TUESDAY, July 15th, 2008

Hey everyone! Great Job on the Devotions yesterday. So many of you were faithful!!! Dont' Forget! this week we are keeping track of who does them to reward you guys next week! STAY FAITHFUL! There were still several people who use to be faithful who have not been on in some time. Make sure that you find someone to hold accountable and call them up. Can you believe that we have been doing these devotions for 7 months!! Wow! You guys are great!

Hey also: I am preaching on Sunday Night in church, so you guys all better be there!!! :)

A Few Thoughts From Yesterday:
Rob: That was some good stuff! I enjoyed reading your thoughts. Call me sometime today if you can!
Aviata: Who are you?
Brooke: Sorry about your migraine. Sorry about your problem. I will pray for you throughout the day today.
In K C U R Wondering: That was a great challenge about "running without a message". I am glad you were in church on Sunday night! By the way... who are you?
Jeff: I am not sure, But I guess it would be pretty scary to see a man "Posed by Satin" :) LOL!
Kacey: I hope you are feeling better! I am glad that you are on these devotions so faithfully. Tell Grace to do hers as well!! :)
My Two Cents: Very Good Question! I believe that because Peter motioned and leaned back onto Jesus' chest when He asked the question that Jesus only told Peter who would betray Him. So yes, you could say that Peter was on the DL! Why? Because He asked a question! BTW, My 2 cents, if you take 5 minutes and create a user profile then no one can pose with your name. I figured it was not you, because I am learning your patterns... Yes, I am still doing my research!
Mallory: I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE GOING TO THE WILDS! YOU ARE GOING TO LOOOOOOVVVEEEE IT!!!
Lucy: Good to see you on here Girl!! Now remind Jessica to get on as well!!
Jonathan: That was a great thought... It was even more incredible that Jesus knew but did not stop it from happening! He sure loves us!
Rachel: Great Stuff! I liked your thoughts very much! I never really thought about if the bread was possessed. :) I am pretty sure that it was not. I think it had something to do with this... Jesus knows the future, but Satan does NOT! so maybe Satan was in that room as well, and He was just waiting to possess one of them, and when Jesus said that Judas would betray Him, Satan figured that would be the best man to possess... Very interesting thoughts though!
Jessica B: You are funny! you said: "TRUST ME!!! you cannot hide anything from God" :) what did you do??? :) J/K!


John 13:33-38

33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

This is a short passage, but there are three key thoughts I want to share with you...
First: Jesus calls His disciples "little children". That is interesting? Why? Was it because they were so ignorant of everything? Was it because of their Child like faith? (BTW: Child like faith is something good to have... We are supposed to trust in Christ Just like a Child would!)

Second: Verses 34 and 35 give us an INCREDIBLE Commandment!!! Love one another, As CHRIST LOVES US!! That is powerful! We have seen the Love of Christ displayed in every chapter in John. It would be crazy to say that Christ did not Love, because EVERY CHOICE that He makes is based on LOVE! Are you Loving? Or are you spiteful and hateful? Well, If you are loving then you are more like Christ, of you are hateful then you are more like Satan.

Verse 35 sums it up like this: All men will know that you are my Disciples if you LOVE ONE ANOTHER!! Do people know that you are a follower of Christ by the way that you LOVE the people around you??? It is so important to Love as Christ did/ does!

Third: Peter, Peter, Peter... Do you believe this... One minute Jesus tells Peter something that will happen in the future... and you could say... (as My 2 Cents did...) that Peter was on the DL with Christ!! But I am pretty sure that Peter started to get a little bit to confident in Himself!

I have said many times that I would die for Jesus Christ, because He died for me... but I have to wonder if I am more like Peter than I realize. Would I truely Die for Christ? Peter would not even stand up for Christ in a crowd of slaves or servants. Peter denied Christ 3 times in just a few short hours.

We must love our Lord, We must not Deny Him? How do we often deny our Lord throughout the week? Maybe when we don't want to pray in Public, maybe when we are willing to swear to make ourselves look cool? I am sure there are many ways... what are some of your thoughts?

Finally, think of this: Even though Christ knew that Peter would betray Him, Jesus LOVED PETER!!!! Wow! Unconditional Love! How amazing is that! Jesus knows that we are going to mess up and maybe even Deny Him as well, but He Loves us unconditionally!

Now, a God like that is definitely someone that I want to please with every ounce of my life!!!!