Lost and Found

By Brenda Black

I lost it last night. I lost me when I got caught up in the Lord. At that blissful moment, it is both humiliating and elevating. And the combination is exhilarating! John the Baptist said it this way: “He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30) When the Lord occupies His rightful place on the throne and we sit at His feet, all is right in the universe.

Frequently and quickly, we set our hearts on other affections rather than the One most deserving. Why is that? Proximity? Visibility? Convenience or selfish motives? Most likely, all of the above. We focus on what we can see, we reach out to that we can touch. Ashamedly, we love what only benefits us most. All the while, the Savior who gave His life and left His Spirit to guard and comfort and guide, we dismiss with cordiality, saying, Thanks, but no thanks. We convince ourselves that our lives are complete without Him.

No! They are not! At moments when I step out of the routine I control and I define, I find myself completely inadequate and incomplete apart from this Jesus who loves me! And then I realize, even in the areas of my life that I feel most confident, I'm still not the one calling the shots. He is!
You may not get it. Most days, I can easily dismiss it. But there are poignant moments when He will not be ignored. They often come because I've willingly given Him my undivided attention. It's an amazing, conflicting, completely mind-blowing concept that this powerful God who spins the earth on the tip of His finger, waits patiently for us to come near. When we do, the experience is catapulted into heavenly!

I lost it last night and I'm glad for it. Because in my losing, I found the Lord filling me, holding me, lifting me, hugging me, teaching me, reaching me and changing me in that moment for the better. When I get lost in Him, I find the one He's completing. I discover the me He wants me to be. I learn anew that He's not finished with this work in progress. Neither is He finished with you!

“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

In the song I am Not Ashamed of the Gospel, one of the lines says “I'm not out to change this whole world around me. I've got my mind on eternity.” I contend that the best way to change the world around you and to change the one within you, is to set your mind on things above. When you fix your sites on eternity, you may feel a little lost in this world, but you'll feel right at home near to the heart of God. Where once you were lost, you will be found. When you become less and He becomes more, that moment is heavenly, blissful, mind-blowing and completely supernatural.

Get lost!

Man Oh Man, What a Mantle to Manage

By Brenda Black

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

You've read of their legendary courage – remarkable people who perform amazing feats of seemingly supernatural proportions. There are war heros who have hauled a downed fellow soldier over one shoulder while dodging artillery and ignoring blood gushing wounds to their own head and legs. In the heat of a moment, a petite woman will possess incredible strength to rescue her child from certain death. A total stranger musters the courage to rush into a burning building and retrieve a desperate victim.

Something exists deep down inside a human – an obscure ability to do god-like duties in the face of real and immediate danger. Yet, that secret sense of responsibility lays silent and still when the danger is not so imminent. The frightening reality is that real and present danger exists daily. There a limited minutes to react and save a life. Every day we must be ready to leap into action and do God work for the sake of those perishing.

Praise God, supernatural strength is available! Christians are called to do a remarkable thing. We are to be the house of the Holy Spirit and to do the will of God. Thankfully, God equips us for such a daunting task, if we will just love Him enough to do as He asks.

“If you love me,” Jesus tells his disciples, “you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17)

Something deep within that has been placed from without and from on high rests upon us. That pretty much covers us – literally! This covering and cloak of God is a cape of supernatural power. It gives us the super-hero ability to climb tall mountains of doubt, scale skyscraper size worry and extend strong hands to rescue the lost and frightened from the grip of an evil enemy. The Holy Spirit is our mantle.

Ironically, the term mantle not only represents a covering, but it also means the burden of responsibility. It is our born again duty to lift the fallen, defend the weak, love the hurting, lead the lost to safety because we wear the cape of Christ. That's nothing to run from. It's something to count on!

In the story of Elijah and Elisha in the Old Testament, the elder Elijah wore the mantle that was invested with supernatural power. Elisha, his servant, begged him for the wrap and Elijah promised that if the younger and eager prophet saw him when Elijah returned to heaven, that he would merit, not just the cloak, but a double share of his spirit.

We have that same Spirit! “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you...” Now hold on to your cape because you are about to learn, not only do we have the same power, but we have more!

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:12-13)

Did you catch it? “He will do even greater things than these.” Jesus is referring to His own miraculous feats and granting that those who come after Him in the kingdom have the power to do even more! Before you get carried away thinking you can walk on water or give sight to the blind, be sure you notice one important thing. Whatever feat we accomplish, empowered by the Holy Spirit, needs to glorify God the Father. Our mantle must be managed with that in mind.

Burn, Baby, Burn!

By Brenda Black

For months we tossed sticks and leaves, dumped old straw and moldy hay into a pile at the end of the driveway. Neon orange baling twine lay balled up or bedraggled across the growing heap. We added dozens of logs from a downed tree, sliced into campfire portions. All winter long, that dying, rotting concoction of earthen and fabricated refuse remained until about a week ago when it met its match – and we torched the whole thing!

I thought it would take days for those huge logs and the tightly packed yard waste to fully burn. But in a matter of hours, all that remained was ash. It started fast and hot and with every poke, it glowed hotter. When we fed it more combustibles that needed discarded, it flamed high and smoke billowed from adding fuel to the fire.

A log would roll out once in a while as the burning beast shifted from underneath where timbers already began to crumble into coals. With a quick kick back into the flames, the dying embers on the log were reignited instantly. Smoke boiled and curled upward and drifted barely since there was little wind. I watched like a child, mesmerized by the force, the heat, the speed and the unrelenting path of the flames. I dared to move closer for the warmth. And backed away from the powerful heat.

Some things never cease to amaze me, like this fire. It is frightening, yet comforting. It is destructive while refining. It is horrifically powerful, but can be doused with but a bucket of pure water. No wonder the Lord spoke to Moses from a flaming bush (Exodus 3:2) What better to display his force than licking up a trench of water with fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:38). How else could the Holy Spirit come but in tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). What fear should be evoked to know that God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). How better to spread the Gospel message than with the tongue of man, which like a spark, could set the world afire for Christ (Matthew 28:16-20).

Are we still impressed with the power of God or the purpose of the cross? Do the stories of the Almighty, Omnipotent Holy God burn within us? Or have the flames that once leaped high and hot, died, and we, as the body of Christ, look like ash.

Author, Tim Hansel suggests in his book Holy Sweat that “we are no longer shocked” by the historical account of Christ's crucifixion. “We can get more concerned over the death of our pet goldfish than what happened to Christ on Golgotha. The story has become so familiar and commonplace like the other stories in Scripture, that it no longer shocks us, no longer repels, no longer arouses us. At times, it may not even excite us.

“Yet the people who crucified Christ never thought Jesus a bore. The fact is they thought he was fiery and dangerous to public safety. It was left up to us through the years to turn this Person 'meek and mild,' smiling harmlessly from a framed portrait on a wall. Yet he was the farthest thing from a dull man during his time on earth. And since he was God, there can be nothing dull about God, either.

“But let me take this one step further...Could we then not say that God's nature has something to do with his will for our lives? That is, when we say 'God is love' we aren't just referring to some mush of divinity, some ectoplasmic Valentine, but that since he is love he wants us therefore to be loving. When we say that God is just and forgiving, then we are to be just and forgiving in return. Who God is – that is what he wants from us. The way God is – that is the way he wants us to go. The statements of God in the Bible are boomerang-shaped. They come back to us. So if he is by nature astonishing, then he wants us to live a life of wonderment in return. He says, 'Astonish me!'”

Hansel challenges the Christian to get fired up! “God is saying to us, 'Don't just exist. Don't just meet my bottom line. Don't just get by. Don't just go through the motions, acting holy, sleepwalking through life.'”

We have a choice – to burn, baby, burn or just fizzle, grow old and cold and die. When the Lord who died for you comes in blazing glory, as Judge and a Consuming fire, how do you want to be found? Cold as ice or full of FIRE!

2011 copyright - For reprint rights, please contact author, Brenda Black at http://www.thewordsout-brendablack.com

The Purpose of Pentecost

By Brenda Black

“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: 'Fellow Jews and all of you who are in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.” (Acts 2:14)

He had no microphone, but the roar rising from the masses called for Peter to match its intensity so that he might be heard. On this day of Pentecost, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ, a multiethnic crowd reacted vociferously to the strange commotion they witnessed and heard. “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:2-4) Peter then stepped up to seize the moment and impart explanation to the ever-restless and riled that were drawn together in bewilderment, for each of these visitors to the Holy City heard their own native dialect and they were “utterly amazed” (vs. 7).

Some heeded the miraculous event and curiously pressed for answers while others made fun and accused the disciples of drunkenness. The power of God had seized their attention, but it was up to Peter to capitalize on the moment and point their hearts in the right direction. He quoted the prophet Joel who generations earlier spoke of a fiery day like this. Then Peter began to tell them about Jesus – his life, his ministry, his death and resurrection!

They were perplexed. They were opinionated. Mostly, this eclectic crowd was pierced to their very core as Peter began to call for repentance. Remember, most of these people were in Jerusalem two months prior. Many then were among that crowd that called for Jesus' crucifixion! Conviction and fear gripped the ones who realized they had scorned and rejected and killed the Messiah for whom they had been watching and waiting.

The mobs had met the person of Jesus. They saw him die and watched the sky turn black. They felt the earth shake and heard of the temple curtain ripped in two. They knew!

If ever they needed proof of God's great power and authority, they saw it that day when Jesus died. They were still talking about the empty grave 50 days later and still no body had been recovered. They saw God-power again when Holy Spirit flames licked the roof top on this Pentecost day and unlearned men spoke in dozens of different languages penetrating ears and minds and hearts.

They knew the person, they saw the proof. And some responded. Those are the ones who discovered the purpose of Pentecost.

The rest of the story in the Book of Acts tells of a great response to the Truth message that Peter declared. “'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'

“When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'

“Peter replied: 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts. 2:36-39)

The good news is that about 3000 accepted his message and were baptized!

But what of the nay-sayers? They had to be spiritually blinded and ignorant. Think about it: If a drunk slurs his own name, how could the Pentecost cynics reason that drunkenness would make unlearned men articulate linguists! Their hearts were cold and hard so they believed that the Twelve were filled with wine instead of the Holy Spirit.

The sad news is not everyone that day repented. Some resisted the plea, rejected the person and refused to believe the powerful proofs right in front of them. Those who received salvation devoted themselves to teaching and fellowship and to communion and prayer. The rest – well, their decision took them a far darker way. Instead of being filled with purpose, they perished.

Pentecost had a purpose. It birthed the church. Today, the greatest story ever told has not changed. And people still get the chance to hear the truth and turn from their dark paths and walk in light and love when they repent and are baptized into Christ.

If you would like to learn more about this Jesus, I'll gladly be your Peter and tell you everything I know about him. Decide for yourself. Will you believe and be saved by God and filled by the Spirit? Anything less is as foolish as drunkenness and only leads to death.

Flamazing!

Flamazed
By Brenda Black

I set the yard on fire one time. I had an accomplice. Of course we didn't intend to torch the lawn. My newlywed husband and I were merely burning trash. But the wind began to blow and scattered burning rubbish a half dozen different directions before we could say “Hot!” With frightening speed, glowing fragments of refuse turned to tall, licking flames that merged together to form a fast-moving, fiery line racing for the pasture. I know what tongues of fire look like. I've felt the heat and cowered from their power.

Acts 2:1-13 speaks of the Holy Spirit coming to the apostles with fiery symbolism. How appropriate when I remember back to that close encounter. The fire, the speed, the overwhelming feeling are quite suitable to this Pentacost occasion.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

“Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!' Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, 'What does this mean?'

“Some, however, made fun of them and said, 'They have had too much wine.'” (Acts 2:1-13)

Isn't it odd how one group can be amazed by the flames and another pack of people foolishly amused? It may seem odd, but unfortunately it is more the rule than the exception for mankind to scoff at God things than to stand in wonder at His amazing feats. To be awed is humbling. To debunk something beyond human explanation is egotistical.

We see it all the time. God heals and modern medicine is credited. God restores a relationship and enemies-turned-lovers say it was destiny. God instills animals with fascinating instincts and science explains away the mystery with godless probabilities.

“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

As I watched one Chilean miner after another be lifted to safety from the depths of the planet, I had to wonder, just who will get the glory for such a salvation as this. Will the incredibly brave men who kept their wits and bore the heat from near the heart of the earth be regaled with honors? They have already been invited to presidential palaces, offered all-expenses-paid vacations and are being wooed by countless TV shows, book and movie deals. Certainly they deserve reward. Will the families who never gave up hope be acknowledged for perseverance and commitment? They kept vigil and paid a high psychological and emotional price. Will the technicians and mechanics, psychologists and physicians, captains, managers, and mining specialists be praised for their diligent and historic rescue? As Ryan Saylor, one of the designers behind Center Rock, Inc's specialized drill bit told reporters, “Being part of saving 33 miners is overwhelming.”

Behind all of the hype and the glaring lights and drilling equipment that chipped away for 69 days to free these underground heros, were family, friends and neighbors; foreigners and strangers across the globe, praying for their safe return to the surface. Those men were closer to hell than most of us ever dare to envision and one miner possibly best portrayed the real power behind such a blazing salvation.

The ninth man up, Mario Gomez, who at 63 is the oldest miner, dropped to his knees after he emerged, and bowed his head in prayer. And no one made fun of such lavish, humble faith or God's mighty hand in that moment. God's Spirit still moves today. Only a fool would deny the flame.

Boo!

Boo!
By Brenda Black

I buried my head between tall, broad shoulder blades and wrapped my arms around my friend's waist. With one eye tightly closed and the other slitted just enough to capture a peek at my feet, I shuffled through the haunted house, trembling and weak. I was about 15 years old. I haven't entered another since.

I paid for a ten minute tour through garish costumes, dark rooms, spooky sounds and silicone cobwebs. For what? A racing heart, sweaty palms. Shivers and shakes and creepy crawly memories. Back then, a fake scare for a teenager may have been the cool thing come the end of October. Today, I know better that true evil lurks year round and fake blood and rubber masks are a tame imitation for real demonic presence. Instead of cowering in fear, now I come out fighting with both eyes wide open and the name of Jesus as my spear. That's how I say “Boo!” to the enemy.

Since his fall to earth, Satan has attempted to fool mankind into thinking that evil is either overwhelming and impossible to defeat or just kid's play like a seasonal haunted house and is really no threat at all. Both are lies! We can have the power of Christ to immobilize the devil. But we need to remember that we are messing with fire. To prove my point, I give you Acts 19. This ghost story reveals the difference between those who fight fire with faith and those who flee in fear when they stand against Satan in their own strength.

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

“Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, 'In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.'

“The evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know and Paul I know about, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” (Acts 19:11-13, 15-16)

When false witnesses attempt to call out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, demons offer no respect. It takes more than empty magical phrases to combat a supernatural enemy. It takes faith and an I.D. I want to make demons tremble at the mention of my name, don't you. We may not have the particular anointing that enabled Paul to work such miracles, but if you know Christ as Savior, you have the same Holy Spirit power to conquer evil.

Don't deceive yourself though. The Father of Lies knows a liar. If you plan to whip the devil, you had better be wearing God's true armor and not just playing the part. You think about that for a minute. Is your heart racing? Are your palms sweaty? Satan has an army here on earth that operates covertly in the spiritual realms. Drug addicts catch glimpses of them in their chemically-induced hazes. Murderers hear their whispers of hate. Fornicators are wooed by their sensual lies. Don't kid yourself for one minute if you think the devil isn't at work in the real world. Nearly 80 times, Scripture talks about demons or demon possession. It's real! And Satan and his legions will destroy you if he doesn't recognize Jesus Christ in your life because he is the only One who has authority over this fallen angel. He cowers to no one but the Lord himself who defeated death at the cross. But, oh to the Holy One, he completely must submit.

“Then [Jesus] went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.

“In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 'Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!'

“'Be quiet!' Jesus said sternly. 'Come out of him!' Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

“All the people were amazed and said to each other, 'What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!' And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.” (Luke 4:31-37)

Fear God if you don't want to be afraid of the devil. With the Great I Am in your corner, every slimy, sinful, slithering ghoul must go when we we say “Boo! In the name of Jesus!”

Where Did You Get That Glow

Where Did You Get That Glow

By Brenda Black


I've seen blushing brides, glowing mothers-to-be, and beaming daddies. None of them, as I recall, ever frightened me. But in Exodus 34:29-35, Moses' afterglow shocked onlookers!

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.” (Ex. 34:29-30)

After spending 40 days and nights basking in the Almighty's brilliance, Moses descended the mountain with his own face glowing! Obviously, the twinkle in his eye was more than just a glimmer. The flush in his cheeks far greater than any sun-kissed, wind-burned, ruddy tan. His face was painted an ethereal hue as if he were from heaven himself. And that frightened even those who knew him best. Not until Moses assured them of his humanity by speaking their names did they stop to take a second look.

“But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them.” (vs. 31)

The touch of God is rightfully a little scary. We're talking about the Creator of the Universe who deserves reverent fear at his approach! The people of God should likewise evoke a sense of wonder. We ought to look a little different as well since we're filled with the Holy Spirit who ministers in invisible and mysterious ways within our hearts, minds and souls! People should notice a change when a Christian spends time with their Savior. They should see radiance and detect His presence and wonder if the beaming believer is from this world or another.

Instead of causing folks to fear and flee, the reflection of God in us should draw the curious closer. Our transformation before the Heavenly Father can be positively contagious if first we embrace how he changes us so that we illuminate the benefits of his will in our lives.

“Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.” (vs. 32-35)

Unveiled before God. What a terrifying and terrific experience. How enlightening to be completely transparent before our Lord and bare our souls to the One who abides within us. What a marvelous way to lay aside humanity and absorb divinity. Fling off the coverings of pride or insecurity. Drop the pretenses and phony phrases we employ in prayer. Cast off the cliches. Forget protocol. Just come into the presence of the Holy of Holies knowing that He loves you unconditionally and wants to light up your life! God is waiting. He has wisdom to impart. He holds out healing. He offers grace and mercy, forgiveness and hope.

When we walk away from that kind of encounter, we are bound to affect this world with radiance. How can we hide the Light of the World once we bask in His presence. We shouldn't try. And maybe this is where I differ with Moses. I don't think I would want to cover what my God has created in me. I want everyone to see that He reigns in me and is the source of my “glow.”

Take off the veil that keeps you at arm's length from the Almighty. And keep it off when you walk away from prayer and back into the real world. Show that glow! When someone asks about your radiance – tell them you've just been with God and He is waiting to meet them too.

Two Men, One Mission

Two Men, One Mission
By Brenda Black

Batman & Robin. The Lone Ranger & Tonto. Abbott and Costello. George & Gracie. Dynamic duos composed of opposites. Here's another for the list: Cornelius and Peter. Maybe that doesn't ring quite as familiar as the fictitious characters and famous Hollywood performers, but I assure you, their meeting and subsequent friendship would make a great movie.

Meet Cornelius: He was devout, God fearing, generous and respected by the Jews. He prayed regularly. And he was a centurion in the Roman army.

A regiment very similar to his own mocked and scourged the Christ; they nailed him to a cross and crammed into his temples a torturous wreath of thorns. But Cornelius and all his family believed in God. He was known by God. Heard by God. Seen by God. And visited by God.

“One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, 'Cornelius!'

“Cornelius stared at him in fear. 'What is it, Lord?' he asked.

“The angel answered, 'Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a remembrance before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter...

“When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and one of his soldiers who was a devout man. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.” (Acts 10:3-8)

Enter Peter: “About noon the following day as they were approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray...he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'

“'Surely not, Lord!' Peter replied. 'I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.'

“The voice spoke to him a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'

“This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

“While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.'” (vs. 9-20)

Peter was a Jew. Cornelius a Roman centurion. Jews despised Gentiles. But this Gentile was different. He had authority over men and was under the authority of God Most High. Peter learned of Cornelius by way of the powerful man's servants, but it may have been a fragment of their message that captured Peter's heart and moved him to oblige their request. “A holy angel told [Cornelius] to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” (vs. 22c)

The true reason for the reunion Peter would not comprehend until he entered Cornelius' door. Though the centurion received a clear message from God, Peter had to learn that revelation often follows resignation. While one received a clear answer and the other a mysterious vision, God pulled them together for a specific purpose – they each were to teach the other a God lesson.

Peter makes the connection between his dream and his mission. “God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.” (vs. 28b) “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (vs. 34)

The room full of circumcised Jews and searching Gentiles became brothers in Christ! “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

“Then Peter said, 'Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.'” (vs. 44-47)

Two men of fervent prayer; two obedient followers from two separate worlds became one in the body of Christ because they listened and obeyed individual calls from God. Don't think such miraculous messages are reserved only for movie scripts and ancient history. God is counting on you at this moment in time and space! He has someone for you to reach. Someone for you to teach. And when you go in obedience to share the gospel, you'll learn a valuable lesson yourself. Don't miss the call to multiply the kingdom when you subtract doubt and confusion and add faith and acceptance.

You Look Like an Angel

You Look Like an Angel
By Brenda Black


“All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” (Acts. 6:15)

Chubby cheeks, wispy bangs, fluttering wings and harps. Our iconic image of angels is likely off in left field when it comes to an accurate depiction of God's noble messengers. I highly doubt Stephen looked like the front of a Valentine's card. Modern culture has diluted the significance of a heavenly army reducing it to fluff and fantasy. But there was a time when angels struck awe in the hearts of men and gleamed of eternal mysteries. Even a hard-hearted group of dogmatic religious leaders acknowledged the essence of angelic countenance when they “looked intently at Stephen.”

Oh, to look like an angel. It must be blissful to gleam with innocence – refreshing, pure and lovely. Or it might feel empowering to strike shock or reverence in the hearts of fellow humans. Whatever these men saw when they gazed at Stephen stopped them in their tracks for a brief moment.

What's more impressive than their abbreviated respect is that Stephen looked like an angel in the midst of such hateful, false accusations when he stood in a hostile environment. I admire him greatly for that. It begins when Stephen is seized.

“Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called) – Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by which he spoke.

“Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, 'We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.'

“So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, 'This fellow never stops speaking against the holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.'”

Then they saw it – the angelic mark God uses to set Stephen apart from the insincere. As God defines his chosen spokesmen, the Sanhedrin excludes him by distinguishing their superiority over him pronouncing that the customs of Moses were “handed down to us.” (Acts 6:8-14)

Stephen counters their prejudice with inclusive terminology and graciously embraces this sect of condemners as fellow descendants of Abraham, even as they plot and press for his execution.

“Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to OUR father Abraham...” (vs. 2) Then Stephen recounts their unified history including his full and detailed knowledge of Moses. He also uses phrases like: “our fathers”, “our people”, “our forefathers”, and “Moses who led us out.”

If they didn't have a leg to stand on when they heard his wisdom and felt the Spirit by which he spoke earlier, how in the world could they disregard his sure words now. Nevertheless, they did. When they would not listen and they would not hear, Stephen called them to account.

“'You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him – you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.'”

And we've come full circle. They don't feel compelled to listen to the man with the face of an angel because they're accustomed to ignoring godly instruction, even when actual ministering spirits deliver God's words of wisdom. They don't get it because they don't want to get it. They would rather be dead wrong and have their own way, than be right with the Lord.

Have you ever talked with someone so stubborn and set in their ways that they refused to see God's will or wisdom. They denied his power, his existence. They mocked his authority and insulted you for extra measure. How did you look at that moment? Fuming mad with flushed cheeks and a throbbing forehead. Did you ruffle your wings, want to pull your cherubim bow and fire an arrow right through them! Or did you have the face of an angel, radiant with God's mercy. Did your Spirit reveal heavenly wisdom.

In the middle of hate and inhumane treatment, Stephen glowed godly. At the sound of lies and slander, he stood solidly and spoke the truth directly. And in the face of death, he looked and saw eternity.

“...Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'

“At this they covered their ears and yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him...While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts. 7:54-60)

In spite of the circumstances, God called Stephen and calls us today, to respond in heavenly ways. Be wise, be full of the Spirit and radiate an angelic countenance that leaves any accuser without excuse. That's our mission as ministering spirits.