Are you in the Middle of a Miracle?

 The disciples were disappointed, paralysed with confusion and fear.
 
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, he was greeted with jubilation as the Messiah. Everyone expected the Son of David to fulfil the prophecies.

Jesus was to establish a new kingdom in Israel and cast out the Romans.
Instead, Jesus was arrested as a criminal and executed on the cross.

Not only had they lost their champion.
When Jesus was arrested, they had fled like cowards.
They had lost their support and were ashamed that they themselves had failed.

But it was even worse. They were terrified. Would the religious leaders arrest and kill them too?

They were also probably sleepless and exhausted.

How long did the disciples tremble in this fearful despair?

But they did not realise that they were in the midst of a miracle.

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Mk 16:9–11 NIV

Are you disappointed? Have others let you down? Have you failed yourself?

Jesus wants to come to you, but sometimes he waits.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Mk 16:14 NIV

Despite everything, God has good plans for you. He loves you.

I prayed for my parents for years. Finally, they both came to faith on their deathbeds.

Are you stressed with the wait? Please never give up.

The desperate apostles were in the midst of an amazing miracle. Are you too? Why not?

God Wants to Comfort You

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Mt 5:4 NRSV

Who can expect comfort from God?

According to some commentaries, this only applies to people who are sorry for their sins and want to repent, or to Christians who mourn in a close relationship with Jesus because of the sins in the world.

It is undoubtedly true that God forgives and comforts us when we hate our sins and want to repent.

It is also true that Jesus weeps over the sins of the world. When we weep in close communion with him, we experience the comfort of his tender love.

But can we only expect God's comfort when we mourn over sin?

When your child or sister dies, are you happy? No. You are devastated. This has nothing to do with sin, but God is love. He loves you deeply and wants to comfort you.

If your beloved dog dies, do you think your grief is not important to God?

I appreciate good Bible commentaries. I've been an avid student of the Bible for years.

But beware of pious sermons that focus on sin with a narrow religious view.

This religious mindset all too often leads to a critical attitude when dealing with neighbours and colleagues.

With a narrow focus on virtue and sin, one can become unconsciously judgemental, like the Pharisees in the Bible.

This way of thinking also often leads to unloving religiosity in congregations and painful guilt complexes in Christians who want to be holy.

Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered by the thousands, so that they trampled on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Lk 12:1 NRSV

He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NRSV

Whatever your reason for suffering, Jesus wants to comfort you. If you choose to believe in His love and trust Him, you will experience His comforting love.

Am I saying that your sin is not an issue for Jesus?

God forbid! Jesus died to take the punishment for our sin. Jesus feels your pain; He loves you unconditionally just as you are, but He not only wants to forgive your sins completely, He also wants to remove them.

He wants to help you live a whole new life and enjoy His loving friendship.

Jesus took your Shame and Guilt

 Jesus died for you to take your punishment upon himself. You no longer need to carry your shame. Don't be ashamed any more. Jesus hung stark naked on the cross to bear your shame.

But we do not believe in a deceased martyr. Jesus came back from the grave. He rose again in the flesh so that we can be sure that his promises are true and reliable.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Jn 11:25–26 NASB95

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Have you entrusted your life to Jesus?

When Jesus died, his disciples panicked and despaired. We, too, are weak. But despite their doubts and misunderstandings, they still loved Jesus.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Jn 20:19–20 NIV

But Thomas was not there. He was traumatised and could not believe until Jesus came to him too. Despite his doubts, he still loved Jesus. When he saw Jesus, the scales fell from his eyes.

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jn 20:27–28 NIV

Jesus knew their hearts and his love for them was even stronger. So it is with Jesus and you. If your heart is attached to Jesus despite everything, you must be sure that his love for you is immeasurably stronger.

If you are like Thomas, if your heart is attached to Jesus, you have eternal life. Your old life is over.

Feeling Love and Experiencing God

We read in the Bible: ‘’God is love‘’. We believe this, but often only in theory.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Ro 5:5 NIV

How is it possible to receive strong love without experiencing tender feelings?

We hold to the truth of the Bible with conviction and determination, but when it comes to experiencing God's love, feeling His tenderness, many Bible-believing Christians shy away.

... to search for God, if perhaps indeed they might feel around for him and find him. And indeed he is not far away from each one of us, Ac 17:27 LEB

According to the Bible, we may find God by feeling around.

This should shake Bible-believing intellectuals out of their theological world of thought.

The Holy Scriptures tell us in plain language that we can feel God.

O God, you are my God; I will seek you diligently. My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you as in a dry and weary land without water. Ps 63:1 LEB

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Ps 84:2 NIV

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Ps 34:5 NIV

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Ps 34:8 NIV

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. Ps 36:8 NIV

The Song of Solomon is intended to illustrate the love of God.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine. So 1:2 NIV

We also read in the New Testament that extreme emotions are quite all right.

You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and then you will rejoice; and no one can rob you of that joy. Jn 16:22 The Living Bible

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 1 Pe 1:8 NIV

God Feels your Grief

Who should expect comfort from God? Can we expect God's comfort only when we grieve over sin? When your beloved pet dies, do you think God is not interested in your grief? Jesus just loves you.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted! Matthew 5:4

Who can expect comfort from God?

According to some commentaries, this only applies to people who grieve over their sins and want to do repent, or to Christians who grieve in a close relationship with Jesus because of sins in the world.

It is undoubtedly true that God forgives and comforts us when we hate our sins and want to repent.

It is also true that Jesus weeps over the sins in the world. When we weep in close communion with him, we experience the consolation of his tender love.

But should we only expect God's consolation when we mourn over sin?

When your child or sister dies, are you happy? No. You are devastated. It has nothing to do with sin, but God is love. He loves you deeply and He wants to comfort you.

When your beloved dog dies, do you think your grief is not important to God?

I appreciate good Bible commentaries. I have been an avid student of the Bible for years.

But beware of pious teaching that focuses on sin from a narrow religious point of view.

This religious mindset too often leads to a critical attitude towards neighbours and colleagues.

With a narrow focus on virtue and sin, you can become unwittingly judgmental, like the Pharisees in the Bible.

This way of thinking also often leads to loveless religiosity in congregations and painful guilt complexes in Christians who are afraid of offending God.

Meanwhile, a crowd of thousands had gathered so that they were treading on each other's feet. Then he began, saying first to his disciples, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Lk 12:1

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147,3

Whatever your reason for suffering, Jesus wants to comfort you. If you choose to believe in His love and trust Him, you will experience His comforting love.

Am I saying that your sin is not an issue for Jesus?

God forbid! Jesus died to take the punishment for our sin. Jesus feels your pain; He loves you unconditionally just as you are, but He not only wants to forgive your sins completely, He wants to set you free from them.

He wants to help you live a whole new life and enjoy His loving friendship.