I’ve started studying through the book of Acts again.   This will be the 12^th year that I have studied through that book, and it never ceases to amaze me that I always learn something new.  Let me share the latest revelation that God has given me from this wonderful book.

We always seem to focus on how 3000 was added to the church at Pentecost, which is an amazing event.  It just a few pages over we see even a greater event that the Holy Spirit dropped on me today.  So let us take a stroll through parts of Acts 3 and 4.

So John and Peter were just going about their day as they walked to the temple to pray. (It was the 9^th hour which is the same time Jesus cried out to God but we will save that for another day.)  They had not been invited to speak, there was no scheduled gathering, but they were heading to the temple anyway.  As they went on this every day task they crossed path with a guy in his forties who had been born lame.  This guy knew something about being a beggar, it was not a disgrace then as it is today, and he knew that eye contact was important so when both Peter and John made eye contact he figured he had a donation heading his way.  I wonder what went through his mind when he heard, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.”  I was thinking about how I see people pull up to people on the side of the road asking for help and hand them their leftovers from the restaurant where they just ate.  I wonder if this guy thought that he was just about to get the leftovers from Peter’s extravagances.  Man was he surprised to find out that the Holy Spirit was going to heal him through Peter.  He could not contain his joy as he ran and leaped all around the place he drew a crowd.  As the people stared admiringly at Peter and John they must have recognized that awe in their eyes, because they had seen the same response when Jesus healed people.  They quickly move to make God’s Glory clear.  As it is told that God and Jesus deserved the credit for healing this man they quickly turned the conversation to the people’s sin and their need for repentance and salvation.  Just in case you’re wondering how that worked out about 5000 men got saved!  That would be 2000 more than at Pentecost from two guys taking the opportunity to share and show Jesus as they were walking along their normal day.  You know why they did that?  Because Jesus had told them too!  You read, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt 28:9) but they heard, “As you go make disciples of all nations…” 

I hope we can get our minds around the fact that making disciples is not a program or a trip, it should be a natural overflow of Christ’s Grace and Love for us.  Christianity isn’t about Sunday, it’s about living our life and impacting others how Christ has impacted us!

I was teaching the youth from Mark 8

 ¹¹The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹²He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." ¹³Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.  (Emphasis added)

I took a moment and dramatically read verse 12.  I asked the youth if they had ever heard me sigh deeply.  They all agreed that I had a tendency to sigh deeply.  I looked at them and said, “I’ve never felt closer to Jesus than right now.”

It was true too.  You see I’m a sigher and the fact that Jesus had gotten frustrated enough to sigh deeply did bring me closer to Him.  I needed that small subtle glimpse to the human side of my God. Encouragement can come from the strangest places.

Has God encouraged you in some unique way lately?  If He has then please share.