Encounter with Jesus

50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51"Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" 52They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet[e] does not come out of Galilee." John 7: 50-51

Here Jesus, "the Christ", the Saviour of the world, miracle working, full of authority and wisdom, telling the people who He is, walking among them, yet still there were people who missed Jesus. There were people who did not believe, they doubted and then there were others who missed Jesus because He did not fit their box. It's no question that people were looking for the Messiah, but because they had an idea of Jesus and not an encounter with Him they were missing Him. Now not all had missed Jesus, there were many that believed, but what stood out was Nicodemus. Nicodemus did not miss Jesus because He had an encounter with Him it was real and it was life changing and it's what's needed in our lives daily.

Looking at Nicodemus I realized that enounters don't just happen they are purposed, they are purposed by God and on purpose by us. Back in John 3 Nicodemus a Pharisee himself, went looking for such an encounter he went looking for Jesus, because he was looking for truth, he was looking for something different, something inside him told him just look for Him. So under the cover of night, Nicodemus did something that he probably thought was crazy, but he did it anyway, he went looking for an encounter. And now in John 7 it's evident that the encounter had paid off, there was something about Nicodemus that reveals his life was changing. Isn't it like that in our life when we encounter Jesus in a powerful service, journaling time, worship that our life is different. I know in my life I begin to see so much progress when I purposely set out to encounter Jesus. In my life I have been doing this 21 day challenge and so has my family and my team. I have noticed so much progress on what is now our 12th day. I see gifts being used, I see deeper insight, I see this incredible reflection of Jesus in my family, and my team. Everything is changing because of a decision to no longer live without a daily encounter with Jesus. Three things about encounters I've seen in Nicodemus and even in my own life:

1) Purposely listen for the Holy Spirit: You might hear "slow down, stay on track, look for an encounter..."

2) Purposely do something different: Challenge your heart to a deeper walk, deeper hunt, challenge yourself to look for something about God you have not seen yet. (A 21 Day challenge on: heart, discipline, faith etc) Whatever it is that you know you want to grow in your life.

3) Be willing to lose something but gain everything: Nicodemus was a pharisee, he was an official, he was well respected but all of that did not matter anymore when he encountered Jesus. It's no longer about who I am but it is about who Jesus is and who He is in me. I am nothing without God so I am empty without a daily encounter. Nicodemus put everything on the line the night he went looking for his encounter. Sometimes I am not even willing to give up time, sometimes I'm unwilling because I'm tired. Think of it this way: if you turn on the tv instead what do you gain? If you ignore an encounter what do you miss? I guarantee you if you are willing to drop everything at the feet of Jesus daily you will gain everything.


"Live to have daily encounters with Christ, you can't afford not to..."