20 Days with Peter: Day 5 - Sift like wheat

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31-32

Jesus knew what Peter was about to go through but instead of leading him around the storm, He release him towards it. Jesus understood the power of a storm. There had just been an argument about who was the greatest disciple and Jesus told them the greatest is the one who serves. Then He turns to Peter and tells him, Satan wants to destroy you. Jesus knew Peter was a leader but he needed to be shaken to realize what was inside of him.

Though Satan meant to destroy Peter, he became the tool that revealed who Peter truly was. Through being humbled by his adversity he learned to trust God like never before. His faith in God became unshakeable because he was shaken. What was not apart of his destiny was shaken off him and only what was apart of his destiny remained.

When we go through adversity we don't surrender to Satan but to God. We allow God to have his way in our life and He transforms us into His image. When a silversmith is making silver they place it in the fire and the silver remains in the fire until the silversmith sees their reflection in it. When God sees His reflection we are taken out of the fire and put on display. We are refined not simply for our own good but to help others. Our journey strengthens those around us. When we allow God to have his way, our life will inspire others to trust in God. If we have faith in God in spite of the adversity we learn who we are and who God is. Nothing can destroy us because we are in the Master's hands.

20 Days with Peter: Day 4 - Feed my sheep

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. John 21: 15-17

Jesus did not need to know if Peter loved him. He knew Peter's heart, this dialogue was for Peter as well as for us. Going to church is not enough. Fulfilling our titles is not enough. God wants us to feed his sheep. He wants our heart to be towards loving others. What Jesus was teaching Peter to express your love for God it is through love your neighbor. By loving other you love God. Peter was not going to be able to rest on his personal relationship with Jesus for Jesus was not going to be there phyiscally for him to follow. He was going to have to love God by loving those God gave him to help.

We can get so catch up in our individual lives that we forget to love others. We don't greet each other in passing because we are too busy tweeting. We have lost sight of what it means to love God. Jesus was not asking Peter to simply do charity work because you can do that without your heart being in it. He wanted to transfer Peter's focus from the Physical Jesus to seeing Jesus in all. If we saw Jesus in others would we not love them?

When we love God there is evidence of it by how we treat others.

 

If you love Jesus, feed his sheep.