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- Apr 25, 2006
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Case Studies in Crashing (3)
''A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' ' Proverbs 24:16
He can be quite hurtful at times. I can't believe he said I would let him down. Not just once, but three times! After all we've been through. I mean come on, aren't I one of his closest friends? If he can't rely on me, then he is well and truly scuppered.
Well, you'll see, Jesus: tonight. I've got my sword at the ready. Anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way and I'll have their ear off with this thing. I won't let you down, Jesus, my good friend.
We all let ourselves down from time to time. Hadn't Simon Peter heard three years of Jesus preaching on 'turning the other cheek'? And here he is, on the night Jesus is arrested, about to commit knife crime. And why is he about to ditch a close friend three times? Yep, even the best let themselves down from time to time.
Fortunately Jesus was well aware of Simon Peter's tendency for failure: '...Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren' (Luke 22:31-32 NKJ).
Hear that? Jesus has forgiven him well in advance of the failure. What's more, he's challenging Simon Peter to strengthen other believers when they let themselves down. The challenge, for you too, is to turn your failures into opportunities to sympathise and strengthen other victims of crashing.
written by Bob Gass
''A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' ' Proverbs 24:16
He can be quite hurtful at times. I can't believe he said I would let him down. Not just once, but three times! After all we've been through. I mean come on, aren't I one of his closest friends? If he can't rely on me, then he is well and truly scuppered.
Well, you'll see, Jesus: tonight. I've got my sword at the ready. Anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way and I'll have their ear off with this thing. I won't let you down, Jesus, my good friend.
We all let ourselves down from time to time. Hadn't Simon Peter heard three years of Jesus preaching on 'turning the other cheek'? And here he is, on the night Jesus is arrested, about to commit knife crime. And why is he about to ditch a close friend three times? Yep, even the best let themselves down from time to time.
Fortunately Jesus was well aware of Simon Peter's tendency for failure: '...Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren' (Luke 22:31-32 NKJ).
Hear that? Jesus has forgiven him well in advance of the failure. What's more, he's challenging Simon Peter to strengthen other believers when they let themselves down. The challenge, for you too, is to turn your failures into opportunities to sympathise and strengthen other victims of crashing.
written by Bob Gass
