From the desk of Steve Shultz:
This word and teaching by Tiffany Ann Lewis will encourage you and restore hope on your journey, especially if it's a difficult one. Yes, in those most difficult times is when God shows Himself strong all the more on our behalf.
I like what Tiffany Ann shares here: "Beloved, as we talk with the Lord along the way, the Holy Spirit will bring to our memory what He has said and all that He has promised. His Word has the power to replace hopelessness with hope, to help us when everything seems helpless, and to support us in the midst of the trial. Oh Hallelujah, thank You, Lord."
Here are also a couple of resources that will help you in the restoration process:
Tiffany Ann Lewis:
On the Road to Emmaus - a Road to Glory
"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened."—Luke 24:21
In Luke 24, we read about two dazed and discouraged disciples who were leaving Jerusalem and walking toward Emmaus. They thought, hoped and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel. However, He had been crucified, and was dead and buried. Besides all that, it was now the third day since it all happened. This seems to be the fatal blow to their faith... it was the third day. It was too late, and with disappointment heavy in their hearts, they were leaving Jerusalem.
Can you identify? Have you ever hoped and believed that God was going to redeem a situation in your life and found yourself losing heart while waiting for it? I have. Maybe today you, too, find yourself on the road to Emmaus, emotionally, and are wondering, What now? What do we do when we have been waiting, praying and believing, yet everything is falling apart? That's a great question and I believe God has some answers and encouragement for us in His Word through the disciples' journey.
"Jesus Himself Drew Near and Went with Them"
The road to Emmaus is a very lonely place to be as a Christian because we don't want to admit to ourselves, others, and especially to God, our true feelings. Therefore, we shove our inner turmoil down, paste on a smiling face and say, "It's all good." However, Scripture reveals that as the disciples were walking to Emmaus that "Jesus Himself drew near and went with them" (Luke 24:15). Jesus drew near to them in their hopelessness. He knew they were having doubts and fears, nevertheless, He walked with them, He talked with them and ultimately, He gave them the hope they needed.
I believe He will do the same thing for each of us today as we ponder this portion of Scripture. The Word of God is living and powerful. It will uplift, encourage and support us. Let's begin.
They No Longer Possessed Their Peace
"And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs."—Luke 24:13 KJV
There is a lot of information in this sentence. Why mention that they were leaving Jerusalem? Why not just say they were heading toward Emmaus? Jerusalem is known as many things. It's known as Salem, the City of David, the City of God, Zion, the holy city, and in Hebrews 12:22-23, it is referred to as Heaven itself. However, from a linguistic point of view, the word takes on new meaning.
The word Jerusalem in Hebrew (pronounced ye-roo-sha-lai'-yeem; Strong's #3389) is constructed from two different words. The first is yarah which means: to direct, instruct, teach and to pour. The second is shalam which means: peace, to be at peace, to be complete, finished, sound, safe, tranquility, health and prosperity. Putting them together causes Jerusalem to literally mean: "teaching of peace."
It's interesting to note that other languages of the region have translated Jerusalem as habitation of peace, possession of peace, and even foundation of peace. Therefore, spiritually speaking, these two men were actually leaving the teachings of peace, the foundation of their faith, their habitation of hope.
They no longer possessed their peace, even though Jesus taught them that troubled times were coming. "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:32-33). Talk about a teaching of peace. Jesus taught them this in advance so that they wouldn't lose their peace, nevertheless they did so, and now they were walking away from their habitation of hope.
I'm sure most of us can totally identify with this. I knew that troubles would come in this journey through life. What I didn't know is how hard they would be. Nor could I have ever prepared myself for the pain that I would experience while in the midst of the trials and tribulations. As a result, I too, have found myself wandering on the road of hopelessness and worry versus being supported by His Word and abiding in the teachings of peace that Jesus left.
However, as Scripture has taught us, even on the road of hopelessness Jesus is there and will give us the support we need on our journey to Emmaus. This is revealed in another detail that the author of this Gospel gives us. He specifically mentions that Emmaus was seven miles or, as King James put it, threescore furlongs away from Jerusalem. I am so glad that this small detail was recorded for us to find today, because it has helped me so much in my times of personal struggle. Let me explain.
We are Upheld and Supported by the Lord
"Threescore" means sixty. To the best of my knowledge, Greek does not have pictographs to help us gain insight to what this means, however, Hebrew does. Therefore, it's no coincidence that the Lord brought me to the samech, which is a Hebrew letter that represents the number sixty. The letter samech is the shape of a circle and is seen by the Sages as a picture of God's heart where one can be protected by the supportive, strong outer circle.
Interestingly, the samech isn't just an individual letter, it is also a word that literally means: to support, uphold, lean upon, and rest (Strong's #5564). For example, King David used this word as he prayed to the Lord saying, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold (samech) me by Your generous Spirit" (Psalm 51:12). David was crying out to his compassionate God saying, "samech me/support me, cause me to lean (samech) upon You, let me rest (samech) in Your willing and generous Spirit."
Beloved, even in our journey of hopelessness, with Jesus walking by our side, we will find the rest we need. Even though we are walking away from Jerusalem and are on the road to Emmaus, during the threescore – the distance in between – we will be upheld and supported by the Lord. Beloved, as we talk with the Lord along the way, the Holy Spirit will bring to our memory what He has said and all that He has promised. His Word has the power to replace hopelessness with hope, to help us when everything seems helpless, and to support us in the midst of the trial. Oh Hallelujah, thank You, Lord.
They Didn't Recognize that the Gate of Suffering was Really a Passage to Glory
It's important at this point to mention why the disciples were leaving. "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:25-26). This is critical for us to catch today, beloved. As a result of not realizing what Scripture said, they were walking away from it all even though they heard the testimony of the women who were at the tomb just that morning – resurrection morning. Just to clarify, Scripture does not imply total unbelief or complete distrust but rather that these two lacked the conviction and trust in God. This can be found as we become acquainted with the Word of God. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).
Discouragement, disappointment, and sadly, even a spiritual dullness can come upon us when we don't recognize what the Scriptures say. These disciples didn't understand that the gate of suffering was really a passage to glory. Similarly, our sufferings are a passage to glory as well. "We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).
Dwelling in the teachings of peace will help us be overcomers and not be overcome by the worries of the world. Great tribulations will become a gateway to glory, because even when everything is falling apart, we are held in His arms of everlasting love. God's love never fails.
Thank You, Lord. Selah...
Pray Always and Don't Lose Heart
There is one particular lesson that I continue to meditate upon while going through my personal struggles found at Luke 18:1. The Master taught us to pray always and not lose heart. The "pray always" part is easy, but the "not lose heart" part is not so easy for me. After all, that's why I end up wandering on the road to Emmaus in the first place. King James translates the phrase "lose heart" with the word "faint" which in Greek means: to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted (Strong's #1573). It is a word that addresses our destructive thoughts, feelings, as well as our actions.
Interestingly, as Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, He asked them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?" (Luke 24:17) This is a timeless question – what kind of conversations are we having? What are the words that we speak? Are they words of faith or are we allowing our disappointments to dictate our conversations? Please don't get me wrong: as we discussed earlier, being real with our feelings is a wonderful thing. God desires truth in our inward parts; however, words have power so we must be careful with them. As we share our fear with our friends, may we gently encourage each other in the Lord and help to replace the phrases of fear with confessions of faith.
It's not always easy, but we can fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. We can find hope by immersing ourselves in His words and not our own. His words are spirit and they are life (see John 6:63), and when words of worry and fear arise in our soul we can replace them with His Words of faith, hope and love.
Perfect Peace
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."—Isaiah 26:3
The phrase "perfect peace" in Hebrew is "shalom shalom." That wasn't a typo; the word shalom (peace) is repeated for added intensity much like the bold font and underlined text just did. This is something the Lord really wants us to see in His Word. Imagine being kept in soundness, completeness, safety, tranquility, health and prosperity because our mind is stayed on God.
Interestingly, the Hebrew word for "stayed" in this passage is samech, the same word discussed earlier with the numerical value of sixty and the meaning of "support" and "rest." We can find perfect peace as the thoughts we form are leaning and resting in the finished work of the Cross. As we trust in the Lord's death and resurrection, we will be kept, supported, upheld and refreshed by Him.
Let me be real honest and tell you that I'm not a fan of these trials and tribulations, but I know that God's got a plan. In the depths of my soul I know the greatest theological truth ever found – John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." No matter what horrible situation life brings our way God's got a plan and it is perfect, for it was developed in love and mercy.
Perhaps the disciples didn't know this truth yet. However, as they sat across from the risen Lord in Emmaus on that third day, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them (see Luke 24:29-30). That simple gesture was the same way that Jesus established the New Covenant, the new promise that was sealed with His Blood. Sitting hopeless in Emmaus, suddenly their eyes were opened. That very hour the disciples got up and returned to Jerusalem (Luke 24:33).
As we gaze at the Cross, may we remember that everything Jesus did, He did because He loves us and wouldn't allow anything to separate us from that love. May this truth empower us to dwell in Jerusalem, the teachings of Peace that Jesus gave us, and await the promise of the Father. Amen and Amen.
Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing with the Flame of the Lord Ministries
Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
