How often do you experience a "deep sense of awe" in your life?  The early believers held an ongoing sense of awe because of their devotion to God and His purposes.  God was literally all around them and in them.  In that environment...⁴³A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.  An environment of awe produced a climate of signs and wonders.

Some say that climate is over, that signs and wonders were limited to the first century.  For such folks, miracles don't happen today.  For such folks, the era, age or dispensation of the apostles or the Spirit is over and what we have to look forward to in daily living is doing our best with the Holy Spirit to guide our consciences. Signs and wonders are for the charismatics and pentecostals, (which really means they don't happen, but some groups of believers believe they do or pretend they do.) 

In my life as a follower of Jesus, some forty-two years to this point, I've seen many signs and wonders­--body parts healed, diseases eradicated, hard hearts transformed.  Today's Scripture makes me wonder whether I would have seen many more such signs and wonders if we lived in an environment of everyone DEVOTING themselves to the apostles teaching (Bible Study), fellowship, eating meals together, including the Lord's Supper and Prayer.  Our good friend, Mark Geppert, always reminds us that all successful spiritual endeavor springs forth from an atmosphere of worship and praise.  The early church lived in such an atmosphere.  As a result they lived in a constant environment of awe.  A deep sense of awe.  I've experienced it.  You probably have, too.  For a moment, for a few minutes, maybe hours.  But the early believers LIVED with a deep sense of awe, because God's presence and power was so obvious and active.

What must we do to regain that deep sense of awe?  Cultivate an environment of DEVOTION (a.k.a. COMMITMENT) to God and the activities He moved the first century Church to pursue--Bible study, fellowship, eating meals together including the Lord's Supper, and prayer.  As we do that in our families, in our L.I.F.E. Groups, in our New Life Family and in groups small and large of which we are a part in daily life the environment of awe will come---as will the by-product of such an environment--signs and wonders. 

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for who You are and for all You do to bring a deep sense of awe to our lives.  Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may devote ourselves to those principles and actions that foster that environment and release Your power among us.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.