There is a story about a young man complaining to an older man about his struggles with the Bible (If you know the story, forgive me if I am getting some parts wrong)
He complained that he struggles to remember the verses, and the books, and who did what, and when.
The older man looked at him and said after a while… you know, I have lived a long life, and every night, my wife makes me a meal. I can’t tell you what every one of those meals where, except that on the day, it nourished me, fed me and kept me going for another full day.
I was reading Acts 4 today. Peter and John just healed a lame man, and the Sadducees were up in arms because of their day-to-day teaching of the resurrection of Jesus. Peter and John was arrested and brought before the Religious Council.
During this questioning, a spirit filled Peter responded:
“There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus.”
(Acts 4:12 TPT)
The Religious leaders were astonished at the boldness and fearlessness of Peter and John. Instead of cowering in fear in front of the High priest Annas and Caiaphas, the leaders of the Sadducees and the rest of the spiritual leaders of the nation, they were attacking them, accusing them of wrongdoing.
”The council members were astonished as they witnessed the bold courage of Peter and John, especially when they discovered that they were just ordinary men who had never had religious training.”
(Acts 4:13 TPT)
And this is the hidden gem that is so easy to miss…
”Then they began to understand the effect Jesus had on them simply by spending time with him.”
(Acts 4:12–13 TPT)
The disciples were far from perfect… but being in the presence of God’s Son, changed them.
We often hope and pray for the “flip-of-a-switch” change in our lives. That the Holy Spirit comes and activates that something in us to get the ball rolling, but that is not what the Spirit does. The Holy Spirit is the Dunamis, the Creative Power through which God moves, and what we can draw from to push through.
Our Character is built from spending time with Christ. From worshipping at God’s feet. That is the driving force of change.
That is our driving force.
An author once said something in the line of “It took the Beatles 10 years of practice and playing in dingy clubs and bars to become an overnight success!” There was nothing, and then there was!
Spend time with Jesus today. It will change you!
