Category Archives: Encouragement

A Thankful Heart

14 Monday Nov 2016

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Like most people, I have found myself in disbelief that the holiday season is upon us.  I often ask myself, “Where has the time gone?”  For me that last five months have flown by as I have been navigating a new job and writing a new book.  As I looked back at what I had written below at this time last year, I realized that I have more to be thankful for this  year than last, as I am sure many of us can agree.  I hope you enjoy reading this message of Thankfulness again and I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving season.

A Heart of Thankfulness

While I try to live my life with an attitude of thanksgiving, it is during this season that we often truly reflect on the many blessings bestowed upon us.  I have been listening to the old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” repeatedly during the last week as I have been thanking God for His faithfulness.

Colossians 3:14-17 (NASU) says:

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”img_1086 (4).jpg

This may seem like an over simplified picture of my thankful heart, but if you will indulge me I would like to explain.  Pictured here is the view I have looking out my kitchen window.  As a teacher, the Lord frequently speaks to me with simple analogies like this little tree.  I often get such a clear picture of God’s provision as I care for my plants throughout the year.  I am not an expert, and I cannot even tell you what kind of tree or plant this is.  Honestly, I was looking for something to put in my window that could handle direct sunlight, and this one could.

img_1088 (2).jpgThe thing that drew my eye to this one was the little ornament that was in the soil that says, “Inspire”.  This was my whole goal of shopping for the right plant anyway. This little tree has inspired me over the last two years.   This has to be one of the thirstiest little creatures I have ever cared for! When I first purchased it, it was green and vibrant and had little white flowers….so beautiful. However, after a few months, I watched as its beauty daily began to fade.

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This little tree has endured some diverse seasons. There was a time that my husband was convinced that it was dead and that I needed to put it out of its misery. Yet something in me just could not give up on it, because I had seen what it COULD be! I fed it; I replaced the rocks with better soil, and covered the soil with moss so it would stay moist all day. I refused to give up on it!

Little by little, the tree began to get stronger. It began to thrive again! It had a season of little white flowers again! Then the most amazing thing began to happen…..

One day I notices a stem that just start growing so fast that it reached across the window to the wall. It was quite a sight, and not particularly an attractive one. My daughter would ask me why I would not prune it. I kept telling her I was learning something from my little tree, and she would just laugh at me. Finally, the day came when I felt good about pruning that stem, and shortly after a MORE AMAZING thing happened…..

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SIX MORE GREW! I was reminded of the passage in John 15:1-3 (NASU)

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

So during this season of Thanksgiving, I am most thankful for my relationship with my God. I am also very thankful for my family and friends who I love dearly. I am thankful for my church family, I am thankful for a good job, I am thankful to be an American, I am thankful for all the provisions God has allowed me to have….the list goes on and on.

I can never list all my blessings, both big and small, but today I want to say I am also thankful for my little tree. This little tree inspires me in so many ways.

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  • Stay thirsty! Never become complacent, there is always more in God!
  • Even in difficult seasons when things seem to be dying, stay faithful, this too will pass!
  • If God prunes you, it is for your good and the good of the kingdom so more will grow!

I wish you an amazing Thanksgiving season!

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If the Shoe Fits

10 Monday Oct 2016

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img_0086It is that time of the year where in many parts of the country we begin to change the style of shoes we are wearing. For me, I have accumulated too many shoes, so in order to make room, I pack away my sandals, and I get out my boots.  It is important to have a variety of types of shoes in order to be prepared for every season, but today’s inspiration is less about the style and more about the fit.

I have a great video of my daughter when she was about 18 months old trying to wear my heels. I heard the clicking sound on the floor and I peeked around the corner to see her trying to walk in shoes that did not fit.  It was video worthy and something I enjoy watching, but trying to walk in shoes that don’t fit for any length of time is simply exhausting.

She no longer needed those cute little white walking shoes I had purchased for her, but she was not ready for mommy’s heels yet either. In fact, as I watched my daughter grow into the wonderful young woman she is today, she never fit in mommy’s heels.  First, she inherited her shoe size from her dad instead of me, but more importantly, heels were just never her thing.  I remember in her teen years how she tried to fit into the mold of wearing what her friends wore, but she quickly went back to the style that was more comfortable for her.

Have you noticed that in every shoe store or shoe department there is a section that houses all the accessories for those shoes we buy that really do not fit? There are pads you can put on the back of a shoe to keep it from slipping off.  There are pads you can put in the bottom of the shoe to keep your foot from slipping forward.  There are barriers we can put on the sides to keep our shoes from rubbing blisters.

The interesting thing is none of these items is needed if the shoe fits!

If we go to a store to buy a suit, it is common that it will not fit every person just right. There are individuals trained to alter a suit jacket so it will fit in all the right places and be comfortable as the person moves around in it.  This may work for suits, but not shoes!

If they are too small, they hurt you because they stifle you and hold you back. They are not satisfying at all to wear.  If they are too large, they slip off when you try to walk. You cannot effectively walk, climb, or progress in shoes that are too large for you.

While our foot size grows during stages of maturity, for most people there is a point where your foot size is maximized and it often will not change for the rest of their life. That is why I have too many shoes!  I have been wearing the same size for a very long time.  Over the years, I have collected a variety of styles and colors for many different seasons and activities.

I love that I am not limited to one style.  Seasons and conditions require us to have choices.  These are options but the size is not. The creator determines the size!  Look at this passage of Scripture.

1 Corinthians 12:4; 11-12; 14-26 NASB

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…..11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ….14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 

THE CREATOR DETERMINES THE SIZE!

I have a passion today to remind each person reading this of how much your Creator loves you and how He wants to see you walk in the shoes He has selected for you. He chose them long ago before you were even here.

Psalm 139:13-17 NASU

13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

 

YOU WERE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE! Each one of us unique and distinct.  No two of us with the same thumbprint, but each with precious thoughts and plans from our Father!

The thing that we must contend for is our own unique size or our individual identity in Christ. Each unique one is critical to the kingdom and if you are trying to wear someone else’s shoes, then yours are left abandoned on a shelf creating missed opportunities ordained by the Father.

Let me share an example. My sister-in-law and I are very much alike in many ways.  Years ago at her first Christmas with our family, we showed up wearing the exact same sweater and what was so funny was we didn’t even know each other then.  A couple years later, we actually came to vacation and had bought the very same swimsuit, the very same cover-up, and the very same shoes!

We are the same age, we have the same last name, and we even have the same shoe size. However, those who know us well will attest that if I tried to wear many of her shoes, it would not end well!  Here style is often very different from mine, and she wears heel sizes that I cannot tolerate.

This paints such a vivid picture of the fact that even though we have many similarities, I can’t be her and she can’t be me. We can only complement one another, encourage each other, and fulfill our own unique callings.

While it is such a simple principle, I feel this very thing is what has caused too many of God’s children to abandon the plans that He has for them….trying to wear shoes that do not fit!

We often feel like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole, trying to fit the mold, or meet everyone’s expectations. Let’s change that today and become free to be who He has called us to be!

No apologies! Just be who He is asking you to be!  No comparison, no intimidation, no jealousy, or envy, just wearing the shoes that fit you in the right season, and on the right occasion!  Make a commitment today if you have not already done so, to walk in the steps He has ordered for you.

DON’T ALLOW YOUR ONE OF KIND DESIGNER SHOES TO BE LEFT ON THE SHELF!

Lay Down Your Paddle – It’s Transition Time

23 Thursday Jun 2016

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IMG_0308About nine months ago, I posted the original version of this teaching. Recently I have been surrounded by transition as I have had an unexpected job change and my church is searching for a new pastor. Transition can be difficult, but it can also be essential to align our path with God’s plan.

Around the time of my original post, I heard the Lord say, “Stop paddling! Let Me take you in a flow you do not know!” This could mean many different things from a spiritual perspective, but let me try to articulate what it meant to me.

God has a plan and a destiny for each of our lives and for each corporate body. It is intertwined into a larger master plan He has established for His Kingdom purposes.  Sometimes we cannot see or understand this plan, so we doubt it exists.  Some are tempted to feel insignificant, insecure, and unneeded in this master plan.  Others sense the purpose and the destiny, but have difficulty navigating the course.  Often this is directly related to striving or in this analogy paddling.

Many times God will show you the beginning of your journey and a glimpse of the destination, but He usually leaves out the path in between the two. When progress does not seem to be happening as quickly as we feel it should, between the beginning of the journey and the destination, we often want to help God with His plan.

Look at the example below. The Lord showed Abraham the beginning of his journey and the promise of the future.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Genesis 12:1-4 NASU

If you know the whole story, Abraham did not wait patiently for God to make him a great nation, he agreed to his wife’s plan to help God and the result was a child named Ishmael. His promise was eventually fulfilled with Isaac, but the side plan has resulted in conflict that continues even today.  This shows that good intentions are not always God intentions!

Another great example of someone with good intentions was Martha. Martha had a servant’s heart.  She was trying to prepare a meal and make everything perfect for Jesus’ visit.  She was a worker trying to do the “right” thing.  Martha had good intentions, but what did Jesus think about them?

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 NASU

This is the best analogy I can find to explain the thought behind “Lay down your paddle!” I believe many individuals, many ministries, many churches, have good ideas but they are not always God ideas.  In this scenario, we labor and we toil, striving to put together all these elaborate plans and projects to bring people to Jesus, to help Christians to grow and mature, but often all this striving just keeps us in the kitchen with Martha!  Good intentions are not always God intentions.

I understand the need to plan; in fact, I am someone who tends to over-plan….I plan ahead – way ahead! When I have an opportunity to teach God’s Word, I always try to do my best to study and show myself approved (2 Timothy 2:15).  I generally plan more information than I can possibly share, but if at the last minute, the Holy Spirit directs me to go in a different flow, I have to be brave enough to lay down the paddle and let Him guide the course.  He knows the master plan better than I do!

When you have your day planned to the last minute, when we have our corporate services on an agenda, and the Holy Spirit interrupts the schedule because there is someone who has a need, will we lay down our paddle? Are our plan and our agenda more important than His are?

Giving up control is one of the most difficult things to do.

The small town where I reside has a sign, “Gateway to the Riverway, and is associated with canoeing on the Current River. I have personally floated parts of this river several times, but never without a paddle.  The thought of doing that stretches me to think about giving up my control to the plans God has for me – to realize that all of my good intentions are not necessarily His.

There are times on a river journey where the pace is fast, rough, and scary. Other times it seems like the water becomes stagnant the movement is so slow.  Try to remember that those moments are when the water runs deepest and the still waters create an atmosphere to hear better, and do not be tempted to pick up the paddle to move faster during this time.

I want to encourage you today to lay down your paddle, lay down your agenda, lay down your good plans and walk in God’s plan…..it is always the best course.  During transition you may be tempted to react or to run, but this is the time you must press into God and trust that His plan is a good one and He’s got you!

From the Pit to the Palace

24 Tuesday May 2016

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IMG_0291Have you ever felt like your dream would never come to fruition? I have been thinking about this very topic recently as I have been studying the story of Joseph from Genesis 37-47.  Joseph had two different literal dreams as a young man that his brothers would bow down to him.  These were not just “pizza dreams”; they were prophetic dreams that foretold his destiny that he was to fulfill.  However, his brothers despised him when he shared the dreams, which ultimately landed him in a pit.

Maybe you haven’t had a literal dream as Joseph did of the destiny you are to walk in, but you do have hopes and aspirations to fulfill the purposes God has for your life. If you have accepted the truth that He does have a plan for your life, then I hope that you are actively moving through each stage of this process.

Joseph definitely endured a difficult process.   After telling his brothers about the dream, they schemed to destroy him.  His first stop in the process was a pit where his brothers cast him to die.  Later they decided it would be better if they could make a profit on his demise, so they pulled him out of the pit and sold him as a slave.

Regardless of the bad things that happen to people, when God has a plan for your life, He will make you successful even when others cannot accept His favor on your life. Even though Joseph was sold as a slave, you can read below the passage about his success.

Genesis 39:2-6 NKJV

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. 5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field.

As I stated earlier, the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream was a process. It did not end with this success.  He found himself in a situation where even though he did what was right, he was wrongfully accused and landed in prison for a crime he did not commit.  First, a pit, and now prison, this is where most people give up on the dream, but not Joseph!

Genesis 39:21-23 NKJV

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. 23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

What is the dream God has but in your heart? In your natural mind that dream may seem as ridiculous as Joseph’s dream seemed to his brothers.  Perhaps you have experienced your own version of the pit and the prison on your way to the fulfillment of your dream.

The Bible doesn’t tell us about the feelings I am sure Joseph had to deal with during this difficult process. I am sure there were times that he felt so isolated and alone as no one seemed to understand the purpose God had put in his heart.  He had this unusual destiny locked inside of him that could not seem to find a way out.  I suspect that there were times when he questioned the validity of the dream, and wondered if he had misunderstood the message.  Since he seemed to find success wherever he was, even in prison, was he tempted to settle for a modified version of the dream? I wonder if he also struggled to maintain hope for fear of yet another disappointment.

Let me share the part of Joseph’s story that encourages me the most. His situation changed suddenly!  One day Pharaoh was desperate to have a troublesome dream interpreted.  Because Joseph had been faithful to his calling, even when he was in prison, he was recommended for the job.  This single event unlocked his destiny, the path to the Palace, and ultimately the fulfillment of his original dream.  This promotion allowed Joseph to fulfill a mightily calling on his life.  Look below at Joseph’s response when his brothers apologized for their actions.

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.                                                                 Gen 50:20 NASU

There may be many obstacles in your path between the dream and the fulfillment of the promise, but I want to encourage you today to let Joseph be an example that gives you hope. The pit and the prison did not prevent the promise; they prepared him to fulfill the calling he was created to do.  If God has given you a dream, stay faithful during the process and you will realize the promise. Today could be the day that suddenly happens for you too!

Storm Seasons

31 Thursday Mar 2016

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IMG_0095I love the warmer days this time of the year brings, but along with the temperature change, we often are faced with threatening weather. It is during this season, our favorite TV shows are often interrupted with alerts telling us that a storm is near.

Some of the worst storms I have experienced have been while I was out on a lake. In my elementary years, my family enjoyed camping at the lake.  I was my dad’s fishing buddy when we were on these trips.  This particular lake had a history of bad storms.  I guess it had something to do with the landscape and the direction the wind typically came in. It seemed that even on a beautiful day, a horrific storm could blow in without warning.

One morning while my dad and I were fishing, one of those storms unexpectedly came up.  My dad knew I was a strong swimmer, but he was so frightened that he handed me a lifejacket and made me put it on.  We were in a small three-seat boat with stick steering in the front seat.  I remember vividly his stern voice.  He said, “I will drive along the bank and if we turn over, do not look back, just swim to the bank!” I had never seen my dad this concerned on the lake before.

The rain felt like needles as it penetrated my skin.  I hung on for dear life as we went over wave after wave thinking the water was going to come into the boat each time.  Then we came along a shore where a houseboat was able to bank safely to wait out the storm.  The men on this boat saw us and waved us over.  I remember getting inside the shelter of that boat, and feeling so relieved even though I was shivering from fear and being wet and cold.

My love of the lake and fishing continued into my adult life and my husband was thrilled that he married someone with this passion.  We too had many opportunities to weather storms on the lake through the years.  One particular storm stands out above all the rest because God gave me a wonderful message from the events of that day.

Our children had reached an age where they did not particularly want to get up early and go fishing with their parents. We had decided that they were old enough that it would be safe to allow them to stay in the locked camper alone at the campground.  My husband and I traveled up the lake about thirteen miles to the location where we planned to fish.  We had not been there long and suddenly we began to see lightning.  Even though we moved quickly to get our poles put away, we did not get the task completed before the wind and rain began to toss us back and forth.

We took off across the lake as fast as we safely could to get back to our children.  I was so concerned because this was the first time we had left them alone, and my daughter was very fearful during storms.  After about one mile of travel, the alarm on the motor began to sound.  Usually this meant that the fuel filter had clogged.  We knew we could not risk continuing to drive with it sounding, or the motor might be significantly damaged.  My husband stopped the boat and took the cover off the motor.  The waves were so high that the water was splashing into the boat.  He removed the filter to clean it and a big wave came over about that time causing him to drop the gasket covering the filter into the lake.  We were stranded!

The sweats that I wore to keep me warm on that summer morning going across the lake were now soaked, cold, and heavy.  I found myself feeling as vulnerable as I did as a small girl with my dad in the storm we survived.

We were floating helplessly across the water toward a rock bluff. Lightning was all around us.  I was praying desperately for God to intervene, and for my children to be safe.  My husband was frantically trying to come up with a temporary solution so we could start the motor.

As we eventually floated over to the rock wall, I was sitting on the side of the boat to prepare to kick us away as the waves pushed us toward it. I did not want our boat to be damaged by crashing into it.  I kicked us away one time and then we just began to float along the side of it.  While I was sitting on the side of the boat, I looked down and saw a ledge that came out significantly right below the surface of the water.  It was as if God just hid us in the cleft of that rock!  I was able to step out of the boat onto that ledge in ankle deep water even though this part of the lake was well over one hundred feet deep. I held the boat steady while my husband cut cardboard to form a temporary gasket for the fuel filter.

By the time he had successfully completed this task, the storm began to subside. We headed down the lake for our children.  When we arrived, they were still asleep and had not even known there was a storm!

While both of the storms I just described seemed to come suddenly, I am sure if access to the internet were available on phones as we have today, we would have known there was a forecast of those storms. Storms can be predicted, they just cannot be prevented.  There was ample warning and prediction that Hurricane Katrina was coming.  However, there was nothing that could be done to prevent the devastation that storm brought.

Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for storms. He was the great teacher and when His students failed their first test, He allowed them to take it again.  He wanted them to learn to have faith and not to doubt in the midst of storms.  Here is the first test.

 And after He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.  And suddenly, behold, there arose a violent storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered up by the waves; but He was sleeping.  And they went and awakened Him, saying, “Lord, rescue and preserve us! We are perishing!” And He said to them, “Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great and wonderful calm (a perfect peaceableness).  And the men were stunned with bewildered wonder and marveled, saying, “What kind of Man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

Matthew 8:23-27 Amplified Bible

Six chapters later, we see the second test.

Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.  And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.  But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.  And in the fourth watch [between 3:00 — 6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, “It is a ghost!” And they screamed out with fright. But instantly He spoke to them, saying, “Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!”  And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  He said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.  But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me” [from death]! Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!”

Matthew 14:22-33 Amplified Bible

I believe we can see many important lessons about how to survive the storms of life in these passages. One critical lesson is that we must realize that He is with us in the storms, and He will never forsake us.  In the first example, Jesus allowed the disciples to experience the first test with Him literally by their side.  In the second test, Jesus directed them to go without Him. Not only was he seemingly absent during the first part of the storm, He did not come to their assistance until the fourth watch of the night. However, in both situations, He is teaching them to have faith and not doubt that He is with them.

I have heard people say that sometimes Jesus calms the storm, and sometimes He calms his children in the midst of the storm. When Jesus calmed both of these storms, the disciples were amazed by His power.  The solution seemed as sudden as the storm.  If you are walking through a storm season in your life, be assured that He is with you, He is all-powerful, and this season will not last forever.  When Jesus was teaching His disciples in John 16:33, He said, “I have told you all this, so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (NLT)

True Love

11 Thursday Feb 2016

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IMG_0081.PNGThis weekend we have an opportunity to celebrate love. Historically, Valentine’s Day tends to be a day to acknowledge romantic love, and I am blessed to be spending my 33rd sweetheart day with my husband Dennis.  However, for many it can be a difficult day if they do not have a specific person in their life to celebrate this time with.  For all of us it is a great time to focus on the meaning of “True Love”.

When we think about the definition of love from a Scripture perspective, most immediately think of the “Love Chapter” found in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…..

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NASU

Wow! If this is the definition of “True Love” then it is a tall order for us mere humans. Thankfully, Christ enables us to love this way.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

1 John 4:7-9 NASU

During this Valentine’s Weekend, I want to encourage you to look for ways to allow the love of God to mold you beyond your human ability to show love. Below are three possible areas you could allow love to grow in your life.

LOVE DICTATES ACTION

But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

1 John 3:17-18 NASU

LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…

1 John 4:18 NASU

LOVE IS OBEDIENT

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

1 John 5:2-3 NASU

 

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Force of Frustration

17 Sunday Jan 2016

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Frustration can be a powerful negative force in an individual’s life. According to Wikipedia, “Frustration is a common emotional response to opposition.  Related to anger and disappointment, it arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of individual will.”1

For many frustration can be extremely paralyzing. It has both external and internal forces.  Externally, we feel frustrated when there is some kind of obstacle hindering our progress or success.  Internally, if we are unable to overcome the emotions that come with the perceived hindrances, we can be tempted to give up.

If you are a Christian, you have an enemy who wants to use frustration as a source of discouragement in your life. He wants to stop the plan of God for your life and your purpose.

We find a great example of this in the book of Ezra. There was great opposition to the purpose of rebuilding the temple.

Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 4:4-5 NKJV

Their enemy wanted to “frustrate their purpose”! Look below at the meaning of that word “frustrate” from the original text.

OT:6565 : parar (paw-rar’); a primitive root; to break up (usually figuratively, i.e. to violate, frustrate

 KJV – any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease,  clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to naught,  utterly, make void. 2

We can see from this definition that the enemy uses frustration to STOP us from accomplishing the plan of God and to destroy our destiny. Let me share five simple steps found in Psalm 37:1-7 to help you overcome the negative force of frustration in your life (the full text is at the end).  Every time you feel frustrated, replace those feelings with the below instructions.

  1. FRET NOT: Replace fret with faith. Instead of focusing on the obstacles, rehearse past victories. 
  2. TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD: Instead of focusing on what you cannot do, concentrate on what you can. 
  3. DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE SECRET DESIRES AND PETITIONS OF YOUR HEART: Cultivate dynamic devotion to the Lord! Take your attention off the problem and delight in the problem solver! 
  4. COMMIT YOUR WAY TOO THE LORD, TRUST ALSO IN HIM AND HE WILL BRING IT TO PASS: Stay committed to the purpose. You will not have opportunity without opposition. Allow the delay to increase your determination that the outcome is worth your perseverance. 
  5. BE STILL AND REST IN THE LORD; WAIT FOR HIM AND PATIENTLY LEAN YOURSELF ON HIM: Remember if you are getting tired, you are getting close! A distance runner does not get tired in the first part of the race, this happens close to the finish line. A position of rest is an attitude of trust that God is big enough to bring His purposes to fulfillment.

Next time you feel like you are pushing against a brick wall and you are overwhelmed with feelings of frustration, I hope you will stop and remember these five simple steps to turn the force of frustration into a force that propels you into a deeper trusting relationship with your Heavenly Father. 

 

Psalm 37:1-7 Amplified Bible (underline added for emphasis)

FRET NOT yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness (that which is not upright or in right standing with God). For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday. Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.

  1. Frustration. 2015. In Wikipedia. Retrieved January 17, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frustration
  2. Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

Mary Did You Know?

22 Tuesday Dec 2015

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As Christmas Day gets closer this year, I have contemplated the words to this song, “Mary Did You Know” as it has played over and over in my mind the last few days. (Click on the song title to listen)

Most know the Christmas story, but I am seeing it from a different viewpoint this year….Mary’ perspective.

Luke 1:26-36 NASU

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.  

Even though the angel came to explain what was to happen, can you imagine walking in Mary’s shoes and trying to make any sense of this unusual destiny that she was to fulfill? Thankfully, confirmation came in two ways. First the angel also explained what was to happen to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25), and secondly, the Holy Spirit revealed it to her relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:36-45).

Even with two witnesses I cannot begin to imagine the difficult path that Mary was commissioned to walk. Understanding this unusual conception was only the beginning.

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When it was time for delivery, Mary was again in a remarkable predicament. While traveling to register for the census, the time came to give birth. There was no room in the inn so she was forced to deliver baby Jesus in a stable and lay him in a manger. After an angel alerted shepherds about the birth, they came to worship and shared the story with Mary (Luke 2:8-18). I love this next verse:

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Luke 2:19-20 NASU

The next challenge Mary was faced with was the need to go into hiding because Herod wanted this child destroyed (Matthew 2:13-23). Mary wasn’t able to return to her home because her life was now dictated by the destiny of the child she bore.

When Jesus was twelve His family traveled to Jerusalem for Passover. His parents realized He was not in the group on the way home. After three days, they located him in the temple astonishing the teachers and scholars with His wisdom and understanding (Luke 2:41-51). Again, we read a similar passage:

And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Luke 2:51 NASU

Mary was the one who encouraged Jesus to perform His first miracle (John 2:1-11). She must have been so proud as she observed Him heal the sick, multiply food for thousands, and raise the dead. She must have felt such concern when He was rejected, ridiculed, and falsely accused.   Eventually she finds herself at the foot of the cross (John 19:25-27). Mary did you know your son Jesus was born to die?

Can you even imagine a mother’s heart breaking in this moment? This innocent Son suffered unbelievable agony and died for all humanity, so we might have eternal life. Jesus was resurrected three days later, but not long after He ascended into heaven.   Jesus fulfilled the mandate He was given on this earth, yet I am sure Mary missed her Son.

She pondered many things in her heart during His lifetime….now I expect her heart felt the pain of loss. Mary was an amazing woman. She walked a difficult path, but one that benefited us all. She went where none had gone before. Where would we be if she had refused?

During the Christmas season, we celebrate the glory of God that came to us first through a baby and now exists among us in the form of the Holy Spirit. This glory enables us to walk the path that God created for each of us to travel.

At times, our human strength is gone and our willingness to persevere the challenges life brings wears thin. However, just as Mary had a destiny to fulfill, so do we. My Christmas blessing to you is that you will receive encouragement today to complete all of your assignments and that the Glory of the Lord will shine through you.

This morning during a time of prayer, I heard a powerful Word from the Lord and I have shared it with you below. I pray it will encourage you to do as Mary did and go where others have not gone before.   Merry Christmas!

“I have said it before, and I will say it again – CONTEND!  Contend for My glory, contend for My presence, says the Lord.

It is in My presence that you will find your strength for the fight. It is in My glory that you are equipped for the night.

My power is in sight. It is available to help you overcome the plots to destroy your might.

Look up! Look out!   The destination is still in front and not behind. Push out of the places where you are stuck in the mud.

No more excuses. No more delays. My power and anointing is available TODAY!

Go where others have not gone before. I will be with you says the Lord!”

 

 

 

 

This is Only a Test!

17 Thursday Dec 2015

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I remember when I was younger hearing that annoying loud sound that would come across the TV followed by a message that said, “This is a test, this is ONLY a test of the emergency broadcast system…”

I often wish I could hear that sound as I go through life and have those moments that seem difficult.  Perhaps then, I would remember that THIS IS ONLY A TEST!

I don’t know too many people who enjoy test taking, yet it is an ordinary part of the world we live in. It begins at the moment we are born with an Apgar test, which quickly summarized the general health of the newborn. Tests are an integral part of our educations system.  We take a test before we are licensed to drive a car, and many endure all kinds of medical tests throughout the course of life to assess proper function of human anatomy and physiology.

Even though we are so familiar with all these kinds of tests we experience in our natural lives, it is often unsettling when we encounter a spiritual test. These can come in many forms.  Some examples of common tests we encounter are relational challenges with family members and loved ones, health issues, and financial concerns.

We read this from the book of James:

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

 James 1:12 NLT

A healthy perspective on the benefits of enduring a test can aid us in our perseverance during them. Three possible reasons for a test are:

  1. TO DETERMINE AN AREA OF WEAKNESS: I already mentioned a great example of this concept. Medical tests are often performed to identify something in the human body that needs attention. By finding the weakness, often treatment can be administered to correct the problem.
  2. To REFINE: Times of testing can be related to “going through the fire”. When you heat up certain metals with fire, a refining process happens causing the impurities or unwanted contents to rise to the surface so they can be removed.
  3. TO PROMOTE: A test is used in all education to determine the appropriateness of promotion. We advance through the school system one grade at a time with passing scores on tests. Higher education is no different, the more elite the profession the greater the difficulty of the test.

How does all of this apply to our spiritual life? First and foremost, let me state that the reason for the test may be unknown and undeserved.  Some tests we encounter in this life are a result of our own actions, but many are simply a consequence of the fallen world we live in.  Regardless of the reason, there can be many benefits spiritually, just as the other examples listed above.

Spiritual weakness is easily identified and impurities often rise to the surface during the seasons we walk through that are difficult. These realizations afford us the opportunity to take action and make corrections.  These are the times that our character and our integrity are more fully developed.

Promotion is also critical in our spiritual walk. We are never to become stagnant, nor should we ever retire on this side of heaven.  We are to be consistently transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

I believe the enemy uses tests to defeat Christians, but God can bring good from these trials and use them to better prepare you for promotion.

So the next time you hear that annoying sound the test brings……just stop and say, “THIS IS A TEST, THIS IS ONLY A TEST!

  •  Remember that a test is an opportunity for you to assess what you know, and learn from where you are weak and grow!
  • The greater the calling or the destiny, the more difficult the test!
  • In your spiritual walk, failing a test is not the end, the teacher gives make up tests!
  • Prepare for the test, expect the test, and review the answers frequently, because the teacher is often silent during the test!
  • Respond to the test do not react to it!

 

 

What Will You Do With Black Friday?

29 Sunday Nov 2015

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Today marks the end of a holiday weekend where we take time to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Often part of that celebration is sitting around a table together enjoying food and fellowship with those we love.

As with many of our holidays, the once simplified celebrations have become much commercialized.  For many, Thanksgiving has become about “Black Friday” which now really begins on Thursday.

I am not here to criticize anyone who took advantage of the sales of black Friday, even if it was on Thursday, but what I do want to do is look at a parallel story in scripture.

I always struggle with that term “Black Friday”.  Originally, this was used because it is the day many retailers finally move from the red to the black, or become profitable, because of the large amount of shopping for the upcoming Christmas Holiday.

However, when I hear the term “Black Friday”, it just sounds like a dark thing.  Don’t you think it is interesting that another Friday that was a dark day for many is called “Good Friday”?

Indulge my play on words here for a moment, because I want to show you what a man named Peter did with his “Black Friday” that most call “Good Friday”.  This is the place in the story, where if you were watching it on TV or at a movie, you would see the words flash across the screen “ABOUT ONE MONTH EARLIER”.

Who is this man named Peter?  We first learn about Peter in Matthew 4:18-20:

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.

We learn here that Peter was the first man Jesus called to follow Him.  The Bible says that he and his brother IMMEDIATELY left their nets and followed Him, even though they didn’t know anything about Him.

This is the first clue we get about what kind of man Peter was.

     1.  He Was A Man Of Faith

We must use faith when we do not know the outcome.  Peter shows here that he is willing to use his faith to follow Jesus.  We read a few chapters later where Jesus named him the first of his twelve disciples and empowered him for ministry. (Matthew 10:1-2)

The next thing we learn about Peter is that he is:

     2.  A Risk Taker

 

A familiar story is found in Matthew 14:25-32 (NKJV)

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And 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. 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?”  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

 It is easy to criticize Peter for having this moment of weak faith and doubt, but I have always said it this way, “I WOULD RATHER BE A WET WATER WALKER THAN A DRY BOAT TALKER!!!”

Peter was testing his sea legs, he took the risk, and I am sure that his faith and his character were strengthened by it.

The next key scripture we read about Peter is found in Matthew 16:13-19 NKJV

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.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus tells us the next characteristic of Peter he is:

     3.  A Rock

 

Again, we see here Peter is at the head of the class.  Jesus asked the question and Peter is the one who spoke up!  If you remember from the first passage we read, his name was Simon and Jesus called him Peter.

The word “Peter”, in Greek, means “a rock”. Christ gave it to Simon when he called him to be a disciple.

There are many different opinions of the interpretation of this passage, but let me tell you my personal thoughts.  When asked who Jesus is, Peter says that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God…..Jesus is pleased with Peter’s response and tells him that he is blessed because this information has been REVEALED to him by His Father in heaven!

Basically, Jesus is saying that because Peter expressed His true character by calling Him the Son of God, He also, has given Peter a name expressive of his character. He called him Peter, a rock, denoting firmness, solidity, and stability.

Further, I believe Jesus is telling Peter that this REVEALED KNOWLEDGE OF WHO HE IS COMES WITH MUCH AUTHORITY!

Peter’s learning curve continues just a few verses later in Matthew 16:21-23.

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. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 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.”

Here we see the next characteristic of Peter.

     4.  He Was A Passionate Man

 

The definition of passionate is, “capable of, affected by, or expressing intense feelings.”  Peter clearly shows in this passage that he is capable of intense emotion, he shows he was dramatically affected by what Jesus described that was going to happen to Him, and he was intense in expressing those feelings!

Peter was a passionate man.  He had left everything to follow Jesus.  He recognized Him as the Son of God, I am sure he did not expect that the Son of God would suffer and die!  I am sure Peter could not bear to think of Jesus’ death, He most likely expected a triumphant Messiah and couldn’t imagine how death fit in that plan.

Has your passion ever gotten you into trouble?  Mine has.  There have been times I have felt so passionate about something at work that I just didn’t know when to be quiet.  It could be perceived here that Peter was in trouble with Jesus for expressing his passion.

For many, this would have been a good quitting place.  A place to get disillusioned and to stop being part of the Jesus team!  Not Peter.  He didn’t quit; he received the rebuke from his Master.  He had to learn that his passion was in opposition to the master plan of salvation for all of us.  He learned submission and continued with fervency.

In fact, we read that six days later he took that same kind of passion up on the mount of transfiguration.  You can read about it in Matthew 17:1-8.  Peter wanted to stay in that place of God’s presence and passionately expressed this desire.

You just have to love Peter.  He tries so hard!  We have already seen he isn’t afraid to move in faith, to be a risk taker, and to express his passion.  He is trying to get it right this time.  He says to the Lord, “It is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter recognized that this was a place in God’s presence he had never experienced before….it was a good place!  What he still had to learn is there is always purpose for the presence.  They would need this experience in the coming days.  Furthermore, if they had stayed there, not only would their purpose not have been fulfilled, but also the boy at the foot of that mountain would never have been healed.

This is the place in the story where we began before going back and looking at the previous month’s activities.  Now we find Peter is sitting with Jesus and all the disciples as they celebrate a Passover meal, much like we sat around tables in the last few days with our loved ones celebrating Thanksgiving.

Scripture tells us that they ate, they sang a hymn, and then left for the Mount of Olives.  Just as Black Friday began on Thursday this year, this was the beginning of Peter’s Black Friday.

Let’s pick up reading the story from here.

Matthew 26:31-35 NKJV

Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:  ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” 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!”

If you keep reading, you see where Jesus led them to Gethsemane.  Again, just like at the mount of transfiguration, he only took His three closest with him, this time asking them to join Him in prayer.  Peter was the first he asked.  If you know the story, it is in this garden that Jesus is arrested and taken away to face his accusers

Now let’s read about Peter’s “Black Friday”

Matthew 26:69-75 NKJV

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

We have learned that Peter is:

  1. A Man of Faith
  2. A Risk Taker
  3. A Rock
  4. A Passionate Man

But now we see that He is:

     5. A FAILURE!

 

This is the place in the story where we ask the question we began with….

“WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH BLACK FRIDAY?”

“What will you do with that moment of failure?”

The one thing I am confident of is that each of us have all had times in our life where we felt like a failure.  Maybe you started as a man or woman of faith, but a situation came in your life that caused you to lose hope/lose your footing/ and your faith failed.

Maybe you were the risk taker….you were the one willing to step out of the boat against all odds only to lose sight of the goal and sink ending in failure.

Perhaps you are the one who is always a rock, your stable, your fixed, your tenacious, yet that one situation caused your rock to crumble ending in failure.

Possibly, you are the passionate one.  The one who is capable of expressing intense feelings and because of your intense passion, a season of failure hits you the hardest.

You can put your own name on “Black Friday” it comes in many forms.  It could be a personal failure, but it could also be a major trial.  Maybe a family issue, maybe a health concern, the list goes on.

THE QUESTION IS, “WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR BLACK FRIDAY?”

Let’s go back and look at what Peter did with his.  Maybe you have heard the phrase, “It may feel like Friday night, but Sunday is on the way!”  Jesus died on Friday but He arose on Sunday, which afforded us the opportunity to make every failure a victory.

Not long after Jesus’ resurrection, we read where he was meeting with His disciples for breakfast…

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”  He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”  He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”  He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”  And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.  (John 21:15-18 NKJV)

I may not have any Bible scholars see this passage the way I do, but let me tell you what I see….

First, I think it is interesting that Jesus called him Simon.  He had named him Peter that means “Rock” yet here for the first time that I know of, He goes back to his given name Simon.  I personally believe that Jesus knew how Peter was feeling.  He knew that he felt like such a failure and didn’t deserve the name given to him by Jesus at that moment.  He knew Peter didn’t feel like a rock and He was reaching out to him in his current state of despair.

The second thing that stands out to me is the fact that Jesus asked Peter the same question three times. “Do you love me?”  I believe He purposefully did that because he was giving Peter the opportunity to “feel” forgiven for ALL three times he denied Him!

Now we see that Peter has a new characteristic.

     6.  Peter is Forgiven!

 

The third thing I see from this passage is Jesus’ response to Peter each time.  He tells him to feed and tend to My sheep.  To me, this speaks of Peter’s purpose.  He was the first man Jesus called to follow Him.  He had a plan for Peter’s life.  He wanted to take this man’s faith, his ability to be a risk taker, his stability, and his passion and turn him into a mighty minister to spread the gospel.

BUT FIRST, HE HAD TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH HIS BLACK FRIDAY!

Would he let this failure, this disappointment, this difficult day be the end of his purpose or would he allow this black day to propel him into his intended future?

If you know Scripture, you know the answer to this question.  After Jesus ascended  to heaven it was Peter who preached an amazing sermon.  Take the time to read it in Acts 2:14-41.  There were over 3000 people saved that day!

Now we see the last characteristic of Peter, he is:

     7.  An Overcomer!

 

You can continue to read in the book of Acts where he was used by God to perform many miracles, he ministered to the Gentiles, he was imprisoned and delivered, and he wrote two of the books of the Bible!

So what did Peter do with his “Black Friday”?  He allowed a day of great disappointment, great disillusionment, and great failure to propel him into his divine destiny.

It isn’t all about falling; it is about getting back up.  So the question I have for each of you today is, “What will you do with your “Black Friday”?

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