IF ONLY
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Posted:Jun 27, 2006 8:52 am
Last Updated:Dec 15, 2025 9:45 pm 3151 Views
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If Only”
Luann Prater, Proverbs 31 Speaker and Writer
Key Verse:
John 4:39, “He told me everything I ever did.” (NIV)
Devotion:
The woman at the well; look her up in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of me. We all have labels we dislike: addict, unfit, shy, stuck-up, party girl, fat, arrogant, stupid, unproductive, quitter, alcoholic, cheapskate, unworthy. Mine was “the woman at the well.”
Who was this woman? If you are not familiar with her story, pause to read John 4:1-30. What was her background? We don’t have details but we can be sure that her misdirected life didn’t happen all at once. It was achieved by believing and acting on one lie at a time. This woman was on a desperate journey to find herself and her worth through men.
An encounter at a well between her and Jesus brought two lives together and changed one forever. Through Jesus she found the love and worth she desperately desired ‒ just as I did. Her story delivers hope when divorce is claiming over two million victims each year, leaving broken lives and aching hearts in its wake.
I suspect this woman had been suffering from the “If Only” disease; the questioning of her life that causes her ‘dis’ (the absence or reversal of) ‘ease’ (freedom). “If only I hadn’t made that wrong decision;” “if only I had married a man who found value in me;” “if only my would show me respect;” “if only my parents were different;” if only…if only…if only.
Last week I spoke to a group of 100 women; 90 of them told me they felt unworthy, unloved and unimportant in the scheme of life. It breaks my heart to hear this because I once believed this lie too. I tried to find my worth in love; love from a man, love from my , love from my friends, not realizing the love of God was freely offered me and would satisfy.
Life can be a monotonous pattern. We continue to do the same thing over and over and over again. Though we may find temporary satisfaction, we will get thirsty again. We will keep trying to quench our thirst with a different man, a better job, a bigger house, another drink.
We live in a hurting world. Haunting choices from the past linger in our lives and prevent us from being all that God intends for us to be. Baggage doesn’t have to be a reality in your life. God longs to give you an abundant life. . . if only you will accept His life-giving water and leave your drought in the dust.
My Prayer for Today:
Father, I pray for every woman who has been touched by the pain of divorce, whether as a wife or . I ask that you allow them to see their worth through Your eyes. You, dear Lord, saw value in the woman at the well and without a doubt, You see it in each one of Your . Teach us to drink from Your life-giving water each day and live the abundant life You provide. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
Focus on the flawed people in the Bible who called Jesus a friend. He never sought perfect people, only people willing to follow a perfect Savior.
Make a promise to yourself never to use the words, “if only” again. Drop a coin in a jar every time you slip and begin to linger in past mistakes. See how poor you can become in the jar and how rich you can grow in the Lord.
Reflection Points:
Why do I meditate on the past instead of focusing on my Savior?
How can I reflect God’s forgiveness to other hurting hearts?
When will I tell Satan, “Enough!”? Today is the day to turn your back on the past, receive the living water of Christ, and begin to live the abundant life.
Power Verses:
John 4:13 -14, “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” (NIV)
John 16:24, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (NIV)
Philippians 3:13, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (NIV)
Additional Resources:
“When Your Marriage Dies: Answers to Questions about Separation & Divorce”
http://bigchurch.com
Coming Out of the Dark, by Mary Southerland
http://bigchurch.com
When You’re Running on Empty, by Cindi McMenamin
http://bigchurch.com
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Being Faithful With Little
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Posted:Jun 2, 2006 12:15 pm
Last Updated:Jun 12, 2006 11:56 am 3258 Views
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“Being Faithful with Little”
Glynnis Whitwer, Senior Editor “P31 Woman Magazine,” Proverbs 31 Speaker Team Member
Key Verse:
Matthew 25:21, “His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” (NIV)
Devotion:
I love all five of my with equal measure, but when I want to get something important delivered to the school office, I know which one will get it there in one piece. I know which one will look for a brother on the playground full of until he’s found, and I know which one will get distracted by the swings and abandon the search. One will spend her money on something that will last, and another would spend his entire allowance on gum.
Of course, will be , and most grow out of silly distractions and a constant preference for play. But I wonder if God doesn’t look at us the same way, and decide whom He can trust with something important? Is God looking to see if He can give us more than we’ve got right now?
I believe most Christians want more of the right things. We want to know more of God. We want more joy in our lives. We want to do more things for the sake of Jesus. We want to be entrusted with more responsibility. We’d like to have more money to give away. We’d like to share more of our talents with others. And we question why we don’t have more.
Then we look around us and wonder why some people seem to get all the opportunities. Why do some people always have money to give? Why do they get asked to do important jobs? Why do they work with a good attitude at a boring assignment?
I believe the answer is found in the words of the master in the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25. Verse 21 reads, “"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'”
The servants in the story were entrusted with “talents,” or a unit of coins. Two invested the little they had and were able to offer a profit back to their master when he returned from his trip. The story describes the happiness of the master when his servants proved themselves faithful with little. The master was then willing to give them more.
God is looking at us to see how faithful we are with what He’s given us. He’s given us each an amount of intelligence, personal skills, physical strength, and emotional reserve. For most of us in the world, we’ve each been given shelter, food and a portion of money as well. Then God waits to see what we do with what we’ve been given:
Do we take our “gifts” and invest them or do we grumble about how little we have?
Do we wisely use our money, or do we spend it as fast as we get it?
Do we keep our homes moderately in order so that we can invite others over or it is a disaster zone?
Do we let fear keep us from using our talents in the Kingdom or do we obey God in spite of what others might say?
Do we keep in the shadows at work, doing the minimum, or do we go above what is required and let our lights shine?
Do we take responsibility for our problems or blame others?
God wants to give each of us more as long as we are investing what we’ve been given for His purposes and glory. I believe God longs to reward His believers with more responsibility, but He needs to be able to trust us. The reward of being faithful with little isn’t just getting more, it’s also sharing in the happiness of our Lord. An even greater reward is knowing we’ve played a part in advancing the Kingdom of God here on earth. We may never know just how many lives are impacted by our obedience. But God knows, and He’s already got our next assignment planned.
My Prayer for Today:
Heavenly Father, I worship and praise You for your goodness and faithfulness. Forgive me for the times I’m not faithful with what You’ve entrusted to me. Help me to identify those areas in my life that need changing. Please give me the wisdom and strength to make changes so that I’m more pleasing to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
Identify one responsibility in your life that you haven’t paid much attention to lately. What can you do this week to be more responsible in that area?
Reflection Points:
What are some of your personal strengths?
What responsibilities have you been given, that you can see God using and entrusting you with more?
What are some reasons for not using, or multiplying, the “talents” you’ve been given?
What help do you need to be a better manager of what you’ve been given?
What can you do in the next month to make a change that will help you be a better steward?
Power Verses:
1 Corinthians 4:2, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (NIV)
Proverbs 20:6, “Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?” (NIV)
Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (NIV)
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (NAS)
Psalm 28: 6-7, “Praise be to the LORD, for He has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.” (NIV)
Additional Resources:
Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed by Lysa TerKeurst
http://bigchurch.com
What Happens When Women Walk In Faith by Lysa TerKeurst
http://bigchurch.com
P31 Woman Magazine
http://bigchurch.com
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LOVE NEVER FAILS
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Posted:Jun 2, 2006 9:29 am
Last Updated:Jun 12, 2006 11:57 am 3195 Views
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Love Never Fails
But the fruit of the Spirit is love.
–Galatians 5:22
We read in 1 Corinthians 13 that love endures all things. It refuses to give up. It refuses to surrender, to stop believing or hoping. Love will simply not stop loving. Love never fails.
And we may think, “Oh, please. How could we ever live up to these standards? It’s impossible.” Yes it is. But this is what we should be aiming toward. The Bible says, “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). Godly love is simply saying, “Lord, You know I am not this way. I am not always thinking the best of every person. I am not always well-mannered. I am not always kind. I am not always longsuffering. But, Lord, I acknowledge my weakness and I want to change.”
The Bible tells us, “The fruit of the Spirit is love…” (Galatians 5:22). This fruit will come as a result of abiding in Christ and seeking to be more like Him each and every day.
My hope and prayer is that the church would be known as a loving church. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Let this be said of us as the body of Christ. And let this be said of us as individuals.
God help us to be a part of a loving church. May our lives be characterized by this love.
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You Make Me Laugh Five Steps To A Healthy Diet
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Posted:Jun 2, 2006 8:04 am
Last Updated:Jun 6, 2006 8:07 am 3243 Views
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*Five Steps to a Healthy Diet*
The Federal Drug and Food Administration is planning to issue a guide for proper eating that advises you to:
A. List your ten favorite foods.
B. List your five favorite beverages.
C. List all green vegetables that look like marsh grass, fur balls, or little trees.
D. List water.
E. Avoid A & B; eat only C; drink only D.
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WHAT WE TREASURE
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Posted:Jun 1, 2006 9:38 am
Last Updated:Dec 15, 2025 9:45 pm 3248 Views
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WHAT WE TREASURE
Matthew 6:19, 20
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
There are material goods which Jesus identifies as "treasures upon earth." And there are immaterial goods which Jesus calls "treasures in heaven." Treasures upon earth have two characteristics.
First, all natural things decay. What rust doesn't destroy, moths or termites will. Second, because of the value of earthly treasures, there is always a concern for security. It is hard to be anxiety-free if we are worried about our possessions. The more we possess, the more we cause others to covet, hence the reason why "thieves break in and steal."
On the other hand, treasures in heaven are beyond the reach of thieves and secure from the ravages of moths and rust. Paul puts it this way: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Timothy 4 ,  .
What do you treasure in your heart? What would you exchange for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? Would you exchange these qualities for a new car, a cabin in the hills, a boat in the marina, exceptional status at the top of the corporate ladder?
Achievement is determined by who or what you serve. There is a moral healthiness and simple, unaffected goodness present in the single-minded person that is absent from the one serving many masters. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious" (Matthew 6;24, 25).
There will be no peace serving two masters. To whichever master we yield, by that master we shall be controlled.
Prayer:
Father, the treasures of this world call out to me temptingly. I trust You to give me what I need and not what I selfishly desire.
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The Unconditional Love
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Posted:Jun 1, 2006 8:35 am
Last Updated:Jun 2, 2006 8:02 am 3375 Views
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The Unconditional Love of God
Romans 5:6-8
New believers may find it difficult to accept the fact that God loves us just as we are. Much of the world operates by conditional love, which offers approval and acceptance on the basis of performance. So when we first come to Christ, there is often a natural tendency to assume we must strive to “deserve” our blessings, such as monetary wealth, loving families, and solid careers.
Divine love, however, can never be earned by human effort. There is absolutely nothing we can do to make God love us more or to influence Him to stop loving us (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:. Many believers understand this intellectually but have trouble believing it deep down in their heart.
No matter what has occurred in your past or what you feel right now, the Father’s love has always been freely given to you. God pours His love upon us without exception – no ifs, ands, or buts. He did not begin to love you at the moment you invited Him into your life. Nor did He begin to love you when you first started going to church or when you rose from the baptismal waters. In truth, God never “began” to love you at all; He simply always has. From the creation of the world, God knew you and loved you (1 John 4:19; Psalm 139:13).
Are you rejoicing in the Father’s love, or are you withdrawn and depressed? Do you exude peace, or do others see you as anxious? Is your life characterized by power and purpose or by fear? Recognizing the amazing truth of God’s unconditional love is life-changing. Prayerfully open your arms to His love today.
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GOOD MANNERS
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Posted:May 31, 2006 8:04 am
Last Updated:Jun 1, 2006 8:33 am 3365 Views
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Good Manners
[Love] does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.
–1 Corinthians 13:5
In an old village in England, this inscription was reportedly found on a tombstone: “Here lies a miser who lived for himself and cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, nobody knows and nobody cares.” How would you like to have that written on your tombstone? How much better it would be for others to say of our lives, “This person was always thinking of and caring for others.”
The Bible tells us that “[love] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). In other words, true love has good manners. This is something that is largely lost in our culture today. There’s a prevailing attitude that seems to say, “If my behavior offends someone else, that’s their problem. They have to get over it.” But as Christians, we need to realize we are part of the body of Christ, and as such, we should consider what other people are experiencing. We should care about others. The world does not revolve around you or me. We should put the needs of others above our own.
God’s love is not provoked. It is not aroused to anger. It thinks no evil, which means it doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. When someone has been wronged and says, “I can’t believe you did that! I keep records. I don’t get mad; I get even,” that is not God’s love.
Has someone taken advantage of you? Forget about it. Did they do it again? Don’t worry about it. Let it go. It doesn’t matter. That’s how God’s love is.
Caring about others more than we care about ourselves is more than good manners. It is godly love.
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MY BIOAGRAPHY PART ONE
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Posted:May 26, 2006 12:44 pm
Last Updated:Nov 14, 2006 12:26 pm 3329 Views
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I was born with a decease called Infantact Spasms and Seizures the doctors said that I wasn’t going too walk or would I be able to talk in August 26 1979 to a teenage mom who was 18 and raised in Chicago IL By my mom and grandparents I grew up in Church not I use too go too church with my God Mother not only did I grew up in church. I got saved at 10 years old than my mom got saved also we got baptized together because of what God had did as a than my Grandmother than the rest of my family did but they all didn’t get saved all at once or the same year. I would spend just about every weekend over my God mothers house and she had a garden in her backyard she planted and grew her own vegetables Greens Tomatoes and Etc every time we go too church after Sunday Service we would have Fried Chicken and Fried Tomatoes and I would visit during the week as well she was really my moms Godmother but she became mine she wanted she couldn’t have any of her own. But I also grew up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood called Humboldt Park I lived in a house and lived in a apartment where their was rodents crawling around so we had too get a cat drugs in the house alcohols and the police would knock on my grandparents door with a warrant for an arrest for my cousin who was on drugs my Grandmother would have too work two jobs too support and take care of her family she work 12 hrs at the bus station and was a cook for the Chicago Public Schools she would bring left over food home for her family. The Majority of my childhood friends were girls and some cousins. I played the girly games dolls played house jumped rope hopscotch’s hide and seek it took the whole neighborhood too raise us we would spend a night over each others house go too each others parties we were all best friends including my cousins not just friends who grew up together. I was a nerd when I was a my nick name and I was Steve Urkels twin brother I was a church boy always looking forward into going too church and having fried chicken on Sundays after church. I remember as a that one day my parents would send me too school and I ditched and called myself along with another friend called ourselves walking too the zoo but we never did made it we were caught by the police and rode in a Paddy Wagon. We were too young to go to jail because we were 7years old so they took us too the police station talked too us and bought us a candy bar and then back too school boy did we get in a whole lot of trouble back then if me and my friends and cousins got in trouble they would get the belt or a tree branch and whip us until we were black and blue and couldn’t sit down. It was hard keep up with friends when I was a because my family and I would move around so much and transferring too different schools. So did they but we managed too see each other every once in a while.
At 7years old my birth dad left out of me and my sister life she was two years old she didn’t know him that well so we were pretty much raised by a single mom and some of our closes neighbors my grandparents and my aunt in the neighborhood. For a while than my mom got a boyfriend in her life and he was on drugs and alcohol but he was their and he helped raise me and was their when I was seriously sick and some of the most important parts in my life growing up. In 1994 they got married on my Grand Fathers birthday he had of his own and when they got married he became my dad and father his became my siblings. In my family there is no such words like Step Father or Step Sister or Brothers when they got married I became a part of the family. We were kind of like the Brady Bunch. My brother and Sister would spend some weekends over our house we hangout laugh joke and get too know each other go places and bond with each other. It wasn’t until we got older and became teenagers we saw less of each other and had slowly stop seeing each other and spend time with each other. So when my birth father left I was hurt as expected and wanting nothing too do with him back then I would have had hatred towards him. But as I got older I begun too forgive him and if I saw him today I would let him know that I had already had forgiven him for leaving us and give him a second chance and start out new and fresh and that I’m willing too put all this behind me and build up a new relationship and get too know his family. Today I have some pictures of him holding me in his arms I couldn’t stand looking at them at first. But now I can look at them without being angry or upset because the past was the past and I learned not too let my past get the best of me or break me. Some people may say well why do you want too forgive him. Let me just say too them this if God forgave us of our sins and we want him too forgive us than we should forgive others for what they did too us and if he sent his own too die for us for our sins and say Father forgive them for they no not what they do. If we don’t then how can we expect God and Jesus too forgive us when we have such bitterness where we can’t forgive. If he can forgive us than we should also otherwise if hadn’t forgive us he would die in our sins on our way too hell yes I said hell.
That same year my family and I had experience a great deal of tragedy. I lost my two aunts one too Aids we use too go visit her a lot even when she had Aids we would still go and see her but we couldn’t stay in the same room or be near her unless we had a mask on our face. She was the comedian in the family she had everybody laughing and she would have had you laughing as well. So any how God called her home in her forties she had one she wanted all of her family too ride in Limousines so we had seven limousines seven people per car on our way too the home going than God called my Grand Fathers Brother home another Aunt and last but not least my Grand Father too emphiazima I was very close with my Grand Father he taught me how too play the Organ he use too sit me on his lap and tech me how too play the Piano and have me sit right beside him and play Lean on Me and taught me how too play he than traded his Piano in for an Organ and teach me how too play he couldn’t read music so he played by ear. I remember when we got a call from the Hospital about him we went too the Hospital too view his body it looked like he was sleep. I couldn’t mentioned it too my cousin or my sister because they were too young too go see him and didn’t know what death was or meant so we told them that he was sleep and that he was going too be sleeping for a long time. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him he was well known and loved by a lot of people the neighbors and close friends of our would call him pops because he was kind of a Father too them and he would wear those hats that dick Tracey wears his favorite words were Get Yourself Together and if you say the same thing too him he would laugh and say You Better Believe it. So I did go too the home going which was at night. But I didn’t go too the burial because I was afraid too so instead I wanted too go too school. It seems like every time I went too a home going I would always have nightmares about them like they are still here right in the room with me. But as I got older I grew out of my fears slowly. We managed too get through all of them by the grace of God.
I later had suffered and battled Asthma I was in and out of the Hospital struggling too breathe I was hooked too a machine called an E.G. I was so afraid too go too sleep one night I cried out too God because I thought that I wasn’t going too see tomorrow. After I cried out too God he heard my cry and as I got older I grew out of Asthma because of God. Now I have a lot of family members have asthma and still dealing with it.
One summer at day camp I was playing softball I played in the outfield I ran backwards too catch the ball I then slipped and fell into an open manhole nearly had falling too my death but by the grace of God I landed on some concrete it took a while for anyone too realize that I was down their until I yelled too the top of my lungs for help. I was able too escape with nothing but scrapes bruises on my body.
In part of my childhood I was sexually abused by a bully classmate in the boys bathroom the teacher would send me and him together he would pull my pants down and stick his private part in my behind at that time I didn’t know what he was doing or knew any better and afraid of him he told me that if I told on him what he did he would beat me up and than kill me. So I kept silent about it until I couldn’t take it anymore and told it wasn’t until the second or third time before I said anything I know that I was stupid for not saying anything I know that if that had been you, you would have said something, because I was a I was taking too the Hospital too be tested for any deceases and herpes and anything that he might have had because he might have been sexually active through the grace of God the test came back negative he was later arrested and charged.
I was sexually harassed by one of my blood related cousins who had too baby sit me when I was a he would make me go too the bathroom so that he could whip me. He would make me pull my pants down and instead he would rub Vaseline on my private part and play with it like it’s a toy.
As a pre I had a girlfriend we had actually started out as friends but we liked each other so much that we decided too become boyfriend and girlfriend and if we had a problem with each other and got too the point of breaking up we decided too go back into being friends. We met each other at church her mom and was my little brothers daycare Teacher so one Sunday we sat together she use too stick her hand in my pants too feel my behind trying too feel it I didn’t know what she was doing I was busy paying attention too the message my Pastor was preaching I didn’t know that she stuck her hand into my pants I though that she was reaching for something behind me. But she wasn’t I didn’t like it then she whispered into my ear about going too the choir room too have sex I didn’t know what sex was and I thought that it was nasty so she told me what it was because my parents didn’t teach me about the birds and the bees yet. She got mad every time she ask me and I tell her no our moms thought that we were just friends but my sister knew that we were a couple we sat together too eat after service saving each other a seat eating off of each others plate we were so much in love with each other we talked too each other on the phone talking laughing singing too each other and around the holidays as well after we got off the phone talking after I hang up the phone she would call me back talking about how much she loves me back and forth we talking about how much we love each other you know how couples act when they around each other so get the idea .Anyhow one day we decided too go back too being friends again for good and agreed too see other people and find another Boyfriend and another Girlfriend. The church where I grew up in my Pastor had too retire because of his health so he named his successor he served as our new Pastor he and my family became close friends than one year he was voted out as Pastor by the members so we end up in a Church split he started his own church at another church so we followed him and that was the last time I saw my first girlfriend and only girlfriend my family followed him she and her mom stayed at the church. So we were under the leadership of my old Pastor until my Aunt got saved and joined the church down the street from her house we visited and ended up liking it so we joined in 1995
When I was in grammar school I was placed in Special Education because I was a slow learner and because of the infanttact Spasms and the Asthma although I was in Special Ed I would read at a 5th grade level the highest in the class I was in Special Ed until after I graduated from High School in 1998
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UNDERSTANDING THE SUPERNATURAL
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Posted:May 26, 2006 12:38 pm
Last Updated:Dec 15, 2025 9:45 pm 3258 Views
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UNDERSTANDING THE SUPERNATURAL
Matthew 22:29
You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God
Dee, a bright young woman and a pastor's , developed physical symptoms which were later diagnosed as multiple sclerosis.
"When did you first become aware of the symptoms?" I asked.
"I started feeling the first tingling sensations right after a special time of devotions I had with the Lord," Dee replied.
"What was so special about your devotions that day?"
"My devotions were in 2 Corinthians 12, and I read the passage where Paul told about his thorn in the flesh. Paul said God's power was perfected in his weakness, and I wanted God's power in my life too. So I asked God to give me a thorn in the flesh."
"Do you know what Paul's thorn in the flesh was?" I asked, shocked.
"Some sort of physical problem, wasn't it?"
"Well, we're not told how it was manifested, but 2 Corinthians 12 clearly states that it was a 'messenger of Satan,' literally an angel of Satan -- a demon! Paul never asked for it. In fact, he prayed three times that it be removed. Dee, I think Satan took advantage of your unscriptural prayer and afflicted you with these symptoms. I strongly recommend that you renounce your request for a thorn in the flesh and pray that any influence by Satan be removed from your life."
Dee received my counsel and we prayed together. She began to feel better. The symptoms disappeared and she resumed her normal activities.
By excluding the supernatural from their worldview, many Christians exclude God's power from their theology and practice, becoming subject to Satan's power. Furthermore, they also explain all human failure -- even that which is induced by demonic influence, such as Dee's symptoms -- as the result of psychological or natural causes. We typically exhaust every natural explanation first, then say, "Well, there's nothing left to do but pray." Why don't we first determine if there is a spiritual explanation? Spiritual conflicts are by far the easiest to resolve.
Prayer:
Lord, keep me sensitive to the spiritual nature of the battle, and protect me from the fiery darts the evil one hurls at me today.
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Forgiven And Restored
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Posted:May 26, 2006 12:11 pm
Last Updated:May 26, 2006 4:15 pm 3292 Views
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Forgiven and Restored
“But go, tell His disciples – and Peter – that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” –Mark 16
One of the most powerful verses in the Bible is Luke 22:61: “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” Peter had just denied the Lord three times, but Jesus turned and looked at him.
How do you think the Lord looked at Peter? Knowing Jesus, I think it was a look of compassion. A look of love. A look of forgiveness. Jesus knew the denial was coming; He knew Peter was coming back. It was a look that said, “Peter, I still love you.”
Peter went out and wept bitterly. Understand that the disciples did not have this thing all figured out. They didn’t know that Jesus was going to die and rise from the dead.
So then when Jesus was crucified they thought, It is finished. There is no hope. Somehow they had missed the part where Jesus said, “ ‘They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again’ ” (Luke 18:33).
After the crucifixion, Peter was one hurting guy. He was thinking, I have failed. I wish I could undo what I did. But after Jesus rose from the dead, He sent this message: “ ‘Go, tell His disciples – and Peter – that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you’ ” (Mark 16). Isn’t that amazing?
Why do you think the Lord threw in Peter’s name? Because He knew Peter needed that reassurance. Peter was forgiven and restored by the Lord. And you know what? God will forgive you and restore you, too.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.
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