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Someone
like you and me!
 We began last time to speak
about what makes the difference in our relationship with God, and we
saw from the lives of John (the disciple), David and Saul, that it is
all a matter of heart.
Jesus said...
"As the Father loved Me, I also have
loved you; abide in My love. John 15:9
...and it is in doing that, that our
relationship with God becomes real and strong.
God called David a man after His own heart, because David
understood that and acted upon it...
- Your word I have hidden in my heart … Ps
119:1
It is wonderful to look at the examples of
those great people in the Bible, and although they were people whom God
used mightily, learning from them is not always easy because they seem
so far away. There surely must be an example of someone that we can
more easily relate to?
... Someone who had the same problems as us!
... Someone who got excited about following Jesus but then did most
things wrong!
... Someone who made promises and then broke them, made plans that just
seemed to go wrong!
... What about someone like you and me?
| Peter, someone like you and me..! |
Peter and his brother Andrew, fishermen of
Galilee, were the first Jesus called as disciples. Peter, who was a
successful fisherman, stopped fishing immediately, determined to be the
best disciple he could possibly be. Peter was a strong man of action,
ready to show the others how it should be done, ready to go right from
the first.
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of
Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to
them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately
left their nets and followed Him. Matt 4:18-20
Peter was physically strong and wanted to use
his abilities for Jesus, but because it was in his own strength that
Peter did it, he made many mistakes in the same way that we so often
do. Yet even though we do many things wrong, some even real stupid,
remember, we cannot shock God, we can only disappoint Him!
| If it can go wrong, it will..! |
JDo you feel that way in your life, well just
try stepping out on water!
Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to
You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out
of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
While God is in control, don’t take your eyes off Him.....for...
If something can go wrong, it will go
wrong !
But when he saw that the wind was
boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying,
"Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and
caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?" Matt 14:28-31
Ever happened to you? Just when things are
going great, could not be better, disaster strikes!
Don’t you dare give up!
| Have you ever blown your mouth off like Peter..? |
- When Jesus came into the region of
Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that
I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some
Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them,
"But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are
the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him,
"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. "And I also say to you
that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:13-17
We all dream of having such revelation, that
Jesus even says ...blessed are you...
- From that time Jesus began to show to
His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from
the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised
the third day.
Jesus went on to explain what it meant being
the Christ and what was about to happen to fulfill that, for although
Peter received that revelation from God, he did not understand what it
truly meant....and then...?
if something can go wrong - it will go wrong!
- Then Peter took Him aside and began to
rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to
You!"
Peter, Peter, Peter, did you stop and think,
just a bit!
- But He turned and said to Peter, "Get
behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of
the things of God, but the things of men." Matt 16:21-23
Ever happened to you?
Glad it happened to Peter, at least I’m not
alone.
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| The mouth is willing, but the body is weak..! |
Peter was not about to give up. He had made a
decision to follow Jesus and mistakes, even big ones, were not going to
stop him, and it shouldn’t stop us either.
Of course when Peter says something, it must also sound good.
Peter answered and said to Him,
"Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made
to stumble." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this
night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter
said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And
so said all the disciples.
Matt 26:33-35
Those were big words, and sooner than expected,
Peter was going to be put to the test. The mouth is willing, but.....!
Then Jesus came with them to a place
called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and
pray over there." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He
said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay
here and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face,
and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass
from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Then He came to
the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could
you not watch with Me one hour? "Watch and pray, lest you enter into
temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt
26:36-41
Peter was a normal human being, just like
you and me..!
Sure Peter most often spoke and acted before he
thought, was quick to say things and make promises, and sure he broke
as many as well, but his heart was right, his heart was for Jesus,
always there for Jesus.
| Peter messed up, just like you and me..! |
Peter messed up, but he did not give up. Three
times Peter denied Jesus after he so boldly said, "Even if I have to
die with You, I will not deny You!" Even after having denied Jesus,
feeling that he had nothing more to give Jesus, Peter was ready to try
again.
Three times Peter denied Jesus...
Three times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" ... and
Three times Peter replied "Yes Lord You know I love You"
John 21:15-17
Jesus ended that with these words... …
- "If I will that he remain till I come,
what is that to you? You follow Me."
And finally Peter cought on to what Jesus was
saying and what it meant to walk with Jesus, to follow Jesus.
"Peter it does not matter what others are doing, or what you
are doing may look like to them, you just follow Me."
For three years Peter was walking with Jesus, trying to be the best
disciple he could be, in his own strength. Although he was with Jesus,
Peter was not following, Peter was trying to lead. We all try to be the
best Christian we can be, in our strength, instead of letting Jesus be
Lord in our lives, and we stick to doing the following.
When Peter got a hold of that reality, he started to walk with Jesus,
where Jesus did the leading, and from that day on.......
| All heaven broke loose around Peter..! |
Peter started to rely on Jesus to do what Peter
wanted to do, and instead of rushing off and doing it in his own
strength, Peter let Jesus do the leading, and Peter let Jesus confirm
His Word, with signs following.
And believers were increasingly
added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they
brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and
couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on
some of them. Acts 5:14-15
What was Peter doing?
He was following Jesus. He was walking so close to Jesus, that where
Peter went, Jesus’ shadow was healing people..!
When you let God take control in your life, all heaven will break loose
around you, and miracles will happen where you are.
Hallelujah.
Be glad if you feel like a Peter!
Are you blessed?
Want to hear more? |
| The articles in this magazine are
excerpts of a teaching series entitled:
"Lovers in the Bible"
This 8 tape series, available on cassette
tape. Email us at: covenant.net@bluewin.ch to order.
TAPES
A full list of tapes are
available!
Interested?
Let us know and we will forward a list
with titles, both English and German.
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