Probably the topmost priority of the church and the greatest need and hunger of the world at the moment should be an encounter with God and personal experience with Jesus. A crosssection of the feedback I got last week suggests that the Gospel has been preached to an extent that what’s now lacking is what John says 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” Some of the noises and arguments made are because the Word has not come out of the Bible to live in us. A rundown of the radical biblical characters who had a bone to chew with God became the greatest proponents of the oracles of God after divine visitation. Before we hold each other by the throat, don’t you think we all have to have convincing one-on-one talk with Jesus? Jesus can be seen.

The Johannine theology challenges us to translate the Word into tangible things in our lives. 1 John 1:1 says: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” Apostle John is saying that he is not only preaching what was learnt at Bible school, seminary, theological college or university, but he heard Christ, saw and touched Him. He was a disciple of Christ. Maybe you would say Jesus was only seen before His ascension. Let us trace Pauline theology. Paul was busy persecuting the early church and putting many believers in prison. On one such mission to Damascus, he had an encounter with Jesus and from that moment his zeal to destroy the work of God became zeal to uphold the Gospel of Christ. Don’t you want that change of life?

Probably challenged by the testimony of the disciples who had walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry, Paul sought Jesus at a personal and mutual level. He was later to say in 1 Corinthians 15:8: “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” As much as Peter and Thomas saw Jesus, Paul also saw Him. This leaves me to say He can be seen by you as well. Peter supports this teaching, Acts 10:34-35: “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” If you fear Him and live a righteous life, he can reveal Himself to you. For ministers of the Word it would be naïve and suicidal to purport to lead people to Christ whom you don’t know and have no relationship with.

It is great joy and humbling to have a tangible visit from heaven. While Israel was looking for miracles, Moses looked for the miracle worker. Psalm 103:7 reads: “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” Moses saw the production line whereas Israel only saw the product. It is good to desire a house, car, husband, promotion, but it is even better to desire a fellowship with the Giver. It is so sweet to be in the presence of God as the psalmist says in Psalm 84:10: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Next time you pray and fast and go to the mountains won’t you set aside your list for money, job etc and ask for divine visitation? If Jesus comes into your life, He won’t leave your needs unattended be it healing, marriage or improvement in life.

I am challenged by Paul who saw things that he refused to tell us, 2 Corinthians 12:4: “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” Won’t you want to get into that realm and come back with an answer to all your questions? Don’t you want to pray in your mother language as well as many other tongues like Paul? He says in 1 Corinthians 14:18: “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.” Next time you want to argue, let the Word become a living reality in your life first. Be host to Messianic visit, you are going somewhere.

All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

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