My Hope When I Fall…..

Mark ended his gospel message with hope but there was one disciple who still was lingering and wondering; Peter. Where is he emotionally, spiritually, physically at this time as he considers the possibilities of what may lie ahead? He recoiled at the memory of his courtyard experience where he had denied Jesus three times just as prophesied and had left weeping bitterly. From that point he returned to the only safe haven he knew; with his beloved friends, the disciples who had followed Jesus. John tells us that they were hidden behind closed doors for fear of the Jews. Perhaps they were wondering if they too would be crucified if others found them knowing that their very accents betrayed them. As they sat and mourned the loss of the one they had followed for three years their thoughts did not return to the words of Jesus: “when I am raised, I will meet you in Galilee” but rather their thoughts replayed and rehearsed the past few days and the questions of why, when, how and more. Peter of all would be wondering if ever he could forgive himself and could or would God forgive him? We too have times when we fall and wonder and at these times where we can turn. It is then that we have this promise from Psalm 37:

24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.

Did Peter recall these words? We know that John tells us that after Jesus’ resurrection Peter was fully restored…but we are not there yet. Peter yet has to walk the road of misery, mourning, wondering and questioning. But, later he will write what truly happened in his personal letter to those who are suffering. He knows the path and he knows how to encourage. Listen to his words and be encouraged if you too have like Peter experienced a time of falling away: “His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Today, if you are walking with Peter through the agony of dismay, discouragement, despondency for having fallen in some way; take heart, when you repent there is hope. Where there is hope there is joy. Where there is joy there is peace and God’s protection. It is then that the rest of Psalm 37 rings forth with words of comfort and peace: Trust in the Lord, Delight yourself in the Lord, Commit your way to the Lord; Rest in the Lord. This is our journey back to God.

 

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Acts 23 “When Morning Gilds the Skies”

How do you face each new day and especially when it seems that the skies have fallen in and all of the world is against you? The Hymn “When Morning Gilds the Skies” originally written in German and translated into English by a Roman Priest offers to us a view that we should consider. The first stanza reminds us that no matter where we are, no matter what we are doing, Jesus is our source of hope and our reason to give praise.

“When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!”

The Apostle Paul, after having experiencing a second round of discouragement due to his inability to present Christ and His resurrection fully to the very men who were the leaders in the religious community, sat in his cell wondering as we might “what next?” Three times I have presented Christ and three times there has been not acceptance but riots. And yet we read:  “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Truly the words of this hymn might have flowed forth from Paul even though with a heavy heart he seems to know that God’s mercy has come to an end for these religious leaders. They now have had six times to hear the truth of the gospel message from Jesus, Stephen and now Paul and with each time their hearts have hardened. It would be just a mere two years and the priest who ordered Paul to be struck would be assassinated and his reign of corruption would come to an end thus fulfilling the words of Paul: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!”

When we are at the point of discouragement and it seems that those to whom we witness are hardened may the words of this hymn flow forth as words of praise for the one who holds our future in his hands will direct our steps in the way he has planned.

Beloved today are you facing a loved one that seems to have a hardened heart? Are you standing at the crossroads of discouragement? Beloved, take heart, Jesus knows the end from the beginning. Take the words of this hymn and sing as you have never before sung! Re-read this chapter and find encouragement from Jesus’ words to Paul: “Have courage!”

 

Acts 23 “When Morning Gilds the Skies”

How do you face each new day and especially when it seems that the skies have fallen in and all of the world is against you? The Hymn “When Morning Gilds the Skies” originally written in German and translated into English by a Roman Priest offers to us a view that we should consider. The first stanza reminds us that no matter where we are, no matter what we are doing, Jesus is our source of hope and our reason to give praise.

“When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!”

The Apostle Paul, after having experiencing a second round of discouragement due to his inability to present Christ and His resurrection fully to the very men who were the leaders in the religious community, sat in his cell wondering as we might “what next?” Three times I have presented Christ and three times there has been not acceptance but riots. And yet we read:  “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Truly the words of this hymn might have flowed forth from Paul even though with a heavy heart he seems to know that God’s mercy has come to an end for these religious leaders. They now have had six times to hear the truth of the gospel message from Jesus, Stephen and now Paul and with each time their hearts have hardened. It would be just a mere two years and the priest who ordered Paul to be struck would be assassinated and his reign of corruption would come to an end thus fulfilling the words of Paul: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!”

When we are at the point of discouragement and it seems that those to whom we witness are hardened may the words of this hymn flow forth as words of praise for the one who holds our future in his hands will direct our steps in the way he has planned.

Beloved today are you facing a loved one that seems to have a hardened heart? Are you standing at the crossroads of discouragement? Beloved, take heart, Jesus knows the end from the beginning. Take the words of this hymn and sing as you have never before sung! Re-read this chapter and find encouragement from Jesus’ words to Paul: “Have courage!”

 

Know Thy Enemy

Luke 22 “Satan vs The Servant” Or “Know Thy Enemy”

Dr. Luke has shown us from chapter 1 to now the contrast of the one who came to “seek and save the lost” with the one who seeks to destroy the king and the kingdom. We know from 2Cor that often he disguises himself as an angel of light and that he continues to walk about this earth seeking whom he may devour. In sharp contrast to him is The Servant who came lowly and meek lying in a manger to now where he will suffer at the cross for you and me. Observe if you will, how Satan works; not openly but behind the scenes seeking to disarm and destroy in the quiet, the unassuming, the orderly, the times of sacredness. This is where he seeks to do his work. This is his work for he is the author of the “deadly d’s” by which he seeks to disarm and destroy and in this chapter we find 6 of his ways:

Deception: The religious leaders were seeking a way to execute Jesus and thereby will break the sixth commandment “thou shalt not murder” because they think they are offering service to God.

Disillusionment: Satan infiltrates the disillusioned traitor, Judas, who has so mastered the cloak of traitor that no one suspects. But Jesus knows and reveals his ways and his work.

Defensiveness: The disciples “began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.”

Disputing: The disciples began to dispute “which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.”

Distraction: While all of this is going on it seems that Peter’s attention has drifted and The Servant calls him back:  “Simon, Simon, pay attention!” As Peter’s attention is arrested, he hears the ominous warning: “Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat.” And how does Peter handle this?

Self-defense: But Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!” And it is in that moment that The Servant predicts what will happen: “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me.”

Satan has infiltrated and sought to disrupt the most sacred of times. The Servant will disarm him not by force but by a reminder that these precious disciples are his and his alone: “You are the ones who have remained with me in my trials.”

Beloved, beware that it is when we are in the sacred moments such as reading, meditating, praying, busy about the Master’s business, that Satan will seek to do his work. It is then that we need to call upon The Servant to disarm him. We must “hold firmly to the faith” and “rekindle God’s gift that we possess”-learning to be discerning by words of the sacred scripture [Ps 119:11; 2Tim 2:15, Heb 5:14]. Call upon the power of the Holy Spirit which resides within you. Jer 29:12 When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers.