“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

What comes to mind when you hear the word dynamite? I automatically think of something explosive. And when something is described as dynamic, I know it is something unusual or special, something that stands out.

Jesus told the disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. The word that Jesus used for power is from the Greek word dunamis, the same word from which we get our words dynamite and dynamic.

Have you ever seen a fire hose on the loose? It can knock people and things over. It can be very destructive. But if you get hold of it and aim it in the right direction, you can do a lot of good.

Power is exciting if it is used for something productive. In the same way, God has given us the power of the Holy Spirit for a purpose. God’s power is practical. He didn’t give us the Holy Spirit so that we would behave strangely. He gave us the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses and to effectively share our faith. It is power with a purpose.

When the Holy Spirit came upon those first-century believers on the Day of Pentecost, the Bible says that about 3,000 people made commitments to Jesus Christ (see Acts 2:41). Peter made an important statement about the Holy Spirit back then: the power they had received was not only available to them, but would be available to future generations of believers as well (see Acts 2:39).

This means that the same power is available to us to change our world.

Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.  Esther 4:14

“I prayed that you would stop to help me,” the woman said, as she stood by the spouting geyser created by a broken lawn-sprinkler head. I had interrupted my morning walk to offer my advice on handling the mishap, but mechanical help wasn’t all that she needed. “My husband died six months ago, and I just don’t know what to do about anything.”

Two things struck me about this encounter. The first was that God had brought together someone involved in ministering to those whose spouse had died (me) and this woman who was a widow in need. The second thought, much more disturbing, was how close I had come to walking on by–or even worse, crossing to the other side of the street.

I’m convinced there are circumstances every day in which we come into contact with those who need a special touch that we can give. It’s up to us to be open to these opportunities and to actively look for them. Who knows? Perhaps that’s why we’ve come to a particular place and time.

Dear God, help us to actively look for opportunities to serve others, to respond to needs wherever we find them. Amen.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). (John 1:42)

John’s Gospel tells us that when Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus, He looked at Simon. I find it interesting that the word looked used here could be translated “He saw right through him.”

Have you ever had someone look at you that way? Mothers seem to have this special ability. But Jesus didn’t have this ability in only a figurative way. He literally could look into a person’s soul, see what was going on, and know everything about him or her.

So Jesus looked at Simon and said, “Your name is Simon. But I’m giving you a new name. It’s Peter.” I wonder what Andrew and John were thinking when Jesus said this. They knew Simon. And if there was one thing Simon was not, it was a rock. The name “Simon” means “listener or hearer.” So Jesus was saying, “You are no longer going to be a listener or a hearer. You will become a rock.” Jesus had looked right through him and not only saw Simon for what he was, but saw him for what he could be.

In the same way, Jesus knows the real you—not the “you” that you’ve created for yourself, the persona or mask that you hide behind. Jesus knows what you think about late at night…what you dream about…what troubles you…what you hope for and wish for. And He knows what needs to happen in your life to make you the person He wants you to be.

That’s the key, isn’t it? He not only knows you, He knows how to complete you. The best thing any of us could ever do is to commit our lives into His hands.

He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah”…. And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:41, 42)

In the first chapter of John’s Gospel, we see John the Baptist pointing to Jesus and directing his disciples to follow Him. Andrew and John heard him and followed Jesus. Then Andrew went to tell his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus.

The thing about Andrew is that once he was convinced, he was convinced. He saw for himself. He believed. And he immediately went out to tell his brother Simon. How we need more Andrews today! If we had more Andrews, we would have more Simon Peters. One person bringing another person to Jesus—it’s so simple. It’s so effective. And it is so neglected.

Mark 2 gives an account of four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Christ. As Jesus was teaching inside a house overflowing with people, these four persistent men climbed up to the roof and lowered their friend inside. Jesus was so impressed with their demonstration of faith that He forgave the man of his sins and healed him (see Mark 2:3-5).

When a person comes to Christ, it’s often because of contacts he or she has had with a number of believers…perhaps going back years. As Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). We all have a part.

Andrew was brand-new in the faith, and often the newest converts are the most zealous evangelists. That’s probably because they are so aware of the fact that they have just been saved from a miserable lifestyle. That was Andrew. We may find ourselves becoming stronger witnesses for Jesus if keep reminding ourselves time and again of what God has done for us.

“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:3)

As you get to know your Shepherd, you will come to realize that when He calls you, it is always worth obeying. When He says something, it is for your benefit. If He says, “Go this way,” it’s because He has green pastures and still waters for you. If He says, “Stop! Don’t do that,” it’s because He’s trying to protect you from potential danger, possibly something that is even life-threatening.

The fact that God speaks to us is clear throughout the pages of Scripture. To some, like Moses, God spoke audibly. To others, like the prophet Elijah, He spoke quietly on at least one occasion.

Often we look for the big events, the earthshaking circumstances in which God speaks. And many times He is speaking to us, but it is in a still, small voice. We should try turning off the television, the radio, and the telephone and just listen. With all the noise in our world, with all the information that bombards us, we can hear all those voices but miss the most important voice of all. Maybe one reason we don’t hear Him is because we never stop and listen. We should heed the words of Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Once we have heard the voice of God, we need to follow. Jesus said, “The sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:4). The word “follow” means to deliberately decide to comply with instruction. It is a deliberate choice for sheep to follow the shepherd. We need to deliberately decide to follow our Shepherd, to do what He tells us to do.

When God speaks to you in that still, small voice, will you listen? Will you follow Him?