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.   

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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#Jesus #Pride #Jealousy #Christian #Key #Love #Trust #Humility #Human #Divine

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.

Only God is Good

John 3:26-27 WEB

They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.” [27] John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

Whatever any person has, for good or evil, is authorized by heaven. The Lord either released it or allowed it. Therefore, whatever good any person has is from heaven. This heavenly reality is critical for men and women of God to have firmly fixed in their minds. Did you learn skills and values in your childhood home so that you are clean and positive? Give thanks, those things are from heaven. Do you Love Jesus and desire his will with all your heart, mind, and soul? Give thanks, those things are from heaven. Are you enduring hardships? Rejoice, those things serve your good. The Father is good and he knows how to bend a twig and how to refine your faith (Romans 8:28). If all things are from God, what do you have to be proud of? Romans 3:27a (WEB) says, “Where then is the boasting? It is excluded.” Have you ever heard gossips and slanderers say unkind things about those who were not given values and were not taught right from wrong? What about the mentally or intellectually ill? Do they deserve to be despised? What, do we think a sound mind is something we gave ourselves? No, it is a good gift and it came from the Father. In Matthew 19:17 (WEB) it says, “He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” And in Mark 10:18 (WEB) it says, “Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.” Only God is good so there is nothing for any person to be proud of or boast about. Only God gives each of us our blessings and hardships. If we have this firmly fixed in our minds we will come nearer to the marks of righteousness and holiness. And thus, we will become a vessel that God can make use of. This is God’s goodwill for each of us. “If anyone, therefore, purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21 WEB)

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for thinking that I have accomplished anything apart from you. Help me to believe your word and thereby become humble and usable. I hope for your will in my life and in the world. Choose me, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pointing to Jesus

John 1:35-37 WEB

Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, [36] and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” [37] The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

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John the Baptist showed his humility by pointing to Jesus. Pride often masquerades as humility. But pride is easy to discern. Pride wants attention, glory, and praise. Ministers struggling with pride draw the attention of the sheep to themselves rather than to Jesus.

Many ministers make themselves so visible the love of the sheep goes to them rather than Jesus. We have all seen the minister that says the most profound and amazing things. The chatter around them goes along the lines of “profound, amazing, brilliant.” You don’t hear much about Jesus from the sheep, rather, you hear about the minister.

Lord, please give me the grace to point others to you and to avoid drawing your glory to myself. In Jesus’ name, amen.