Helped By the Holy Spirit

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift 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.” 

(Luke 22:31-32)
 

This verse wonderfully demonstrates the sovereignty of God by clearly presenting His omnipotence and omniscience. As believers, we are kept by the power of God! Once again we see God’s boundaries on Satan. Remember Job?
 

One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?”

Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
(Job 1:6-12)
 

Later, God said:

“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? (Job 38:8-11)
 

Remember the disciple’s words spoken of Jesus?
 

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
(Matthew 8:27)
 

Jesus is our faithful intercessor who sits at the right hand of God and lives to intercede for us.

The writer of Hebrews says:

But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25)
 

“May the Lord make us watchful against our own spirit, and against the evil one, especially when he is transformed into an angel of light, that it may not be in his power to sift us so as to gain an advantage over us, by our listening to his inward suggestions, or yielding to his subtle temptations.” (K. H. Von Bogatzky)

 

Take It to Heart

As believers we are not left to our own resources in our sufferings but are helped by the precious Holy Spirit. Our state is one of weakness yet Christ is our strength and He will cause us to stand. After the suffering, we are able to brightly manifest the very presence of Jesus to a hurting world. When the dross has been skimmed off after the heat, bright gold shines forth. After our trials we are better equipped to encourage and strengthen your brothers and sisters.
 

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27)

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The New Covenant

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 

(Luke 22:17-20)
 

The Master’s table is our individual and corporate privilege! When we come to it we obtain a fresh and renewed awareness of the precious benefits of our Savior’s sacrifice. It is to be our constant reminder of the person and work of Jesus. His body broken, His blood poured out, the elements constantly pointing to the blessed truth that Christ Jesus died for sinners, our foundation for encouragement, hope, and joy. The blood of animals, while commanded through the law, was not sufficient. The constant sacrificing for sins was proof enough of that.

The writer of Hebrews tells us:

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming–not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:1-4)

 

Jeremiah prophesied regarding God’s future establishment of a new covenant which would be based on the full and eternal atonement secured by the death of Christ Jesus.

This is the new covenant of which Jesus refers to in our verses for today:

“The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, “declares the LORD.  “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.(Jeremiah 31:31-33)

This new covenant is based on an individual, personal knowledge of God and is characterized by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is an eternal covenant of peace which Jesus, the Prince of Peace, ushers in.

Paul tells us in Colossians:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
 

“The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God.”

(Oswald Chambers)

 

Take It to Heart

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
 

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
(John 3:16-17)

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Misplaced Trust

Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

(John 13:29-30)
 

The hour had now arrived when darkness reigned. Judas had perhaps deceived some of his peers, but he had in no way duped the Lord Jesus. Jesus was not taken by surprise–He never is.

We find this confirmed in Luke when Jesus responds to those who came to arrest Him:

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour–when darkness reigns.” (Luke 22:52-53)
 

Make no mistake about it; darkness reigned because darkness was permitted to reign. God is the only one with ultimate, full, and complete power–Satan must answer to Him. Recall the story of blameless Job.

The adversary could do nothing more to Job than God allowed:

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
(Job 1:8-12)
 

Again Satan asks permission to buffet Job and God once again places certain restrictions upon him:

On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” (Job 2:1-6)
 

After Jesus’ death and resurrection Peter addresses the crowds with the following truth:

“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:22-24)
 

In our verses for today we are told that because Judas was in charge of the group’s money, some of the disciples assumed the high road regarding his actions–not even questioning his abrupt departure–they had placed their trust in him.

They were surely fooled and soon to be sorely disappointed. Nothing hurts worse than a betrayal by a friend or family member or loved one. Second guessing one of their own would not have entered their minds. They were supposed to be like minded brothers–treating one another lovingly and selflessly–following closely in their Master’s footsteps.

 

Take It to Heart

While the disciples had no reason to question Judas, Jesus knew fully was all of his motives, yet treated him no differently. Paul’s words in Romans come to mind:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
 

Jesus is never taken by surprise. Satan has boundaries–God does not. Always keep your trust in Him!

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Resting in Jesus

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

“What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.

(John 13:25-28)
 

Reclining upon the Lord Jesus, resting between His shoulders, the beloved disciple is perfectly positioned to ask of the Master who will be the one to betray Him. Those who rest upon the Lord are privy to some of the deepest secrets of His heart. All are invited to rest.

His call found in Matthew is not an exclusive one:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
 

One of my favorite Old Testament verses regarding resting depicts a loved and protected child. It is penned by Moses, who Scripture tells us God spoke to as a friend:

“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.” (Deuteronomy 33:12)
 

I can just imagine John’s head resting between Jesus’ shoulders. Rest is very important to God and it is a subject which permeates much of Scripture. God Himself rested on the seventh day making it holy. He commanded man to rest, animals to rest and even the land to rest.

We who live in such a frenzied hectic world should take heed of this. We put more and more on our plates filling our hours with work and more work yet getting less and less accomplished. Our dependence lies in our own weak abilities. We seem to be continually striving to drink from the empty cups of our own power ever stuffing our emotions, acceptance, money, positions, etc. into bags with gaping soul holes–always coming up unsatisfied.
 

It is God’s desire for us to be abiding, not striving or struggling. We are always to be looking to Jesus and His power for He is our very present Savior. He is our achieving power for service as well as our source of abundant unchanging joy.
 

Jesus clearly teaches that our strength will be found in abiding in Him! This sure truth remains–anything of eternal value is accomplished only through our abiding in Jesus:

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:4-5)
 

What does remaining or resting look like in a life? How is this intimate relationship with Jesus achieved? Certainly, it must begin with our salvation in Christ, accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord, but it was never meant to cease at that point. Our growth–our sanctification–is to continue throughout our lives. Abiding consists of being in fellowship with God through His Word, through prayer, and through loving obedience to Him. It is God’s desire for believers to be conformed to the image of His Son. That is the path of peace which passes understanding.
 

Take It to Heart

Never having given Christ lordship of his heart, Judas remained open to the advances of the adversary.
 

“Let us watch jealously over our hearts, and beware of giving way in the beginnings of sin. Happy is he who feareth always, and walks humbly with his God. The strongest Christian is the one who feels his weakness most, and cries most frequently, ‘Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.’” (John Ryle)

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Confusion

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” 
(John 13:22-24)
 

Impetuous Peter seemed always to be the first responder of Jesus’ disciples. He was generally the leading man, appearing to be the most eager, the most likely to speak up, the most likely to jump out of the boat, as well as the most likely to draw the sword and cut off an ear of the opposition! He would have been a wonderful 911 worker! I have to believe Jesus loved Peter’s zeal and passion even if it could be askewed! To his credit, Peter was right on target–some of the time!

Consider his fine response to Jesus’ query regarding who the disciples said that He was:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

(Matthew 16:13-20)
 

Then there were the other times when Peter’s star did not shine quite so brightly. Such as the time when he was thoroughly convinced that he would never betray his Master–insisting that he would never disown Him, even to the point of death.

It may not serve us well to be too over the top with zeal if we have a tendency to run ahead with our mouths!
 

Being the very impulsive type, I have no trouble relating to Peter. I can readily see myself jumping out of the boat to walk on water, as well as running like a chicken when the circumstances get frightening just to save my own skin. It is easy for me to think I can handle something–before the fire starts to sizzle and the temperature rises–then realize I am sorely out of my league! Let’s get real, apart from Christ I am always sorely out of my league.

But I love the promise of Scripture given through the pen of Paul in Philippians, it breaths hope to my soul:
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.(Philippians 4:13)

 

“Oh, how great peace and quietness would he possess who should cut off all vain anxiety and place all his confidence in God.” (Thomas a Kempis)
 

Take It to Heart

In our verses for today, the disciples were heartsick over the Lord’s news of betrayal and were certainly at a loss as to whom He could be referring. The disciples saw their Master troubled and they too were troubled. It is God’s desire for our hearts to break over the things that break His and rejoice over those things that bring Him joy.
 

Jesus wept over the lost in Jerusalem:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37)

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Standing Firm

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:14-16)
 

What a lesson for us to learn here! Jesus, knowing that this Passover would be a prologue to His suffering, set His heart upon this pleasant event with His closest companions. Knowing full well what He was about to experience, Jesus kept His focus on the fact that His future suffering was necessary for man’s redemption and for His Father’s glory. Suffering is oftentimes the prelude to glory.

Oh if we all could only look at life through those lenses! We must not scorn the pain, the hard work, the trial, the obstacle. Rather, we must seek to see what God will produce in and through us. As we embrace our circumstances with joy, by focusing on what it will inevitably produce, we bring God much glory. We must never forget that Jesus chose to die for us, because of the outcome His actions would accomplish.
 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
 

Pain is pain. We should never marginalize or minimize others afflictions. I remember once being told when I was going through a rather trying time that at least I was not in a concentration camp! I don’t know your pain tolerance, but being one notch better off than a concentration camp experience brought me little, if any, comfort. The promise of Scripture, on the other hand, brought peace to my troubled soul.

Paul’s words in Romans reverberated in my weary spirit:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
 

All things are not good; rather God works all things for our good. There is a huge difference between those two statements! The cross was not good, but what God worked by that action was extremely good–the salvation of mankind!
 

All of our works will one day be tested by fire. Everything done apart from God’s will goes up in smoke:

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
 

Our goal as believers in Jesus is what Epaphras prayed for the church at Colosse:

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. (Colossians 4:12)
 

Take It to Heart

“A depressed, dejected, dispirited believer is a poor recommendation for the Christian faith. We’re to be hopeful people–optimists–who have grasped the reality of Romans 8:28 and its guarantee of God’s all-encompassing providence over the lives of His children.” (Robert Morgan)
 

Standing firm and fully assured even when the winds of trial and dire circumstances are blowing is a mark of a mature Christian. It is also a mark of one who brings God much glory. It is easy to be “on fire” when circumstances are favorable, but let a little rain fall on our parade and we are often found wallowing in self pity, groaning and complaining. How much better for us to season our lives with the spices of contentment and joy rather than to harbor bitterness and resentment which will corrode our vessels like acid.

Beth Yoe Devotionals

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So That You Will Believe

“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.”  (John 13:18-19)

 

In our verses for today our Lord is referring to the prophecy given in David’s Messianic Psalm 41:

Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9)
 

Jesus’ selection of Judas as a disciple had been no accident or kink in God’s plans. Our Lord had known Judas’ heart from the beginning and took one into His family whom He foresaw to be a traitor. This was to fulfill Scripture and He now intimates to His disciples that their hearts are not all right with Him.

Jesus had spoken of this to the disciples earlier in John:

Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6:70-71)
 

Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.(John 13:10-11)
 

Judas was an apostle who was admitted into the highest privilege of eating and conversing with Jesus, not to mention being an eyewitness to His great miracles and teachings. Wherever Jesus went, Judas was welcome: sitting at the table with the Master, eating the miraculous bread when the loaves and fishes were multiplied, sharing the Passover meal with Jesus. And yet, Judas was guilty of the vilest treachery.

He forsook the Lord, despising Him as his enemy for his love of money. However, it is extremely interesting that Christ appeared to treat Judas no differently than the others. Our Lord continuously loved him to the end–showing compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, and patience. The other disciples had no idea who would be the one to betray Him.
 

As His followers we are called to the same high road of love and compassion through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul tells us in Colossians:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)
 

There is a great message in this for us as well on how we are to treat our enemies.

I am reminded of Paul’s words:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)

We can only control our own actions and reactions. We are to be good, noble, and honorable in our interactions–living in harmony whenever possible. We must leave the poor behavior of others in God’s hands. We are each accountable before God for our own lives.

Ever like the Good Shepherd to lovingly take care of His sheep by preparing them for what lay ahead. What He spoke to the disciples must have danced around in their minds. Certainly His Words brought them as much comfort, peace, and joy as they did understanding. He wanted them to know. His desire was for them to obtain a fresh reason for believing that He was Whom He said He was: the Messiah, the “I AM”.
 

Take It to Heart

All of Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for us. All prophecy and all of the promises contained in God’s Word will one day come to pass–we can count on it.
 

“You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. (Joshua 23:14)
 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:7-8)

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A Servant of All

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

(John 13:3-9)

Well aware of His own sovereign authority, origin, and coming destiny, Jesus fleshes out for His disciples (and for all of us as well) a wonderful example of servant leadership in action. He had been from eternity with God and He was going back to God, knowing all the dignity and majesty of His office. And yet, He condescends to perform the most menial task.

Believers comfortable in their own skin–knowing who they belong to, knowing their lives are filled with purpose and power and hope, knowing they are fully loved and accepted, have no trouble grasping this great truth of Scripture: Whoever desires to be great must be a servant. Those most highly esteemed in God’s kingdom are those who serve, those who willingly humble themselves.

Our Master has shown us true servanthood and has paved the way for our obedience. He is our great teacher of lowliness of heart, stripping off one glorious robe of honor after another until we find Him naked on a cross pouring out His lifeblood for each one of us. How then do we dare have the audacity to be proud?

Paul tells us in Philippians:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)

We care so much about what man thinks. This thought has permeated our churches and our ministries as well as our lives. We oftentimes rate our success or failure on the approval and accolades of man. I doubt seriously if Mother Teresa began her ministry caring for the poorest of poor on this earth in Calcutta with the Nobel Peace Prize in mind. She was simply humbly serving her Master by stopping to love and care for those who could not help themselves–and it was the Lord who exalted her in the eyes of man.

Our confidence lies in the fact that Christ is genuinely concerned about our welfare. He is acutely aware of all we are going through and has promised the grace sufficient to meet each need. He loves us and desires for us to fulfill His purposes!

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.(Ephesians 2:10)

To Peter’s credit, his opposition was motivated by humility. What he couldn’t accept was the reversal of the roles the Lord appeared to be initiating. Peter was the servant and Jesus was his Master. He had been privy to see His Master’s hands heal the leper and restore sight to the blind. He had seen Jesus raise the dead and believed Him to be the Son of God … and now He stoops to wash the feet of His disciples? Peter should be the one washing the Lord’s feet! It was a paradox beyond his comprehension. Yet Jesus’ purpose in this act of service was to teach a great spiritual lesson to His disciples and to all of us as well. We are all in need of continual cleansing and renewal to remain in fellowship with God. We sin, we fall, we break fellowship, we humbly repent, and we are then restored. This is not regarding our salvation, rather our abiding fellowship with Him.

Take It to Heart

Nothing eternal is ever accomplished in the flesh. When our fellowship is broken through sin, we unfortunately begin to operate in ways that seem right in our own eyes. Jesus tells us that apart from Him we can do nothing.

Jesus silences Peter’s objections by stating his lack of understanding. His vision was now veiled, yet later he would comprehend. How often that happens to us as well. Our vision is blurred by our circumstances and we raise objections regarding God’s best for our lives. Often, like Peter, we oppose what we do not understand. It is only through our willing obedience that our eyes will be open to more of His ways. Never forget, Christ’s way is supremely the best way.

Beth Yoe Devotionals

Copyright © 2014

JesusOnline Ministries

P. O. Box 6017

Great Falls, MT 59405

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Peter Allan C. Mariano

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Pay Attention!

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” (Luke 22:7-8)

The critical and decisive point had arrived and Jesus tells His closest disciples to, “Go and make preparations.” Why is it that oftentimes we do not take advantage of the opportune moment? For me, the critical moment is when I am asked about my faith and I stumble and trip over my words leaving my listener with no greater understanding of who Jesus is. Sometimes I miss an opportunity to teach the truth to my children because of my all too important busyness–robbing me of intimacy in my family life. I am sure that you can name your own ways of not making the most of every opportunity.

Scripture tells us that we are to be “very careful” regarding how we are to live:

Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

Have you noticed that many times, we just get one shot? Some opportunities only present themselves once.

While Paul tells us we are not to dwell on the past losses or mistakes, we are to strain toward what is ahead in this race called life:

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. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Philippians 3:12-16)

Let’s be honest, the greatest gift in human history was about to be accomplished for mankind and the disciples were basically unaware. The prophets had foretold it, Jesus had spoken plainly to His closest confidents about it, and still the disciples were, for the most part, clueless. I am reminded of Jesus’ appearance to two of His followers after His resurrection as they walked along the road to Emmaus.

Unaware that it was Jesus, they were downcast and befuddled:

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:13-27)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Take It to Heart

“Our God is a God who not merely restores, but takes up our mistakes and follies into His plan for us and brings good out of them.” (J. I. Packer)

“Real trust in God is above circumstances and appearances.” (George Muller)

“We mustn’t doubt in the darkness what God has shown us in the light.”

(Robert J. Morgan)

Beth Yoe Devotionals

Copyright © 2014

JesusOnline Ministries

P. O. Box 6017

Great Falls, MT 59405

======

Peter Allan C. Mariano

Links2Prosperity Enterprises 

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The Beginning of the End

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. 

(Luke 22:1-6)

Even though the chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for a way to kill Jesus, they were paralyzed by their fear of the people. The word translated “afraid” in verse two actually means “to put in fear, terrify and frighten; to cause to run away fearful and afraid” (Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible–New Testament Lexical Aids).

Sounds to me like these guys were afraid of the wrong thing–better to fear God than man!

We find this truth expressed so well in Acts:
Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
(Acts 4:18-20)

Peter also said in the next chapter of Acts:
“We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)

Proverbs tells us that we are not to be fearful of man:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
-Proverbs 9:10

God places His people in a position of testimony–giving us an opportunity to proclaim how He has been kind to us, the deeds He has done, and the compassion that He has shown us. We are not to be intimidated–the glory of the Lord is worth more than the approval of men! To tremble or be fearful of man will inevitably be a noose around our necks luring, ensnaring, and entangling us into sin. In pleasing man over God we are asking for sure trouble. We are to be faithfully following the way of Jesus, boldly teaching His truth in love through our actions and through our words.

In our verses for today we find Judas, one of the twelve, sadly selling his soul for mere silver. And yet, Jesus, knowing exactly who would betray Him, treated Judas no differently than his other disciples–even to the point that all of them questioned who Jesus was referring to when He told them one would betray Him: “There is a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea.”
(Frederick William Faber)

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. (John 13:21-22)


Beth Yoe Devotionals
Copyright © 2014
JesusOnline Ministries
P. O. Box 6017
Great Falls, MT 59405


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Peter Allan C. Mariano

Links2Prosperity Enterprises 
Web Marketing : Web Content : Web Design

Follow me on TWITTER:
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