He has risen…

He has risen indeed!  I know right now you may thinking, I’ve lost it and I’ve got the wrong holiday, it’s Christmas not Easter!  Yes I know!  Christmas is only 25 days away and I haven’t even begun my shopping!  I’m fully aware.  However, recently we started to study through the book of James for high school youth group.  As you may have noticed my last post was from the book of James, today’s post will also be, and good chance more to come.  So for today,  

¹ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1, ESV)…

James identifies himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In his book, he challenges us to put into practice what we say we believe, to live our faith out loud. Realize he is not talking about behavior modification, rather an internal work that brings life change, being transformed from the inside out, which then causes our behavior and actions to follow.  First it’s a work in us, and then it’s a work through us.

However, he wasn’t always, I mean about being a servant of God and Jesus, he wasn’t at first.  We know him to be the half brother of Jesus, and John 7:5 tells us this, ⁵ For not even his brothers believed in him (John 7:5). 

He grew up with Jesus his whole life and didn’t believe, but there came a day everything changed.  From unbeliever to a servant, so what happened in between? 

³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.⁶ Then he  appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:3-7, ESV). 

The Apostle Paul gives us the details of what happened, Jesus, the risen Christ had appeared to him.  Nothing like a visit from the Risen Christ to change things! 

Honestly, like James, I was a Christian for many years before I had encountered an experience with God that began to change things.  I always thought the book of Acts was like the old Vegas commercial, “What happened in Act stayed in Acts.”  But then one day some things started to change.  Anyone who knows me knows, I am not a morning person at all.  However, back in 2008, I would wake up, wide awake around 3:30 – 4:00 in the morning.  It was time orchestrated by God Himself, quality alone time with God for prayer and scripture reading.  It was then that Scripture suddenly began to jump off the pages and became alive to me (Hebrews 4:12).  I started to become aware that I was hearing from God, but was still unsure if it was Him.  As I was struggling to believe if it was actually the voice of God or not, one day he sent someone to confirm what I was hearing.  I had never met this man, he had come to preach and speak at our church.  Well afterword I had a chance to talk to him and wouldn’t you know, he told me the very things I thought I had been hearing from God.  The things I doubted to believe.  I left church that day feeling a little overwhelmed by it all, and also feeling like God just totally told on me to him!  Something he would have never known except by God! 

How about you?  Have you ever had an experience with God that changed your whole relationship with Him?  Sometimes we need a little revelation of the Risen Christ in our lives. 

Lord, this is the season we remember You.  You came to be God with us and to dwell among us. We may know of the signs and wonders You performed and the people You healed through the pages of scripture.  We may know that You conquered the cross and ascended back to the Father and Your promise to send a Helper, the Holy Spirit to dwell with us and in us.

Lord if we’re honest there may be times we don’t feel like You are with us, maybe even times we have doubted who You are, maybe we still do.  Lord we don’t want to only know about You, we want to know You personally, an internal work that only You can do!

Would You come now and reveal Yourself to us.  Maybe a sense of Your love to wash over us, a reminder of hope because we feel like there’s none left, confirmation of a word from You, strength in our time of weakness, or _______.  Holy Spirit would You come and meet us where we need.  In Jesus Name, Amen.