Timeless Truths ................................................................Pages

Page 8 His Grace Magazine! October 2021

A Glimpse of God's Glory

Have you ever experienced such a remarkable moment that every time you think of it, you're still in awe? A moment that you're able to draw on to help you face seemingly impossible situations head on?

These moments often come upon us at a time and place when we least expect it, like when we're driving our vehicle, lying in bed half asleep, or just meandering through our normal, everyday routine, whether it be working, cooking, cleaning, or even watching TV. All of a sudden, before we even realize what is happening, Jesus' presence fills our space with love, warmth and peace like we have never known before. And after that moment has passed and we're still trying to process it, we realize that nothing else could ever be as powerful or life changing as that brief encounter with our Lord.

In the Bible, God astonished His followers when He appeared to them and those moments had lifetime effects on them. Take for instance Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, as he was originally known. Paul killed followers of Jesus Christ because he believed they

deserved to die. He was the enemy of Christians and probably the one they feared the most. But one day while he was travelling on the road to Damascus, a light shone around him from heaven. "Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'" (Acts 9:4) In an instant, Paul's whole point of view changed. He was blinded by the light that surrounded him, but for the first time, he could see, for he was blinded spiritually, but God was opening his eyes. God had an important mission for Paul. However, Paul, who caused many people to suffer, had to suffer many things for the sake of Christ's name. After he repented and was

baptized, he received the Holy Spirit and accepted the mission God gave him. He made a complete u-turn in his life and began teaching the things which he previously killed others for. Paul's calling on the road to Damascus became an important part of his story. In the case of Moses, God revealed Himself to him to prove His power and purpose in a burning bush. According to Exodus 3:1, while handling his usual daily workload of attending his father-inlaw's sheep, Moses saw an astonishing sight on Mount Horeb. A bush was on fire, but it was not burning up! He went over to the bush to investigate and the voice of God called to him through the flames. God explained to Moses that He had picked him to deliver His chosen people out of the land of Egypt where they were being held as slaves. While Moses was overwhelmed with reverence, he was terrified and complained that he was not the one for the task, which angered God because of his lack of faith. God promised Moses that He would be with him throughout the difficult ordeal that God had set out before him. That powerful encounter transformed Moses' life forever and he became the leader of the historic Exodus and of the deliverance God had planned for His people. Then we look at a group of shepherds who were watching their flock at night. Luke 2:814 tells us that an Angel of the Lord appeared to them and gave them a message that would change the course of history forever! As the Angel spoke of the birth of Jesus, a great heavenly host

A Glimpse of God's Glory

began rejoicing and singing in the night sky and the glory of the Lord shone all around. What an amazing moment that must have been for the shepherds who were doing their normal daily routine! If you have read my article in the July 2021 edition of 'Timeless Truths,' I spoke of my personal experience in 2002 when Jesus spoke to me in my vehicle. How do these profound moments impact us? When Jesus reveals His love and mercy to us first-handed in such moments as these, His identity becomes more real to us and we become that much more aware of His presence and power in our everyday lives. We are made aware of His assurance that He sees and hears us. I also believe that God is teaching us a valuable lesson. He remains the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and that He will do wonders in our lives if we surrender our will to Him. Each follower of Christ has a unique story, but essentially Christians all have the same calling. Everyone who is called by God does experience a spiritual awakening --- the opening of their mind to understanding God's truth and calling. If you take hold of the truth that God is with you every moment, would that not change your life? God speaks to each of us in different ways as we walk with Him through life's journey. There are specific moments, like the moment for me in my vehicle, when I encountered Him in such an intimate way that the pathway of my life was drastically impacted forever. We always need to be sensitive to God's presence and His still, small voice. Unfortunately, many people don't believe that God still reaches out to us in this manner. God certainly still does minister to people, whether it be at a conference, revival meeting, or even in a humble prison or any other insignificant place. According to a story that I read, Billy Graham had an encounter on a golf course as he was preparing himself for ministry, and Mother Teresa had a lifechanging moment while on a train ride from Calcutta to the Himalayan region. What a huge impact it made in their lives! My hope and prayer is that the Lord Jesus will show Himself to you so that you can see Him in His glory, that your eyes will be opened to an Almighty Christ who comes into the heart and who faithfully promises to never leave you. He knows your deepest hurts; He knows your biggest fears. He knows you better than any human being could possibly know you; He knows you better than you know yourself! I also pray that God can use me as a humble servant to encourage you, for He longs to reveal Himself to you as you have never seen Him before!

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

WOOD Ministries