Tag: Miracle Moments

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Timing is everything.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The gospels are filled with Jesus performing miracles. Yet Jesus often would tell people, “don’t tell anyone.” It’s commonly called the “Messianic Secret.” Isn’t the best part of experiencing a miracle talking about it?

Here in Luke 9, but also in Matthew 16:20 and Mark 8:30, Jesus reveals who he is and what will happen to himself in the near future. I believe these “concealments” have everything to do with timing! If you’ve been walking with Jesus for a while, you begin to see the miracle of the moment. You realize the extraordinary odds of timing as you meet someone, talk with someone or having a note, text or call just happen to take place exactly at the moment of need. All the miracles in the Bible are surrounded by these timely events that must take place in supernatural order. It becomes obvious that these moments are not coincidental, but providential! God orchestrates the most complex timing of events down to the perfect minute. Like Jesus meeting the local samaritan women at the well, outside of town, at noon. That is a precise appointment. And, it took place with Jesus, the disciples and the woman all walking to meet at that moment.

John’s gospel gives us clear hints about why Jesus wanted people not to talk about these experiences so openly. John tells us Jesus said, this phrase several times – my “hour has not yet come” (John 2:4; 7:6, 8, 30). Combined with this perceived secrecy, we have Jesus telling us there is an order to what God is doing. As leaders, we look at principles of momentum and mass, capacity and clarity, but Jesus lives by this “for such a time as this” mindset.

Paul used this beautiful phrase, “the fullness of time.” Wow – isn’t that a deep thought. How can time be full? God is outside of time and his omniscience means that everything is now. There is no then or when! But, Jesus being fully God and fully man, lived within the context of time, where being led by the Spirit of God would pinpoint the accuracy of a miracle moment with perfect precision.

What does mean for us? It means that we can both experience the miracles of God’s moments as well as yield to the Spirit of God to PARTICIPATE in these moments. Have you ever felt like God was doing something supernatural but it just hasn’t happened yet? We cannot step out of time, but we can absolutely step into quick obedience when God directs us to go or speak, wait or pray.

Prayer

​Dad,
It is such a mystery to know that your thoughts are above mine and your ways are beyond my comprehension! Yet, we experience these miraculous moments and you invite us into partnership to be used in them as well. May my faith and courage to be obedient grow like the Apostle Paul said to “take every opportunity,” to see you at work in our lives and other’s lives too. Thank for inviting us to not only walk with you but also work with you in Your Kingdom. That it would be done on earth as it is in heaven!

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Waiting for the Messiah club

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,”
Luke 2:25-28 NLT

Talk about timing! Simeon was OLD and had waited, and waited, and waited some more. We don’t know when he had this “revealing,” but I’m guessing it had been awhile.

Maybe the Holy Spirit nudged him when he was younger? Maybe as he went about life with family, or no family, singled or widowed. Maybe he told some others of his inklings from God. Then again, maybe he kept them to himself, like Mary did when she pondered all the mysteries happening in her life. I did a sermon years ago called, “waiting for the Messiah club.” There were thousands, maybe millions who were waiting for the Messiah, but a couple of them had this extraordinary experience of meeting him as a baby – Simeon and Anna. Anna was probably over a 100 years old and widowed for 84 of those years!

I like what Luke says in verse 27, “That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.” THAT DAY. Coincidence? No way. Providence? Absolutely. I had a friend call me to ask a very specific question. A serious, but sad question. “If the Holy Spirit prompts you to talk to a friend about their salvation and you don’t respond to God and do it. What happens if that person dies and possibly goes to hell. Is that our fault? Now, don’t get all worked up crazy over the question. It was real to them. They felt very responsible, very guilty. Because their friend did die and they didn’t know if that person had made a decision to believe in Christ’s provision and intention that no human would choose to go to hell. Folks think that we live a life, wander around a bit and then just accidentally find ourselves in hell all confused and wondering how we got there. Do you want to know about hell and why people go there? Hint: Read your Bible! Quit listening to a bunch of opinions from preachers tell you what the Bible says, go read it for yourself!

Back to Simeon. None of this was by accident, 100% of it was by design and desire from God because God loved Simeon and his lasting loyalty to believe in all those words the Old Testament spokespersons had said about the Messiah. That day, that moment had been set in motion before the earth was ever created! It was God-timed and perfect. Simeon just needed to be obedient and go to the Temple that day to receive the promised gift of seeing Jesus! So here’s the quick-tip I pick up, when the Holy Spirit prompts. nudges, whispers or shouts – JUST DO IT! There is an enormous gift, opportunity or even a warning waiting on the other side of that encounter. If you ask, “well, how do I know it’s God?” Great question. First, spend time in the Bible getting to know the ways of God. Then practice listening and obeying. The more time you spend with someone, ACTIVELY listening, you actually get a sense of what they are wanting even BEFORE they speak.

Simeon waited. He was patient and consistent. He listened and obeyed. And the day, the moment arrived, just as God planned. Then Simeon busted out with this cool prayer:

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Luke 2:29-32 NLT

PRAYER:

Dad, You know that I’ve been in your word and even more intentional about listening to your voice, your leading. It gets so LOUD with busyness and tons of minutia that I get all stressed out. I was stressed out rushing to work today! Why? I have no idea. I know that the load you’ve designed for me to carry is formatted to giving you MOST, if not ALL the things that get to me. As I get even older, like Simeon, I don’t want to miss out on the miraculous moments you desire for me.