ACTS 9:32-43

What impressed me about Acts 9:32-43 was how Peter went about ministering to the family and friends of Tabitha. They were all very sad and weeping but Peter sent them out of the room. I’ve been asking myself why Peter went about it this way. That fact is what makes my heart so impacted by this scripture. It is just Peter and the body of Tabitha. I’m trying to put myself in Peter’s shoes. Was it dark in the room with a few candles lit and the faint cries of those down stairs coming through the walls? I want to know how Peter got here. I want to know the working of the Holy Spirit on his inner man. Peter was once a fisherman carrying on as his usual self. You know that rambunxious, reactive, out of control usual self. The one that had enough sincere passion and zeal to supply an army of souls with devotion but still misguided. But here in this upper room he is a changed man working out the power of God bringing about the impossible- bringing death to life! How did this happen? What happened in Peter’s inner chamber where both his and the Lord’s spirit work things out together? It’s obvious that Peter is interested in something other than public witness or public affirmation because he sent them out of the room! Now it was quiet. What would you do in this situation? Where would your thoughts be? Would fear over take you? Would unbelief fill your heart? Would you ask the women back in to witness the event? Have you ever been alone with a body whose owner was missing? What was Peter thinking, feeling, and seeing? His Savior and Lord is no longer with him as he once was but here he possesses the character of Christ in such a way that he never had before. Oh! What died in Peter during those days of bitter weeping to bring about this better life in Christ! Remember, he was once trailing the steps of Jesus in such a way that he ran a head of him, in a way where he said things he did not understand. Can’t you just hear him, “It is good for us to be here! Let’s cook up some food and pitch a tent,” “Don’t just wash my feet Lord, wash my whole body,” “I will never deny you my Lord!” Peter indeed witnessed the miracles performed by Jesus and served faithfully, and the moment even came when there was not a doubt in his mind when he answered the Lord’s question, “Who do you say I am Peter?” But it was this same Peter who answered correctly that still hadn’t received the fullness of the Spirit of God in him. Why? Because he still had not seen the weight of his sins. He knew he was a sinner in need of a Savior and he accepted this but he did not truly see or understand his utter depravity! He did not see himself for what he really was. So, think over those moments when Peter saw himself as he truly was because it was at that moment when he started to die! Peter started to really die inside himself when he heard that third crow from the rooster and while he simultaneously gazed into the eyes of his beaten, bloodied and dying Lord under that cross. Is it possible that Peter realized at that moment that Jesus was carrying his sins under what was supposed to be his cross? Christian, has the Lord brought you to this place yet? The place where he shows you how messed up you really are? Is the Lord beckoning you to this place, but you are not going because you are still too rambunxious, reactive, out of control, do you think you know enough of what it means to be “Christlike?” Do you still have your own agenda for your life and your friend’s? Do you fear admitting you’ve been going about your ministry or your “service for God” in the wrong way? The understanding and reasoning of man is limited and futile and Jesus cut through it to make things very clear. You need to ask yourself but one question, “Do I want to know my Savior? If so, then go to your cross, lie down on it and get ready to die on it! It’s not enough to just watch Jesus hanging there for you or to talk about how painful it must have been for him. To live The Abundant Life - The Holy Spirit Life - you must get on your cross and die. This is the rawest place! It is a place of bitter weeping over how depraved you really are! It is a place where you are alone! It is where your nerve ends! It’s where your stubbornness is renounced! It’s the place where you turn down your anger! It’s the place where you resign your prestige! It’s the location where you abandon the very essence of who you are Christian! Peter had to go here in order to walk into that upper room, pray and without hesitation speak with the Holy Spirit’s power, “GET UP TABITHA!” If you want to live this Holy Spirit led life Jesus will bring you to the place where it all happens, and even when you are at your lowest Jesus will still faithfully ask the purifying questions, “Do you love me? Do you trust that I can and will raise you up from this death you are now dying into a new life? Remember, Jesus was before Peter in a resurrected body and Peter was still broken and ashamed. That’s why the third “DO YOU LOVE ME PETER?” stung him so much. Jesus was in a sense saying “IT’S TIME TO GET REAL.” No more quick answers, no more half hearted commitment, death to your prideful ways Peter, to the cross with the way you think church should be, to the cross with it all and I will raise you up in ME by my Spirit. Look at me Peter I died but now I am alive! We Christians may think we are living but until we are brought to the end of ourselves we will never live in the Spirit of the Living God.

1 Peter 1 and 2 have been redirecting me this week. It’s so easy to not think clearly and exercise self-control and to fall into the trap of pretending to be good. Peter says that of all things it is the thought life that defiles us and to get rid of all evil behavior, deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. In regards to this, I spoke with a good friend of mine this week about how many Christians are “dancing” to whatever beat is thrown at them. The “religious dance”, the “all is well dance”, the “image dance”, the “financial dance”, the “party dance, the “popular dance, ”the “idle dance”, it’s endless. Then I heard a man speaking about how if we are in Christ we have license to rebel against anything that is not the will of God. I was reminded and encouraged because those who know Jesus have true freedom to stand still when the world’s dance or someone else’s dance is going on. As awkward as it might be it is ok to stand still!! I’m laughing right now because I’m envisioning the dance I do. You know the dance – just the little swaying back and forth with a snap of the finger and maybe a quick turn here and there. Ha! I’m asking for the character to stop dancing when I need to for the Lord simply to please and worship him. I’m also asking for the character to dance the “Real Dance” for the same reason- to simply praise and worship him. The challenges and temptation to do our own dance are great and it is concerning because many who are in the faith are just doing their own funny thing. In some way or another we’re all doing it. I pray that we will show the Lord that we are willing to rebel against the noisy beat of our hearts and of this world to stand still with him no matter what happens. What’s AWESOME is that the Lord knows how and when to do the REAL DANCE without pretending to be good, and pretty soon we’ll all be moving to that truly good and eternal beat. We’ll be in the “Real Dance.” I pray for all of us that we will begin that Real Dance with Jesus and each other now, but to always be ready to stand still with him even when it gets really awkward or lonely.

Being Close to Death

This journey in faith we’re on is incredible. It’s about abiding in Christ right now and His true rest is available right now. I’ve noticed that when a person dies those near to that person are closer to understanding what it really means to rest then at any other time. It’s because the people stop doing things and are forced to recognize that the important thing about life is that it can end. Even if the people are doing a good work for the Lord the magnificent reality of a soul entering into eternity eclipses everything and we are forced to stop. Being close to death both physically and spiritually ushers in the invitation and opportunity to rest. Since my sister died I have been living in the moment more then I have before and it has brought me more rest. I am trying not to go anywhere accept one place. Jesus’ daily life is so attractive because he was full of real rest even while he was working the kingdom into our lives and being doubted or shunned. I see words like surrender and trust being synonymous with the word death in terms of letting go of self. This is so challenging but it is the only place I feel the Lord wants me to go and to be focused on. I am silenced by Jesus because there are more mornings that I choose not to lay down on my cross and live in His resurrection life. I forfeit His awesome rest because of it but He keeps telling me it is the only worthy battle to keep fighting. I pray that we will abide with Jesus and rest with Him in the now moments of our lives. When you’re with your family or alone, when you’re being shunned or praised. At all times even when you’re not sure where He’s taking you. The wonderful truth that empowers us to live in this seemingly impossible way is that Jesus is on his throne right now as we read and write. He is alive and well!! beckoning us to sit down with him in His throne room. He’s knows the storms are raging around us and within us. How awesome was it that Jesus was resting in a raging storm? Please help us Lord to have faith now and to sit quietly with you