Epiphany: Rethink change and awaken love and joy

1. January 6 is observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles 

2. an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being

3. a usually sudden manifestation or perception or an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure

Whether we think about the Wise Men and the Epiphany they experienced through the star and their toilsome journey and their years of research and seeking…

Or we identify Zechariah who had nine months to rethink his Epiphany from the angel about having a son…

Or consider the Epiphanies experienced by Mary or Joseph or the shepherds, some of whom had multiple encounters with angels or dreams or Holy Spirit… 

We find that sudden revelation from God caused an awakening and brought a paradigm shift - a new worldview, a new hierarchy of values. Everything changed in their lives and in their responses to what was happening because now they were aware that God had caused the awakening in their minds and hearts, and He not only loved them but had special purpose for them.

Did you experience any Epiphanies in your thinking this Advent and Christmas?

Did you have the joy of helping someone else awaken more to God’s love and joy?

God awakened his love in the wise men through their study of nature. To others he used dreams, angels, and His Holy Spirit. 

Rethink how God stirs people in different ways to become open to the power of the gospel.

Take a 21 day challenge to pray and ask someone what they are thinking about the world or God or life etc… and see where God is at work everyday.’

See if serving or sharing with them, or having a cup of coffee or meal or activity together may lead to them seeking and having an awakening.

For six weeks pray about how God wants to change the rhythms in your daily and weekly grind to include someone as a possible disciple.

It takes 40 days/six weeks to change behavior because of "Limbic lag” but only 21 days to exchange a new habit for an old one.

-PD

Sharing our faith and spiritual gifts

Sharing our faith and spiritual gifts begins in our own relationship with Jesus Christ—not some time in the past but today—as in morning and evening prayer, and simple prayers through the day such as, “Lord, Jesus have mercy on me a sinner.”

     

One indicator of relationship is communication and communion (life share in common). The devil does not want us to actually think and feel and discern when we pray and listen to the Scripture. He wants us to ignore it, or hurry through it, or perhaps use it to justify ourselves and compare to others. But that is not a love relationship with Jesus Christ.

     

Have you ever started a prayer with actually praying any of the following things: "Awaken my heart. Stir my emotions and imagination. Help me to be thankful. Slow my mind down. Calm my restless flesh and appetites. Let me see how you look on me—surely you look with mercy, compassion and love on me a sinner and unworthy servant. I want to know you, love you and walk with you better. 

One phrase I pray pretty much daily goes something like this: “Lord, help us pray, pray in us, and have your good effect in us as you open your word to us.

     

This is not a formula, but God did specify a "due order” of "thanksgiving and praise, meditation and contemplation) in the Psalms (Psalm 95 and 100). They practiced this in Tabernacle and Temple worship and sacrifices and offerings (think of renewal under Ezra and Nehemiah).

     

Jesus' model prayer, "Our father in heaven," begins with us lifting our hearts (inner eyes of the spirit to Know Christ’s love - Eph 1:17-18, & 3:16-18). I have found it helpful to ask God's help (grace) to become aware of Him (who He is and who we are-being "re-made" in his image as we contemplate Him 2 Cor 3:17-18).

     

It has been said the regular prayer (as in morning and evening) enlarges our heart to be more filled with Christ, his word and spirit and love. The fruit of that is an overflow of prayer for others, sharing our faith and exercise of spiritual gifts in love.

     

I found this beautiful description of a way to do this. Contemplate his face as he looked at these persons in need. He looks at you in this way as well. Perhaps it will help you contemplate or imaginatively meditate on how he sees you. May you encounter Jesus and his word in a new or renewed way.

We could ask, "How does God look upon us?" Although in John 1:18, we read, "No one has ever seen God," we also know that Jesus is the very expression and image of God and made him visible to us in the flesh (Col 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). 

What did those who approached Jesus with humble and sincere hearts see in his eyes? For example: the Samaritan woman when she met him at the well in John 4; and what did Levi see in Jesus' eyes when Jesus looked at him in his tax collectors booth (Mk 2)?

What did the woman who washed Jesus's feet with her tears see in his eyes when he looked upon her (Luke 7)?

What did Mary Madeleine see in Jesus' eyes when he pronounced her name on Easter morning (John 20)?

What did Peter see in Jesus's eyes at the Lakeside when Jesus asked three times if he loved him (John 21)?

Sharing our faith and spiritual gifts flows from an encounter of Love.

-PD

How to handle opposition and hold onto your values

Joshua and Caleb return with the grapes of the Promised Land in “Spies return with grapes” by Michiel van der Borch, 1332

We always have choices. If I choose to bite on the bait of Satan (his tasty morsels of offense are always offered on the “baitstick” of a trap) then I may be caught and ensnared by it. But I don’t have to live in my pain or in a bitter vow of offense (“I will never let that ___ happen to me again”). I can choose to avoid or even be set free from a stronghold of judgment or bitter root of negative expectation against a person and life in general. Here are three direction to make better choices on how to handle opposition: toward Christ and his body, toward the accuser-Satan, and toward yourself (past, present and future).

Toward God and the Body of Christ (Lessons from Ezra 3 going forward)

1. Give thanks, worship and pray: Keep the altar in your heart free of old ashes. The priests had to take yesterday’s ashes outside the camp and keep the fire burning on the altar (Lev 6:9-13 and Heb 13:13-17). Each day choose to “take out the trash” and add new wood to keep the flame of God freshly burning in your heart - morning, daytime, evening and through the night. Then it will be easier to think on him and call on him through the day.

2. Feed your spirit and soul the truth by meditation in God’s word  (Ezra taught the people God’s commands (Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah 8).

3. Repent and confess your sins: Humble yourself before God and cleanse yourself of impure motives and sinful thought, words and actions. (Israelites who had married unbelieving wives had had to divorce them (keep hearts with undistracted devotion to Christ-don’t marry the world). “I am a partaker of and contributor to the sins of the world.” “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner." 

4. Don’t withdraw or neglect gathering for fellowship with friends

5. Be generous in word, in deed and in service to those around you. Others need your help.

6. Keep your focus on Christ - what we do we do for the love of God in Christ - it’s not about me. “I ask the grace that my motives, my energies, my actions and my relations with others be purely by your love, service and glory; that I will be saved and use all created things for your intended purpose-the salvation of the world” (ancient prayer).

7. Share in Christ’s suffering for the body (Col 1:24) and continue to do good, as He suffered for you (1 Peter 4:12-19).

Toward the devil

1. Ignore the distraction if possible (person, circumstance or bad spirit). Keep your hands on the task God put before you because that’s where God gives you grace. Ezra records how the Israelites had nothing to do with those who were stuck in the past and sowed discord. The leaders would not allow threats and distractions to undermine the forward purpose of God (until they were ordered to cease work by the king in Ezra 4).

2. Be armed while together building a safe place for your families and for those harassed by the enemy to enter (Nehemiah 4). Wear God’s spiritual armor while you are busy building the new wall of protection together.

Toward your own soul

1. Be aware and acknowledge your pain. Ask Jesus to walk with through the distracting and painful thoughts and feelings. Process your own grief (shock-denial-anger-bargaining-acceptance and peace).

2. Engage and explore your feelings with a friend who can help you (share up with spiritual authority but don’t dump down on someone who may pick up your hurt and offense).  

3. Discern and exchange the lies with Jesus’ own word to you. Within the pain you can encounter Jesus, the Living Word. Speak what He says to you (Rhema) to directly rebuke and resist the devil-tell him to “GO.”

4. “Reframe” and “Resolve" the event or person which activated the pain until you feel a close bond with God and those whom God has brought you into relationship. “Shalom” or “The peace of Christ be with you,” is a peaceful and healthy response. “I am able to have a good response” ( “I am a responsible person”). 

Core Convictions

Passion to know God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit 

The Co-mission to be and make disciples 

Death and Resurrection Life through the power of the cross

We love God and His family (the church)

The Kingdom of God: the care of creation and its inhabitants

Personal and corporate new beginning

A good place to read at this time for us, is Ezra, where is recorded the story of the exiles returning to Jerusalem. Chapter 1 begins with the proclamation of Cyrus, king of Persia, and his praise to God and authorizing the return of the exiles with all the help and support they need. This included the restoration to them of that which had been stolen by previous King Nebuchadnezzar.

In chapter 3, verses one through six we have a description of their new beginning in dedication and worship. We can identify seven significant points in these verses, which have direct application to us. They first had to rebuild the foundation and alter to God, then renew sacrifices. Remember, it had been 70 years since their captivity so no sacrifices had been made to God during their captivity.

1. Peace: In verse one the people settled in their town according to their inheritance being restored.

2. Unity: The people then assembled "as one man" in Jerusalem.

3. Rebuilding: the people began together to build the altar of God.

4. Daily Covenant Obedience overcame their fears: their relationship with God was renewed in worship as they offered the morning and evening sacrifices of whole burnt offerings on it according to God's direction in the law.

5. Corporate worship: they also gathered together and celebrated the feast of Tabernacles as prescribed.

6. Special times of remembrance: they also presented the regular monthly sacrifices and participated in all the feast of the Lord.

7. Willing hearts brought offerings: the people brought free will offerings even though the temple had not begun to be rebuilt yet.

Generations United: Verses 7-13 describe how they supported those who were rebuilding and how they joined in praise and thanksgiving in song to the Lord: "he is good; his love to Israel endures forever." We read that the older members who had seen the former temple, wept aloud while the younger generation shouted for joy. We know that the new temple was smaller than the old which may have been one reason for the weeping. Or, it may be that they were overcome with emotion, for the restoration of the temple for them and the future generations. Obviously, the younger generation rejoice for their ownership and participation in this new beginning. 

Overcoming demonic resistance and personal sins: For further reading see the profit Haggai and read the rest of Ezra's writings about how the people united together, overcoming enemies and turning away from their own personal sins. 

Let us all seek personal applications: praying morning and evening, gathering for special times of worship, contributing from willing hearts, uniting the generations and forsaking sins.

Dwight