Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Luke 22:31-32, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
Peter is the most notable example of the survival of faith.
When the Lord told him that Satan desired to sift him as wheat, that meant “The devil is going to come to you, Peter.
He is going to shake you up one side and down the other.
You think you love Me?
You think you are so much for Me?
I am going to show you, Peter, that there is nothing in you for Me.”
And Peter denied the Lord.
But before that the Lord said to him, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.”
This means Peter’s response, his living faith, should not fail.
Then the Lord added, “And when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
The word “returned” can also be rendered “converted” or “turned again.”
So when Peter turned again, He was to strengthen the brothers.
Though Peter denied the Lord, his faith did not fail.
It came back.
On the day of Pentecost, there was power with Peter, because his faith had survived the test.
It had proved to be genuine.
Sometimes we pass through trials, environments that shake us down to the bone, and we feel, “God, there is nothing in me for You.”
But we just need to give ourselves a little time.
We will discover that deeper than our mind, deeper than our emotions, there is a response in us.
And that is what surfaces in us.
It is called faith.
And it sounds like, “Jesus, I love You. I love You even more.”
This shows that we experienced Christ in a genuine way.
James tells us that the testing of our faith produces patience (1:3).
The word “patience” comes from a compound Greek word.
The first part of the word means “under,” and the second part of the word means “remain.”
So patience means to remain under.
When there are pressures, difficult environments, we experience patience by remaining under the environments.
When we do not get what we want, we remain under that situation.
When we feel deprived, or things are delayed, we remain under.
When things do not happen the way we think they should, we know how to remain under.
And that remaining under, that patience, is Jesus Christ.
He is patience.
When you are there under a certain environment and you are saying “Jesus,” you are experiencing Another life that is able to remain under with joy.
With joy!
Not with grumbling, not with complaining, not with “I cannot wait to get out of this situation.”
But you can remain under.
This is patience.
This is the faith that does not fail.
It survives despite the intensity of the testing.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
John McCain -Hospice
Marlon Cook
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison – Riverside
Deanna Fowler
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Ed Mays
Eric Ward
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Joanie/Jeanie Mom
Jodi Bateman
Joe Shelnutt
John Austin
June Cronan
June Cronan’s Sister
Kailey Bateman
Kathy Mabe
Kim McClain’s Mother
Krista Hilscher – Improving
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Miles Bradshaw
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Pat Chupp
Ricky Gipson
Rose Fuller – Rehab
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Susan & Alexis Tesone
Tom Witcher