There’s a call on u as mothers. Doesn’t matter what your kids friends say to them but what you say has tremendous power. U shape the lives and future of your kids. Don’t underestimate your influence on their lives. All u say and do matters. Your kids will recognize it. Sometimes they don’t appreciate it. Some might be too young and some might be rebellious but they will some day appreciate it.
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Ps Lawrence talks about how they do quarrel. It happens. It isn’t a sin to quarrel but it isn’t right to not work things out after that.
The secret to a good marriage is JESUS.
Without Jesus, there will not be a gd marriage. Murder perhaps… Lol.
The LOVE of GOD in your heart keeps your marriage.
We have the flesh and we are just plain selfish creatures. The flesh is just bad.
In marriage you will face situations and issues, so it will take the grace of God to make things work.
1 Pe2:7-8
Therefore to u who believe, He is precious….
1Pe2:9-12
You are a chosen generation—-> Ps Lawrence used to be severely overweight. He was always the last to be chosen to be on a team in kiddy games. But in Christ we are a chosen generation. By His grace that we are chosen. We are born for such a time as this. Born specific with a calling
We are a royal priesthood in Christ.
We are holy in God’s eyes set apart for His glory becoz of Jesus’ finished work.
V10- This world is not our home. We are passing through.
V11- need to abstain. Every sin destroys and has negative consequences.
V12- live lives that are honorable… This should apply to whether we are Christians or not. We should live lives where our conducts are moral.
Get people to glorify God by living honorably.
As a church we want to be the light that shines during this time.
Ps L talks about how our church has been in Nepal for sometime now. We contribute to Lighthouse foundation there. Testimony of an 8yo girl who was tricked and sold into prostitution and forced into it until she was rescued by the foundation. Lighthouse foundation in Nepal. Our church has been giving money to them every month. So this is the good work out church has been doing – rescuing lives out from the darkness.
Good works doesn’t cause God to love us more but will cause people to glorify God.
Quality of the man- There is something about Peter. Didn’t care how he would die or the pain and suffering. What caused him to love the LORD so much?
The Peter of the gospel was quite different.
Matthew 17:1-5
Jesus revealed himself as God here. No one else’s face can shine like a Sun no matter what u apply on your face.
Peter answered V4- spoke out of turn.
Who found fault with it? God Himself. V5. Whilst he was still speaking, God interrupted Peter.
Why did God interrupt Peter? You don’t built a tabernacle for men, and u can’t honour Moses & Elijah (rep OT) the same way u honour Jesus. HEAR HIM. HEAR GRACE.
Peter represents us in a way. Strong in the flesh. His views are quite similar to how some of us would have reacted.
Matthew 26:31-35
Peter was defensive. V33 pride. Sounds like some of us when we read about someone who has committed a crime.
“Lord if not of your grace I would be this way. Lord by your grace I will not do this.”- our response when we read a news article on someone who has committed a heinous crime. We shouldn’t judge the person.
What was Jesus’ gaze on Peter like at the point of Peter’s greatest failure? Was it accusing? Was it angry? No. Jesus had the time to turn to look at him and convey and connect with Peter to tell him, I still love u.
In your greatest failure, God is able to reveal His greatest love.
Peter wept bitterly coz of his own realisation that he is not what he think he is. Humbled him more that Jesus loves him despite his failure.
Had Peter repented when Jesus turned his gaze on him? Had he done anything to show repentance or good? No. He had done zilch.
Some of us think God will love us more only if we do this or that. But God loves us at our worst.
Where sin abounds, grace super abounds.
He reaches out to you. God knew Peter was hurt and ashamed inside. He told the Angels to tell women specifically to tell Peter- The LORD has risen.
When Peter failed, who restored him? Do u see the hand of the LORD?
God already knew how Peter would fail him and He also already planned His restoration for him. This is the same in our lives. God restores us. Amen.
He isn’t surprised by our failure but in His failure, He already planned how to restore us. He knows everything about us and He already made a plan to save us. Everlasting arms that save us to the uttermost. His love and grace and mercy endures forever.
The restoration doesn’t stop there.
The resurrected Lord appeared personally to Peter before appearing to the disciples.
And in John21, Jesus restored Peter to the ministry. The resurrected Jesus was at the shore making breakfast for his disciples.
John 21:16
Love – phileo and agapo
Peter do u agapo me?
I phileo u
Peter do u agapo me?
I phileo u
Peter do u phileo me?
I phileo u
Feed My lambs.
Fire on coals- the night Peter denied Jesus, there were fire on coals. The morning Jesus restored Peter, there were fire on coals. Jesus doesn’t want his failure to haunt him all the rest of his life when he sees the fire and coals. When we receive God’s grace, our past failures cannot haunt us anymore.
Let’s not condemn those who have failed. God can use them again. You have failed? Your future will be glorious.
David-> Uriah (failure) -> Solomon (restoration)
Abraham prayed for the king who can’t reproduce. Abraham who couldn’t reproduce prayed for someone who couldn’t either. There is hope.
Smoking flax and bruised reed are usually thrown away but not to Jesus. Thrash to the world perhaps but u are of immense value to his eyes. Simon means bruised reed. Yet Jesus used Peter mightily.
Worried you have failed and are left on the shelf? Don’t. There is no shelf with God. He isn’t done with u yet. There is hope. In your greatest failure He reaches out to u and reveals His greatest love.
Peter was fearful and under pressure and denied Jesus thrice.
But grace happened to Peter and didn’t deny Jesus at the end of his life but gave it up willingly.
Man addicted to online gambling. Hated Christians and the sinners prayer all his life. But desperate and went to a church. He felt comforted but his struggle went on for two years because someone in that church told him he shouldn’t read anything by Ps Prince. He prayed for the LORD to guide him out of his gambling and depression and insomnia and sexual sins. Came across Ps Prince’s books one day at the Rock bookshop and felt led to buy it. So he did and hearing the sermons and reading Ps books revealed to him God’s grace and love. He was delivered from all these problems.
Jesus, He loves me, He loves me. He is for me. Jesus, how can it be. He loves me. He is for me.
The rugged cross where he died for me. My only hope, my everything.