Day 184: Praying for An Encounter

3 Jul, 2016

CityLight Church’s One Year Bible Reading Plan
Sunday, July 3rd, 2016
2 Kings 22:3-23:30
Acts 21:37-22:16
Psalm 1:1-6
Proverbs 18:11-12
For full text click here: http://bit.ly/TRAgqp

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’” – Acts 22:6-8

Paul wasn’t in church when he met Jesus face to face. He wasn’t even seeking an encounter with God. He was out on the road, sinning! Yet God met Him suddenly, right where he was.

Jesus can meet anyone He chooses: any time, any place. It’s great to invite our unsaved friends and family members to church so they can hear the Gospel. But let’s take it one step further. Pray that they would have an encounter with Jesus! Pray that Jesus would meet them – face to face – and force them to drop whatever they are doing and follow Him! Paul was on his way to do the worst things he had ever done: to round up Christians and put them into prison. But he was so blinded by the light of Jesus Christ that he left all to follow Him.

Yesterday I met a man who was a prisoner of war (POW) in Vietnam. Jesus met him in captivity, while he was bound and tied in a cave. He wasn’t in church. He wasn’t even asking for an encounter! But someone was praying that Jesus would meet him. He came back from Vietnam radically transformed: set free from prison in more ways than one!

Do you know someone in your life who needs to meet Jesus face to face? Pray that He would encounter them, even in the depths of their sin.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your willingness to meet us where we are. Remind me to pray for the people in my life who don’t know You. They need an encounter, and I know you are willing to give them one! Meet them face to face, in Jesus’ name!

Archives

See commentary from this day in 2014: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-184-keep-it-handy/

See commentary from this day in 2015: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-184-your-past/

© Michael D. White, 2016. All rights reserved.