A Divine Encounter. Luther Tyndale Nee

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Randell Gibbs
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A Divine Encounter For Centuries People have looked to find God. Many have gone through great personal cost in order to find Him. Many have lost their lives in pursuit of the truth.

William Tyndale in defiance of the king made great sacrifices in order to write the Bible in English in the end Tyndale paid the ultimate price with his life.

Nee had His tongue cut out and spent the last twenty years of his life in prison but never stopped seeking God and spreading His word to China.

1 A Divine Encounter For Centuries People have looked to find God. Many have gone through great personal cost in order to find Him. Many have lost their lives in pursuit of the truth. Martin Luther defied the Catholic church, putting himself in great danger,in order to find God's word and declare to the masses God is God and not the Pope or any other man. William Tyndale in defiance of the king made great sacrifices in order to write the Bible in English in the end Tyndale paid the ultimate price with his life. Watchman Nee was the voice of God throughout China in the 1920's spreading the word in a land where it was forbidden to do so. Nee had His tongue cut out and spent the last twenty years of his life in prison but never stopped seeking God and spreading His word to China. Luther Tyndale Nee Today we often do no not have to pay the price that these men paid. We enjoy freedom of religion at least in our country. But many have made seeking God like playing the lotto. We no longer seek God as if our life depends on it, we seek God to see what we can get from Him. Many go before God to ask for stuff. Money, houses, cars, favors...etc. It is OK to ask God for things but if that is all we do is ask, if we never take the time to seek God's face instead of God's hands we have a problem with our priorities. When is the last time we simply went before God not to ask but simply to worship Him and thank Him for His goodness. When is the last time we asked for souls with as much excitement and fervor as when we ask for stuff. When God asked King Solomon what he wanted, Solomon did not ask for money, or power, but rather wisdom to lead God's people. And God was impressed. He said because you asked for wisdom, and not stuff, not only will I give you the wisdom you asked for but I will give you the stuff you didn't ask for as well.

2 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 NIV If we seek God, simply because we want to find Him. Not because we want what He can give us or do for us, then we will not only find Him we will get the stuff as well. It's all about our priorities, whats in our hearts. What are our motives for seeking God. Longing for a Divine Encounter: One moment in His presence Saul s Conversion 9 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them both men and women back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? 5 Who are you, lord? Saul asked. And the voice replied, I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, Ananias! Yes, Lord! he replied. 11 The Lord said, Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again. 13 But Lord, exclaimed Ananias, I ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name. 15 But the Lord said, Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name s sake.

3 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is indeed the Son of God! 21 All who heard him were amazed. Isn t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus followers in Jerusalem? they asked. And didn t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests? 22 Saul s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Acts 9:1-22 NLT One Encounter with God can transform an individual permanently. You can not stand in God's manifest presence and remain the same. It will transform you and change you for the better. Shakina- The manifest Presence of God Kabod- The weighty presence of God Saul A Murderer of Christians, Became Paul a Martyr for Christ by spending 30 seconds in the Shakina Glory of God and experiencing the Kabod, the weight of God's Glory. The man who killed hundreds of Christians, became the Apostle who wrote 2/3 of the New Testament. This is what an encounter with the Divine will do for a person. How can we have a Divine Encounter? You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

4 When you become desperate, when finding God becomes your greatest desire, just to spend a moment in His manifest presence. To see His Glory Like Moses did. When you relentlessly peruse Him. You will find Him. Jesus and Zacchaeus 19 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. 9 And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:1-10 Zacchaeus was hated by the people because He was a tax collector, a cheat who stole the people hard earned money. But he made a choice to seek Jesus and did whatever it took to see him even climb a tree and look like a fool, take grief from the crowd who hated him, give away half his money to the poor, and the other half to repay all those he stole from. He wanted Jesus so badly that Zacchaeus was willing to do anything, and give up everything to find Him. And because He did Zacchaeus is in Heaven today because he found Salvation through Christ. 31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. Isaiah 40:31 Amplified When we wait on the Lord, not waiting on time, but waiting as a waiter does. As a servant. To come into God's presence simply to wait on God and serve Him. To bless Him and bring gifts of praise and thanksgiving to God. When we seek God this way God will show up in a mighty and powerful way He will meet us when we serve Him and God transform us just like He transformed Saul into Paul. He will come and meet us Just like Jesus did with Zacchaeus.

5 Just keep waiting God Is never Late. The Death of Lazarus 11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, he whom you love is ill. 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again. 8 The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 11 After saying these things, he said to them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him. 12 The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.14 Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him. 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. 23 Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 24 Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to him, Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, The Teacher is here and is calling for you. 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his

6 feet, saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, See how he loved him! 37 But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying? 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days. 40 Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Unbind him, and let him go. John 11:1-44 ESV It's real easy to give up and stop seeking God when everything seems like its already lost. But it's so important that we never give up. Never stop seeking God. Never stop believing Him. There is nothing too big for God to handle. God is not bound by Time God is not Limited by Circumstances God is not Subject to Natural Law Everything That exists even Death is Under God's Power Don't miss your encounter because you get tired of waiting After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 1 Corinthians 15:6

7 Jesus met with over 500 of His follower following His resurrection from the dead. He instructed them to Go and wait in the upper room for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) Jesus spoke to 500 People and gave them instructions to wait. Yet only 120 were present at the time of the Holy Spirit's outpouring. 380 people got tired of waiting and gave up. They missed their encounter with God. God is not moved by our schedule He is moved by our faith. He is moved by those who continue to seek Him and trust Him unconditionally. In Closing... If we get so Hungry for God that we will do whatever it takes to meet Him. If we will put Him first in our lives over and above everything else. If we will serve Him and wait on Him no matter what the circumstances appear to be. God will show up and transform us and our lives. We have to keep on waiting until we have a Divine Encounter with God.

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