Tag Archives: Peter

Walk on water (Matthew 14:22-36), November 23, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 14:22-36

Set – Matthew 14-15

Go! – Psalms 134; Matthew 14-16

Matthew 14:22-36
²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on to the other side of the sea while He dismissed the crowd. ²³ Then, after the crowd had gone, Jesus went up to a mountaintop alone (as He had intended from the start). As evening descended, He stood alone on the mountain, praying.
²⁴ The boat was in the water, some distance from land, buffeted and pushed around by waves and wind. ²⁵ Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on the water to His disciples in their boat. ²⁶ The disciples saw a figure moving toward them and were terrified.
Disciple: It’s a ghost!
Another Disciple: A ghost? What will we do?
Jesus:²⁷ Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.
Peter: ²⁸ Lord, if it is really You, then command me to meet You on the water.
Jesus: ²⁹ Indeed, come.
Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink.
Peter: Master, save me!
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him.
Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear?
³² Then Jesus and Peter climbed in the boat together, and the wind became still. ³³ And the disciples worshiped Him.
Disciples: Truly You are the Son of God.
³⁴ All together, Jesus and the disciples crossed to the other side of the sea. They landed at Gennesaret, an area famous for its princely gardens. ³⁵ The people of Gennesaret recognized Jesus, and they spread word of His arrival all over the countryside. People brought the sick and wounded to Him ³⁶ and begged Him for permission to touch the fringes of His robe. Everyone who touched Him was healed.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Two things I want you to notice from what you heard today. First, take note of My prayer schedule and its importance to Me. I talked to the Father for long periods of time and I talked to Him often. I plan to talk with Him several times a day, but sometimes that plan is interrupted. When it is, that doesn’t stop Me from spending time with Him. When the crowds found Me praying on the sea shore and interrupted My quiet time with the Father, I stopped and met their needs.

I spoke to the crowd from the shore until the crowd grew so large I had to get into a boat so all could hear Me. At the end of the day, I sent the crowd away and sent My disciples ahead of Me across the Sea of Galilee to Gennesaret. I went back up on the mountainside to a quiet place to resume My conversation with My Father. Although the day had been long and the disciples departed without Me, time with the Father was more important than rest. I spent the evening hours and stayed deep into the night talking with Him.

The second thing I want you to remember is Peter’s actions. Remember that a disciple when I walked the earth was one who became like his teacher. He studied under his teacher until he dressed like him, talked like him, adopted his habits and mannerisms. In essence, a disciple became the next generation’s copy of his teacher to carry on the legacy of his teacher.

With that thought in mind, think about Peter and all the other disciples crowded in that boat in those early hours of the morning. Only one of those men chose to be enough like Me to climb out of the boat into the darkness and walk on the water. Only one overcame his fear and put enough faith in Me to be like Me in those few moments. Did he later fail and fear the waves and begin to sink? Yes, he did. But Peter was the only one at that point in our journey together to do what I was doing at the moment and forget everything else around him. Peter alone disregarded everything he thought was truth and believed me enough to get out of the boat. When he did, he walked on the water, just like Me.

So, spend time talking with Me. A lot of time. Never sacrifice the time you should spend with Me. It’s important. And when you spend time with Me, you’ll do amazing things. You might even do some things you never imagined you would ever do. You might even end up doing things as remarkable as Peter, like walking on the water to Me. You just never know.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Nothing is impossible (Mark 14:27-31;66-72), November 3, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 14:27-31; 66-72

Set – Job 25; Mark 14

Go! – Job 25; Mark 13-14

Mark 14:27-31; 66-72
Jesus: ²⁷ All of you will desert Me tonight. It was written by Zechariah,
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will scatter.
²⁸ But when I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
Peter (protesting): ²⁹ It doesn’t matter who else turns his back on You. I will never desert You.
Jesus: ³⁰ Peter, mark My words. This very night before the cock crows twice, you will have denied Me three times.
Peter (insisting): ³¹ No, Teacher. Even if it means that I have to die with You, I’ll never deny You.
All the other disciples said similar things.
^66-67 While Peter was waiting by the fire outside, one of the servant girls of the high priest saw him.
Servant Girl: You were one of those men with Jesus of Nazareth.
Peter: ⁶⁸ Woman, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
He left the fire, and as he went out into the gateway, a cock crowed.
⁶⁹ The servant girl saw him again.
Servant Girl: Hey, this is one of them—one of those who followed Jesus.
Peter: ⁷⁰ No, I’m not one of them.
A little later, some of the other bystanders turned to Peter.
Bystander: Surely you’re one of them. You’re a Galilean. We can tell by your accent.
⁷¹ And then he swore an oath that if he wasn’t telling the truth that he would be cursed.
Peter: Listen, I don’t even know the man you’re talking about.
⁷² And as he said this, a cock crowed a second time; and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the cock crows twice, you will have denied Me three times.”
He began to weep.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Be careful about making promises you can’t keep. Peter thought he would never deny Me when he made his declaration. It was just a few short hours, though, and he not only denied Me, but sealed his denial with an oath. Fear for his life caused him to forget the thin boast he made that he would die before he would leave My side. It only took the sight of the soldiers’ swords in the night to dissuade him from following further to his own crucifixion.

It wasn’t that Peter didn’t believe he would stand with Me until the end, but he didn’t have the strength by himself to do so and because My Spirit had not yet come to stay with you and in you, he just couldn’t do it. He fled just like Zechariah said all of My disciples would. None had the intestinal fortitude to stand by Me in those darkest hours. They had all witnessed crucifixions. They had all seen the floggings and beatings inflicted by the Romans. They knew what could happen if they didn’t escape … and quickly. So they ran. All of them.

It was partly because of Peter’s experience he became such a fervish missionary for Me. Once he learned to lean upon Me and trust in My strength instead of his own, Peter discovered he could keep his promise and not fear physical death. Once Peter saw Me after My resurrection and had My Spirit living in him, he knew nothing could keep him from following Me wherever I led him. Even to the cross where he requested he be crucified upside-down because he felt he didn’t deserve to die the same way I did.

What was the change in Peter? The upper room was the change. He and those who spent time with him in that room waited for the third person of the triune Godhead to invade their lives. The Holy Spirit came to them after they prayed through. What does that mean? They gave up everything. They emptied themselves of self and let Me have control of their lives. They vowed to do what I asked them to do…whatever it might be or whatever it might cost. Peter and those with him held nothing back.

You can do the same. It’s not just the words, “I give myself to you,” though. It means you have to really do it. You really pray through and give Me everything…everything. It’s not always easy to give everything up, but you must give Me everything if you expect to have the strength of those like Peter, Paul, James, John, and so many others through the centuries.

Peter couldn’t keep his promises until I lived within him. Neither will you. But once you let Me transform you with My mighty power, there is nothing impossible through Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t take someone else’s word for the truth (Mark 8:27-37), October 31, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 8:27-37

Set – Job 22; Mark 8

Go! – Job 22; Mark 7-8

Mark 8:27-37
²⁷ As He traveled with His disciples into the villages of Caesarea Philippi, He posed an important question to them.
Jesus: Who do the people say that I am?
²⁸ They told Him about the great speculation concerning His identity.
Disciples: Some of them say You are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, while others say one of the prophets of old.
Jesus (pressing the question): ²⁹ And who do you say that I am?
Peter: You are God’s Anointed, the Liberating King.
Jesus: ³⁰ Don’t tell anyone. It is not yet time.
³¹ And He went on to teach them many things about Himself: how the Son of Man would suffer; how He would be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes; how He would be killed; and how, after three days, God would raise Him from the dead.
³² He said all these things in front of them all, but Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke Him.
Jesus (seeing His disciples surrounding them): ³³ Get behind Me, you tempter! You’re thinking only of human things, not of the things God has planned.
³⁴ He gathered the crowd and His disciples alike.
Jesus: If any one of you wants to follow Me, you will have to give yourself up to God’s plan, take up your cross, and do as I do. ³⁵ For any one of you who wants to be rescued will lose your life, but any one of you who loses your life for My sake and for the sake of this good news will be liberated. ³⁶ Really, what profit is there for you to gain the whole world and lose yourself in the process? ³⁷ What can you give in exchange for your life?

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I asked Peter the ultimate question I ask everyone. “Who do you say I am?” It’s an important question that must have an answer from your heart, not just your brain. I asked the disciples who others thought I was to lead them into the question, but it’s always easier to answer that question. They didn’t look at each other or compare notes, they just answered. “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, others think one of the prophets. It’s not hard to tell Me what others might be thinking about Me.”

What about you, though? That’s the heart of the message. Who do you think I am? Unless you understand that I am One with the Father and Spirit, part of the triune Godhead, present at creation, you’ll struggle all your life with who I am and what I can do in your life. I was fully human, but also fully God. I know it’s hard to understand. You don’t need to understand. You just need to believe me.

Listen to My word, watch the transformation in the lives of those who make Me their Lord, let Me make the same transformation in you. You will know that I am who I say. No one can do the things I do. No one can help you the way I can. No one can give you the peace I give. No one can wipe away guilt from your life like Me. Because no one else can claim the title Son of God.

But until you personally recognize Me as God incarnate, the one died to pay the penalty for your sins. The one who rose from the tomb to live forever at the right hand of the Father. Until you know Me as your personal Lord and Savior, you will not know in your heart that I am Christ, the long awaited Messiah. Only when I am Lord of your life will you be able to say with Peter that I am God’s Anointed, the Liberating King. Give your life to Me and discover the truth for yourself. Anything less means taking someone else’s word for it.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God answers prayer on His timetable (Acts 12:6-19), October 20, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 12:6-19

Set – Job 7; Acts 12

Go! – Job 6-7; Acts 12

Acts 12:6-19
⁶ Their prayers were not answered, until the night before Peter’s execution.
Picture this event: Peter is sound asleep between two soldiers, double-chained, with still more guards outside the prison door watching for external intruders. ⁷ Suddenly the cell fills with light: it is a messenger of the Lord manifesting himself. He taps Peter on the side, awakening him.
Messenger of the Lord: Get up, quickly.
The chains fall off Peter’s wrists.
Messenger of the Lord: ⁸ Come on! Put on your belt. Put on your sandals.
Peter puts them on and just stands there.
Messenger of the Lord: Pull your cloak over your shoulders. Come on! Follow me!
⁹ Peter does so, but he is completely dazed. He doesn’t think this is really happening—he assumes he is dreaming or having a vision. ¹⁰ They pass the first guard. They pass the second guard. They come to the iron gate that opens to the city. The gate swings open for them on its own, and they walk into a lane. Suddenly the messenger disappears.
¹¹ Peter finally realized all that had really happened.
Peter: Amazing! The Lord has sent His messenger to rescue me from Herod and the public spectacle of my execution which the Jews fully expected.
¹² Peter immediately rushed over to the home of a woman named Mary. (Mary’s son, John Mark, would eventually become an important associate of the apostles.) A large group had gathered there to pray for Peter and his safety. ¹³ He knocked at the outer gate; and a maid, Rhoda, answered. ¹⁴ She recognized Peter’s voice, but she was so overcome with excitement that she left him standing on the street and ran inside to tell everyone.
Rhoda: Our prayers were answered! Peter is at the front gate!
Praying Believers: ¹⁵ Rhoda, you’re crazy!
Rhoda: No! Peter’s out there! I’m sure of it!
Praying Believers: Well, maybe it’s his guardian angel or something.
¹⁶ All this time, Peter was still out in the street, knocking on the gate. Finally they came and let him in. Of course, the disciples were stunned, and everyone was talking at once. ¹⁷ Peter motioned for them to quiet down and then told them the amazing story of how the Lord engineered his escape.
Peter: Could you please get word to James, our Lord’s brother, and the other believers that I’m all right?
Then he left to find a safer place to stay.
¹⁸ But when morning came and Peter was gone, there was a huge uproar among the soldiers. ¹⁹ Herod sent troops to find Peter, but he was missing. Herod interrogated the guards and ordered their executions. Peter headed down toward the coast to Caesarea, and he remained there.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

One thing you’ll notice about this story is that prayer works. My disciples spent time on their knees asking for Peter’s release and it happened. They pleaded with Me and I heard them. I had more for Peter to do and I sent one of My angels to release Peter’s chains and lead him through the prison and into the streets a free man.

Another thing you’ll notice from this story is that I didn’t answer their prayers until the last minute. Peter stayed in jail until the night before his execution. He was ready to die for Me, but shared his faith to those in the cell with him until it was time. I waited until it seemed too late before I rescued Peter. I waited until it seemed hopeless so that all would know that it was ony by My hand that Peter was rescued.

Third, you’ll notice that sometimes I work in extraordinary ways to accomplish My will in the world. Walking by two guards without notice, opening locked gates and allowing Peter to stand in the middle of the lane outside the prison was rather extraordinary. I work that way sometimes. I do the impossible and work in ways that cannot be explained except by the hand of a living God.

Sometimes, though, I work My will in the course of natural time and events. I’ll ask people to intervene for Me. I’ll put in their mind to assist Me in some way, to use their talents and skills for the benefit of others. I’ll put people in each other’s paths so that you can help each other and find solutions to life’s problems. I made you as interdependent people. I made you to build relationships with each other and to need each other. I didn’t make you to be hermits or to continually take from others, but to be interdependent. To give and take. To help each other throughout your lives.

I will answer your prayers the same way. Sometimes I will answer quickly in the way you want. Sometimes I will answer, but not necessarily in the way you want but in the way that is best for you. Sometimes I will wait until the very last minute to answer your prayers. Sometimes I will work in impossible ways to show My power and majesty and demonstrate to you and those around you that I am God. Sometimes I will bring someone into your path that will give just the right help needed at just the right time.

I will listen to your prayers and I will answer them just as I did for those praying for Peter.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The truth behind Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10:9-33), October 19, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 10:9-33

Set – Job 4; Psalms 108; Acts 10

Go! – Job 4-5; Psalms 108; Acts 10-11

Acts 10:9-33
⁹ Just as these men were nearing Joppa about noon the next day, Peter went up on the flat rooftop of Simon the tanner’s house. He planned to pray, ¹⁰ but he soon grew hungry. While his lunch was being prepared, Peter had a vision of his own—a vision that linked his present hunger with what was about to happen: ¹¹ A rift opened in the sky, and a wide container—something like a huge sheet suspended by its four corners—descended through the torn opening toward the ground. ¹² This container teemed with four-footed animals, creatures that crawl, and birds—pigs, bats, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads, and vultures.
A Voice: ¹³ Get up, Peter! Kill! Eat!
Peter: ¹⁴ No way, Lord! These animals are forbidden in the dietary laws of the Hebrew Scriptures! I’ve never eaten nonkosher foods like these before—not once in my life!
A Voice: ¹⁵ If God calls something permissible and clean, you must not call it forbidden and dirty!
¹⁶ Peter saw this vision three times; but the third time, the container of animals flew up through the rift in the sky, the rift healed, ¹⁷ and Peter was confused and unsettled as he tried to make sense of this strange vision.
At that very moment, Peter heard the voices of Cornelius’s delegation, who had asked for directions to Simon’s house, coming from the front gate.
Delegation: ¹⁸ Is there a man named Simon, also called Peter, staying at this house?
^19-20 Peter’s mind was still racing about the vision when the voice of the Holy Spirit broke through his churning thoughts.
Holy Spirit: The three men who are searching for you have been sent by Me. So get up! Go with them. Don’t hesitate or argue.
²¹ Peter rushed downstairs to the men.
Peter: I’m the one you’re seeking. Can you tell me why you’ve come?
Delegation: ²² We’ve been sent by our commander and master, Cornelius. He is a Centurion, and he is a good, honest man who worships your God. All the Jewish people speak well of him. A holy messenger told him to send for you, so you would come to his home and he could hear your message.
²³ Peter extended hospitality to them and gave them lodging overnight. When they departed together the next morning, Peter brought some believers from Joppa.
²⁴ They arrived in Caesarea the next afternoon just before three o’clock. Cornelius had anticipated their arrival and had assembled his relatives and close friends to welcome them. ²⁵ When Peter and Cornelius met, Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet in worship, ²⁶ but Peter helped him up.
Peter: Stand up, man! I am just a human being!
²⁷ They talked and entered the house to meet the whole crowd inside.
Peter: ²⁸ You know I am a Jew. We Jews consider it a breach of divine law to associate, much less share hospitality, with outsiders. But God has shown me something in recent days: I should no longer consider any human beneath me or unclean. ²⁹ That’s why I made no objection when you invited me; rather, I came willingly. Now let me hear the story of why you invited me here.
Cornelius: ³⁰ It was about this time of day four days ago when I was here, in my house, praying the customary midafternoon prayer. Suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere. His clothes were dazzling white, and he stood directly in front of me ³¹ and addressed me: “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your kindness to the poor has been noticed by God. ³² God wants you to find a man in Joppa, Simon who is also called Peter, who is staying at the home of a tanner named Simon, near the seaside.” ³³ I wasted no time, did just as I was told, and you have generously accepted my invitation. So here we are, in the presence of God, ready to take in all that the Lord has told you to tell us.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The story of Peter and Cornelius is important. First, it tells you that My grace is for everyone. It doesn’t matter what color your skin or how much or how little money you have. I don’t care where you came from or where you live. What I care about is you. I want you to live as part of My kingdom. Second, the story tells you that because I care for everyone, if you belong to Me, you have a responsibility to share My message with everyone. Don’t shy away because of a person’s race or nationality or their socioeconomic status. I died for everyone. I brought Peter and Cornelius together to show you this important truth. Don’t let your prejudices keep you from Me or keep My message from someone around you. I died for all humankind!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Have an upper room experience (Acts 4:23-37), October 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 4:23-37

Set – Malachi 2; Acts 4

Go! – Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-2; Acts 4

Acts 4:23-37
²³ Peter and John, upon their release, went right to their friends and told the story—including the warning from the council. ²⁴ The whole community responded with this prayer to God:
Community of Believers: God, our King, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything they contain.²⁵ You are the One who, by the Holy Spirit, spoke through our ancestor David, Your servant, with these words:
Why did the nations rage?
Why did they imagine useless things?
²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand;
their rulers assembled in opposition
against the Eternal One and His Anointed King.
²⁷ This is exactly what has happened among us, here in this city. The foreign ruler Pontius Pilate and the Jewish ruler Herod, along with their respective peoples, have assembled in opposition to Your holy servant Jesus, the One You chose. ²⁸ They have done whatever Your hand and plan predetermined should happen. ²⁹ And now, Lord, take note of their intimidations intended to silence us. Grant us, Your servants, the courageous confidence we need to go ahead and proclaim Your message ³⁰ while You reach out Your hand to heal people, enabling us to perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.
³¹ They finished their prayer, and immediately the whole place where they had gathered began to shake. All the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began speaking God’s message with courageous confidence.
³² During those days, the entire community of believers was deeply united in heart and soul to such an extent that they stopped claiming private ownership of their possessions. Instead, they held everything in common. ³³ The apostles with great power gave their eyewitness reports of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Everyone was surrounded by an extraordinary grace. ³⁴ Not a single person in the community was in need because those who had been affluent sold their houses or lands and brought the proceeds ³⁵ to the emissaries of the Lord. They then distributed the funds to individuals according to their needs. ^36-37 One fellow, a Cyprian Levite named Joseph, earned a nickname because of his generosity in selling a field and bringing the money to the apostles in this way. From that time on, they called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.”

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Something special happens when you really connect with Me. I’m not talking about regurgitating a rote prayer at mealtime or a sleepy prayer of “now I lay me down to sleep…”. I’m talking about doing what My disciples did when they spent time with Me in the upper room. A hundred twenty of them gathered together to get everything out in the open. They prayed until they got through to Me.

What does it take to do that? First, you have to get through to your brothers and sisters. Get the garbage out of the way between you. Forgive and offer grace between your fellow man. Make sure you extend grace to those around you to the extent you can and then come to Me with your petitions. It’s called love. Give grace as you’ve been given grace. Then touch heaven with your prayers. Let go of everything that hinders our relationship. Open yourself to Me.

That takes more than those perfunctory prayers you might be used to. It will take more than a few minutes of your time. It will take focused attention on My word and on Me. It will take getting out of the world and getting into My kingdom. Pray earnestly to receive My Spirit and let Me consume you. That’s what those 120 disciples did to receive My Spirit in the upper room.

What happens when you let go of yourself and let Me fill you with My Spirit? The impossible! You extend My grace to those around you. You’ll find that the grace you extend to your brothers and sisters extends beyond those to your enemies, to those that despise and persecute you. You become surrounded by My grace extended to all men and women so that they experience My love and mercy through you. You do the impossible.

You also become the instrument of the impossible by letting My Spirit work through you. See, you cannot do the impossible, but I can. And My hands can use you as the tool to implement My actions and work the impossible in the lives of those around you. I can do the impossible. I spoke and the worlds came into place. I spoke and created light and darkness. I spoke and life began. I molded you from the dust of the earth. Everything that is, came about because of an impossibility supplied by My hand.

Peter and John experience My impossible work through them. Many since them have experience My power at work through them. The impossible happens when you let My Spirit work through you. But it will only happen when you, like those in the upper room, really let Me take hold of your life and let Me work My plans through you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Do you love Me? (John 21:15-23), August 19, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – John 21:15-23

Set – Psalms 105; John 21

Go! – Jeremiah 45-47; Psalms 105; John 21

John 21:15-23
¹⁵ They finished eating breakfast.
Jesus: Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these other things?
Simon Peter: Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.
Jesus: Take care of My lambs.
¹⁶ Jesus asked him a second time . . .
Jesus: Simon, son of John, do you love Me?
Simon Peter: Yes, Lord. You must surely know that I love You.
Jesus: Shepherd My sheep.
¹⁷ (for the third time) Simon, son of John, do you love Me?
Peter was hurt because He asked him the same question a third time, “Do you love Me?”
Simon Peter: Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.
Jesus: Look after My sheep. ¹⁸ I tell you the truth: when you were younger, you would dress yourself and go wherever you pleased; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and take you to a place you do not want to go.
¹⁹ Jesus said all this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After this conversation, Jesus said,
Jesus: Follow Me!
²⁰ Peter turned around to see the disciple loved by Jesus following the two of them, the same disciple who leaned back on Jesus’ side during their supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
Peter: ²¹ Lord, and what will happen to this man?
Jesus: ²² If I choose for him to remain till I return, what difference will this make to you? You follow Me!
²³ It is from this exchange with Jesus that some thought this disciple would not die. But Jesus never said that. He said, “If I choose for him to remain till I return, what difference will this make to you?”

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Do you know what it means to really love Me? Peter thought he did. He thought he did when he told Me he would never deny Me. But when the time came, he ran away in the night just like the rest of My disciples. He thought he loved Me, but hid during My crucifixion. Only John stood at the foot of My cross and cared for My mother in the last moments of My agony.

Peter thought he loved Me when I appeared to the eleven of them cowered behind closed doors in the upper room where we gathered for our last meal together after My resurrection. At that time he really didn’t understand real love, though. He still looked for something I was not. He was closer to understanding Me, but not yet. You see, My Spirit had not yet come to live in him.

It wasn’t until Pentecost when those 120 devoted themselves to prayer and fasting, seeking for something they had never experienced before. Asking for something they didn’t know or understand. It wasn’t until I returned and lived in them that Peter learned to love with My love. Only then did Peter allow himself to die to all that was Peter and let Me reign in his life.

Was he perfect? By no means. He still made mistakes as evidenced by Paul’s rebuke when he changed his eating habits when the Jews arrived while he was ministering to the Gentiles. Peter continued to grow in his faith throughout his life just as I expect all My followers to grow in their faith. It takes a lifetime to transform your mind to Mine. But Peter began to love like Me when he gave himself fully to Me.

I asked him three times with three different words about his love. You only have one word for love in English. That’s unfortunate. The Greeks have four. Each time I asked Peter to go deeper in his quest for love for Me until I asked about his unconditional God-like love for Me. He finally understood he had a lot to learn. Only when He let My Spirit live in him and guide his life did he really begin to know what love was about.

When Peter began to understand I gave him some simple commands tend to My sheep, feed My sheep, care for My sheep. At least they sound simple. Peter would find the commands simple, but the tasks life consuming. Such is the life of real love. Loving others is consuming. If you’ve been in love, you know love consumes you. You think of nothing else but the person or people you love. Your love drives your every action. Everything centers on your love, longer for the good for the object of your love.

Do you love Me? Do I consume your thoughts? Does your love for Me drive your every action? Not until My Spirit engulfs your life by willingly giving of your whole self to Me will you understand real love. But when you enter the love I have for you, you will experience indescribable joy the world can never understand. Peter didn’t until Pentecost, then his world changed forever. Try it out.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What’s not fair about living? (2 Peter 2), July 28, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 2 Peter 2

Set – Isaiah 55; 2 Peter 2

Go! – Isaiah 53-56; 2 Peter 2

2 Peter 2
¹ Just as false prophets rose up in the past among God’s people, false teachers will rise up in the future among you. They will slip in with their destructive opinions, denying the very Master who bought their freedom and dooming themselves to destruction swiftly, ² but not before they attract others by their unbridled and immoral behavior. Because of them and their ways, others will criticize and condemn the path of truth we walk as seedy and disreputable. ³ These false teachers will follow their greed and exploit you with their fabrications, but be assured that their judgment was pronounced long ago and their destruction does not sleep.
⁴ For God did not spare the heavenly beings who sinned, but He cast them into the dark pits of hell to be kept until the time of judgment; ⁵ and He did not spare the ancient world, but He sent a flood swirling over the ungodly (although He did save Noah, God’s herald for what is right, with seven other members of his family); ⁶ and God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ash as a lesson of what He will do with the ungodly in the days to come ^7-8 (although again He did rescue Lot, a person who did what was right in God’s eyes and who was distressed by the immorality and the lawlessness of the society around him. Day after day, the sights and sounds of their lawlessness were like daggers into that good man’s soul). ⁹ If all this happened in the past, it shows clearly the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials and how to hold the wicked in punishment until the day of judgment.
¹⁰ And above all, it shows He will punish those who let the desires of their bodies rule them and who have no respect for authority. People like this are so bold and willful that they aren’t even afraid of offending heavenly beings, ¹¹ although the heavenly messengers—in spite of the fact that they have greater strength and power—make no such accusations against these people before the Lord. ¹² These people who speak ill of what they do not understand are no different from animals—without sense, operating only on their instincts, born to be captured and killed—and they will be destroyed just like those animals, ¹³ receiving the penalty for their evil acts. They waste their days in parties and carousing. As they feast with you, these stains and blemishes on your community are feasting on their deceptions. ¹⁴ Their eyes are always looking for their next adulterous conquests; their appetites for sin cannot be satisfied. They seduce the unwary soul, and greed is the only lesson they have learned by heart. God’s curse lies upon them. ¹⁵ They have veered off the right road and gotten lost, following in the steps of Balaam, the son of Beor, the false prophet. Balaam loved the reward he could get by doing evil, ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for crossing the line into sin; his own speechless donkey scolded him in a human voice, an amazing miracle that reined in the prophet’s insanity.
¹⁷ These people I’m talking about are nothing but dried-up springs, mists driven by fierce winds; the deepest darkness has been set aside for them. ¹⁸ They speak in loud voices empty and arrogant. They exploit the desires of the flesh, take advantage of sensual natures, to entangle people who have just escaped from those who live by deception. ¹⁹ They claim to offer them freedom, but they themselves are enslaved by corruption because whatever a person gives in to soon becomes his master. ²⁰ Those who have been pulled out of the cesspool of worldly desires through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Anointed One, yet have found themselves mired in it again are worse off than they were before. ²¹ They would have been better off never knowing the way of righteousness than to have known it and then abandoned the sacred commandment they had previously received and dived back into the muck! ²² In their cases, the words from Proverbs hold true: “The dog goes back to his own vomit,” and as the Greeks say, “The sow is washed to wallow in the mud.”

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

False prophets have been around since I created the first beings with creative intelligence. Even some of My messengers, created to serve Me, thought they could become more powerful than Me and learned the hard way they could not. I threw those who sinned against Me into the pits of hell for their disobedience.

False prophets in Noah’s day caused me to destroy all mankind except Noah and his family as they led people astray from worshiping Me. False prophets throughout history turned people away from Me with their convincing lies and appealing appearance. I always give you a choice as to whether you will follow Me. I don’t plead and push. It’s your choice and I will honor it.

The one area in which I withhold My power is at the point of your moral choice. You can choose to follow Me or follow the lies of the world. There are false prophets alive and well today. They tell you I’m not real. They tell you as a God of love I would never allow anyone to spend eternity in hell separated from Me. They tell you I will save everyone because of My love. They tell you the stories of My wrath are not true or at least that side of Me has changed since I came in the flesh and sacrificed Myself for you.

The false prophets tell you a lot of things. Don’t believe them. I am the same today as I was at creation. I am still slow to anger and personify love. But I am also a God of justice and wrath because I am holy. Sin must be punished. I paid that penalty, but the covenant into which you enter to benefit from My sacrifice is not a one sided contract. Like all contracts and covenants, you must be obedient to Me. You must carry out your part of the covenant. Otherwise, the consequences of the contract will be executed.

You see, I’m God. I made you. We have a contract, you and I. I’ve fulfilled My part. You can choose to fulfill your part and follow Me or you can accept the penalties that come. Your choice. You think the game’s not fair? Well, you can try to make it on your own, but how will you make food without Me? How will you make water without Me? How will you make the air you breathe without Me? I guess I get to make the rules since I provide all your sustinence. But I do let you choose how you want to play. I just want you to make the right choice.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Peter’s characteristics means love (2 Peter 1:1-11), July 27, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 2 Peter 1:1-11

Set – Isaiah 51; Psalms 92; 2 Peter 1

Go! – Isaiah 50-52; Psalms 92; 2 Peter 1

2 Peter 1:1-11
¹Simon Peter, a servant and emissary of Jesus the Anointed One, to those who have received the same precious faith we share through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus the Anointed. ² I wish you a full measure of grace and peace as you grow in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
³ His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue. ⁴ Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature.
⁵ To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; ⁶ to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; ⁷ to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love. ⁸ For if you possess these traits and multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the Anointed; ⁹ but if you don’t have these qualities, then you will be nearsighted and blind, forgetting that your past sins have been washed away. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers and sisters, work that much harder to confirm that God has called you and claimed you. If you do this, then you will never fall along the way; ¹¹ and you can be sure that you will be richly welcomed into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It wasn’t until the end of their lives that My disciples began to understand I might delay My coming for generations to allow the greatest number of people to find My grace. It was at the end of their lives they began to pen the words you heard and read in the throughout the New Testament that grab your attention and help you understand what it means to live for Me and pattern your life after Me. Then knew their lives were short and wanted to make sure the words I had given them lived on for you.

Peter learned about the character of Christians first hand. He walked with Me for almost three and a half years before I was physically taken from him by My death on the cross. Still he knew Me by his study of My word and listening carefully to what I told him through My Spirit within him.

Peter learned to build the greatest attribute you can share that is like Me – love. Start with faith, add virtue to it. Then with those in place increase your knowledge of Me. As you learn more of Me, you’ll find discipline in your life becomes more important and you’ll add discipline to your life to become more like Me in character.

To faith, virtue, knowledge, and discipline, you will discover the need for endurance because life is not a short or easy race at times and endurance is a characteristic you will need to embrace. To endurance for the race, you will need godliness and to godliness you will need affection for those around you. Without affection you will be blind to the needs of others and miss the godly opportunities I put in your path. You will not be able to endure the hardships of life or suffer through the discipline necessary to really know Me. You will slip in your life of virtues and you and others will question your faith.

Finally, from affection will blossom love for your brothers and sisters. Real heart-felt love, like Mine that you demonstrate through benevolent action expecting nothing in return. You’ll just give – of your time, your money, your energy – whatever God asks you to give for the good of those around you.

Peter reminds you that you need these characteristics as you go through life. I will remind you, too. These characteristics lead you to the point of love, the two great commandments. Love Me with all your heart and love your neighbor like you love yourself. Do these two things and you’ll do the rest. Just love.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Ever think things are going crazy? (1 Peter 4:1-11), July 25, 2015

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<h2>Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Peter 4:1-11

Set – Isaiah 43; 1 Peter 4

Go! – Isaiah 43-45; 1 Peter 4

1 Peter 4:1-11
¹Since the Anointed suffered in the flesh, prepare yourselves to do the same—anyone who has suffered in the flesh for the Lord is no longer in the grip of sin— ² so that you may live the rest of your life on earth controlled not by earthly desires but by the will of God.
³ You have already wasted enough time living like those outsiders in the society around you: losing yourselves in sex, in addictions and desires, in drinking and lawless idolatry, in giving your time and allegiance to things that are not godly. ⁴ When you don’t play the same games they do, they notice that you are living by different rules. That’s why they say such terrible things about you. ⁵ Someday they, too, will have to give an account of themselves to the One who judges the living and the dead. ⁶ (This is why the good news had to be brought to those who are dead so that although they are judged in the flesh, they might live in the spirit in the way that pleases God.)
⁷ We are coming to the end of all things, so be serious and keep your wits about you in order to pray more forcefully. ⁸ Most of all, love each other steadily and unselfishly, because love makes up for many faults. ⁹ Show hospitality to each other without complaint. ¹⁰ Use whatever gift you’ve received for the good of one another so that you can show yourselves to be good stewards of God’s grace in all its varieties. ¹¹ If you’re called upon to talk, speak as though God put the words in your mouth; if you’re called upon to serve others, serve as though you had the strength of God behind you. In these ways, God may be glorified in all you do through Jesus the Anointed, to whom belongs glory and power, now and forever. Amen.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Does it seem to you that the world around you is going crazy? It’s because it is. We’re coming to the end of all things. It’s one of the signs of the end times. People don’t just blur right and wrong, they don’t just think selfishly and want to gain only for themselves, but they begin to act in ways that in past times people would say they were insane.

People used to laugh at the “People of Walmart” website but those funny fashions are everyday occurances now. It’s as if people lost their minds and anything is acceptable for wear wherever you go. It shouldn’t be if you have respect for yourself and others, but those folks will tell you “it’s what’s inside that counts, anyway so what does it matter what you wear?” In some respects that’s true, but I’m still a God of order and discipline and some of the outfits point to the opposite end of the spectrum. They obviously come from the point of chaos.

Sometimes the justice systems around the world indicate the world has become crazy. A person who takes a life will get a 7–14 year sentence while another who embezzles money from a company gets 20 years. One carries temporary consequences but a lighter sentence the other has permanent consequences but a longer sentence. It is crazy.

You discard the wisdom of your elderly and often let your youngest most inexperienced decide the fate of the masses. Usually causing problems for generations to come that the young do not yet see or understand. Does it make sense? No, wisdom calls it crazy.

So what does all this mean? The end is near. I’m coming back and it isn’t that far away. So keep your wits about you as Peter tells you. Don’t let the foolishness of the world infect you. Stand upon My word and its wisdom and you will be alright. Ask Me for advice and I will point you in the right direction. I won’t let you face the end times alone.

Love each other steadily and unselfishly. This is a tall order in today’s world when everything and everyone else around you is telling you to do the opposite. Everyone else tells you to take care of yourself first and don’t worry about anyone else. I’m telling you to love each other, look out for each other, care for each other. Help each other with their burdens. Lend a hand. Share the load. Make the work lighter by being there. Show others Christ by your love for them.

Use the gifts I’ve given you to help others. You’ll feel good in helping, and those you help will see Me in your efforts. That’s why I gave you those gifts in the first place, to help others. I didn’t give them to you for you to keep them to yourself for just your use. I want you to spead them around. And as you use those gifts, use them as if working for Me, not for someone else.

When you serve others as if you serve Me you’ll begin to enjoy doing things I’ve gifted you to do. You’ll see others in need that you can help. Others will begin to come to you as they understand what you offer because of what I do through you. You will live your life through Me. I’m still your best bet. I’ll give you the strength you’ll need.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.