The Lord Takes Care of His Own (3)

“God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord”  (1 Corinthians 1:9 NLT).

Peter

Let’s follow Peter on his journey through the four steps of following Jesus Christ. 

(Reminder of the four steps: Step one—called by God; Step two—answer the call and begin working in the calling; Step three—mess up; Step four—be forgiven and reinstated in the work God called you for.)  

Peter, whose original name was Simon, was a fisherman.  One day Jesus walked up to the boat and said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19 KJV)  Peter and his brother, Andrew left their nets, walked away from them and followed Jesus.  It seems like step one and step two occurred in quick succession.  Peter and Andrew spent the next three and a half years with Jesus, practically 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Jesus began stretching Peter right away.  It took some stretching to lay down the work he had been doing, fishing, and following a man he didn’t know.  Peter became the one who answered when Jesus asked whom men said that He was and finally, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  He had come a long way from the fishing boat.

   Peter left with the Lord the moment he was called—immediate decision and obedience.   He was with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He was trusted to make the arrangement for the Last  Supper.  He touched people, and they were healed.  He walked on the water.  He heard the Sermon on the Mount first hand.  He ate the same food as the 5000 and the 4000.  Peter was there for all of it.  He seems to have been walking very well in step two--following Jesus wherever He went.

   At the Last Supper Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”   But he replied, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’  Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.’” (Luke 22:31-34 NIV)  

   Later that same day, when Jesus was arrested and taken to Caiphas’ house for questioning, Peter followed.   Peter joined others gathered in the courtyard of Caiphas’ house.  And then, at that spot and time, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus, the one he said he would defend to the death.  The rooster crowed, and it is told that Peter cried bitter tears.   Peter had, indeed, sunk deeply into step three.  He did what he said he would never do—deny that he knew Jesus.  It’s hard to imagine Peter’s feelings for the next three days.   

   Jesus appeared to His disciples the day of His resurrection, but evidently, He did not speak personally with Peter.  Peter may well have been hesitant to approach Jesus because of what He had done.  He was stuck in step three.

   Several days later some of the disciples went fishing.  They hadn’t caught a thing when Jesus called from the shore asking whether they had caught any fish.  They didn’t recognize Him and told Him, “No.”  He told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat.  The catch was miraculous.  They then recognized Jesus and Peter couldn’t wait for the boat to come to shore to see Jesus—he jumped out and swam to shore.  

   When Jesus was with the assembled disciples again, Jesus took Peter aside to talk with him.   John 21:15-17 records the words of their conversation:  “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter. ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’  ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘You know that I love you,’  Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’  Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’  He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’  Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’  The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’   Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’  He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’  Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”  (NIV)  Peter had denied Jesus three times, and Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him.   I believe that this was Jesus leading Peter from step three into step four—forgiving him and letting him know that Jesus still counted on Peter to complete his task.  Peter knew then that he was forgiven and that Jesus still had His plans for Peter in place.

   Perhaps you have been called by the Lord several times in your life to complete some task for Him, and you have accepted.  Not all tasks are long term.  Some may be as short as giving an encouraging word to someone who needs it.  Perhaps you have made a mistake while serving the Lord.   If so, you can be glad that God still uses that four step process that he used with Abraham, David, and Peter.   As one who has gone through this four step process several times, I can confidently say that God is forgiving . He is faithful to restore you to His good graces, and  faithful to call you again, maybe even today.  Ask Him about it, and listen for His Word or His nudge.    Many times His call to me has been as common place as: “Mike is discouraged.  He needs to hear a word of encouragement.  Talk to him.”

The Lord Takes Care of His Own (2)

“God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord”  (1 Corinthians 1:9 NLT).

   King Saul of Israel had performed a ritual reserved for the priests of Israel. and he was told that he would be removed as king.  The prophet Samuel knew that the next king would come from the family of Jesse of Bethlehem, but he didn’t know which son it was to be.  He arrived at Jesse’s home and announced his mission.  Jesse presented his sons one-by-one to Samuel, and none was the one to be chosen.   Samuel asked if that was all the sons Jesse had.  Jesse answered, well, there is David.  He’s out tending the sheep.  They called him in, and Samuel anointed him to be the next king of Israel.  This teenage sheepherder was going to be the next king of Israel, but he had a long way to go.  He did not become king until he was about 30 years old.  

   Acts 13:22 tells us why God chose David to be King of Israel: “After removing Saul, he made David their king.  God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”  That’s quite a ringing endorsement for this young shepherd.   Doesn’t sound like David will go through all four steps of service to God that we have been discussing:  Step one—called by God, Step two—answer the call and begin working, Step three—mess up, make mistakes, Step four—accepting forgiveness and being reinstated into the calling of God.

   David’s first call was an unexpected one to the battlefield.   He was tending the sheep while his brothers were fighting in a war.  David’s father sent him to take food to his brothers, and when he got there, he found a bewildering sight—there was no fighting going on.  The Philistines had sent out a giant, Goliath, who challenged the army of Israel to send out one man to fight him, that fight deciding the battle.  No one in King Saul’s army was willing to fight Goliath.  At this point God called David (step one) to fight Goliath.  David basically said, “Yes, I’ve killed a bear and a lion with my sling.  I’m not afraid of this guy.”  It didn’t take David long to go to step two—He accepted the call.  We all know the outcome.  David did kill Goliath.  This was one time when David didn’t need to go through all four steps.

   Fast forward to a time when King Saul became very jealous of David and tried to kill him.   He chased him with his army for several years.  Once, King Saul went to sleep in a cave while hunting for David.  It happened to be a cave where David was hiding.  David had the opportunity to kill King Saul but he didn’t even though he had been anointed as the successor to King Saul.

   David did become King at age thirty, and he ruled well.  He gained safety and prosperity for Israel by defeating the nations surrounding Israel.  Sounds like everything was going well for King David—no sight of step three ever happening.  Well, of course it did, and it began on a quiet night when King David couldn’t sleep well.  He got out of bed and walked to the outer part of the castle and saw his neighbor’s wife, Bathsheba, bathing on the roof of her house.  She was beautiful, and David called for her to be brought to the palace.  She came to him. And they spent the night together.  Oops, David had been doing well in step two, but now he was having a quick slide into step three.  He messed up big time.  Later Bathsheba informed him that she was “with child.”  David had a way to fix this.  He sent word to his army commander in the field and had Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, sent home on a furlough.  It backfired.   Uriah refused to sleep with his wife while his fellow soldiers were fighting the enemy.  David increased his slide into step three by sending Uriah back to the battlefield and directing the commander to place Uriah in the front line so he would be killed.  The way was clear for Bathsheba to move into the castle with King David.  But David was now deeply stuck in step three.  His decline included not only adultery, but also murder.  The prophet, Nathan, confronted King David with his sins, and David repented.  God did forgive him, put him back in step two, and he remained King of Israel for many years.

   A less well-known slip of David occurred earlier, before he became king.  He had been hiding with the Philistines when King Saul was looking for him to kill him.  David hid with them for over a year, and he offered his services to the Philistine commander when they were attacked by Israel, a definite slip into step three.  God rescued him out of this mistake by having the Philistine commander refuse David’s services.  I can’t imagine that David would ever have become King of Israel if he had gone to war against Israel.

   God was faithful and forgiving to David.  Even though David made some big mistakes, he was forgiven and brought back into the good graces of the Lord.  He ruled Israel for forty years and became known as the greatest king that Israel ever had.  David trusted God, had faith in Him, and was humble before the Lord.  His Psalms give great evidence of His love for God and His dependence upon Him.  When you need encouragement think about how God worked in David’s life to forgive Him and guide him through the mission God had given him. 

The Lord Takes Care of His Own

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him’” (Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV).

   I have accepted Jesus as my Savior, so I am one of His own.  He takes good care of me even when I don’t deserve it.  He has done the same for all His children.  There are numerous examples in the Bible.  Three notable ones are Abraham, David, and Peter.  We find a four step process visible in the lives of these three men.  First God calls them.  Second, they accept His call and begin following Him.  Third, each one makes a huge mistake, and fourth, each one is forgiven by God and called back into service.  

   Let’s look at Abraham today.  

   In Genesis 12:1,2 we learn of God’s call to Abram:  “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing’” (NIV).  God’s instructions were a little vague at first, “Go…to the land I will show you.”  That’s like telling me to go get the kids, pack the car, and go.

   “Okay, Lord, we are in the car.  Now what do we do?

   “Drive to Houghton Road and turn south.”

   “Okay, we are driving south on Houghton.  How far do we go?”

   “Go to I-10.”

   “Lord, we are coming up to I-10.  What direction do we go?”

   “Head east.”

   That may seem a little strange, but we have no clue that God gave Abram directions any farther ahead than that.  It seems that Abram had to trust God on a daily basis, and that’s just what He asks us to do.  God wants us to listen for Him and to Him for His Word for the day.  

   Okay, so far, so good.  Because of a famine, Abram went to Egypt, but there was a problem.  Abram’s wife, Sarai, was very beautiful, and Abram was afraid that Pharaoh would kill him and take Sarai for himself.  So he asked Sarai to say that she was Abram’s sister.  She did, and Pharaoh spared Abram, but he took Sarai into his harem.  He treated Abram very well, but Sarai was now in Pharaoh’s harem and likely to be called into his bedroom for the night.  

   Abram was at stage two, and he messed up big time.  But God rescued him by causing various illnesses to fall upon Pharaoh’s household before He could sleep with Sarai.  Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What have you done to me?...  Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?... Now then, here is your wife.  Take her and go.”  God forgave Abram, and He still had plans for him.  

   As Abram and Sarai left Egypt, they entered another place where Abram feared for his life because of Sarai’s beauty.  Guess what?  He did the same thing again.  Sarah was taken into another harem, and God rescued her again, and still kept Abram in His plan. Abram seems to have been in a circle from stage two to stage three and back to stage two again.  

   But Abram was not done messing up.  His next mistake was a beauty.  God had promised Abram a son for him and Sarai.  Many Years went by and Abraham and Sarah had no children, so Sarah suggested to Abraham, “Take my maidservant and have a son by her.  We will raise him as our own.” 

   Abraham said, “Okay.”  

   Yep, this was the big mistake.  Back to step two.  (It seems that we all spend too much time going through step two to step three and back to step two again.)  Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden had a son, Ishmael, by Abraham, but it was not the son God had promised.  Abraham was once again forgiven by God, and God was still calling him to be the Father of the people that God would call His own.  But, Abraham had to wait another twelve years for the promised son, Isaac, to be born.  God is not obligated to go by our timetable, but we will abide by His.  There, of course, is enmity still today between the descendants of Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.

   God’s will was done.  Abraham was called, and He accepted the call.  He made several mistakes, and God forgave Him.  It is of utmost importance to note that God did NOT abandon either His plan or Abraham.  He was faithful to accomplish all that He said He would.

   Perhaps you have been called, and you have accepted.  Perhaps you have made mistakes as Abraham did.  Be encouraged by the story of Abraham and Sarah.  God forgives and He continues to work His will in your life when you allow him to do so.    

God Made Today Just for Us

“This is the day the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24  NLT).

   So what’s special about today, Friday, April 10, 2026?  Well, it’s Friday, the end of the work week for most people.  It’s springtime, and flowers are blooming.   Baseball season is in full swing, and in Pennsylvania, trout season has begun.  We live in the United States of America, the greatest nation in the world.   We are free to express our political beliefs, and we are free to express our religious beliefs.

   Those are all good reasons to consider today to be special.  One other reason, a very important reason, is one that our pastor reminds us of every Sunday—We are one day closer to being with our Savior, Jesus!.   That, in itself, makes this a very special day.  But I like the reason given in Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day the Lord has made….”  That’s reason enough to rejoice.  What are we supposed to do on this day that the Lord has made?  The Scripture makes it clear—“…rejoice and be glad in it.”  Should we be singing songs and saying “Praise the Lord!” all the time today?  Perhaps in our hearts we should be doing that.  I also believe it means that we should have a joyful attitude all today, treating others with respect and giving them reason to enjoy the day.  When possible, brighten someone’s day with a compliment or at least a smile.  And in our hearts we should take the opportunity to frequently think of our Lord and how much He loves us.  And when we do that, our hearts will be joyful and we will be thanking Him for all He has done.

Thank you, Lord, for this day.  I will rejoice and be glad in it! 

 

   

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  (Matthew 28:5-7,19 NIV)

   “He is risen!”

   “He is risen, indeed!”

   Wait, we are to say that on Easter Sunday, and this is the day after Easter.  We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday, but He is risen today also, and He is risen tomorrow, and He is risen all the tomorrows through eternity.  So, we can say every day, “He is risen!  He is alive!”   He has risen for all of forever.   He has forgiven all of our sins for all of forever.  He has prepared a place for us to live with Him for all of forever.  We declare His love for us for all of forever. 

THANK YOU, JESUS!  YOU ARE FAITHFUL!