Lessons from the Apostle Peter's Life ...

The Relationship between Jesus and Peter is a beautiful picture of the transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ in the life of one who would answer the call to follow Him. A brief overview of a few key events in this relationship is sure to give insight into the transformation of Peter’s life and the potential of a similar transformation that is available to all who would respond to Jesus’ call to follow Him with such water-walking faith. This transformation highlights Peter’s character flaws in a way that provides relationship lessons for any reader who desires to sharpen his character.

The Call to Follow

            “It was common in the East to give a new name to denote a change of character, or to indicate a man's position among men.”[1] This is exactly what happened to Peter during his call to follow Jesus. “And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter).” (Jn 1:42) The account of the call was short yet insightful. Peter in the Greek being petros means rock or stone. Jesus sees Peter for who he can become and gives him a name to describe the character and mission that he will grow into when his new relationship as a follower of Jesus reaches maturity. He will grow to be rock solid in character and his confession will be the rock on which the Church will stand.

Peter’s Confession of Christ

            The gospel of Matthew chapter sixteen records Peter’s confession of Christ. Peter explicitly states that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. Jesus in turn establishes that upon Peter’s confession the Church would be erected and that Peter was to be foundational in the leading of this construction. Soon after this pertinent revelation Jesus informs his disciples of his imminent death. Peter, not fully understanding the prophetic plan of God, exercises his what Hunt describes as, “wolf”[2] like tendencies and chastises Jesus. Jesus in an effort to build Peter abruptly responds with words that pierce, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (V23) The Master is building His disciple so he can one day live up to his new name. At this time, Peter is still more concerned with self rather than service. His character is being sharpened like a knife against a stone, one stroke at a time.

Peter’s Denial of Christ

            Experiencing the Transfiguration and exercising water-walking faith were but two more character-building exercises for Peter. His relationship with Jesus is maturing; yet there is still more work to be done to prepare him to lead the launching of the Church in a world that is hostile to the Gospel and the bearers of the Good News. The denial and the events surrounding it would prove to be crucial in the molding of Peter’s character and the maturation of his followership of Christ. It is a hallmark event in his relationship with Jesus.

            Surely the prediction of the denial by Jesus had to be a blow in the gut to Peter who prided himself on being a faithful and loyal disciple. Jesus’ selection of words as He talked with Peter expressed His love and concern for Peter. Even His time of prayer in the Garden indicated the heavenly bond between the two. A careful study of each of these key events discussed will show Jesus praying just before each event happened. It is likely the Savior was praying for the shaping of Peter’s character. Prayer is definitely what Peter needed. The final sentence in Luke’s account of this event sums up this need, “And he went outside and wept bitterly.” (22:62) Any progress Peter had made up to this point in his character-building journey appears to have been stymied. However, his broken heart is exactly what God used as another step in preparing him to live up to his new name. The Psalmist wrote, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (34:18)

The Restoration of Peter

            After the resurrection, Jesus restores Peter giving him what he needs to grow into his new name. In his conversation on the shore with Peter, Pain writes, “Jesus is gently forcing a threefold declaration of his love that mirrors his threefold denial.”[3] Peter’s response to Jesus’ forgiveness clearly shows that his maturation process has advanced greatly. “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” (Jn 21:17) In this, Peter confesses complete devotion to His living LORD and acknowledges His Divinity. He has moved from reliance on self to His Savior.

Conclusion

 I at times suffer from the Peter syndrome. I have been known to put my foot in my mouth and to rely on my own strength. Obviously in these Peter like moments I face self-inflicted pain. Lane and Tripp write, “Some of our deepest and most painful hurts have been in relationships.”[4] This quick glance inside the life of Peter and His relationship with Jesus validate this statement. Peter experienced highs and lows in his journey with Jesus. It took both the mountaintop experiences as well as the valleys to chip away at his character defects and to build him into the man God made him to become. This is true about us as well. We must embrace both the peace and the pain that come from relationships. Without either of them we fall short of God’s perfect plan for our lives. To God be the glory!

---

[1] Miller, J.R. "Personal Friendships of Jesus: Jesus and Peter.” www.biblehub.com, 2004.

[2] June Hunt, Conflict Resolution Solving Your People Problems, (Torrance, CA: Rose Publishing, 2013), 28.      

[3]  Paine, Chris. "Jesus' Life-Changing Relationship with Simon Peter by Chris Pain." www.jubilee-centre.org, 2017.

[4] Tim Lane and Paul Tripp, Relationships A Mess Worth Making, (Glenside, PA: New Growth Press, 2008), 6.

Lessons on Leadership from Nehemiah ...

Nehemiah is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. His life is a great example of how to lead well. Please enjoy the video that includes a few great lessons from his life and leadership.

Dream big, pursue your dreams with passion, laugh much along the way, and help as many people as you can on the journey.

Blessings!

Overcoming Discontentment ...

You ever been through a season of discontentment? A season of questioning is there more … should there be more … do I need more or different or something? Not sure what’s missing but you know there is something missing?

Nothing is really going wrong. Life is not necessarily bad. However, there is still a sense of discontentment looming over your life robbing you of your mojo. You feel like a lukewarm bowl of soup, a cold cup of coffee, or a soft drink that has lost its fizz.

It’s hard to get out of the bed in the morning. Can’t sleep at night. You toss and turn, staring at the alarm clock doing mattress math through the night only to rise the next morning and do it all over again.

Will it ever get better? Can I find contentment? Is anybody listening?

Help?

The following 3 things are sure to help you overcome your discontentment.

The first thing is to develop an attitude of gratitude. Spend time each day thanking God for all of the good things in your life. If you are struggling with finding good things in your life start with thanking God that you have breath in your lungs. Every breath that we take is borrowed air. God does not owe us anything. Thank Him today! Then look around at all that is good in your life and thank Him for those things and those people. This will propel you to a life filled with contentment.

The second thing is to remove the contentment robbers from your life. You will be more content with what you have if you quit thinking so much about what you don’t have. If dreaming about a bigger better house is consuming your thoughts and robbing you of your contentment then quit watching “Property Brothers” or “House Hunters.” Make the decision today to remove whatever is robbing you of your contentment. Do not let these things steal your joy!

The third thing is to serve someone in need. There is no greater joy in life than serving someone who is less fortunate. Visit a children’s hospital and read to the patients who are battling a life threatening disease. Stop by a nursing home and visit the residents that do not have regular visits from their families. Donate some of your time to a local elementary school as a mentor to students who are struggling with their studies. Doing something for those who are in need will certainly help change your perspective on life.

While the above list is not an exhaustive one, it will surely help you find contentment in your life. Get busy today and raise your level of joy.

The Disease of Doing ...

It seems that one of the most common sicknesses in the 21st Century is the "Disease of Doing." More and more each year Americans forget how to relax. According to salary.com the average adult in the United States gets at least 14 days of paid vacation each year. However, 41% of Americans in the workforce do not use all of their vacation days. Even those who use all of their vacation days typically do not completely take the time off. They carry their smart phones, tablets, and laptops with them to answer texts, emails, etc... Very seldom do people truly disconnect from their work so they can reconnect with those they claim to love the most.

Please do not see me pointing a finger at you. I, too, often suffer from the disease of doing. More than I would like to admit, I seem to live by the mantra that "Activity equals accomplishment." We must come to our senses. Activity does not always mean accomplishment! It is important that we take time to unwind and time to reconnect with the one's we love the most. All good things are not God things. Sometimes we must give ourselves permission to say no. Less can actually be more.

How do we overcome this sickness and change our schedules? How do we get offline and unwind? What steps must we take to reconnect with those we love the most? What must we do to protect the time we need to be refreshed in our minds, our bodies, and our spirits?

Here are a few tips:

1. Eat at least 1 meal together as a family daily.
2. Have a devotional time daily.
3. Do not work 7 days a week.
4. Use all of your vacation days every year.
5. Turn off your electronics when at home.
6. Volunteer to serve others in your church or your city at least once a month.

This is certainly not an all inclusive list on how to overcome the "Disease of Doing." However, if we work these tips into our routines they are sure to help us develop much healthier minds, bodies, and spirits.

Remember, the Canadian leadership guru, Robin Sharma once said, "Change is hard at first, messy in the middle,  and gorgeous at the end." Rest well, download regularly, and build something beautiful with your life. Time to make that change!

Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie, and Tim Tebow???

Growing up as a kid in the southeast I vividly remember going with my dad to the county fields to watch the teenagers play baseball. More than once we crossed the state line to take in a game at Turner Field during a time when the Atlanta Braves were highly competitive. I loved baseball! I remember the sound of the crowd, the smell of popcorn, the seventh inning stretch, and singing the old jingle from a TV commercial with my dad, "Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet." However, I must confess, as a Tim Tebow fan, I never imagined that he would chase the dream of becoming a MLB player.

Now that I've had time to process Tebow's recent desire to become one of only a few athletes to play two professional sports, I am convinced that we can all learn at least two things from his new pursuit. 

Lesson #1: Success is not final!

There is much that can be said about Tebow's success as an athlete. He is a winner and has been winning ever since he was just a little kid playing sports in Jacksonville, Florida. Learn his story by reading his autobiography,
Tim Tebow: Through My Eyes. It is an excellent book!  

Space will not allow me to chronicle all of his success. However, to give weight to lesson #1 I will quickly list a few:

• As a senior, he was named Mr. Football in the state of Florida and led Nease High School to a State Title.
• He was the first sophomore in NCAA history to win the Heisman trophy in 2007. 
• He was instrumental in leading the University of Florida to win the 2006 and 2008 BCS National Championships.
• He was a 1st round draft pick for the Denver Broncos in 2010.
• In 2011, Tebow took over the 1-4 Broncos and led them to victory in both the AFC West Title game and their first playoff game since 2005.

The list could go on and on, but the above successes are enough for us to understand

that success is not final. That's right! We cannot rest in our past successes. Certainly we should celebrate the victories we receive along life's journey; but, we must never let them hold us back from the reality that there are many more opportunities ahead of us. Our future is full of potential. There are more mountains to climb, more hurdles to jump over, more games to win, and most importantly; there is more change for good that we can influence if we continue to chase new dreams. Do not let the successes of your past paralyze you and keep you from maximizing your future. Celebrate each victory and then move on to newer and greater things!

Lesson #2: Failure is not Fatal!

First let me say that I do not believe Tebow's time in the National Football League to have been a failure. Let me explain. According to the NFL Player's Association, the average career of a professional football player is 3.3 years. By this measuring stick, he lasted as long as the average player. He played for the Broncos in 2010-11 and the Jets in 2012. He also spent some time with the Patriots in 2013 and the Eagles in 2015. Oh yea, I forgot to mention. When he won his first NFL playoff game it was against the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had the #1 defense in the league at the time. I also forgot to mention that this victory is the shortest overtime in NFL history because Denver won it with an 80 yard touchdown pass from Tebow to Demaryius Thomas on the first play from the line of scrimmage. 

However, there are those who claim that Tebow's NFL career was a bust at best. These haters are back in full force now that Tebow is chasing another dream that involves professional sports. Yes, they are saying that he will not make it and that failure is certain. To this Tebow responds, "People will say, 'What if you fail? What if you don't make it?' Guess what? I don't have to live with regret. I did everything I could. I pushed it. I would rather be someone who can live with peace and no regret rather than being so scared I didn't make the effort."

Tebow both understands and demonstrates to us as he chases his dream that failure is not fatal. This reminds me of a principle that was taught by the great British poet in the 19th century, Alfred Lord Tennyson, "Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all."

Friend do not let the fear of failure paralyze you. Do not let the cry of the crowd dissuade you. Chase your dreams. Run after your passions in life. Run after whatever it is that keeps you up at night and occupies the theater of your mind during the day. And remember the words of the great philosopher Miley Cyrus that was brought to us by Hannah Montana. 

"There's always gonna be another mountain 

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb"

Whether you face the agony of defeat or experience the thrill of victory along your journey, the person you become in the climb will be your legacy. Make it a success!



 

Resolve is not just a spray bottle of cleaning liquid ...

Resolve is not just a spray bottle of cleaning liquid. It is that little thing that can make the biggest difference. Relationships are made or broken because of resolve or the lack of it. A major difference between those who reach their dreams and those who never chase them is resolve. Conflicts, battles, and ultimately wars are won because of men and women who understood the power of resolve. 

Consider the following quotes:

My parents had a certain resolve to them that I don't see as so prevalent today. Through good times and bad, they were committed to one another. 
-Steve Carell

To make our way, we must have firm resolve, tenacity. We must gear ourselves to work hard all the way. We can never let up. 
-Ralph Bunche

Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. 
-President George W. Bush

We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, for the people, by the people shall not perish from earth. 
-President Abraham Lincoln

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Daniel. His story is one of great resolve. He was a young Hebrew boy who was taken from his people to a foreign land to serve a pagan King. Because of his strong character, he was quickly elevated to serve the King directly. This coveted position earned him the right to eat and drink from the King's table. However, it was against the laws of his people to eat and drink such items. He knew denying the benefits of his coveted position would not resonate well with the King or his people. Yet the Bible records that "Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine ..." (Daniel 1:9) This young man of strong character purposed in his heart that he would not do wrong in the eyes of God. As a result of Daniel's great resolve, the Bible goes on to say that God caused the official to show Daniel favor and great compassion.

Let us all be encouraged to dig deep and muster up the resolve necessary to become the people God made us to be. Let us purpose in our hearts to say yes to our dreams and no to the cheep imitations that rear up their ugly heads along the way. May we be people of character who operate out of conviction. Let us resolve this day that there is no other way to the peace, significance, and security that we long for outside of a resolute life dedicated to the Lord. 

Sharpen Your Axe ...

A friend sent me an old story the other day about a new lumberjack who was excited to start work. He landed a contract with a local businessman that required him to cut down a certain number of trees daily. On the first day, he did more than was expected of him. On the second day, even though he swung his axe as fiercely and tirelessly as he did on the day before, he barely met his quota. The result's of his third day on the job were similar to the second day as he did not meet his quota. The fourth day proved a disappointing pattern. He cut less trees each new day. Even though his work ethic and efforts remained the same, he simply could not meet the expectations set out in the contract. Failing to meet the demands he shared his disappointment with the local businessman. He explained how he set out each day in the same manner yet his production steadily decreased. The wise old businessman thanked the young new lumberjack for working so diligently and then shared a truth with him that we will all be sure to benefit from in our own lives. He told the young man, "Every now and then you must stop all that you are doing and sharpen your axe."

Life is busy. Each new day we not only deal with the present, the future is approaching us at warp speed. Things around us change. People change. Demands grow. Our responsibilities increase. The already unstable political climate becomes more uncertain. Gas prices go up and down and then they go up again. The cost of education is on the rise. Budget cuts cause many to lose their jobs. The kids have practice. All of them and they are not on the same team so we are pulled in different directions. A loved one dies. The yard needs to be manicured. Rent is due. The project for work is not complete and it is due tomorrow. The PTA meeting is tonight. Our son just left for Afghanistan. War is all around us. Another police officer was shot today. There is rioting in the streets. The news from the doctor was not what was expected. The youngest needs braces. The oldest wants a car of her own.

Life is busy!

Sometimes we just need to stop for a moment and sharpen our axes. The Bible speaks of this incredible nugget of wisdom in Psalm 46:10. God says to you and me, "Be still and know that I am God." That's right! Regularly we simply need to stop all that we are doing and acknowledge that God is in control and rest in Him.

I remember reading a t-shirt that said, "There are at least 2 true things in life. There is a God and you are not Him." How profound and how true. We cannot not truly thrive in life until we acknowledge that God is God and we are not. The more often we pause and reaffirm this personal acknowledgment the "sharper" we become in life.

I encourage you to pause daily and spend time with Him through prayer and the reading of His word--the Bible. These two disciplines will help you "sharpen your axe" and be ready for whatever life brings your way.