delivered in the Areopagus was no great success. But although the number of people converted wasn’t substantial, the identity of those converted was of great consequence.

By penetrating the upper class of Athens with the Gospel, Paul pierced the most difficult category of people to reach. These were people of influence, people of power, and people of high regard. Therefore, even though there were not vast numbers of new converts, the influential nature of those who were converted provided a significant advancement of the Gospel in Athens.

When you reach people with the message God puts on your heart, don’t be misled by the various reactions people have to you and to your message. Know beforehand that some may be glad to receive what you say, and some may end up mad at you because of the message you have preached. What is most important is that you know exactly what God wants you to say or do and then faithfully stick with that message, regardless of the reactions you experience. You will ultimately answer to Jesus, so when you step out to obey what He has told you to do, do it to please Him!

Make the decision not to permit yourself to be disturbed or disappointed because the numerical response you anticipated is smaller than you hoped. Even if the numbers are small, it may be that you have reached the heart of someone who will one day have great influence and power. That would make your results very successful indeed!

You may not know for many years the full consequences of your obedience. So if you have done your best to say precisely what Jesus has asked you to say, know that you have nothing left to do but rest your case. Then you can leave the rest of the matter in His hands!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I ask You to help me know exactly what I am to say, how I am to say it, and when I am to speak. Then once I have obeyed You, help me trust You with the results. I admit that I’ve been affected by people’s reactions in the past and have allowed those reactions to influence my obedience in the present. Please forgive me for allowing the opinions of man to affect me, even when I know I’ve done exactly what You told me to do. Help me keep my eyes on You when I step out in faith to obey the prompting of Your Spirit in my heart.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am not negatively affected by people’s mixed reactions when I speak the Word of God. People will always respond differently to truth; therefore, I put my trust in the Lord and keep my eyes on Him, not on the responses of people. I will do my best to speak His Word accurately, and I trust the Holy Spirit to assist me. He is my Helper, my Standby, my Assistant, and my Mentor, so I am depending on Him to teach me how to speak as I ought to speak. From this moment on, I will no longer worry or fret about the reactions of people when I do what I am instructed to do with a right heart. Instead, I will rest my case and then leave the results with the Lord.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when you spoke exactly what God put on your heart, and it caused a wide variety of reactions that surprised you? Exactly when was that experience, and what was the message that seemed so controversial?
2. What did you learn from that experience when it was over? Did the Holy Spirit show you how you could have done better? What lessons did you appropriate from that experience?
3. Can you recall a time when you felt like you had failed in sharing the message God had given you? Did you later find out that God did remarkable things in people’s lives as a result of the seeds you planted that day?
4. What conclusion can you draw when you see eternal fruit produced in people’s lives from a time of sharing the truth that you thought was disastrous?