Last Sunday, as we were reading from Acts 2 about the Holy Spirit coming upon the 120, I was struck by this description of the bystanders’ reaction to all the commotion:

Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12)

“This” refers to the inexplicable phenomenon of people from a number of language groups being able to hear the “wonderful works of God” declared in their particular language. What made this even more astounding is that the speakers were Galileans!

To get the full impact of the reference to Galileans, we need to remind ourselves that Peter, a fisherman by trade, was a Galilean, as was his brother Andrew. Ditto for James and John. In other words, these were not linguistics majors from a renowned university 🙂 As a matter of fact, fisherfolk were “sea” students who did not go to school as a rule!

No wonder these visitors to Jerusalem were amazed and perplexed by “this.”

The one positive attribute of this group was their desire to find out what it really meant. This is in stark contrast to another group of people who simply mocked the proceedings as a case of “too much new wine.”

Peter seizes the opportunity to provide an explanation of what was actually going on. He shows the Jewish pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem for the harvest festival of Pentecost how prophecies delivered by Joel were now being fulfilled in this most unusual manner.

For Peter to even have the opportunity to provide an answer however, first there had to be a reason for the people to ask the question. The inexplicable demands an explanation.

It is instructive to note that according to Peter’s explanation, the premier manifestation of the Spirit of God falling upon someone is the gift of prophecy. This actually would not have been too much of a stretch for the Jewish mind to grasp.

In Numbers 11:24-30, we read about how the Lord took a portion of the Spirit that rested upon Moses and gave it to 70 of his elders. What happened as a consequence? “When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.” (v. 25)

Similarly, when Saul encountered a group of prophets, we are told that “the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.” (I Samuel 10:10). In verse 13, we read that he had stopped prophesying after a while.

The Jewish experience was of the Spirit of God coming upon a select few. Some prophesied for a short spell. Others wore the mantle of the prophet. But now Peter declares that the Spirit of God was being poured out upon ALL people.

This explanation seemed to answer their question, as they now listen intently to the rest of his message.

To this day, quite often when we prophesy over someone who has never experienced this gift in operation, their response is very similar to that of the visitors to Jerusalem on that day of Pentecost: “How did you know that about me? You do not know me at all!” Or when God shows up and miraculously brings healing to an unbeliever, it shakes them up and they wonder how this is possible!

It is only when they are amazed and perplexed that they ask the question and are eager to receive the answer that the Lord gives them through us. No occurrence of the inexplicable, no requisition for an explanation which could potentially lead to their salvation as it did that day for 3000!

Dear DWOD friend, when the Spirit of God comes upon you, do you realize that you too are now a conduit through whom He can flow and cause signs, wonders and miracles to follow? This could potentially open the door to many meaningful conversations and life-transforming decisions.

So, let me ask you now: “Do you leave them amazed and perplexed?” What is your answer?

Chances are very good that you were captivated by the story of Daniel in the lions’ den when you first heard it in Sunday School or read it for the first time later in life. The great miracle that God performed by tying up the lions’ mouths so impressed King Darius that he would proclaim:

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God…He performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” (vs. 26-27)

I must confess that until recently I had not really paid a lot of attention to the verses that precede this incredible incident until my friend Pastor Ric Borozny brought them to my attention.

Daniel stood out among all the other officials in King Darius’ court to such an extent that “the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.” This, of course, triggered jealousy among the Babylonian officials who were ticked off that a Jewish transplant would supplant one of them.

So “the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.” (vs. 3-4)

Wow! What a testimonial to Daniel’s character, work ethic and track record! Even his enemies had to admit that there was nothing they could pin on him, as far as his job was concerned.

The only way they could get him was with his faith. They persuade King Darius to sign a law that decreed the death penalty on all who worshipped anyone other than the king. Sure enough, Daniel is caught red-handed on his knees. The king has to abide by the law and condemn Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den.

I must admit that v. 14 caught me completely caught off guard, though. “The king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.”

Double Wow! The same king who was bound by law to put Daniel to death delays the administration of the penalty for a whole day so he could somehow come up with a loophole that would spare Daniel’s life.

What was responsible for King Darius taking such an extraordinary measure?  In v. 3 we are told the reason: “Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him.”

It was Daniel’s commitment to excellence in all he did in his regular job that caught the king’s eye.

Regardless of his fondness for Daniel, Darius had no choice but to have Daniel thrown in the den. Here is what the king did right after. “Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.” (v. 18)

Triple Wow! The king fasts, shuns his regular fill of pleasure and stays awake all night. All because of Daniel.

Dear DWOD friend, are you so committed to excellence in all that you do at your present position that your boss loses sleep when misfortune befalls you?

He/she would, if you would heed these words of the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:22-25: “And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master…Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ…Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.”

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25)

The gospel accounts make it very clear that Jesus was not a Lone Ranger. He started out his earthly ministry by forming a posse of 12 disciples. In Luke 10:1 we read that when He sent them out on a ministry trip, He made sure they went “two by two” and not solo.

In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Yes, our commitment to follow Jesus is personal and most of our witness is on an individual basis. But Jesus lets his disciples know that something special happens when they are together that does not happen when they are by themselves.

Case in point. In John 20:19 we see how the recently resurrected Jesus appears to disciples who are huddled behind locked doors. They get to see Him in person, hear Him say: “Peace be with you”, see His wounds and enjoy an incredible spiritual experience when “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

It is worth noting that only those who were gathered together that evening were privy to this private encounter with Jesus. v. 24 says: “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.”

By not being there with the rest of the disciples, Thomas missed out on that first appearance of the Risen Lord to His disciples. Why was he not there? We do not know for sure. Scripture offers no clues. No matter what it was—disappointment that it was all over with Jesus, disagreement with fellow disciples, his tendency to be a loner—one fact is clear. He missed seeing Jesus and experiencing all that the ones who were in the room did.

The narrative goes on to say that Thomas was present the next time Jesus showed up. Obviously, Thomas realized the value of being together with the rest of the disciples. He was rewarded with a personal encounter with Jesus. Thomas would then go on to make one of the greatest declarations of faith ever made by anyone: “My Lord and my God!”

On the Day of Pentecost we are told that there were about a hundred and twenty believers (Acts 1:15). They had the joyful distinction of being present when Holy Spirit descended upon them. In I Corinthians 15:6 we read that the Risen Jesus appeared to 500 followers at the same time. Notice the discrepancy in numbers? 500. 120. Where did the other 380 go?

We’re not sure about their whereabouts or their reason for not hanging around the others. What we can be sure about is that they missed out on the incredible experience of that day. By not meeting together with other believers, they lost their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be present at the “birthday of the Church.”

What a shame, eh? All they had to do was be there. And they would have experienced it.

No wonder the writer of Hebrews encourages us to “not neglect our meeting together.” My research of revivals over the years reveals that mighty moves of God always began when believers were gathered together. Yes, there were times when an individual was touched in a powerful way while they were praying or walking all by their lonesome, which then birthed a revival.

But, that was the exception rather than the rule. It was in the corporate setting that Holy Spirit showed up in incredible ways—be it Azusa Street, Pensecola or Toronto. Lives were transformed, gifts imparted and destinies accelerated as a result.

Dear DWOD friend, the destiny towards which you are advancing is your own. Your journey is personal, individual, unique and Lone Rangeresque at times. But, do not let that keep you from meeting together with the posse of other believers. You could end up missing out on a significant move of God…and wouldn’t that be a crying shame?

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1:40-42)

Peter’s first meeting with Jesus was not on the lakeshore when he was casting a net into the sea. It came courtesy of an invitation from his brother Andrew who had already met Jesus. The connection was made. Shortly thereafter when Jesus invited Peter to follow Him, he was able to leave everything behind and go with Jesus (Matthew 4:18-20).

When you read through the gospels and the book of Acts, you hardly hear anything about Andrew. Peter, on the other hand, gets a lot of press. Although Andrew does not get the recognition, you have to acknowledge the crucial role he played in making that connection for Peter.

Two of my closest friends in ministry in the Niagara Region are Pastor Dayo Adeyemo and Pastor Ric Borozny. When Sulojana was working at a call center, a young man by the name of C.J. Egbuna kept on bragging about his church and his pastor to her.

He got her so curious about this congregation that when we had a Sunday off in August 2006, we went to the Royal House, met Pastor Dayo, our hearts linked and we became friends. C.J. is no longer in town, but without that connection he made for us, we would not be ministering at the Royal House’s Prophetic Destiny Conference tomorrow night (June 4).

Pastor Dayo then invited me to minister alongside him at the first ever God of Wonders Healing Rally. It was at that meeting that Sulojana and I first met Pastor Ric & Deborah Borozny. Soon thereafter, Pastor Ric invited Pastor Dayo and me to meet with him for prayer once a week. All three of us have since forged a friendship that is strong as steel. From the first connection that C.J. established came the second connection through Pastor Dayo to the Boroznys. Since then I have had the joy of connecting both of these brothers to other anointed leaders and they have reciprocated with great joy. We are all the richer for these connections.

One of the keys to advancing into your destiny is to keep on making connections—not only for yourself, but especially for others. When you make connections for others, the law of sowing and reaping kicks in and you end up making more connections that are a blessing to you!

Nearly two years ago, a friend of ours in St. Catharines, Scott Jones, made a connection between us and a wild prophet from the eastern part of our province, Ontario. The connection was confirmed when he sent me an accurate prophetic word by e-mail and cemented when we met in person in Brantford. He has, in turn, connected us with Mark & Kiwanda Redner of The Oasis in Kinburn, Shawn Gabie of Dominion Outreach Centre in Ottawa, Pauline Wilcox in Golden Lake and many other revivalists.

We took the connection to yet another level when we realized that both of us had the gift of writing that would bless the Body of Christ by helping believers advance into their destiny. I am, of course, referring to my great friend and co-founder of Destiny Word of the Day, Pastor Darren Canning. I have reaped way more than I have sown!

Dear DWOD friend, take a moment now to examine the “connectors” in your life who have been a blessing to you. Thank God for them, and, send them a note of thanks as well, will you, please?

How about you? Are you a connector? Jesus is depending on you to be one! Because, you see, one of the key ways in which the Kingdom of God expands is through people like you and me who keep on making connections for others.

And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” (John 21:19)

There is nothing unusual about Jesus calling someone to follow Him. He did this routinely at the outset of his ministry, didn’t He?

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Mark 1:16-18)

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. (Matthew 9:9)

What is unusual about this invitation in John 21 is that it comes at the sunset of His earthly ministry. To boot, the man who receives the invitation to follow is the leader of the band of disciples who had already followed Jesus faithfully for 3 ½ years! Why would Jesus re-issue the invitation? “Follow me.”

In other words, why would Jesus treat Peter as though he were a fresh, newly-minted disciple?

The incident outlined in the immediately preceding verses provides us with a clue. In verses 15-17, we see an interchange between Jesus and Peter. Jesus asks the same question three times: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter’s answer is pretty well the same every time: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

The third time we see that Peter is grieved by the threepeat of the question. All of a sudden it dawns on him that the reason Jesus asked the question three times is because He wanted to reinforce the fact that his threefold denial is all forgiven. The fact that Jesus commissions Peter to feed His lambs, take care of His sheep and feed His sheep respectively is proof that he has not disqualified himself in Jesus’ eyes.

Peter’s decision to go fishing, i.e. return to his old way of living, may very well have been the result of his sense of unworthiness to serve Jesus. Perhaps this is how he thought: “There is no way Jesus can use me after the heinous offence I have committed. No longer do I qualify to be a fisher of men. I might as well go back to being a fisherman.”

Peter had a load of guilt/shame hanging over him.

Jesus sends Peter this unmistakeable message: “I still believe in you, despite your disappointing behaviour in denying that you ever knew me. You are still valuable to me. I see you as a leader. I have great plans for you, Peter.”

Although Scripture does not state this explicitly, at that particular moment Jesus has removed any guilt and/or shame that Peter had been carrying as a result of his denial. It is as though Peter is a brand new person now, a “new creation”, as “the old has passed away.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Thus it is time to issue the same call once again: “Follow me.”

Dear DWOD friend, ever feel the way Peter did—that the Lord cannot use you anymore because of something you did that you ought not to have done? Was it an abortion, a break-up you initiated, a wilful act of disobedience, a criminal act, a division you caused in your church, a rumour you started, ………………..? (Please fill in the blanks).

No matter what it may be, an encounter with the Risen Jesus will take care of the guilt and/or the shame. You may wish to follow the pattern that has worked well for my friend Darren Canning (see the DWOD for May 26—Does your Conscience Condemn you?) or seek that encounter through Sozo, Restoring the Foundations or other ministry.

You, like Peter, need to hear Jesus say to you: “Follow me.” You need that second call today, don’t you? He wants you to know that He is not finished with you yet. He still needs you.

Will you accept His call and follow Him once again?