Rebuked and Restored

John 13:36-38 WEB

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.” [37] Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” [38] Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.

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Peter was deluded. He thought he had the faith to die for Jesus, but instead, he denied Jesus at his most difficult time. Jesus understood Peter. Jesus knew by revelation that Peter was going to betray him. But Jesus also knew Peter. He understood that Peter was impulsive and emotional. So, he reassures Peter that he will follow him later. Even in the face of his imminent trial, Jesus begins to restore Peter. Previously Jesus said Peter was a rock and the gates of hell would not prevail against him (Mt 18:15). But right now, Jesus tells Peter he is going to deny him.

Jesus also tells Peter he will follow him later. At that moment Peter did not understand that Jesus was going to the cross. Peter did not realize the severity of the moment. He is being his impulsive self and bragging that he will never leave Jesus. But as always, pride goes before a fall (Pr 16:18). So, with Peter, his arrogant boasting is prideful and leads to his downfall. When the critical moment comes, Peter denies the Lord.

Yet he was not kicked out of the Kingdom of God. He was lovingly rebuked and later he is lovingly restored.  After the resurrection, the Lord revealed himself to his disciples. He came several times and told them about himself from the Word (John 21). On one of those occasions, Peter and some of the disciples were fishing. The Lord called from shore about their catch and Peter immediately realized it was the Lord. When they got to shore Jesus was roasting fish over a fire. Jesus fed the disciples and then asked Peter 3 very difficult questions. He asks Peter if he loved him (John 21:15-17). In fact, he asked 3 times, the same number of times Peter denied the Lord. Jesus goes on to tell Peter to feed his sheep. Jesus not only restores him, but he also gives Peter purpose.

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Lord, please forgive me for sin in my life. When my personality and character yield to the temptation to be ungodly, forgive me and restore me. Help me walk with you and honor you, Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Testifying or Bragging?

John 12:17-19 WEB

The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, was testifying about it. [18] For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign. [19] The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

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Jesus did a wonderful miracle, he raised Lazarus from the dead. Not only did he raise him, but Jesus did it after Lazarus was buried and dead for four days. The people that were there to grieve for Lazarus saw what Jesus did. And now, they were repeating the story and causing many to look for Jesus. The Lord, through his ministry commonly told people to keep their miracles a secret (Mat 9:29-30). But this sign was too big to keep silent. So, they testified, and many came to Christ.

How do we know when we are testifying and when we are bragging? That is a huge issue in modern society. We live in a time when self-promotion is rampant and often leads to success. Yet the word teaches us not to boast about our accomplishments (1 Sam 2:3). It can even be a boast to tell what God is doing in our lives. When we are right with God, we do not have to prove we are right with God. That comes from ego and self-promotion. We do not have to brag about our blessings. We should brag on God alone. He is our boast.

We can often tell when God has intervened in someone’s life. God will begin to fix what is broken and line up a believer with their destiny. But having healing or destiny is not something to brag about. Having a destiny in Christ should lead to our silence. We may at appropriate times share our calling with others. After all, we still need people even when we are solidly in Christ. But in general, it is not something we should be bragging about. Rather, we should treasure the miracles and share them when led by the Holy Spirit, so they lead others to Christ.

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Lord, give me the wisdom to see when I am testifying and leading others to you, and when I am bragging and harming others. Take pride and ego away, Lord, and leave a tender heart prepared to receive from you.  Help me receive the wisdom to keep silent. Lead me by your Holy Spirit and let my only boast be you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.   

Reprobate Jesus

John 8:39-41 WEB

They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. [40] But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. [41] You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”

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Jesus grew up being a boy that came from sexual immorality. Everyone knew it. And here, where Jesus is telling the crowd Satan is their father, they demonstrate their cruelty. Jesus says they are going to kill him, and the crowd does not deny it. When Jesus logically fences them in, they grab for something to change the subject. They throw Jesus’ shame of being born too early for a marital pregnancy. These are whitewashed sepulchers using religion for power but having no love in them (Mat 23:27).

If they had love in them and God was their Father, they would have the faith of Abraham. Abraham talked with God. He heard from God (Gen 17:22). Abraham loved God and loved the things of God. He wasn’t perfect in his behavior (Gen 12:10-11). Where Abraham was so amazing was his faith walk. For Abraham, if God said, Abraham was going to act on it (Gen 12:4). When strangers came Abraham fixed them the fatted calf and he believed these men were angels of the Lord (Gen 18:1-5).

If the crowd believed Abraham, they would have listened to Jesus because Jesus came to them as an angel of truth. For this, he was accused of being a reprobate by virtue of his birth. Praise God we are judged for our own merits because of the death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus did not have this luxury. Not in the eyes of the crowd nor in the eyes of Jewish leaders. He was viewed as the product of sexual immorality and was considered unfit for ministry.

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Lord Jesus, please give me discernment to correctly view others in ministry. Help me love and honor those you have promoted. Alert me to wolves. Protect me as I stop trying so hard to protect myself. Help me, love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God Rewards the Faithful

John 7:16-18 WEB

Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. [17] If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself. [18] He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

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These verses help us accurately discern the motives of Christian teachers. In the above verse, Jesus said to see who is being glorified. He taught if the glory falls on the teacher, what they are saying is not from God. However, if the glory goes to God, the teacher is trustworthy.  

It is dangerous to take God’s glory. Those who take God’s glory are in imminent danger of the Lord breaking out against them (Isa 10:15, Acts 12:21-23). God jealously guards his glory. Furthermore, God clothes who he wants with his glory, for his own purposes (Isa 48:11). Not that it is some sort of lottery (Heb 11:6). If we want to be chosen for God’s glory, we must bear God’s shame (Mat 16:24-25). Any one of us can pick up our cross and carry it with joy (1 Pet 2:20-21). To rejoice in shame and suffering is a holy thing (Rom 5:2-3). It’s the type of faith that God wants to plant in the hearts of others (Isa 61).

God wants to glorify people who willingly serve without glory (1 Cor 15:43). There are stories in the Old Testament that show people chosen for service in a seemingly random manner (Jud 4:4, 6:14, 13:25,). Take Moses for example, his family showed faith when they saved Moses (Exo 2:1-3). Then, Moses showed great faith when God spoke to him (Exo 3:4). Through faith, Moses’ family won the Levites an inheritance guarding the Lord’s glory (Exo 28:1-3). We can clearly see by the example of Moses and his family, God rewards the faithful (Psa 27:13).

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Lord Jesus, please forgive me for talking so much about what I have done and so little about what you have done. Teach me to honor you and give you all the glory. Humble my heart, Lord, that I will joyfully carry my cross. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Stressed Out Jesus

John 7:3-10 WEB

His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here, and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do. [4] For no one does anything in secret, and himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.” [5] For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. [6] Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. [7] The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil. [8] You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.” [9] Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee. [10] But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.

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This is a little humorous. Actually, It’s amazing. The Lord Jesus had brothers and he argued with them, and it’s in the Bible. This is one of those passages that show Jesus was a human. Yes, he is divine, but Jesus is also human. And he cut his brothers down like a pro.

Of course, Jesus is much more than an irritable, stressed brother. He is God. Being God, his divinity pops out even when he is being defensive with his family. In verse 6 of the above passage, Jesus says, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.” Jesus went right to the heart of the issue. He told his brothers they were full of themselves. He did not address their jealousy or critical spirits. Instead, he names the problem.

Pride. The brothers did not trust the Lord. They did what they wanted when they wanted, regardless of God’s timing. But Jesus did something different. He refused to think more highly of himself than he should. Jesus chose to wait for the Father’s timing. He was not in a hurry to go fluff up his audience. He wasn’t in a hurry. Jesus waited on the Father.

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Lord Jesus, please forgive me for thinking too highly of myself. I repent of wanting things in my time and ask you to give me the grace to wait patiently. I trust you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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In Spirit and Truth

John 4:19-23 WEB

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. [20] Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” [21] Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. [22] You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. [23] But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers.

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Jesus had just told the woman secrets that He could only know through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 4:17-18). She had the spiritual acumen to understand that something supernatural was taking place. Jesus goes on to confirm this when he says, “true worshipers will worship…in spirit and truth.”

Confirmation is great when it happens. However, everything that comes from the Father is not confirmed immediately. When we walk in the Spirit and in the knowledge of Biblical Truth, we are going to encounter the supernatural. God is real. Thus, when we are in a relationship with Him, he will reach across the boundaries of reality and change things for our benefit and the benefit of others.  

When these supernatural circumstances happen, they may slip by if we do not have the spiritual acumen to notice. Often the supernatural can seem like a coincidence or a possible, but natural, outcome. Thus, doubt arises. However, we must believe that God is real and that he is truly participating in our relationship with Him. This foundation of belief will make it possible to receive directly from the Father.

The word says in James 1:6-8 that a doubter will receive nothing from God. This is not a judgment; it is a statement of fact. To receive you must believe God is working. If you do not fully believe, you will not accept what God is doing. Therefore, you will miss what God is doing. You will receive nothing. To receive from God, you cannot doubt. Moreover, you must worship him in Spirit and Truth.

When you accept the spiritual nature of your relationship with God your acumen to perceive the supernatural will rise. You will be able to participate in what God is doing in your life and in the world around you. The relationship you have with God will become real and vibrant. And in that place, just like Jesus, you will both receive and have an abundance to share with the lost.

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Lord Jesus, help me to perceive your works in my life and in the world around me. I do not want to miss a single word you whisper. I do not want to miss a single thing you do. Please help me worship in Spirit and Truth so that you and I will have a vibrant relationship. Help me perceive the supernatural so that I will be filled and have an abundance to share with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

No Shame

John 4:7-10 WEB

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” [8] For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. [9] The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) [10] Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

Jesus was tired and he took his rest in the most unlikely place. He sat down at Jacob’s well in Samaria. In Jesus’ time, Israel had a right place to live and a wrong place to live. The right place was Judea, and the wrong place was Galilee. However, all Jewish people agreed that they were better than Samaritans. When Jesus sat down in Samaria and sent his disciples for food, he was ignoring basic protocol that any decent Jew would know and come into conformity. His disciples went for food and Jesus stayed for a drink.

The drink would come from the hand of a sinner. Not only a Samaritan but one that had lived a scorn-worthy life. For Jesus, this was another level of non-conformity. Yet, the Samaritan woman loved God and Jesus had a believing heart set as the target of his attention. Without a doubt, Jesus was hearing from the Spirit of God. He did not shrug off conformity because he was anti-social. Jesus was not a nonconformist for attention. He was simply more interested in the condition of people’s hearts than he was interested in social mores.

Lord, please help me care more about the spiritual condition of the people around me than I care for my reputation and social standing. Forgive me for caring so much about conformity that I have refrained from sharing the gospel. Help me follow your example. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Only You God

John 3:31 WEB

He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

We know that Jesus is God’s son. Jesus is from above, he proceeds from God and when he speaks, he tells of heavenly realities.  The rest of us are not God. We are not a part of the triune, divine, Godhead. We are from beneath and we speak of earthly realities. When we spend time in the presence of God the Father, or, God the Son, or, God the Holy Spirit, we are receiving heavenly things. As we try to share a testimony of the healing we have received or the revelation we have received, we can only share from our earthly position. We can see, we can receive, but we cannot come from heaven. We must share everything that God tells us from our limited earthly perspective. On the other hand, when we lead people to God, they can receive heavenly things from the one who is in heaven and speaks from a heavenly perspective. Matthew 4:4 WEB says, “But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” We must get past wanting to constantly share and testify. Those things do have their place. In Revelation 22:17 WEB it says, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.” So, testimony paves the path of faith to the hearer which helps them receive from God. However, the critical thing is to bring people to God so they can receive from him themselves. In Hebrews 4:16 NIV it says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” However, we are not the Father. It is not our job to correct and discipline. In Hebrews 12:6 WEB it says, “Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.” There may be times when the Father leads us to pray for the sin of another, but it is a rare thing when God asks us to confront another believer with their sin. In Matthew 7:4 WEB it says, “Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?” We also are not the Son. We can testify of our healing, but we cannot heal another. We did not receive the strips on our backs or wear the thorns on our heads. In Isaiah 53:5 WEB it says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.” Even if God uses us to pray for healing with another person, anything that happens is of the Lord. In James 5:14 WEB it says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,” Finally, we are not the Holy Spirit. If we trust the Holy Spirit to lead others into a right relationship with God and righteousness, we will not constantly think we have a special word for others. Titus 3:5 WEB says, “not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” So often believers fail to recognize their lack of faith. You see these people giving other people “words” or trying to bring correction to other believers. Those things are not our job. Our job is to bring people to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit so that God can save them, heal them, and lead them into righteousness. The Bible says, “in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 WEB)

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for wanting others to listen to me more than listen to you. I ask you to forgive my pride and I repent of this demonic attitude. Please help me direct others to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Walking in the Light

John 3:18-19 WEB

He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. [19] This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

He who walks in the light is not judged. When we disobey the truth and walk in dark and secret paths, our evil deeds will condemn us. In 1 Cor 4:2 WEB, Paul the Apostle says, “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” This verse describes the anger the ungodly feel towards the righteous. Namely, their ungodly deeds bring them into condemnation before the Lord. As a result, they reject godly people whose lives bear witness to the light of righteousness. But what about those who name Christ? What causes shame to the professing believer? The same thing that causes shame to all people. That is, walking in darkness. This is a critical sign that we do not truly believe in Jesus and the power of his name. In truth, walking in darkness means the professing believer does not truly believe Jesus’ teachings. When we believe Jesus, we keep his teachings. When we don’t believe fully in Jesus’ teachings we are satisfied with sin in our lives and according to the word of God we are lost. However, any person in this condition would likely keep their deeds secret. For instance, the word of God says Fathers are not to discourage their children. In Colossians 3:21 WEB Paul says, “Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.” Yet, how many “believers” are calm with their children at church but are hard or indifferent to them at home? Or, how about the commandment to love other believers? In 1 John 3:14 WEB it says, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.” Yet how often do we condemn other believers? In Psalm 101:4-6 WEB it says, “A perverse heart will be far from me. I will have nothing to do with evil. [5] I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won’t tolerate one who is haughty and conceited. [6] My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me.” The issue of gossip among believers is a great example of walking in darkness. How often do you hear people gossiping in the light where their deeds can be judged? Almost never. There are many scriptures that group gossip and slander together with sins such as murder and sexual immortality. For example, in Romans 1:29-32 WEB it says, “being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, [30] backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; [32] who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.” And in Matthew 7:21-23 WEB it says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ [23] Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’” The key issue of our text scriptures is walking in darkness versus light. So, if you recognize that you are walking in darkness simply stop sinning. Start believing God and choose to become obedient. The world and those in sin will try to beguile you into believing you cannot help yourself. Don’t be deceived. If you know of sin in your life that you cannot overcome and you are keeping it a secret, you are in danger of missing eternal life with Jesus. In that case, talk to your pastor. Even if you are in leadership and will lose your position, if you cannot overcome sin, come into the light.

Lord Jesus, please forgive my unbelief and show me clearly my sin. I want eternal life, so I ask for conviction, especially of deliberate sin. Lend me the grace that I may walk in the light, fully renouncing all evil. In Jesus’ name, amen.