Jesus Drew Near

I have had some pretty amazing experiences in my walk with the Lord up to this time and I can’t thank and praise the Lord enough for them and what He has done in my life.  Many times I felt like I was on the mountaintop, so to speak, and many times I have had valley experiences which are harder to experience.   In our walk with the Lord we experience both of these to help us continue to grow in our walk of faith.  But the times when Jesus seems to draw near are very special.  That has happened to me both in the valley and the mountaintop situations and I look forward to those intimate times when the Lord shows up.  Sometimes the Lord seems to show up when you least expect Him to.

The very first time the Lord showed up in my life, at least to my recollection, I felt like all the guilt was gone and I felt so light that I could jump on the roof from the ground.  I felt like someone brushed my chest with their hand and I was set free.  Since then I have had many different experiences with the Lord, like deliverance from alcohol, drugs and a bad mouth.  Since the Lord drew near my way of thinking has changed, plus my perspectives, goals and aspirations.  I have been miraculously healed and also delivered from 12 to 14 years of terrible depression, praise the Lord!

The Lord has spoken to me many times in my mind and shown me and taught me many things.  The Lord has provided for me and my family many times with material and financial blessings.  He has used me many times in various ministries, showing up at some crucial times in my life.  It is so special when the Lord shows up especially when you least expect Him to.

Remember the time when Jesus showed up in Peter and the other disciples life’s, it happened when they least expected it but when it happened it changed everything and they were never the same.  

I want to talk to you about two men that had an encounter with the Lord on the road to Emmaus.  This story is found in Luke 24:13–35 if you would like to read it.  These two men must have been very discouraged and disappointed at the time knowing about the crucifixion of Jesus.  Their hope was that Jesus would redeem Israel and overthrow the Roman government setting them free from Roman rule.  They didn’t understand that Jesus didn’t come to set up His kingdom on earth or to set them free in a military conflict.  He came to set them free of their sins, which was much more important.  Until you have been set free of sin through the shed blood of Jesus you are a slave to it and can never be set free.  

There they were, walking together talking about the events that they knew had taken place not long before this, then Jesus drew near to them and said, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”  These men stood with sad faces and one of them, Cleopas by name, spoke up and said, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”  “What things?” Jesus asked.  The Word says that they were kept from recognizing Him.  As the conversation went on Jesus listened, then He made this statement, “How foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?”  Then Jesus continued to explain all that the scriptures had to say about Him.  All the time Jesus was talking something was happening to these men because when Jesus draws near something unusual happens.  It says this in verse 32, “They asked each other, were not our hearts burning within us while He talked to us on the road and opened the scriptures to us?”  

Think about this, unbelief blinds your eyes to spiritual things but when Jesus comes near He removes the blinders and brings forth light for He is the Light of the world.  In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  The Word says that, “Jesus will never leave us or forsake us,” but there are those times when He just seems to draw near and they are very special times.  

If you haven’t experienced these times maybe you need to draw near to Him in a quiet place and humble yourself because the Bible says that the Lord draws to the humble, so try it and see what happens.  God bless and have a great day!!  And don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord.