2000 years 12 men did, now it’s your turn in 2012

2000 yrs ago+ 12 ordinary men= 2012 + you =

As I was having communion with my family on NYE around my mum’s kitchen table I was taken into a vision. I was now with the twelve disciples around a similar table having communion with Jesus. This table was low and we had to recline around it to break bread and chat.

I was there in the midst of this Holy activity and these disciples were just like anyone else you would know. They seemed perfectly ordinary men in every way as I watched them interact with Jesus. They were not outstanding because of any natural talents or intellectual abilities. They were His ragtag bunch of men who couldn’t comprehend the power of God, struggled with their own sins, wrestled with the cost of commitment and too often, to put it plainly, could be quite dense as to what was going on.
Jesus talked to them with such love about prayer, forgiveness, humility, giving them moral instruction, I heard Him speak to them of things to come. They talked about the people they had met, the miracles, signs and wonders.
They were disciples, students, but not in a classroom and lecture sense. They learned by being with and hearing from Jesus. They were apprentices, and learned from the Master first hand.

I asked Jesus why He appointed twelve.
“Why? That they might be with Me”

It was like the bread that I ate there at that table became revelation ~ The first job of the disciples was simple to be with Jesus, to learn from being around Him. Then, in a secondary sense He chose them that He might send them out to preach.

With Jesus words, the vision ended and I chewed on the scene further …. A preacher will only be as useful to Jesus to the extent that He has “been with” Jesus. There is little done for eternal good by those who preach without having a real, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

When someone has been with Jesus, and is sent out to serve Him, they can expect that Jesus will give them to power to serve Him, including the power to see miraculous works (heal sicknesses and to cast our demons) done in their midst.
In all, they had about 18 months of training and were then sent out on a mission too vast for any reasonable expectation of success.
When I think of 2012 I think 2000 years ago these 12 quite ordinary men achieved the extraordinary. Jesus shaped His disciples for greatness and He wants to do the same with you?

How?

By communing with Him.

He appointed twelve ….. that he might send them out to preach. Mk3v14.

He wants to do the same through you in 2012?
Are you willing to be His disciple?
To answer when He calls?
To follow where He leads?
To go where He sends?
To listen to Him teach?
To learn at His feet?
You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.
Jesus is calling you to be His disciple.
Will you answer the call?

The twelve disciples/apostles were ordinary men whom God used in an extraordinary manner.

After witnessing Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit transformed the disciples/apostles into powerful men of God who turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).

What was the change?

The twelve apostles/disciples had “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
May the same be said of us!