Failure and restoration
By Herman Lightsey
Read about Peter’s failure and restoration (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62)
Why did Peter fail?
If we can figure this out it may give us a clue as to why we fail Jesus.
1. Peter was afraid.
He feared what would happen to him. He was in the courtyard near the men who had taken Jesus and saw the looks on their faces. Does fear keep you from acting?
2. Peter did not know enough about who Jesus was.
He thought he did, but when the chips were down, he did not. Many of us fall into this group. Peter had confessed that Jesus was the “Messiah,” but he failed to know what that meant. How often do we misunderstand or lose faith in Jesus when he fails to act like we think he should?
3. Peter failed because he failed to see his importance as God saw him.
Peter thought, “I am just a big lunk, an uneducated fisherman.”
4. Peter failed because he was not emotionally or spiritually prepared.
He did not understand what was ahead… Jesus told him, but, he did not listen.
Are you like Peter?
Peter’s Restoration
None of the Gospel writers tell how Peter asked for forgiveness. But we know he did repent, and Jesus forgave him and declared that on this rock He would build His church.
So, failure does not consist of stumbling, falling, or making mistakes or lack of faith. Failure is quitting by saying “no” to God and “yes” to the devil.
In 2020, God did not act as we would have Him to.
· Why did he let this pandemic put the world on hold?
· Why did he let people suffer and die?
· WHY, WHY, WHY?
In basic training, the concept behind the military’s method of training soldiers is to break them down to get their attention, and then train them to be soldiers. Sometimes God must do this to get our attention so that He can train us. He diverts our attention away from other distractions and toward Him. Only then are we able or ready to listen!
If God has our attention, I assure you that he has great things planned for this world, Church, nation, and this ministry to men and their families in 2021 and beyond
Does He have your attention?
Herman Lightsey, president
National Association of Conference Presidents of UM Men