“Do you love Me?” —John 21:17
“Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably
different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he
declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew
26:35; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural
self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our
inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this
question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a
good person. […] Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception
about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more
than sin ever could, because sin
dulls our senses. […] It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on
the deeper spiritual level. “For the
Word of God is living and powerful…, piercing even to the division of soul and
spirit…”— to the point that no deception can remain (Hebrews 4:12). […]
There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but
the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth
to us.” CHAMBERS
It is so easy to fall into a routine in our spiritual
life. A routine where we ignore the Word
of God and adopt a shallow, but convincing appearance of being spiritual. It is based upon our personal commitment to
being righteous by works. Our righteousness
comes from Jesus, not from ourselves. We
know that, but still … we lose sight of that truth. I try to be careful in crafting these words knowing
that there are many who have not abandoned the Word … who maintain a close and
abiding relationship with the Lord. Yet,
I know from my own experience that it is so easy to let things slip. To let “life” crowd out the One who is the “Life”. So my words are an encouragement and a
caution. Has your love dwindled to a
memory, a causal affection, or is it still the compelling love that causes you
to think of nothing but the object of that love. That makes you willing to sell all you have
for the pearl of great price. ELGIN
Revelation 2: 2-5
“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you
cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be
apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have
endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this
against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you
have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
Bondye Beni Ou (God
Bless You)
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