Peter

I heard Ravi Zacharias say that he doubted that he would ever have had Peter in his ministry, so why did Jesus decide to choose him?  It is hard to get to know anyone personally until you are around them for a while but even though Jesus knew what was in the heart of man, He chose Peter and the rest of His disciples because He knew His words had the power to change people’s lives.  Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth then the truth shall make you free,” and many people quote this but may leave out what Jesus said prior to saying what goes along with this verse and this is what He said, “If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed.”  Jesus knew that there was nothing special about these men but these are the kind of people He chose, just ordinary men.  Many had no education, but one thing they had in common was they all had a need and only Jesus could fill that need.

Read what Jesus said in Matthew 11:25-27, “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’”

Now read 1 Corinthians 1:18-29, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

I think we need to look at the big picture here, the Lord loves everyone and is not willing that any be lost but that all would come to repentance.  Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world but through Him the world might be saved and if you read John 3:16 you see that God loves everyone, but He knew the ordinary common person would have more of a childlike faith, knowing that their need is the Lord as their Savior, but the intelligent and very wise people of this world will think they can obtain salvation by their own accomplishment.  Many people instead of bowing down to the Lord and being submissive want to be their own god, having people bow down to them and many are trying to turn people away from the Lord and have and I believe made the Lord very sad and even angry.

Jesus said this in Mark 10:13-16, “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”

Trusting the Lord with childlike faith is what we all need and the disciples learned this as time went on while walking and listening to the Lord.  In the end it was said of them that they turned the world upside down.  Question: what kind of person are you?  Are you willing to humble yourself before the Lord and let Him be Lord of your life or do you want to be the lord of your own life?  The choice is yours!!  Mankind will always end up worshiping something, so who will it be for you?  Something to think about and have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!