How many Ways The Lord will Try to Reach You?
“Jesus kissed Judas and called him friend.
Jesus rebuked Peter and called him a Devil.”
I would rather be rebuked by Jesus and find repentance, how about you?
Peter was misunderstanding the purpose of God and Jesus was trying to bring correction.
When was the last time we responded to correction and conviction from the Lord and we repented, wept, and found renewal?
God does not expect perfection from you; he desires us to respond to correction.
Jacob and Esau
Jacob could have been better, but what he was pursuing put him on the right path. Jacob was continually reaching for God’s approval. In that pursuit, he was constantly gaining.
Esau, why was he rejected? Because he always needed to understand and appreciate what he had. As a result, he was always losing what he had.
Jesus put Judas in charge of the money, and money, in the end, was his hangup.
Jesus gave Peter great promise because he was quick to profess. However, Peter failed God in his denial.
Our strength can become our downfall. Where we think we excel, we can find great disappointment.
The solution? We must surrender what we claim to possess.
Although he failed God in his denial, Peter found renewal and restoration. How much so? Peter, The very man famous for his renunciation of Jesus, is MORE famous for his Proclamation of Jesus.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36
This message moved everyone to repentance.
Be encouraged today; your greatest failure can be the stepping stone to your most significant victory if you will face it, embrace it, own it, and let it bring a real desire to change.
However, if you are not willing to get up from your failure, as it was with Judas, what once was your greatest strength will become your final and damning hang-up.
Whom the Lord loves, he chastens. Help me love the Lord enough to find a place of tears and repentance when he does.