Spend time with Jesus
Image by New Birth MBC {link to http://www.newbirth.org/spend-time-alone-with-jesus/}
Acts 4:13 - Now when they
saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were
uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they
had been with Jesus. (NKJV)
Acts 3 gives an account of the miracle that occurred at the beautiful gate; how the man lame from birth was healed by Peter and John. The miracle and the message that followed was 'disturbing' that they were arrested by the Sadducees and charged for 'suspicious activity'. Later on, they were summoned before the rulers and elders of the people (members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court) to reveal the source of their power. Peter and John answered them with such boldness and panache that they were stunned. I mean, their speech was a lesson in oration.
This was the same Peter that denied Jesus 3 times when interrogated by a teenager! The same Peter or maybe not. He was a totally different person then.
The rulers and elders were so amazed at the radical transformation that it spurred them into critical thinking. They represented the créme de la créme of society so were used to people trembling before them during interrogations. This was like they have never seen before. Peter and John were not exactly Paul, who was a lawyer by profession and could do likewise with minimum fuss. They were fishermen, unlearned, and had no formal education.
The rulers and elders were like "how is this possible?, we know these guys, they are illiterates and low lives; they are fishermen and represents the crude of society. How come they have this boldness, speak very fluent English, communicate and respond to our questions like non other?" In their state of deep thinking, it hit them "!...these guys spent a lot of time with Jesus!" What an awesome conclusion that such a transformation was consequent of their time with Christ!
Friends, I hope you too come to the realization that time spent with Jesus can cause a radical transformation in your life, one that would be too obvious that people would question it.
More over, John 4 gives an elaborate account of a gradual but inevitable transformation that is consequent of time spent with Jesus. The Samaritan woman who came to Jesus at Jacob's well was an emblem of ignorance and insensitivity. She was a liar and a drunk as her place of residence (Sychar) alludes. But after a couple of hours, maybe less, spent with Jesus, she was a totally different person. She became truthful (vs 17), her sensitivity improved (vs 19) and she ended up an evangelist! (vs 28-29). She was a totally different person.
Friends, spending time with Jesus doesn't happen by chance. A lot of the time, you'd have to make a conscious effort to do it. Believe me, you'd make no better use of your time than you would do spending it with Him. Spending time with Him is much more than worthwhile. It is time infinitely well-spent. The benefits are too numerous to outline, but you can be sure that you'd never remain the same. God bless you!
Acts 3 gives an account of the miracle that occurred at the beautiful gate; how the man lame from birth was healed by Peter and John. The miracle and the message that followed was 'disturbing' that they were arrested by the Sadducees and charged for 'suspicious activity'. Later on, they were summoned before the rulers and elders of the people (members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court) to reveal the source of their power. Peter and John answered them with such boldness and panache that they were stunned. I mean, their speech was a lesson in oration.
This was the same Peter that denied Jesus 3 times when interrogated by a teenager! The same Peter or maybe not. He was a totally different person then.
The rulers and elders were so amazed at the radical transformation that it spurred them into critical thinking. They represented the créme de la créme of society so were used to people trembling before them during interrogations. This was like they have never seen before. Peter and John were not exactly Paul, who was a lawyer by profession and could do likewise with minimum fuss. They were fishermen, unlearned, and had no formal education.
The rulers and elders were like "how is this possible?, we know these guys, they are illiterates and low lives; they are fishermen and represents the crude of society. How come they have this boldness, speak very fluent English, communicate and respond to our questions like non other?" In their state of deep thinking, it hit them "!...these guys spent a lot of time with Jesus!" What an awesome conclusion that such a transformation was consequent of their time with Christ!
Friends, I hope you too come to the realization that time spent with Jesus can cause a radical transformation in your life, one that would be too obvious that people would question it.
More over, John 4 gives an elaborate account of a gradual but inevitable transformation that is consequent of time spent with Jesus. The Samaritan woman who came to Jesus at Jacob's well was an emblem of ignorance and insensitivity. She was a liar and a drunk as her place of residence (Sychar) alludes. But after a couple of hours, maybe less, spent with Jesus, she was a totally different person. She became truthful (vs 17), her sensitivity improved (vs 19) and she ended up an evangelist! (vs 28-29). She was a totally different person.
Friends, spending time with Jesus doesn't happen by chance. A lot of the time, you'd have to make a conscious effort to do it. Believe me, you'd make no better use of your time than you would do spending it with Him. Spending time with Him is much more than worthwhile. It is time infinitely well-spent. The benefits are too numerous to outline, but you can be sure that you'd never remain the same. God bless you!
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