[Jesus] said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:15-16
— Matthew 16:15-16
When Peter said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was a statement of faith. In making this statement, Peter was displaying faith.
I don’t think Peter just casually or nonchalantly made that statement. I think he did it with a surety and a certainty that impressed Jesus because He immediately turned to Peter and told him that he was blessed. Then He went on to say that it was upon this rock-solid foundation of faith that He would build His church.
Jesus was saying to Peter, “If you maintain this faith, it will be a rocklike substance in your life upon which I will be able to build My kingdom in you, and through you. Your faith will be developed to the place that even the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against you.”
There have been many times in my life when I have been discouraged and not known what to do, or felt that nothing was working and that everybody was against me. The words I have heard over and over again are, “Only believe.”
This promise was not just for Peter alone. Jesus is saying the same thing to you and me. Only believe!
Divine Disapproval
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.”
1 Samuel 15:24–26
When God chose Saul to be the first king over Israel, He chose a man who was humble and was responsive to God’s Word through the prophet Samuel. Yet though Saul started well, he soon turned away from obedience to the Lord and began choosing to go his own way. In the verses above, Saul had not only stubbornly chosen to disobey the Lord, but he tried to blame his choice on other people.
Someone defined self will as, “To do something arbitrarily without divine permission; to act on one’s own decision rather than considering the needs of others and the purpose of God.” That would be the one-sentence summary of Saul’s years on the throne. He chose to go his own way rather than God’s way, and the entire nation of Israel suffered the consequences. As a result, God chose David to take Saul’s place.
When we choose to go our own way, we place ourselves under Divine disapproval. It should be the goal of every Christian to live in such a way that we will hear God’s “Well done” when we stand before Him. We should long for His approval and live our lives accordingly. God loves us unconditionally, but He desires for us to avail ourselves of the grace He provides to live for Him. When we seek His face and follow His way, we show our love and gratitude to Him.
1 Samuel 15:24–26
When God chose Saul to be the first king over Israel, He chose a man who was humble and was responsive to God’s Word through the prophet Samuel. Yet though Saul started well, he soon turned away from obedience to the Lord and began choosing to go his own way. In the verses above, Saul had not only stubbornly chosen to disobey the Lord, but he tried to blame his choice on other people.
Someone defined self will as, “To do something arbitrarily without divine permission; to act on one’s own decision rather than considering the needs of others and the purpose of God.” That would be the one-sentence summary of Saul’s years on the throne. He chose to go his own way rather than God’s way, and the entire nation of Israel suffered the consequences. As a result, God chose David to take Saul’s place.
When we choose to go our own way, we place ourselves under Divine disapproval. It should be the goal of every Christian to live in such a way that we will hear God’s “Well done” when we stand before Him. We should long for His approval and live our lives accordingly. God loves us unconditionally, but He desires for us to avail ourselves of the grace He provides to live for Him. When we seek His face and follow His way, we show our love and gratitude to Him.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Obedience to what God has said is always the best choice to make in every circumstance and decision.
A Rock-Solid Foundation
by Joyce Meyer - posted April 23, 2017[Jesus] said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:15-16
— Matthew 16:15-16
When Peter said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was a statement of faith. In making this statement, Peter was displaying faith.
I don’t think Peter just casually or nonchalantly made that statement. I think he did it with a surety and a certainty that impressed Jesus because He immediately turned to Peter and told him that he was blessed. Then He went on to say that it was upon this rock-solid foundation of faith that He would build His church.
Jesus was saying to Peter, “If you maintain this faith, it will be a rocklike substance in your life upon which I will be able to build My kingdom in you, and through you. Your faith will be developed to the place that even the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against you.”
There have been many times in my life when I have been discouraged and not known what to do, or felt that nothing was working and that everybody was against me. The words I have heard over and over again are, “Only believe.”
This promise was not just for Peter alone. Jesus is saying the same thing to you and me. Only believe!
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