Peter remembered....

 Mark 14:72  "Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him:  "Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times."  And he broke down and wept."  (NIV) 

What a terrible moment for Peter.  When he remembered Jesus' words, he suddenly came face to face with himself in a way he never had before.  he denied Jesus---his friend, his master, his God!  All the guilt and disappointment and confusion and frustration of that moment brings him to tears of remorse.

I'm sure Peter hated himself at that moment.  We all hate ourselves when we come face to face with our true self.  We see our sin.  We see our disobedience.  We see our weakness and brokenness.  We see our denial of Jesus.  We see our hopeless failure.  We are defeated and wonder how we can ever make it better again.  When Jesus died, I'm sure Peter felt even worse because his opportunity to fix things would seem to be gone forever.

But Christ still loved Peter and he will restore him and strengthen him when the time is right.  Peter has failed, but Jesus hasn't.  

Jesus is the same today, yesterday and forever.

Thank you, Jesus for understanding and forgiving our failures.  You know us better then we know ourselves.  If we continue to trust you, you will give us another chance and a new life in you.  Only you can fix our brokenness when we fail.

Forgive from your heart...

  Matthew 18:35  "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."  (NIV)

Forgiveness isn't just words.  It has to go heart-deep.  We have to really mean it and prove it by our actions. 

 In the parable Jesus tells, the man who was forgiven much by his master turns around and refuses to forgive another man for a much smaller debt.  The forgiveness he had received did not produce fruit of thankfulness or joy or kindness for someone in similar circumstances.  It didn't pierce his heart with knowledge of the grace he himself had received.  He received a tremendous blessing and it left him cold and heartless instead of changing his own perception of what grace is and how he could also extend grace to others in thankfulness.

Thank you, Lord, for your grace!  Show me where I have refused grace to others and change my heart.  amen.

The spirit is willing, the body is weak...

  Mark 14:38  "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."  (NIV)

"Your spirit is willing, but human nature is weak."  (Phillips)

Jesus knows that we don't always live up to our good intentions.  We know what we should do and what we want to do, but when temptation or persecution comes, we may give in or run away.

We hear people say, "Don't take this personally."  Even though the disciples keep falling asleep instead of watching with Jesus, I don't believe that Jesus is really taking the disciples actions personally.  He understands the weakness of human nature.  He knows the disciples are committed to him and love him, but he also knows  their fear and confusion.

"Human nature is weak"---our spirit wants to follow Jesus wherever he goes, but our human nature always gets in the way.  Jesus often warns us to be alert to stay awake, to pray.  This is our strongest defense!  Prayer keeps us connected to the Father.  Prayer forms part of our spiritual armor that we wear into battle. 

 Prayer is also part of our offense.  We are calling on the greatest power in the universe!  We are aligning ourselves with "the God of angel armies"!  We can't fight the evil one or temptation without him and win.  God Almighty is our Savior!  

Thank you, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, for always being there when we call upon you.  Help us fight the temptations of the evil one and to hold on and trust in you alone.  Strengthen us when we are weak.  Help us remain alert and ready at all times. Be our strength when our human nature fails us.

Your unfailing love...

  Psalm 51:1  "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love."  (NIV)

Over and over in the psalms we see mention of God's "unfailing love".  In the AMP Bible it uses the word "steadfast" in this verse.  So I became curious to look up the dictionary definition.  Unfailing is defined as:  

1. without error or fault  2.  reliable, constant

Synonyms:  dependable, steadfast, steady, sure, inexhaustible, boundless, ceaseless, never failing, and infallible.

 Wow!  Thinking of God's love in all of those terms is pretty awesome!  These words speak of strength and eternity---no ending, unstoppable!  God's love is forever, all that God is and all that he does in connection with us.  We can trust and depend on his unfailing love.

Thank you, Lord, that I can always depend on your unfailing love for me.  I deserve nothing, but you give me everything.

I live believing in the Son of God...

  Galatians 2:20-21  "And my present life is not that of the old "I", but the living Christ within me.  The bodily life I now live, I live believing in the Son of God who loved me and sacrificed himself for me.  I refuse to make nonsense of the grace of God!"  (Phillips)

This verse goes well with my focus verses for this year found in Colosians 2:6-7. 

  "Just as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, now go on living in him---in simple faith.  Yes, be rooted in him, and founded upon him, continually strengthened by the faith as you were taught it and your lives will overflow with joy and thankfulness."  (Phillips)

As I "go on living in him---in simple faith", I'm now living a new life. My life is in him.  His grace makes possible my new life.  This is what I now believe and live each and every day.  Rooted, founded, strengthened---my faith sustains me in this abiding relationship that is both with and in Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for your saving and sustaining grace.  I put my trust in you! ( "trust" was my focus for 2017)

I live a new life in you!  ("new" was my focus in 2018)

I now continue or "go on living" in you at all times.  (my focus for 2019)

My story...

  Mark 14:9-10  "I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.  Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them."  (NIV)

Jesus assures the disciples that the story of the woman who anointed him would be told all over the world in her memory, as part of the gospel---a tribute to what she did to honor him.  Immediately following we have Judas the betrayer.  His story, too, will be told in his memory, but it isn't a pretty story and it honors no one.  

What a contrast!  Two stories from two followers of Jesus during his lifetime. One a "success" story, one a failure.  One honors Jesus, one betrays him.  We are given both stories in the gospel to teach us.  

How easily we can find ourselves part of a story that dishonors God and betrays our Savior!  Our attitudes and motives toward Jesus are the basis of our own story.  Where do we stand?  Do our actions honor or deny or betray him?  How do we want to be remembered when our story is done?  

Lord, forgive me when my actions fail to honor you and instead betray you.  Help me see all my thoughts, words, and actions in relationship to Jesus. Do they show I love him, or do they show denial and betrayal?

My soul finds rest...

   Psalm 62:2  "Only in God is my soul at rest; from him comes my salvation."  (NAB)

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress I will never be shaken."  (NIV)

This verse is an answer to yesterday's verse about being troubled by our sin.  My rest will only come when I draw close to God.  He is my salvation.  We tend to only think about salvation in terms of Christ dying to take the punishment for our sin and our hope of heaven because of this.

But God is our salvation in the "now" as well as in the future.  Our salvation is knowing God is present with us at all times---encouraging us, sustaining us, loving us, providing for us, protecting us, giving us his rest and his peace.  Our salvation is our knowledge of God and his love for us---now and always.  He is our eternal life--- now and forever.  

Thank you, God for your salvation found only in You!  I will trust in you now and always and find your peace and rest.

"Our hearts are restless until  they rest in you, Lord."---St. Augustine

"When I acknowledge my poverty of spirit, then Jesus can fill me with his strength and power, with his love and with that joy that the world cannot give."---David E Rosage