Month: December 2022

(This is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How To Stand When Others Fall”)

What helps you to hold steady when you get a negative report from the doctor?  What helps you to hold steady when the media is reporting bad news?  What keeps you on course?  These are very important questions because the Bible says that there were those who “went back” and “walked no more with Jesus.” There were some following Jesus who had been healed by Him, who ate the multiplied loaves and fishes, some whose lives were changed, and yet “. . . many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” 

Think about it.  Our text details that this was such a dramatic event that Jesus turned to his inner circle and said, “Are you leaving, too?” Could you ever erase the memory of those eyes looking at you and asking if you were going to desert him? Peter responded so powerfully on that occasion saying, “…thou hast the words of eternal life.”

People often say, “If you make a disciple out of someone they will never go back.”  Well, excuse me, right here we have a mass exodus and these people were called disciples.  The truth is that loyalty and faithfulness are matters of the heart.  I do not wake up every morning and ask myself if I am going to stay with my wife Joy.  I have lived with her for many years.  I do not wake up each morning and try to make a decision about being faithful to her.  I have already made that decision.  She is the best wife (and the only wife) I have ever had.  I am going to stay with her.

Peter did not always rise to the occasion in the appropriate way, but if there was ever a time in the Scriptures he did, it was at this point.  The same Simon Peter that went to sleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, the one who cut off a man’s ear, the disciple who was not at the cross, eventually walked out this confession in John 6:68-69: “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

(This is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How To Stand When Others Fall”)

The multitudes have left and Jesus turns and asks, “…Will ye also go away?” Then Simon Peter answered him and he said several things that will keep you standing when others are falling.  These things will hold you in place when right seems wrong and wrong seems right.  They will hold you in place and keep you standing when you do not understand the circumstances that are surrounding your life.

Jesus Is Lord

So the first principle is to make Jesus the total Lord of your life.  Notice Simon Peter called Jesus “Lord” because the truth of it is, if Jesus is Lord no one else will be Lord in your life.  If Jesus is Lord, no material possession, no achievement, or trophy will be your Lord.  Who or what is Lord in your life?  If you are born again, Jesus is Lord!  That is what Christianity is all about.  He is not one of many good teachers.  He is not one of many saviors.  He is not just another noble person.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life!  Jesus is Lord!  Making a bedrock decision about that will keep you standing when times are tough. There is no one that is Lord, but Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  You can build all the mosques you want to build.  You can build all the tabernacles you want to build.  You can build all the shrines to whomever, but my friend, when it is all said and done, you will stand before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and you will acknowledge Him as Lord!

The second principle is stick with Jesus.  When Peter says in verse 69, “Lord to whom shall we go?” he was saying that there was no one who could take the place of Jesus.  Stay close to the master.  Refuse to do anything that will separate you from Jesus.  It is important that you be where Jesus wants you to be.  We know there was a day when Peter did depart from Jesus.  In Peter’s disappointment after the crucifixion he went back to fishing and others followed him.  John 21:3 says “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.”  But after a night with no results they came towards the shore where Jesus was waiting for them.  Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side to find the fish.  They did and immediately began to catch fish.  One of those with Peter recognized it was Jesus that had spoken to them.  We notice that this is the same situation Jesus delivered Peter from in the past.  He had spent the night fishing but caught nothing.  This illustrates to me that as long as you stick with Jesus you will not repeat past failures.  If Peter had stuck with Jesus then it is possible that the other disciples would have also.  They would have avoided that unproductive fishing trip.

The third thing that Peter said in John 6:68 was “to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” In other words he was saying, “Lord, only You have the Word.”  The Word will always play a part in your victory faith walk.  Peter recognized that he needed the Word.  Your answers are in the Word of God.  Do whatever it takes to remember the Word of God.  Underline it, put a red pencil on it, or a yellow marker, get a hold of God’s Word for yourself.  Let God quicken His Word to your spirit.  Hold on to it and do not let go.  I thank God for the Word.  It is a lamp unto my feet.  It is a light unto my pathway.  Take everything I have, but give me my Bible and I will stand in victory through it all.  Others were falling, but Peter is telling us how to stand, “Lord…only you have the words of eternal life.”  You make your stand on the Word of God.

The fourth thing Peter said was, “And we believe . . .” (John 6:69).  He may have thought, “I do not know what those others believe, but speaking for those who are here, we believe in You. We are believers.”  He went on to say that, “. . . we believe and are sure . . .” He is saying we should be fully assured, “. . . and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” One thing you must be sure of is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Drive a stake in the ground of faith on that point and refuse to move!

You can meet people in any church who are constantly changing their doctrine or philosophy.  They are not really sure about anything.  They have not really settled on anything because unbelief always has a hard time finding the will of God.  Being led by the flesh and not the spirit is a very dangerous pathway.  We can say with confidence, “Lord, there is nowhere else to go, You have the Word.  We will come through the difficulties of life because we are sticking with you.”  Thank God for the Word of God.

(Below is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How To Triumph in Troubled Times”)

I can also walk in trust and faith, even in a world where the threat of terrorism exists.  Jesus said, “. . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).  See to it.  Apply yourself to this.  Every day choose to trust God no matter what happens.

Psalms 37:1 says “Fret not thyself because of evildoers . . .” In fact, if you read Psalms 37 and Psalms 73, the Bible tells us that one day you will look for the wicked and you will not even be able to find them.  They look like they are flourishing, but they will not last.  Anytime you have a bad day, you should carefully and prayerfully read Psalms 37 and Psalms 73.  Those are powerful portions of God’s Word that tell you that God brings the righteous out in victory.

Fret not yourself.  Do not let yourself be caught up in the pressure cooker of the world.  You can sing and rejoice in the craziest circumstances.  You might have a supervisor that is rubbing you like sandpaper, but just get that believer’s grin on your face and in your heart say, “I choose to trust and not be troubled!”

(Below is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How to Triumph in Troubled Times”)

I have run up against a lot of things in third world nations as I have been involved in world missions.  There has been more than one time when in my heart I said, “How much more can we take, God?”  Anyone that works in foreign missions could give their own share of stories of trials.  I could tell you of a number of ministries which have given food, clothing, education, and shelter and no one gave thanks or appreciation in return.

There must have been so many people that Jesus ministered to and they did not show appreciation for it.  Did anyone comprehend that they were standing in the presence of the Son of the Living God?  Probably not, but He just kept on loving and giving.  Love may take a little while to work, but it works.  I can choose to walk in love no matter what has happened to me.  No matter what someone said, I can choose to walk in love.  Determine today that you will always respond in love.