Tag Archives: simon peter

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Mr Fearing comforted

Leave a comment

 

“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:31

Suggested Further Reading: Isaiah 51:9-16

Why did Simon Peter doubt? He doubted for two reasons. First, because he looked too much to second causes, and secondly, because he looked too little at the first cause. The answer will suit you also, my trembling brother. This is the reason why you doubt, because you are looking too much to the things that are seen, and too little to your unseen Friend who is behind your troubles, and who shall come forth for your deliverance. See poor Peter in the ship—his Master bids him come; in a moment he casts himself into the sea, and to his own surprise he finds himself walking the billows. His foot is upon a crested wave, and yet he stands erect; he treads again, and yet his footing is secure. “Oh!” thinks Peter, “this is marvellous.” He begins to wonder within his spirit what manner of man he must be who has enabled him thus to tread the treacherous deep; but just then, there comes howling across the sea a terrible blast of wind; it whistles in the ear of Peter, and he says within himself, “Ah! Here comes an enormous billow driven forward by the blast; now, surely, I must, I shall be overwhelmed.” No sooner does the thought enter his heart than down he goes; and the waves begin to enclose him. So long as he shut his eye to the billow, and to the blast, and kept it only open to the Lord who stood there before him, he did not sink; but the moment he shut his eye on Christ, and looked at the stormy wind and treacherous deep, down he went.

For meditation: The Christian is in a battle against unseen enemies. The shield of faith helps us to fight and, having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:12-16); to put it down for a moment and to rely on sight is to risk falling in battle.

Sermon no. 246

3 April (1859)

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Jesus washing his disciples’ feet

Leave a comment

 

‘Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?’ John 13:6

Suggested Further Reading: Philemon 4–20

The Scottish Baptists were accustomed to wash the saints’ feet literally; I dare say it would not do some of the saints much hurt; but still it never was intended for us to carry out literally the example of the Saviour; there is a spiritual meaning here, and what he means is this. If there be any deed of kindness or love that we can do for the very meanest and most obscure of God’s people, we ought to be willing to do it—to be servants to God’s servants—to feel like Abigail did, when she said to David, ‘Let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.’ Abigail became David’s wife; but yet she felt she was not worthy even to wash his servants’ feet. That must be our spirit. Do you know a brother who is rather angry in temper, and he wants a kind word said to him, and some one says, ‘I will not speak to any such person as he is’? Do it—do it, my dear brother; go and wash his feet! Do you know one who has gone astray? Some one says, ‘I would not like to be seen in association with him.’ My dear friend, you are spiritual; go and restore such a one in the spirit of meekness. Wash his feet! There is another riding the high horse; he is very very proud. One says, ‘I am not going to humble myself to him.’ My dear brother, go to him, and wash his feet! Whenever there is a child of God who has any defilement upon him, and you are able to point it out and rid him of it, submit to any degradation, put yourself in any position, sooner than that child of God should be the subject of sin.

For meditation: The New Testament gives Christians many instructions about their mutual behaviour towards one another. Check yourself against these commands: 1. In general—love; have peace; be likeminded; care. 2. In attitude—be subject; esteem better; prefer; forbear; forgive; be kind; consider; receive. 3. In speech—exhort; comfort; edify; greet; teach; admonish; confess; pray. 4. In action—bear burdens; serve; minister; use hospitality. Whose ‘feet’ are you ‘washing’ (John 13:14)?

Sermon no. 612

29 January (1865)

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Heart Trouble

Leave a comment

 

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. —John 14:1

Have you ever felt troubled in your heart—agitated, stressed out, or uncertain about tomorrow? Or to put it another way, have you ever driven on a freeway in Southern California?

There is a lot to be afraid of these days, isn’t there? Maybe something has happened to you recently that has turned your world upside down. Maybe you’ve found yourself wondering whether God really is aware of the problems you’re facing right now.

That is exactly how the disciples of Jesus felt. They were downhearted and discouraged. When they were all gathered in the Upper Room for the Passover feast, Jesus told them that one of them was going to betray Him. Then He identified Judas Iscariot as the betrayer. Not only that, but Jesus also said that Simon Peter would deny Him—not once, not twice, but three times. Peter! Could it really be? The whole world turned upside down for these men. And then, worst of all, Jesus began talking about leaving them, about being crucified. Can you blame them for wondering, What in the world is going on here?

Maybe you feel that way. Maybe there is uncertainty in your future. As you survey your fears and concerns today, take a few minutes to consider what Jesus said to His disciples and to us in that tense Upper Room: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1). This verse could also be translated, “Let not your heart be agitated or disturbed or thrown into confusion.”

In other words, “Don’t let these things throw you! Put your full trust and faith in Me!” It was good advice for some deeply troubled believers two thousand years ago, and I can tell you right now with complete confidence that it’s the best counsel anyone will give you all day today.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Saying Yes to God

Leave a comment

Charles Stanley

Luke 5:1-11

God’s simple requests are often stepping-stones to life’s greatest blessings. When Simon Peter said yes to Jesus’ two small requests, his whole mission changed from fisherman to fisher of men.

An unproductive night’s work no doubt left Peter weary. Yet he willingly brought Jesus on board and then pushed his boat out from shore so the Teacher’s words would carry to the crowd. When the Lord finished speaking, He told the experienced fisherman to head out to deeper water. Peter knew the timing for a good catch was wrong, but he obeyed and was blessed with not one, but two boatloads of fish.

Often God’s blessings result from our compliance with seemingly insignificant requests. Though we prefer He ask us to perform great tasks that will impact large crowds, obedience in small matters is our proving ground. If we refuse His prompting to perform some minor action, what reason have we given Him to trust us with a more important responsibility?

Had Peter refused to lend Jesus his boat or to risk a midday fishing expedition, he’d have missed the immediate blessing of a big catch and perhaps also the even greater opportunity to be Jesus’ disciple. Walking with the Lord every day for three years, Peter witnessed miracles more spectacular than anything he saw that first day: A blind man received sight, Lazarus was restored to life, and at Jesus’ urging, Peter himself walked on water. The disciple’s courageous step off the boat and onto a raging, stormy sea was the result of saying yes every time God had made a small request.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Back Door    

Leave a comment

greglaurie

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.—1 Corinthians 10:13

There is always a way out. There is always a back door. (Sometimes it may even be the front door or perhaps a window.) You may think you’re trapped and that there is no way out of Satan’s web. But there always is! The enemy may harass you, but he can never exceed what God, in His grace and wisdom, allows.

On one occasion Satan came asking for permission to assault Simon Peter. Jesus turned to the fisherman and said, essentially, “Simon, Simon, Satan has been asking for you by name that you would be taken out of the care and protection of God.”

It’s interesting that Satan asked specifically for Peter. Has he ever asked for me by name? I doubt it. I don’t know that I have ever been tempted by the Devil himself.

Let me explain. I have certainly been hit with temptations orchestrated by the Devil, but Satan only can be in one place at one time. Sometimes we think of him as roughly God’s equal, only on the dark side. We know that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere-present, and we may imagine Satan to have similar attributes. He doesn’t. The Devil is not God’s equal. The Devil is a powerful spirit being, but he has limitations. He can’t be all over the world, tempting and harassing everyone at the same time. That is why he employs his vast army of demons. So even though Satan himself may have never tried to tempt me and drag me down, he’s had lots of help over the years.

In the case of Peter, however, the Devil didn’t want to trust an attack to one of his underlings. He came knocking himself. Peter was a big fish and a direct threat to Satan’s kingdom.

Immediately aware of Satan’s designs, Jesus warned Peter, assuring him, “I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith should not fail” (see Luke 22: 32).

Jesus prays for you, too. He is your Advocate and speaks in your defense when the Evil One tries to slander you before the Father.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Lovest thou me?

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. John 21:15-17

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

He did not say, “Simon, son of Jonas, fearest thou me.” He did not say, “Dost thou admire me? Dost thou adore me?” Nor was it even a question concerning his faith. He did not say, “Simon, son of Jonas, believest thou in me?” but he asked him another question, “Lovest thou me?” I take it, that is because love is the very best evidence of godliness. Love is the brightest of all the graces; and hence it becomes the best evidence. I do not believe love to be superior to faith; I believe faith to be the groundwork of our salvation; I think faith to be the mother grace, and love springs from it; faith I believe to be the root grace, and love grows from it. But then, faith is not an evidence for brightness equal to love. Faith, if we have it, is a sure and certain sign that we are God’s children; and so is every other grace a sure and certain one, but many of them cannot be seen by others. Love is a more sparkling one than any other. If I have a true fear of God in my heart, then I am God’s child; but since fear is a grace that is more dim and has not that halo of glory over it that love has, love becomes one of the very best evidences and one of the easiest signs of discerning whether we are alive to the Saviour. He that lacks love, must lack also every other grace in the proportion in which he lacks love. If love be little, I believe it is a sign that faith is little; for he that believes much loves much. If love be little, fear will be little, and courage for God will be little.

For meditation: The commandments of God can be headed and summarised by one word—love (Matthew 22:36-40; Romans 13:8-10).

Sermon no. 117

7 September (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Playing Second Fiddle

1 Comment

John MacArthur

The twelve apostles included “Andrew” (Matt. 10:2).

It’s been said that no one likes playing second fiddle, but that wasn’t Andrew’s perspective at all. Growing up in the shadow of an aggressive, outspoken brother like Peter would be a challenge for anyone. Even in the biblical record Andrew is known as “Simon Peter’s brother” (e.g., John 1:40). Yet when Andrew met Jesus, his first response was to tell Peter, knowing full well that once Peter became a disciple he probably would run the group. But Andrew was a truly humble man who was more concerned about bringing people to Christ than about who was in charge.

Andrew’s faith and openness prompted him to take advantage of every opportunity to lead others to Christ. He knew that the Lord’s primary mission was to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6), but he led Gentiles as well as Jewish people to Christ (John 12:20-22). He had seen Jesus change water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11), so he knew Jesus could do much with very little. That must have been on his mind when he brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus, knowing it would take a miracle to feed the huge crowd with such a small offering (John 6:8-9).

Tradition tells us that just prior to his death, Andrew preached in a province in which the governor’s wife heard the gospel and was saved. The governor demanded that she reject Christ, but she refused. In anger he had Andrew crucified on an X-shaped cross, on which Andrew hung for two days before dying. Even then his courage didn’t fail. He preached the gospel from that cross–still trying to bring others to Christ.

Andrew symbolizes all those humble, faithful, and courageous Christians who labor behind the scenes. They’re the backbone of every ministry and the ones on whom every leader depends. You might never be a prominent leader like Peter, but you can be a faithful, courageous servant like Andrew.

Suggestions for Prayer:

•             Thank the Lord for all the humble, faithful servants in your church.

•             Ask Him to teach you greater openness and courage so you can serve Him more effectively.

For Further Study: Read Philippians 2:25-30, noting how Epaphroditus ministered to Paul.

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Leading Others to Christ

1 Comment

John MacArthur

The twelve apostles included “Andrew” (Matt. 10:2).

Andrew was Peter’s brother and a native of Bethsaida of Galilee. From the very start we see him leading people to Christ–beginning with his own brother.

The gospel of John records his first encounter with Jesus: “John [the Baptist] was standing with two of his disciples (Andrew and John), and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’ And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. . . . One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which translated means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (John 1:35-37, 40-42). Later Jesus called both Andrew and Peter to become His disciples, and they immediately left their fishing nets to follow Him (Matt. 4:20).

Our next glimpse of Andrew is in John 6:8-9. It was late in the day and thousands of people who were following Jesus were beginning to get hungry, but there wasn’t enough food to feed them. Then Andrew brought to Jesus a young boy with five barley loaves and two fish. From that small lunch Jesus created enough food to feed the entire crowd!

Andrew also appears in John 12:20-22, which tells of some Greeks who were traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast. They came to Philip and requested to see Jesus. Philip took them to Andrew, who apparently took them to Jesus.

Andrew didn’t always know how Jesus would deal with a particular person or situation, but he kept right on bringing them to Him anyway. That’s a characteristic every believer should have. Your spiritual gifts might differ from others, but your common goal is to make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20), and that begins with leading sinners to Christ. Make that your priority today!

Suggestions for Prayer: When was the last time you told an unbeliever about Jesus? Pray for an opportunity to do so soon.

For Further Study: Do you know how to present the gospel clearly and accurately? As a review read Romans 3:19-28, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Ephesians 2:8-10, and Titus 3:4-7.

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Gaining Spiritual Stability

1 Comment

John MacArthur

The twelve apostles included “Simon, who is called Peter” (Matt. 10:2).

The first disciple Matthew’s gospel names is “Simon, who is called Peter” (Matt. 10:2). He was a fisherman by trade but Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. John 1:40-42 records their first encounter: “One of the two who heard John [the Baptist] speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon, and . . . brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas’ (which translated means Peter).”

“Peter” means “stone.” “Cephas” is its Aramaic equivalent. By nature Simon tended to be impulsive and vacillating. Apparently Jesus named him Peter as a reminder of his future role in the church, which would require spiritual strength and stability. Whenever Peter acted like a man of strength, Jesus called him by his new name. When he sinned, Jesus called him by his old name (e.g., John 21:15-17). In the gospel of John, Peter is called “Simon Peter” seventeen times. Perhaps John knew Peter so well he realized he was always drifting somewhere between sinful Simon and spiritual Peter.

For the next few days we will see how Jesus worked with Peter to transform him into a true spiritual rock. It was an amazing transformation, but not unlike what He desires to do in every believer’s life.

You might not have the same personality as Peter, but the Lord wants you to be a spiritual rock just the same. Peter himself wrote, “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). That occurs as you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). Make that your continual aim.

Suggestions for Prayer: List the areas of your Christian walk that are inconsistent or vacillating. Make them a matter of earnest prayer, asking God for wisdom and grace as you begin to strengthen them.

For Further Study: First Peter was written to Christians in danger of severe persecution. Read that epistle, noting the keys to spiritual stability that Peter gives.

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Mr Fearing comforted

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:31

Suggested Further Reading: Isaiah 51:9-16

Why did Simon Peter doubt? He doubted for two reasons. First, because he looked too much to second causes, and secondly, because he looked too little at the first cause. The answer will suit you also, my trembling brother. This is the reason why you doubt, because you are looking too much to the things that are seen, and too little to your unseen Friend who is behind your troubles, and who shall come forth for your deliverance. See poor Peter in the ship—his Master bids him come; in a moment he casts himself into the sea, and to his own surprise he finds himself walking the billows. His foot is upon a crested wave, and yet he stands erect; he treads again, and yet his footing is secure. “Oh!” thinks Peter, “this is marvellous.” He begins to wonder within his spirit what manner of man he must be who has enabled him thus to tread the treacherous deep; but just then, there comes howling across the sea a terrible blast of wind; it whistles in the ear of Peter, and he says within himself, “Ah! Here comes an enormous billow driven forward by the blast; now, surely, I must, I shall be overwhelmed.” No sooner does the thought enter his heart than down he goes; and the waves begin to enclose him. So long as he shut his eye to the billow, and to the blast, and kept it only open to the Lord who stood there before him, he did not sink; but the moment he shut his eye on Christ, and looked at the stormy wind and treacherous deep, down he went.

For meditation: The Christian is in a battle against unseen enemies. The shield of faith helps us to fight and, having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:12-16); to put it down for a moment and to rely on sight is to risk falling in battle.

Sermon no. 246

3 April (1859)

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Effective Workers

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Author Reuen Thomas wrote: “Every man on Earth is qualifying or disqualifying himself for other and higher work…every calling in life is intended by God to prepare a man for something higher than itself.” One of the great examples of this is Jesus’ bidding Andrew and Simon Peter to be His disciples. They were fishermen – not the most literate of men, but one’s whose character was not lacking.

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:19

Successful fishermen had to have skill and daring, patience to know when to wait and when to labor. They were hard workers able to endure privation and fatigue. Jesus knew what it took…to be fishers of men. And yet, to be effective, these fishermen spent three years with their Master – so they could hear His words and see His example.

Dear one, in the commonness of your everyday life, there is purpose. Spend time in God’s Word. If you have accepted Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit is in you. Trust Him for guidance so you can obey His directing – using your abilities to the best advantage – qualifying you for something higher. Then intercede for this nation’s leaders that they also may follow Jesus and be effective workers for Him.

Recommended Reading: II Timothy 2:15-26

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Ask for Help

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. —Luke 11:10

The Bible tells the story of Simon Peter, who was out walking on the water with Jesus. When the impossibility of the situation began to dawn on him, however, his faith faltered. He cried out, “Lord, save me!”

How easily Jesus could have said, “Where is your faith, Peter? You made your bed; now lie on it. Try swimming.” But the Bible says, “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him” (Matthew 14:31). Immediately. I like that.

When you begin to sink and cry out, “Lord, save me!” He will immediately reach out. But you must cry out for His help. That is hard for some of us to do.

As a kid, I spent a lot of time at the beach. When I was out bodysurfing one day, a big set of waves started coming in. So, I did what I was supposed to do: I swam toward the waves and went under them. When I looked up, there was another set. I swam under those too. One set after another came. The people on the beach were looking like little ants. Suddenly, I felt exhausted — with no strength left and nothing to hold onto. In that moment, I knew I was in trouble.

I realized I had two choices. I could cry, “Help!” and the lifeguard would come running with his life preserver. When we got to shore, my friends would laugh, and I would never live it down. Or, I could drown with dignity.

I cried out! A lot of us don’t want to admit our need. We don’t want to cry out to God. We want to maintain our dignity. But every day of my life, I need the best God has to offer. And you do too.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – The End of Spiritual Monopoly

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

John 1:41

This case is an excellent pattern of all cases where spiritual life is vigorous. As soon as a man has found Christ, he begins to find others. I will not believe that you have tasted of the honey of the Gospel if you can eat it all yourself. True grace puts an end to all spiritual monopoly. Andrew first found his own brother Simon, and then others. Relationship has a very strong demand upon our first individual efforts.

Andrew, you did well to begin with Simon. I doubt whether there are not some Christians giving away tracts at other people’s houses who would do well to give away a tract at their own–whether there are not some engaged in works of usefulness abroad who are neglecting their special sphere of usefulness at home. You may or may not be called to evangelize the people in any particular locality, but certainly you are called to witness to your own servants, your own family and acquaintances.

Let your faith begin at home. Many tradesmen export their best commodities–the Christian should not. He should have all his conversation everywhere be the best; but let him take care to display and share the sweetest fruit of spiritual life and testimony in his own family. When Andrew went to find his brother, he little imagined how eminent Simon would become. Simon Peter was worth ten Andrews so far as we can gather from sacred history, and yet Andrew was instrumental in bringing him to Jesus. You may be very deficient in talent yourself, and yet you may be the means of drawing to Christ one who shall become eminent in grace and service.

Dear friend, you hardly know the possibilities that are in you. You may simply speak a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart that shall stir the Christian church in years to come. Andrew has only two talents, but he finds Peter. Go out and do the same.

The family reading plan for February 19, 2014 Job 19 | 1 Corinthians 6

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Pivotal Moment in Church History

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” —Acts 10:28

A pivotal moment arrived in the spread of the gospel by the early church with the conversion of a man named Cornelius. His conversion was significant because Cornelius was not a Jew, but a Gentile.

For us living today in the melting pot called the United States of America, that doesn’t mean a lot. But it did mean a lot to the first-century Jew. Despite the fact that Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel, that really wasn’t happening. Christianity was running the risk of becoming a sect of Judaism.

But that all changed when God impacted one man, and that man was Simon Peter. Peter was pretty much like any other Jew living in his time. He was proud of his heritage, and I don’t mean that in a critical way.

The Jews of this time, however, wanted nothing to do with non-Jews, or Gentiles. So God wanted to redirect the early church to go to the non-Jews and bring them the message of the gospel. And the Lord did that through Peter.

Acts 10 tells us that while Peter was waiting for lunch one day in Joppa, he went up on the housetop to pray. Then he fell into a trance and saw the sky open, while something resembling a sheet was lowered that contained all kinds of unclean animals. Then a voice said, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat” (verse 13).

This wasn’t about food as much as it was about people. God was saying: “Peter, time to leave your comfort zone and reach a whole new group of people—the Gentiles.”

Soon after, Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius and his relatives and friends, and they believed. Peter obeyed God and left his comfort zone, and it changed church history.

 

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Adore Him

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

“Sing choirs of angels / Sing in exaltation / Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above / Glory to God, glory in the highest / O come, let us adore Him.” It’s easy to sing this beloved Christmas carol and miss the awesomeness of it. A whole, thick book can be written about angels, as evangelist Billy Graham demonstrated.

When he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God‘s angels worship him.”

Hebrews 1:6

Angels are amazing: supernatural, fearless and strong. When humans encounter these holy beings, they fall trembling before them, yet angels worship Jesus – who was both human and God. The entirety of Hebrews 1 points out Christ’s deity. The Heavenly Father gave this divine gift in human packaging that people might believe and receive eternal life.

Worship Him, as the angels do, and thank the Savior for leaving the glory of Heaven to express God to all people. And pray the nation’s leaders and citizens alike will receive revelation of who Jesus is…like Peter did, “Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.’” (Matthew 16:16-17)

Recommended Reading: Matthew 16:13-20

 

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Pivotal Moment in Church History

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” —Acts 10:28

A pivotal moment arrived in the spread of the gospel by the early church with the conversion of a man named Cornelius. His conversion was significant because Cornelius was not a Jew, but a Gentile.

For us living today in the melting pot called the United States of America, that doesn’t mean a lot. But it did mean a lot to the first-century Jew. Despite the fact that Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel, that really wasn’t happening. Christianity was running the risk of becoming a sect of Judaism.

But that all changed when God impacted one man, and that man was Simon Peter. Peter was pretty much like any other Jew living in his time. He was proud of his heritage, and I don’t mean that in a critical way.

The Jews of this time, however, wanted nothing to do with non-Jews, or Gentiles. So God wanted to redirect the early church to go to the non-Jews and bring them the message of the gospel. And the Lord did that through Peter.

Acts 10 tells us that while Peter was waiting for lunch one day in Joppa, he went up on the housetop to pray. Then he fell into a trance and saw the sky open, while something resembling a sheet was lowered that contained all kinds of unclean animals. Then a voice said, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat” (verse 13).

This wasn’t about food as much as it was about people. God was saying: “Peter, time to leave your comfort zone and reach a whole new group of people—the Gentiles.”

Soon after, Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius and his relatives and friends, and they believed. Peter obeyed God and left his comfort zone, and it changed church history.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Do You Love Him?

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

“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.” —John 21:16

In the story that contains today’s scripture, Jesus asked Simon Peter three times if he loved Him and all three times, when Simon Peter said, “Yes,” Jesus answered with, “Then feed my sheep,” “Tend My sheep” or “Feed my lambs” (see John 21:15-17). On several occasions He referred to Himself as a Shepherd and to His people as sheep, so Peter knew He was telling Him to love and help His people.

I believe Jesus was saying in these verses that if we love Him we should be helping other people, not simply gathering in buildings on Sunday morning to follow rules and rituals. If a church is not involved in reaching the lost and helping oppressed people then they are not functioning as God fully intends.

The Apostle John said that we know we have passed over out of death into life by the fact that we love the brethren and He who does not love is held and kept continually in spiritual death (see I John 3:14). If a church is not overflowing with the genuine love of God, how can it be filled with life?

The early church, which we read about in the book of Acts, was very powerful. It literally shook the known world of its time and its influence is still being felt across the globe today. It was unified and all the people who were part of it were busy helping the people they knew to be in need. They helped those they knew personally and those they heard about in other towns and cities through the apostles who came to visit and teach them.

Love God Today: Do you love God? Then feed His sheep by helping others.

Uncategorized

Greg Laurie – Don’t Wait for the Rooster

Leave a comment

 

Peter’s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over a period of hours. An hour passed from the time the first person said, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean,” to the time Peter denied his Lord for the second time. He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but for some reason he hung around.

His story reminds me that no person is safe from temptation except the one who flees from it. Peter, having been warned by Jesus Himself, should have avoided any place where he could fall. He definitely should have steered clear of all roosters! The Lord had said that before the rooster crowed, he would deny Jesus three times (see Matthew 26:69-75). I would have asked, “Are there any roosters here? Because if there are, I’m leaving!”

But seriously, if someone like Simon Peter could fall, then surely we can, too. First Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Peter hung around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation? Have you entered into relationships where people are dragging you down? Maybe it’s a romance. Maybe it’s a close friendship. Are you finding yourself compromising your principles to fit in, or so that you don’t offend anyone? Perhaps you need to reconsider your friendships. Perhaps you need to make some immediate changes. And even if you have made some mistakes, there is still time to commit yourself to the Lord. That time is now. Don’t wait for the rooster to crow.