GOD Morning! September 3, 2016 / Back to School

GOD Morning! September 3, 2016

Back to School

Luke 22:47-71

Judas Betrays Jesus

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, a crowd came, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve [disciples], was leading the way for them. He approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around Him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus replied, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched the ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders [of the Sanhedrin] who had come out against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? ⁵³ Day after day when I was with you in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power and authority of darkness are yours.”

Peter’s Denials

⁵⁴ Then they seized Him, and led Him away and brought Him to the [elegant] house of the [Jewish] high priest. And Peter was following at a [safe] distance. ⁵⁵ After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶ And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” ⁵⁷ But Peter denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him!” ⁵⁸ A little later someone else saw him and said, “You are one of them too.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”⁵⁹ After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, “This man was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly [deeply grieved and distressed].

Peter was like a pendulum. One minute he was angrily defending Jesus, to the point of slicing off someone’s ear. The next minute he was swearing and denying that he even knew Jesus!

When he was surrounded by his Jesus follower friends, he was strong. But when he was alone, he failed completely.

Do you feel like Peter sometimes? At church you are all, “Amen!” and “Thank You Jesus!”

But at school or work, you are completely mute. Scared to death to say that you know Him.

And sometimes you weep bitter tears.

I have a solution for you. It’s simple and hard at the same time. You don’t have to stand up on the lunch table and proclaim that you are a Christian. All you have to do is take baby steps. One situation at a time. Just start being a Christian by your conversation. Start by maybe just being quiet when the conversation is loud and ungodly. And start praying about who God may want you to sit with or hang with. Maybe He wants you to stay with your current friends and just be a witness. Or maybe He wants you to befriend someone who’s not so cool.

I remember when I was in 10^th grade. I had two amazing Christian friends. Linlee and Christy. Linlee and I started making fun of two other girls who were a little awkward. Christy never joined in. One day Christy completely dissed us and went and sat with the awkward girls. Linlee and I were heartbroken and mystified. Why would Christy desert us? Later she explained that she would not be a part of our negative behavior. And eventually she forgave us and we were all friends again. She taught us a valuable lesson.

Is it always fun to do the right thing? No. But the freedom that you feel by standing up for Jesus is amazing.

Doing the wrong thing is sometimes (most of the time) fun in the moment. But the icky feeling afterwards is so not worth the hilarity of the moment.

Peter’s situation was different and yet not so different. Peter was fighting for his life when he denied Jesus. He knew what Jesus was facing and he probably envisioned himself hanging on a cross right beside Jesus. That’s why he was so vehement.

We have all seen the person sitting alone at the lunch table. We do not want to be that person. Many times that person is bullied.

We desperately want to at least look like we fit in. We want to be a part of a crowd so that we are not a target.

Why don’t you just determine that you will, baby step by baby step, do the right thing this year at school or work? Every morning, just lay your life down at the feet of Jesus. And ask Him to guide you. And pray Psalm 91 every morning.

Security of the One Who Trusts in the Lord.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand].
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!”
For He will save you from the trap of the fowler,
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions,
And under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and a wall.
You will not be afraid of the terror of night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction (sudden death) that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But danger will not come near you.
You will only [be a spectator as you] look on with your eyes
And witness the [divine] repayment of the wicked [as you watch safely from the shelter of the Most High].
Because you have made the Lord, [who is] my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
For He will command His angels in regard to you,
To protect and defend and guard you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. 
They will lift you up in their hands,
So that you do not [even] strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra;
The young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he set his love on Me, therefore I will save him;
I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never].
“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him. 
“With a long life I will satisfy him
And I will let him see My salvation.” Psalm 91 AMP

“Dear Jesus, I pray for that one this morning who is struggling to fit in at school or work and, at the same time, not to deny You. This is impossible. Please guide her, step by step, into proudly standing for You all the time, and not only when she’s surrounded by her Christian friends. It’s simple and hard at the same time. I know she can do it! Please give her courage to simply do the right thing, one situation at a time. Sure, she will fail sometimes, but help her to keep trying until she gets it right! Thanks ahead of time! In Jesus precious name I pray, AMEN.”