May 19, 2022
When Peter was sifted, he failed miserably in one sense, but not in his faith. You may be thinking, “How can that be? This man denied knowing Jesus three different times.”
If Peter had failed completely, Jesus’ praying would have been to no avail. I know Peter’s faith did not fail. Just as he swore and it looked as if the Lord had lost a friend and anointed disciple, Peter looked into the eyes of Christ and melted. “Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’ So Peter went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62, NKJV). Wept bitterly in the Greek actually means he gave “a piercing, violent cry.”
I picture Peter walking toward the Judean hills, falling on his face with hands outstretched, crying, “O Father, he was right. I didn’t listen. He warned me that Satan would try to destroy my faith. I couldn’t even stand up to a maid. Forgive me, O Lord. I love him. To whom else shall I go?”
I can see Peter getting to his feet then with the Spirit of God flowing through him, shouting, “Satan, be gone! I failed him, but I still love him. He prophesied that I would come back and be a strength to others, a rock.” Indeed, Peter was the first disciple to reach the tomb when they were told Jesus had risen. He was worshipping when Jesus was translated to glory. It was Peter who stood as God’s spokesman on the day of Pentecost.
A flood of people are coming to the Lord today. Where will they find strength in the troubled times ahead? They will find it from the sifted saints like Peter who can say with authority, “Don’t trust yourself. Take heed when you think you stand, lest you fall” (see 1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
Do you sense a seductive pull of temptation in your life? Is a deep trouble brewing in your heart? Hear the words of Jesus and realize that Satan may have been given permission to sift you. Don’t take that lightly. We are to read Peter’s story and be warned by it. Even if you have already failed, though, you can look into Jesus’ face and remember he is praying for you. Repent, return and then share your experience with others who are being sifted.
May 18, 2022
I believe if a Christian has an intensity for a holy life — if he desires to give his all to the Lord — there can be only one reason why he fails to enjoy the freedom promised by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. That reason is unbelief. Jesus could not perform his works when there was unbelief, and his Spirit cannot do anything in our lives when we harbor unbelief.
It is vital for every follower of Jesus not to judge God’s promises according to past experiences. If we cast ourselves fully on his promises and hold the Spirit to his own word, we can know the results are all God’s responsibility. We simply cannot give up our desire to obtain his promised blessings. If we continue to press on, we’ll be able to stand on judgment day and be called faithful.
There was a point in my life when I had to cast my eternal future on God’s promises. I had to trust his Word at the risk of my very soul. I put out a challenge to God. “Lord, I’m going to believe you’ve given me your Holy Ghost. I believe he alone can deliver me from every chain that binds me. I believe he will convict me, lead me and empower me to overcome. I believe he will never depart from me, nor will he let me depart from you. I won’t limit your Spirit in me. I’ll wait on him, call on him and trust in him.”
We’re to do what the Lord told Ezekiel to do: pray the Word of God. “Again he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!”’” (Ezekiel 37:4).
We are to remind the Holy Spirit of God’s promises to us. We’re to tell him, “Holy Ghost, the heavenly Father promised me that he would put you in my heart, and I’ve committed myself to that promise. I will yield, and I will cooperate because I want to be holy. You said you will cause me to walk in your ways and obey your every word. I don’t know how you plan to do that, but you made an oath, and you cannot lie. This is all written in the Word, Holy Spirit. So, come. Do your work in me. I’ve entrusted my very soul to this promise.”
May 17, 2022
Matthew tells us Christ wanted to give his disciples a profound illustrated sermon. He called a little child to him and took the youngster in his arms. He then told them, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me” (Matthew 18:3-5, NKJV).
In these verses, Jesus lays out the kind of relationship he desires with his people. Christ was telling these men, “Look at this child. Here is my future church. This young one represents every new believer who’s going to come to me in childlike faith. You must quickly turn away from your thoughts about how to become special in my kingdom through your own works.”
Next, Jesus called for his disciples to humble themselves. He was telling them, “I’m building my church on you. If you want any part of it, you must become as humble as this little child I’m holding in my arms.” I believe he’s asking us for two things: repudiation of all self-dependency and an uncomplicated devotion. These traits will characterize us as true kingdom servants.
Christ also told his disciples very directly, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” (Matthew 18:6-7).
Jesus was expressing his wrath toward those who teach that the cross is not sufficient to save. He was warning his own disciples not to be offended by the cross.
Likewise, Jesus is telling the church today, “Woe to any teacher or witness who puts a stumbling block before any of these baby converts. They come to me in simple faith and repentance. You will incur my wrath if you offend them by saying, ‘Jesus is not enough. If you really want to be saved, you must do more. Here are the specific doctrines and guidelines of our church…’” We must all accept the fact that Christ alone is full payment for our sins.
May 13, 2022
God has sworn by an oath to give us a new heart, one that is inclined to obey. God promises us not only to give us this new heart, but to write his commands on our hearts. In other words, he promises to cause us to know him.
God told his people about this incredible work he would do in the Old Testament. He said, “Then I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7, NKJV), and“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
The Holy Spirit is the one who accomplishes this work in us. He teaches us about the Father’s nature and way; and in the process, he transforms us into Christ’s divine image. Our Lord promises, “No matter what I demand of you, I will supply you with all the power you need to accomplish it. I won’t ask anything of you for which I have not made provision.”
Today, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now abides in us. God’s own Spirit is alive in us, providing power over the enemy. As Paul said, “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:9-10). When the devil comes flooding into your soul, enticing you toward an old lust, call upon the Holy Ghost. Listen to his every whisper, and obey his every command. If you are prepared to do whatever he empowers you to do, he won’t withhold his word from you.
You can move out of the old life and into the new in a single leap. It happens when you see how impossible it is for you to overcome sin by your own human efforts. Our faithful God has sworn to give the Holy Ghost to all believers who ask, and he will accomplish in you what the Lord has promised by oath. Finally, abandon yourself totally to God and his promises. He will renew and transform you into his image.
May 12, 2022
God has given us many wonderful promises that he will break every bond of sin, empower us to defeat all dominion of sin, give us a new heart, cleanse and sanctify us, and ultimately conform us to the very image of Christ. His Word assures us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18, NKJV).
God does all of these things for us only in his time, according to his divine schedule. He has no deadlines pushing him. He ignores all demands for an instant cure-all. In short, true faith on our part demands that we patiently wait on our Lord. Our response to him should be “Lord, I believe you’re true to your Word. By the power of your Spirit within me, I’m going to wait patiently until you bring these things to pass in my life. My part is to remain in faith, waiting on you.”
You may endure awful trials and temptations. You may hear horrendous lies whispered to you by Satan. At times, you may fail. In fact, you may wonder if you’ll ever reach the goal. As you’re enduring all these afflictions, you must simply hold onto faith with patience and trust that God is at work. If you believe that he is keeping his Word and being your Jehovah Tsidkenu, he will look on you as a faithful child. He has sworn by oath, “By faith, you will receive the promise.”
The Bible could not make this any clearer. “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Simply put, unbelief is doubting God will do what he promises. We must believe the promises of God, being fully persuaded he’ll keep his word. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever” (Jude 1:24-25).
