26,000 Days of Possibilities

 

Daddy and me! 

What is 26,000? About ten years ago I listened to someone discussing Mark Batterson’s book IF. The question of “how many days had each of us lived” was posed. The challenge was to count each day. Online I found a way to calculate my days from birth to a specific date and began to record them in my devotional/prayer journal. That was some years ago, but on June 19, 2026, I reached 26,000 days! 

The challenge had been to evaluate our days for purpose. Each time I wrote the total number of days I had been given, I became more aware of how I spent each of these days and often what I had not done. Over these many years of living, I have wasted more time than I care to admit and have known days and seasons of waiting for God’s leading on what would be next or what decision to make. I have also celebrated many of the days, celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations, births of children, friendships both new and old, and achievements, mine and others. My days have been full of countless blessings - those I remember, those I have forgotten, and the ones I simply missed. 

While we prefer not to think about dark times, there have been hard days that felt hopeless, endless, and uncertain. Days where disappointment and disease and death have randomly interjected themselves into my life. I have grieved with others; I have grieved my own losses. My timeline also finds days of service but sometimes reluctant sacrifice, obedience and inherent obstinance, revival and occasional remorse, faithfulness and unplanned failures. We all have such days.

 

Josh Baldwin’s song “Evidence” often reminds me, “All throughout my history, Your faithfulness has walked beside me… I see the evidence of Your goodness all over my life.” Seeing and knowing God’s goodness matters because while many of our journeys on this earth are exciting and new and joy-full, some are winding and uphill. How easily we find His Goodness in times of renewal and rejoicing! Yet, in the narrow spaces and difficult places we doubt His Goodness. God’s Goodness is always with us.

In his book, Batterson suggests that counting our days is like “counting the possibilities” of our lives. The opportunities we have every day to make a positive impact for Christ in this world are countless. He writes, “The possibilities of your life are limitless.” If we seek God, He will show us more possibilities than we can imagine. Find, or maybe rediscover, your God-given passion and purpose. Then act! I remain more than grateful to God’s generosity to me - 26,000 days and counting! To God be the Glory in all that is done in service for Him. -dho

 

** I confess to not having read IF, but I will say my favorite Mark Batterson book is Whisper, How to Hear the Voice of God. I do recommend it. I wrote a Summer Series on my blog in 2019 about this book (June 13, 2019-September 5, 2019). Can search the blog by “2019 Summer Series” or go to the 2019 index.

Pentecost

This Sunday marks Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit recorded in Acts 2. This happened during the Feast of Pentecost, a celebration of the Jewish people which occurs "seven weeks after the second Passover seder". This Jewish celebration, known as Shavout, commemorates the "giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai" or what Christians understand as The Law (Ten Commandments) given to Moses. As Believers in Christ, Pentecost for us celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit, promised to come after Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven. Because humanity can never keep the law perfectly, God rescues us. Grace through Jesus completes us, restores us, and reconciles us to God in a way the law could not.

[Jesus said to His disciples] “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what He promised…in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5 NLT

After the resurrection, Jesus remains for forty days, appearing to the apostles and teaching the disciples. With a certainty of Jesus’ resurrection, their knowledge increases and a deeper understanding about the new promised power of the Holy Spirit evolves. At the end of these days, on the Mount of Olives at Bethany, Jesus ascends to heaven right in front of the remaining eleven disciples. Commissioned with making disciples of all nations, they now wait for the Holy Spirit.

Over the next days, the disciples continually meet and pray together with the other believers, “about 120”. They choose another disciple, Matthias, to replace Judas Iscariot, the betrayer. On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks (50 days) after the resurrection of Jesus, with all the believers together in one place, God sends a mighty, rushing wind comes and then “flames of fire” appear and settle on each believer. All are filled with the Holy Spirit, fulfilling prophesy (Joel 2:28-32). The church of the New Covenant begins with God’s mission to reach all people in all nations.

Spirit of the Living God ~ When I boast of achievement and accept applause or cover my face in failure and weep, You re-define me, re-align my perspective. You open my eyes to truth, to my need for redemption, to Christ who is the Bread of Life. You are Counselor and Comforter. You are the breath my soul craves! Kindle my soul with Holy Fire. ~dho

Telling the Story - Part 2

 He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. Then go quickly from the tomb and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead ...So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples." Matthew 28:6-8 ESV

Christ's death on the cross shouts of miraculous events from darkness to the tearing of the Temple's curtain in the Holy of Holies, from an earthquake to people rising from the dead. The Roman officer and soldiers at the crucifixion, "were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, 'Truly, this was the Son of God!'" (Mt: 27:54)  Religious leaders who were secret followers of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, boldly ask Pilate for the body of Jesus for proper burial. From Friday until Sunday, fear dominates the hearts and minds of Jesus' own disciples. On Sunday the message of the angel, "He is risen!", echoes in the empty tomb.

All four Gospels speak of the empty tomb, of angels, of the resurrection of Jesus. First to learn of the resurrection are the women who come to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body for burial. In John's account (chapter 20) Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene in the garden. Jesus joins the two returning to Emmaus, both are disillusioned that Jesus has been crucified. As they walk together, Jesus explains the Scriptures and prophecies about the Messiah. Invited to eat with them, they recognize Jesus when He blesses the bread. They hurry back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. Jesus appears to the disciples who are in hiding in fear, greeting them, "Peace be with you." The angels' message to go and tell that Jesus is risen from the dead spreads throughout the region.

Jesus remains on earth for 40 days after His resurrection. Initially, the story of His resurrection sounds absurd and hard to believe, but the Good News of Jesus' victory over death changes doubt into wonder and fear into joy! Jesus teaches the disciples, opening their minds to the the Scriptures that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. He reminds them the Holy Spirit will soon come and empower them. This message of forgiveness and everlasting life are for all people. These followers of Jesus, these witnesses of a risen Savior begin to tell the story of resurrection and hope! This story of extravagant love still brings grace today. ~dho

Telling the Story - Part 1

 The Religious leaders told the Roman soldiers: "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.'" Matthew 28:13NASB

The gospel message in Christian theology recognizes two important truths: Christ died for our sins, and Christ was raised from the dead on the third day. Both are integral truths that must be accepted in order to embrace Christianity. Historical evidence is confirmed by witnesses and the Scriptures. The crucifixion of Jesus leads to death and death to burial; Christ's absence from the grave and eye-witnesses reveal His resurrection. The New Testament's four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) have 5 chapters and nearly 150 verses that are dedicated to Jesus' life on earth after death which includes some forty days after His resurrection. About this time, there are two stories; one is false, the other is true.

In Chapter 28:11-15, Matthew records one story. Upon the discovery that Jesus' grave is empty, the Roman soldiers who were to guard the tomb hurry to the Religious leaders, telling them the body is gone! Desperate to maintain their political power and religious influence, they give "a large sum of money to the soldiers" and create a story for them to tell. Despite the story's weakness, they promise the guards to cover for them should Pilate catch wind of the happenings. The soldiers agree, take the money, and begin to spread the cover-up story. The story becomes widely spread among the Jews, "and is to this day." (Matthew 28:15).

When did the soldiers leave the tomb? Were they frightened when the stone rolls away and Jesus appears? Maybe the shiny, bright angels make them flee? We don't know the specifics of their situation, except that the body of Jesus is missing, and they know their lives are on the line. Historically, Roman guards could be executed for falling asleep while on assignment. Whether out of fear or greed, the soldiers accept the bribe, and they tell the story!

The Religious leaders certainly react to their own fears. What if this Jesus is the Messiah? Will others believe He is the Son of God? Those soldiers say the body is missing, so what will we do if the people choose to believe in Jesus? What about our reputations? By creating a conspiracy story, these chief priests agree to helpthe soldiers, but in reality they are protecting themselves. Power and greed, or at least the need to feel powerful and benefit from greediness, fuel many bad decisions. So, they also tell the story of Jesus' disciples coming to the grave in the dark of night and stealing His body. The story still circulates today.** -dho

** next week: Telling the Story - Part 2 ... another version!

Witnesses and Testimonies

Jesus said, " it is written that, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day, ... You are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:46-48

Numerous and reliable historical records, both religious and secular, speak of Christ's resurrection. Biblically, the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) which were written 20-30 years afterwards, and the Gospel of John (50-70 years after) list many witnesses to this supernatural event. The book of Acts and Paul's writings also make references to witnesses. Details in Luke come from "the early disciples and other eyewitnesses". In contrast to the rumors of the disciples stealing Jesus' body and bribes that the Chief Priests pay the guards to pass along this story, God carefully crafts official records of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection making sure accurate historical evidence remains.

Of the many eyewitnesses, there are angels, Mary Magdalene, the disciples, the two on the road to Emmaus, and other believers. During the forty days after His resurrection, Jesus shows himself to the apostles "by many convincing proofs...speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:2-3)  They ate with Him, touched Him, listened to Him teach. According to John 20:30-31, "Jesus' disciples saw Him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. But these were written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life." John's testifies, "This is that disciple who saw these events and recorded them here. (John 21:24)

From the Scriptures we know that Jesus' brothers did not believe (John 7:3-5) until after His death. Through Paul's writings we know that Jesus appears to His brother James, who later becomes head of the Jerusalem church. In 1 Corinthians 15:6 Paul notes that "more than 500 of His followers" witness Jesus after the crucifixion. And the final eyewitness to Christ's resurrection is Saul on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians.(Acts 9:1-19) The zealous Pharisee with a history of violent persecution of Christians is renamed Paul. When reason doubts and culture discounts even the possibility of resurrection, history's eyewitnesses establish a detailed archive that prevails for more than 2,000 years.

So what stands today as evidence of Jesus' resurrection besides words on paper? We are the proof! The Holy Spirit sent by the living Christ dwells within each believer. With our testimonies of redemption and everlasting life to come, we become the spiritual witnesses of a resurrected Messiah, contemporary vessels of His Presence. The living Christ embodies the hope and peace and love we find by believing in Him. The resurrection is an integral truth of Christianity, a truth confirmed by eyewitnesses. ~dho

Burning Within the Soul, A Knowing

 “The Lord is risen indeed,…” Luke 24:34 NASB

On the way to Emmaus Jesus teaches the two, Cleopas and the other, recounting the accounts of Moses, the Prophets. Jesus reminds them what the Holy Scriptures reveal about the Messiah. Coming near the village, the two invite their companion to stay for the night. As they sit down to a meal, Jesus takes the bread, blesses and breaks it, and gives it to them. Immediately their eyes are open; they know Jesus, and He vanishes. For the first time they recognize the risen Christ. In the breaking of bread they are renewed by the Living Bread, both in amazement and joy and with a new spiritual hunger.

Blackaby writing about spiritual memory and how important it is to a Christian’s faith walk says, “A spiritual marker identifies a time of decision when you clearly know that God guided you.” After Jesus vanishes, the two recall, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Recognizing Jesus reveals the burning within their souls, the revelations of the Scriptures. This spiritual marker prompts their response. “So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Peter!” These two not only proclaim their belief in the resurrection of Jesus, but confess their previous doubt about the messages earlier that day. The presence of Jesus stirs the soul and sears the heart with a holy passion and sacred hunger that requires compelling action. 

“Lord, always give us this bread”. For You mark me with a holy fire, a passion of knowing love and a desire to share this love. Sometimes I am like the father with the sick son who said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Help me not to doubt. Kindle my soul, again and again! – dho