The Third Time
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, The last few days I’ve visited with you about Peter’s restoration and several important principles regarding confession, forgiveness, grace, cleansing, and restoration. In today’s verses, you get to read how I lovingly confronted Peter concerning his bold claims about not failing Me even if the other apostles did and concerning his subsequent denial of Me on the night Judas betrayed Me. On Peter’s third denial, the rooster crowed, he realized his failure, and he went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:59-62). The verses below continue the account of My third appearance to the apostles. I asked Peter three times if he loved Me. He was hurt when I asked him a third time. Don’t miss the symmetry — third denial, third appearance, third time I asked the question. This is no mere coincidence. This is the delicate art of loving confrontation — the parallels of things involving the “third” time, the careful wording, the loving but clear confrontation of Peter about his bold claims about being faithful when I washed his feet (John 13:1-38). I asked Peter three times about his love for Me. On that third time, let’s just say that he heard that rooster crow figuratively once again. Three denials. Three times I asked on our third visit after the resurrection about his three denials. The point was clearly there for Peter and everyone else around the fire with Me to understand. I likewise made clear to Peter in front of the other disciples that I was calling him back to ministry: “Take care of My lambs. … Shepherd My sheep. … Look after My sheep.” With each question about his love for Me, Peter also received an affirmation of My call for him to be a pastor. The original meaning of “pastor” was “shepherd.” I was calling Peter to shepherd My people. For those keeping up with each of the “thirds,” let’s go over them: Peter heard the rooster crow on his third denial. This is My third visit with the disciples after My resurrection. Peter was hurt when I asked him the third time if he loved Me. Peter heard My call for him to be a shepherd of My sheep a third time. Why was this loving, yet clear, confrontation so important? It was important because Peter’s fellow apostles knew about his denials. Peter needed to be reclaimed and restored to leadership. He would never have been if he hadn’t been lovingly confronted with his failure and if he hadn’t received My call in front of those he disappointed — a call for him to come back to leadership. I let him know serving Me as a leader wouldn’t be easy, but that is what I was calling him to do. Eventually, he was going to follow Me into a death like I endured as a martyr. He would follow Me. He would reach out to people as a shepherd. He would be a great leader among My people. He would give his life in the process. In the end, he would live up to the brash promises he had made earlier on the night he denied even knowing Me — but he would live up to his promises only after being humbled, lovingly confronted, and called back into ministry. That is what it means to be forgiven, cleansed, reclaimed, and restored! One last time, you see Peter being Peter: After I confronted him and then told him about the nature of his death, he wanted to know what was going to happen to the beloved disciple. It was like he was saying, “OK Lord, I know I’m going to die for you, but what about him?” Before Peter could go very far down that road of comparison of worth, value, and life span, I reminded him of the only issue that mattered: “… what difference will this make to you? You follow Me!” That, My beloved friend, is the issue for you today. Don’t let failure, pride, embarrassment, overstatement, rivalry, jealousy, envy, or any other sin stand in the way of your following Me. Just as surely as you must face your failure, you have to know that even more I want to reclaim, remake, and restore you to useful service in My kingdom. So, follow Me! Verses to Live Today’s verses continue the story from yesterday — the time after My resurrection when Peter took six other disciples fishing with him. Not only does this story parallel closely the time I originally called Peter, Andrew, James and John from their lives as fishermen, but there are those “third-time” parallels that run throughout this event. All of that is important to notice, however, only if you get the message: When you have failed Me and failed other disciples, I don’t want you to give up and quit. I don’t want you living your life in guilt and suspicion because you have not addressed your sinful failures. I want to recall you to ministry. Notice how I do this with Peter. Jesus took the bread and gave it to each of them, and then He did the same with the fish. This was the third time the disciples had seen Jesus since His death and resurrection. They finished eating breakfast. Jesus: Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these other things? Simon Peter: Yes, Lord. You know that I love You. Jesus: Take care of My lambs. Jesus asked him a second time… Jesus: Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Simon Peter: Yes, Lord. You must surely know that I love You. Jesus: Shepherd My sheep. Jesus (for the third time): Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was hurt because He asked him the same question a third time, “Do you love Me?” Simon Peter: Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You. Jesus: Look after My sheep. I tell you the truth: when you were younger, you would
Back at the Beginning?
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Sometimes things have a way of repeating themselves. The events in the verses below occurred after My resurrection. The apostle Peter and six of My other disciples were back where Peter was when I first called him to follow me (Luke 5:1-11); they were fishing. Once again, they caught no fish during a long night of fishing. Once again, I directed them how to catch fish, and they netted a huge haul of fish. After experiencing the miraculous catch of fish earlier when I was calling My first disciples, Peter fell at My feet and said: I can’t take this, Lord. I’m a sinful man. You shouldn’t be around the likes of me. (Luke 5:8). I then called Peter to leave his life as a fisherman and follow Me to start reaching people with My good news. After over three years of ministry with Me, Peter was back where he began. But I needed him ready to lead My disciples to take the good news to the world. However, Peter’s failure stood in the way. Despite My warning, he denied Me three times on the night I was betrayed. Despite his claims that he would not fail Me even if the other disciples did, he failed to live up to his word. Peter’s failure stood in the way of his leadership. There was that other problem in the verses below: a problem symbolized by Peter’s jumping into the water, swimming ashore, and leaving the other men behind in the boat to take care of the fish. Peter needed to humble himself, do the little things that needed to be done and live faithfully for Me. Most importantly, the confession that he was a sinful man didn’t happen this second time. Enough time had passed for Peter to own the ways he had failed Me on the night I was betrayed. He had not done so. My appearance to Peter and the apostles on the beach — see the verses below — was My third appearance to them after My resurrection. Peter had not yet confessed his failure and asked for forgiveness from the disciples or Me. Bottom line: Peter’s failure and his brash bravado stood in the way of his being a great servant leader in the new church that was about to be born. So I began My ministry of restoration with Peter. I would firmly, but lovingly, help him confront his failure in front the men who knew it best. I seized this opportunity to help Peter remember — to remember his initial call to become a fisherman for people and follow Me and to remember his failure to live up to his brash promises. In tomorrow’s verses, you will join Me as I directly but lovingly confront and restore Peter. Today, however, I want you to think about how your own sin and failure can make you feel as if you have to start all over and as if you have to win My trust and earn your right to My grace. Please know that is not true. I long to forgive and restore you. I do ask that you own your failure, that you trust the sufficiency of My grace, and that you get back to following Me. But don’t let shame destroy you. Don’t let your pride keep you from being honest with Me and others. Don’t let the evil one cloud your heart with doubts about My love for you. I long to restore you. I want to use you to grow My kingdom and share My grace. I will use your failures to help you learn to be gracious and empathetic with others so they can be restored, too. I did it with Peter. I will do it with you! Believe in My love for you. Rely on the grace I have for you. Trust the plans that I have to use you. Follow me! Verses to Live Notice how similar this situation is to the first call of Peter (Luke 5:1-11). Then notice how these two events are different. Why do you think I chose for this to be the scene of My third appearance to the apostles after My resurrection? What do you think would have happened to Peter and his leadership if I had not confronted him about his failure before I returned to the Father? There was one other time when Jesus appeared to the disciples — this time by the Sea of Tiberias. This is how it happened: Simon Peter, Thomas (the Twin), Nathanael (the Galilean from Cana), the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter (to disciples): I am going fishing. Disciples: Then we will come with you. They went out in the boat and caught nothing through the night. As day was breaking, Jesus was standing on the beach; but they did not know it was Jesus. Jesus: My sons, you haven’t caught any fish, have you? Disciples: No. Jesus: Throw your net on the starboard side of the boat, and your net will find the fish. They did what He said, and suddenly they could not lift their net because of the massive weight of the fish that filled it. The disciple loved by Jesus turned to Peter and said: Beloved Disciple: It is the Lord. Immediately, when Simon Peter heard these words, he threw on his shirt (which he would take off while he was working) and dove into the sea. The rest of the disciples followed him, bringing in the boat and dragging in their net full of fish. They were close to the shore, fishing only about 100 yards out. When they arrived on shore, they saw a charcoal fire laid with fish on the grill. He had bread too. Jesus (to disciples): Bring some of the fish you just caught. Simon Peter went back to the boat to unload the fish from the net. He pulled 153 large fish from the
A Turnaround
Note from Jesus Dear Seeker of truth, For several days, I will continue talking to you about restoring Peter back to ministry after his three denials on the night of My arrest. Peter over-promised what he would do to stand with Me. I warned him that he would deny Me three times, which is exactly what happened. I told Peter that I was praying for him: I have prayed that your faith will hold firm and that you will recover from your failure and become a source of strength for your brothers here. (Luke 22:32) Although initially Peter was willing to defend Me using force when the Temple guards came to arrest Me, I told him to put away the sword. I then allowed the Temple soldiers to arrest Me. This situation left Peter confused. In the aftermath of My arrest and during the early stages of My illegal trial by the Jewish religious leaders, Peter denied he knew Me. He insisted he was not associated with Me. He protested and spoke an oath declaring that he did not know Me. Then, I looked at him across the courtyard; the rooster crowed, and Peter was deeply grieved when he realized what he had done and how he had failed. Peter, the rock, one of My future leaders among My apostles and in the early church, stumbled miserably. His failure was not a secret. His agony over his actions was genuine. So before I share with you how I restored Peter, I want to remind you of a story I told. I was in the middle of a confrontation with the religious leaders when I told them the story about two sons (see the verses below). The story is primarily about repentance. I want you to think of repentance in terms of the word “turnaround.” That’s what Peter needed — a major turnaround. He was prone to over-promising and reaching to grab the spotlight. Peter was always wanting to go first, be best, and say the right thing at the right time. This trait was true of Peter whether he was walking on the water then sinking, confessing Me as Lord yet then denying I would suffer, or not wanting Me to wash his feet then wanting Me to wash him all over. On each of these occasions, Peter failed. He over-promised and under-delivered! At times, Peter was like each son in the story below. He over-promised what he would do and didn’t keep his word; this is like the second son. However, like the first son, he was sorrowful and wanted to get his life back on track when he had time to think through his flawed actions. Somewhere along the way, Peter needed to own both his overstatements and his failures. He needed a turnaround. He needed to leave the past failures behind and walk a new direction, My direction, the direction of faithful obedience. You, like Peter, will stumble and fall. You will fail to live up to what you want to be. You don’t want to stumble. I don’t want you to stumble. But it will happen. Your decision at that point is very simple: Will you choose to stay in the place where you’ve faltered and live in your failure? Or will you choose to own your failures by confessing them and then turn your life around to live faithfully for Me? A life of discipleship is not about pretending you are perfect, not about saying the right thing just to make yourself look good, and not about hiding or excusing your sin. I’m not looking for a person who fakes holiness to look righteous. What matters to Me is that you are cut to the heart when you falter, and you are willing to own that stumble, then turn around and get back on track living for Me. My righteousness covers those who repent. My forgiveness covers those who choose to turn their lives around. So if you have let Me down and disappointed yourself because of your sin, remember that your failure isn’t fatal unless you choose for it to be final. I always welcome a turnaround. Verses to Live Which of the two sons below are you most like? Do you push back against what I call you to do, but after thinking about it, get your life back on track like the first son? Or do you over-promise trying to make yourself look good to the folks around you and then fail to deliver like the second son? For Me, the appearance of being religious means nothing. What I AM after is your heart and your obedience. Even if you find yourself in the shoes of the second son, please realize that you can change. You can turn around, and you can get your life back on track and live for Me. Just remember My apostle Peter. He started out as the second son, then ended up turning things around like the first son. Jesus: I will tell you a story, and you can tell Me what you make of it: There was a man who had two sons. He said to his first son: Father: Go and work in the vineyard today. First Son: No, I will not. But later the first son changed his mind and went. Then the father went to his second son. Father: Go and work in the vineyard today. Second Son: Of course, Father. But then he did not go. So which of the sons did what the father wanted? Chief Priests and Elders (answering at once): The first. Jesus: I tell you this: the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you. John came to show you the straight path, the path to righteousness. You did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. Even as you saw the prostitutes and the tax collectors forgiven and washed clean, finding their footing on the straight path to
Beyond Failure
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, Over the next several days, I will take you on a journey with My apostle, Simon Peter. Before his denial of even knowing Me, I warned him about this upcoming sin. While he stumbled and fell, his faith didn’t completely fail. The verses below remind you of My warning to Peter. Later in the evening when I was arrested, Peter used a sword to try to defend me (John 18:10). He was trying to live up to his promise of being willing to die for Me. He was confused when I told him to put away the sword and that I must fulfill what the Scriptures had said about Me (John 18:11; Matthew 26:50-54). Later that same evening, Peter denied Me three times (John 18:16-27) — just as I had told him he would. After his third denial, I looked straight at him across the courtyard, and he went away devastated by his failure when he heard the rooster crow (Luke 22:61-62). What should I do with those who claim to follow Me and then deny, betray, or abandon Me in a moment of weakness? What if they renounce Me in their confusion or fear or concern for their family or…? Even many of the so-called best and bravest have failed at one point or another. Does that disqualify them from My grace? Does that mean that I abandon them as they have abandoned Me? Are they to be cast out or distrusted forever? Definitely not! Watch these next few days closely. See how I restored Peter. I didn’t just lovingly confront him and forgive him, but I restored him to leadership among the apostles! But for today, notice the seeds of grace I planted in Peter’s heart and the hearts of the other disciples. Know that as you face your trials, My words are equally true for you: “I have prayed that your faith will hold firm and that you will recover from your failure and become a source of strength for your brothers …” My grace not only can sustain you, but it can also reclaim you when you have failed yet are still clinging — be it tenaciously or tenuously — to the hope that I will never leave you or forsake you! Verses to Live Over the next several days, I want to show you how I approach forgiveness and cleansing — the promise I made you yesterday using John’s words about My atoning sacrifice and My ongoing role as your advocate before the Father (1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:1-2). So read the words carefully and you will see how I was already preparing Peter to overcome his failure and sin and to be restored as My leader. Did his faith fail? No, it didn’t, not permanently. You will see that his failure — unlike Judas’ failure — wasn’t final. Was he confused? Yes! Was he overconfident? Absolutely! Did he deny me three times? Yes! Did he quit in his failure, or did he hold out hope beyond it? He held out hope. And so should you! Simon Peter: Lord, where are You going? Jesus: Peter, you cannot come with Me now, but later you will join Me. Peter: Why can’t I go now? I’ll give my life for You! (John 13:36-37) Jesus: Simon, Simon, how Satan has pursued you, that he might make you part of his harvest. But I have prayed for you. I have prayed that your faith will hold firm and that you will recover from your failure and become a source of strength for your brothers here. Peter: Lord, what are You talking about? I’m going all the way to the end with You — to prison, to execution — I’m prepared to do anything for You. Jesus: No, Peter, the truth is that before the rooster crows at dawn, you will have denied that you even know Me, not just once, but three times. Remember when I sent you out with no money, no pack, not even sandals? Did you lack anything? Disciples: Not a thing. Jesus: It’s different now. If you have some savings, take them with you. If you have a pack, fill it and bring it. If you don’t have a sword, sell your coat and buy one. Here’s the truth: what the Hebrew Scriptures said, “And He was taken as one of the criminals,” must come to fruition in Me. These words must come true. Disciples: Look, Lord, we have two swords here. Jesus: That’s enough. (Luke 22:31-38) Response in Prayer Lord Jesus, I live today confidently. I am not confident in my abilities to never fail, forsake or disappoint you, but confident in Your grace to reclaim and restore me. I promise never to take sin lightly. I will do my best never to presume on the generosity of Your grace. But for those times when I sin — I fail, forsake or deny you — I will not believe the lies of Satan that I am worthless and irreclaimable. I will remember Your grace and how You reclaimed and restored Peter, so I trust You can do the same with me. Thank You. And thank You Father for such redemptive love. In Jesus’ grace, I rest my hope and give You thanks. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Walking in the Light of Grace
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, I came to your world to be God among you and die as the atoning sacrifice for your sins. However, My ministry for you did not end with My death. After I was raised from the dead and ascended to the Father, I began My role as a heavenly intercessor for you and all others who truly follow Me. My atoning death was the last sacrifice needed. My presence at the Father’s side ensures that I am your holy advocate forever (Hebrews 7:25). My sacrifice still covers your sin. That sacrifice assures you of both your forgiveness and your cleansing. You can be forgiven and also be made pure. It is as if you had never sinned! We — Father, Son, and Spirit — do not want you to sin. Some sin is rebellion, some is weakness, some is immaturity, and some is missing your intended target for the character you desire in your life. I want you to be open with the Father about your sin. I want you to confess your sin to at least one other brother or sister in your spiritual family (James 5:16). Be honest about your sin and your struggle with that sin. Come clean about your sin, rebellion, moral failure, and shortcomings. You are not going to do everything perfectly. Only the self-deluded would claim to have never sinned (1 John 1:8). Only someone who does not understand the nature of sin would try to cling to his or her own supposed sinlessness: “You see, all have sinned, and all their futile attempts to reach God in His glory fail” (Romans 3:23). However, if you walk with Me in the open fellowship of My grace, you will confess your sin for what it is. You will want it gone, forgiven, and cleansed so that your sin is purged from any record of wrongs and you are purified from any stain of sin. Here is what I ask of you. Realize the love and blessings of the grace you have received. Realize this grace came at a very high price. Realize that My sacrifice was given for you, but not just for you: It is for every person in the world! Please, pass this good news of My atoning sacrifice and My gift of new life, overwhelming grace, complete forgiveness, and total cleansing on to those who are lost. So walk with Me… be honest with Me… and share My grace because others need this same forgiveness and cleansing that you have received. Verses to Live Read the following verses several times. They are from My beloved disciple John, who wrote them to encourage those who were discouraged with their sin. These verses contain great promises to you about what I am doing right now in the presence of the Father to bless you and bless all who choose to follow Me as their Lord and Savior: What we are telling you now is the very message we heard from Him [Jesus]: God is pure light, undimmed by darkness of any kind. If we say we have an intimate connection with the Father but we continue stumbling around in darkness, then we are lying because we do not live according to truth. If we walk step by step in the light, where the Father is, then we are ultimately connected to each other through the sacrifice of Jesus His Son. His blood purifies us from all our sins. If we go around bragging, “We have no sin,” then we are fooling ourselves and are strangers to the truth. But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done. If we say, “We have not sinned,” then we depict God as a liar and show that we have not let His word find its way into our hearts. You are my little children, so I am writing these things to help you avoid sin. If, however, any believer does sin, we have a high-powered defense lawyer — Jesus the Anointed, the righteous — arguing on our behalf before the Father. It was through His sacrificial death that our sins were atoned. But He did not stop there — He died for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:1-2) Response in Prayer O Father, I know that I have sinned and fallen short of Your plan for Me. Thank You Lord Jesus for Your sacrifice. You sacrificed Your comfort, Your security, Your dignity, and Your life to give me grace. Your sacrifice gave me the way to receive the Father’s mercy through forgiveness and cleansing. Thank You Holy Spirit for Your work to transform me to be more and more like Jesus. I commit to living for Him as You empower and transform me. I promise to share His grace with others so that they can share in these blessings. In Jesus’ name, I offer You my thanks, commitment, and praise. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Wait!
Note from Jesus Dear Precious Follower, I know that waiting is hard for you. Regardless of your reason for having to wait, I know that waiting is hard. However, sometimes the best thing you can do to catch the Wind of Heaven (the Holy Spirit) in your sails of faith is to wait. Think for a minute about all that My closest disciples had experienced during the time surrounding My crucifixion: My challenging teaching and confrontations during My last week in Jerusalem before My crucifixion. The brutalities I suffered during My trials and on the day of My crucifixion. The heartbreak and devastation during the time My body lay lifeless in the tomb. The excitement of that first week after My resurrection. The wonder of My presence during the forty days of My appearances to My disciples after the resurrection. My disciples had an incredible message to tell the world. They had experienced things no one had ever experienced or would ever experience again. So in My farewell appearance to them, imagine how hard it was for them to hear My instructions to them: “But you must wait in the city until the power from above comes down upon you.” They had these great experiences, and they had this great message about My resurrection, but I told them to WAIT! Wait? Yes, wait! You see, the mission that I gave them was staggering. They were going to change the world by taking My story to the nations. Perhaps you’re wondering, “Was this small band of disciples actually going to take the message of My life, death, and resurrection to the world?” Yes! Perhaps you’re still wondering, “Was this ragtag group of disciples going to fulfill their world mission without great monetary resources? Without positions of power? Without an international network of partners? In a world of travel mostly by foot or on sailing ships, and very, very slow mail service without any internet or phone service?” Yes! Yes! That was their mission. Yes! That is what they did. You see, the secret to fulfilling their mission — as well as the secret for you to fulfill your mission — is the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Over the nearly two thousand years since My resurrection, many have heard My words of commission to take the good news message to all the world. They have trained. They have studied languages. They have prepared themselves culturally. They have prepared themselves theologically. They have trained themselves in communication, cross-cultural communication, culture shock, and reverse culture shock. However, they have sometimes not taken the time to wait: to wait for Me to guide them to the place they need to go, to wait for Me to tell them when it is time to go, and especially to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and empower them to go. Imagine My message as a fire, a burning flame. But as powerfully as that flame may burn, it is surrounded by pockets of unbelief, places of hostility, and non-combustible spaces of disinterest. To jump these zones where the fire has little fuel to burn, the flame needs the Wind of Heaven, the Holy Spirit, to propel it past the barriers of indifference and rejection. The bearers and keepers of the flame need the Spirit to empower that flame to burn brightly in places where hearts are ready to be lit afire with the grace of heaven. My messengers must have more than human power and plans. As good as these messengers are, as precious as their faith is, and as noble as their intentions may be, they need power — real, holy, enduring, heavenly power! They need — and before you launch on a plan to bring Me glory and share My grace, whether it is some great ambitious plan or a plan to tell your neighbor about Me, you need — Holy Spirit power. So please, honor Me by dedicating yourself to waiting in prayer for the release and guidance and power of the Holy Spirit rather than trying to do things on your own strength. Isaiah promised strength from the Lord many years before I promised it to My little band of would-be world-changers: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV) In a few weeks, I will take you on a journey through the book of Acts. You will see a little band of believers become a massive and multi-cultural family held together and propelled to new frontiers by the power of the Holy Spirit. You need to know that I want you to do the same thing in your day, again and again, with people who are committed to “make disciples” by going and “baptizing” and “teaching” others to know and “to obey” all that I taught (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV). So I ask you to wait — not stall, not make excuses, not grow cold to My message, not give in to the distractions of the world, but to wait — through prayer and holy expectation for the coming of the Holy Spirit with power. Verses to Live Before I ascended back to the Father, I promised My closest disciples that I would send “power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” You will see that power lived out in the stories from the book of Acts. However, I want you to read the passages below that came after these promises to My disciples and realize this important truth:
Immanuel: Making Disciples
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, I want you to “make disciples.” I want you to “go out” of the security of your own comfort zone, friends, or culture to share My good news with anyone from your neighbors to people of other cultures. I want you to “wash them through baptism” in the name of the “triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” I want you to walk beside these new disciples: “Form them in the practices… that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you.” These words are commonly called My “Great Commission.” They were my parting words to My closest followers. I shared these words with them shortly before I ascended back to the Father. On Pentecost after My ascension, I sent the Spirit to empower My disciples to fulfill My commission. I have also given the Spirit to empower you to fulfill this same commission. I want all people to know the grace of the Father, the sacrificial love that I have for them, and the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit Who lives inside My disciples. My charge is a huge challenge. Some of My followers have taken this commission seriously. Others play at fulfilling it. So many in your world today either are ignorant of this commission or have chosen to ignore it. However, I want you to know that My Great Commission is just as important to Me today as it was when I spoke it to My first disciples. Today, I want to emphasize an important aspect of My Great Commission: It contains My fourth Immanuel saying in Matthew’s gospel. As you live out this commission, I will be with you every step of the way. I will be Immanuel to you. My presence will go with you wherever you go. I will be present with you as long as you have breath. And when your body loses its breath, I will be there to welcome you into My presence (Philippians 1:19-23). Nothing will separate you from My love for you (Romans 8:32-39). I will be with you. I will be Immanuel, God with you… always! Verses to Live I will be with you, so please read carefully and obey what I ask of you. Your obedience will change the world, and I will be with you in that world wherever you go! Jesus came forward and addressed His beloved disciples. Jesus: I am here speaking with all the authority of God, Who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. …wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20) Response in Prayer Almighty God, I promise that by the power of the Spirit within me I will answer Jesus’ call to make disciples. I will seek out those who need Your grace and introduce them to Jesus regardless of their race, nationality, ethnicity, or social status. I commit this to You in Jesus’ name. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Immanuel: Compassion
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I call you My friend because you know and practice My will (John 15:15). Therefore, I have brought you into My family through My sacrifice on the cross. I have given you the power to live in My family through the Holy Spirit within you. So today, as we continue talking about the Immanuel sayings in Matthew’s gospel, I call you to be a friend to others who desperately need your compassion and My grace in their lives. The Immanuel sayings promise that you can experience My presence in your daily life. These sayings help you recognize how you can experience My presence as Immanuel. The four sayings promise that you can experience Me as Immanuel in these ways: Through entering My story (Matthew 1:22-23). By loving each other as My spiritual family (Matthew 18:20). By actively demonstrating compassion to those in need (Matthew 25:40). Through making disciples, whether among your own acquaintances or in other cultures, and leading them to know My way of life (Matthew 28:18-20). Today, I want to focus on the third of these sayings: Come here, you beloved, you people whom My Father has blessed. Claim your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation. You shall be richly rewarded, for when I was hungry, you fed Me. And when I was thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives. I was naked, and you gave Me clothes to wear; I was sick, and you tended to My needs; I was in prison, and you comforted Me. … I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother or sister hungry or cold, whatever you did to the least of these, so you did to Me. I want you to treat others, especially the most vulnerable ones among you, as I treated people when I walked the earth. As you do, you will not only be following My example, but you will also experience My presence with you. I’m not promising that doing this will always be easy. It wasn’t always easy for Me. In fact, My ministry to others often became messy and difficult. I do not promise you that everyone will be appreciative or recognize the grace you’ve shared with them. They didn’t understand when I shared My grace with them. However, I want you to know one thing for sure: if you share compassionate care with those in need, you will find Me with you. In fact, you will actually be serving Me! You will experience My presence in serving those in need. You will meet Immanuel! Verses to Live As you read these words, remember these are My words. They come from My heart. They are words of great importance. What you do in response to these words of promise, you are doing — or not doing — for Me. These words also help you to know what is important to the Father at the final judgment. Please hear the urgency in these words. Live them with expectancy, trusting that you will meet Me in the doing of them. When the Son of Man comes in all His majesty accompanied by throngs of heavenly messengers, His throne will be wondrous. All the nations will assemble before Him, and He will judge them, distinguishing them from one another as a shepherd isolates the sheep from the goats. He will put some, the sheep, at His right hand and some, the goats, at His left. Then the King will say to those to His right: King: Come here, you beloved, you people whom My Father has blessed. Claim your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation. You shall be richly rewarded, for when I was hungry, you fed Me. And when I was thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives. I was naked, and you gave Me clothes to wear; I was sick, and you tended to My needs; I was in prison, and you comforted Me. Even then the righteous will not have achieved perfect understanding and will not recall these things. Righteous: Master, when did we find You hungry and give You food? When did we find You thirsty and slake Your thirst? When did we find You a stranger and welcome You in, or find You naked and clothe You? When did we find You sick and nurse You to health? When did we visit You when You were in prison? King: I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother or sister hungry or cold, whatever you did to the least of these, so you did to Me. (Matthew 25:31-40) Response in Prayer O God, give me the eyes to see people as Jesus does. Give me the heart to feel what others feel as You do, Father. Give the strength inspired by the Spirit within me to serve in ways that are helpful and selfless. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Immanuel: In Spiritual Family
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, I began yesterday to share with you the four Immanuel passages in the book of Matthew. Recall that Immanuel is the name given to Me in prophecy (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel means “God with us.” The first of the Immanuel sayings (Matthew 1:23) was spoken about Me. The remaining three were spoken by Me. I spoke these three Immanuel sayings as promises to My disciples. While these last three don’t specifically use the name Immanuel, they emphasize that I AM with you when you: Come together as authentic spiritual family (Matthew 18:20), Compassionately care for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), and Step outside the comfortability of your ethnicity and culture to make disciples and lead them to follow Me (Matthew 28:18-20). In other words, I AM not just the One Who was raised from the dead never to die again, but I AM also alive and present with you. I want you to know how you can experience My presence in your life as My disciple. Today, the verses below are focused on experiencing My presence and My influence on your life in a community as spiritual family (Hebrews 2:10-11). As Christians, you are not members of an organization, but you are part of My blood-bought family. You are brothers and sisters who share something more important than a physical bloodline or common DNA markers. The Holy Spirit, Our — Father, Son, and Spirit’s — presence, is living in you making you spiritual family. Family life can sometimes be messy and difficult. However, the Father has given you the power of the resurrection through the work of the Holy Spirit within you (Ephesians 1:17-20; Ephesians 3:14-21). This power can help you live together in love (Romans 5:5) as a true spiritual family. When you choose to live in the radical ways I am calling you to live as My family, you are living with Me. My presence is there with you and among you. This lifestyle means that you will take special care with how you use your freedom. You will do your best not to cause a disciple to stumble and fall away. You will go directly to a person who offends you rather than gossiping about that person or trying to “get even” with that person. You will forgive any brother or sister who sins against you and asks forgiveness, and you will continue to forgive as long as that person asks for your forgiveness. You will notice and work to reclaim any of your brothers and sisters who have wandered away, have been overcome by sin, or have dropped out of the family. Being with you as a member of My family is My promise to you. It is Matthew’s second Immanuel saying. What I said reminds you that I AM present and can be experienced in your world as you live as genuine spiritual family: For when two or three gather together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) Verses to Live As you read My words in the verses below, remember that I AM calling you to live as My spiritual family. My teaching recognizes that this life together as a spiritual family can be messy. Everyone in My family is imperfect just as you are. However, you need each other to be what I’ve called you to be. Around that same time, the disciples came to Jesus and questioned Him about the kingdom of heaven. A Disciple: In the kingdom of heaven, who is the greatest? Jesus called over a little child. He put His hand on the top of the child’s head. Jesus: This is the truth: unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. In that kingdom, the most humble who are most like this child are the greatest. And whoever welcomes a child, welcomes her in My name, welcomes Me. And do not lead astray one of the weak and friendless who believes in Me. If you do, it would be better for you to be dragged down with a millstone and drowned in the bottom of the sea. Beware indeed of those in a world filled with obstacles and temptations that cause people to turn away from Me. Those temptations are woven into the fabric of a world not yet redeemed, but beware of anyone who lures righteous women and men off the narrow path. If your hand constantly grasps at the things of this world rather than serves the Kingdom — cut it off and throw it away. If your foot is always leading you to wander, then cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to hobble, crippled, into the kingdom of life than to burn in hell with two hands and two feet. And if your eye always focuses on things that cause you to sin, then pull your eye out and throw it away. It is better for you to see the kingdom of life with one eye than to see the fires of hell with perfect sight. Make sure that you do not look down on the little ones, on those who are further behind you on the path of righteousness. For I tell you: they are watched over by those most beloved messengers who are always in the company of My Father in heaven. [The Son of Man has come to save all those who are lost.] A shepherd in charge of 100 sheep notices that one of his sheep has gone astray. What do you think he should do? Should the shepherd leave the flock on the hills unguarded to search for the lost sheep? God’s shepherd goes to look for that one lost sheep, and when he finds her, he is happier about her return than he is about the 99 who stayed put. Your Father in heaven does not want a single one of the tripped, waylaid,
Immanuel: In the Story
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I want you to know Me. I’m not talking about knowing more about Me — although that is a good thing and something I invite you to do by reading more about Me in the Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I want you to know Me — to know that I AM real and to experience My moment-by-moment presence in your life. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, many church leaders and teachers began to speak about My great work only in the past tense. Some even inferred that I didn’t do any of the great things I did long ago. Some teachers and preachers have taught about Me in ways that confined My presence and My power to a time long ago and a place far away. They have made it seem that when the New Testament was all written that I quit making Myself known and that My presence was no longer experienced in the lives of My people. Remember that I AM above all things, and I reign over all things to bless My people, the church. I AM risen from the dead. I AM alive forever, and I will bring all who are mine to Myself to join Me in glory. One of the great things Matthew wrote into the fabric of his good news story of My life was an emphasis on My identity as Immanuel. I AM the presence of God that can be experienced in the lives of My people. So I want to spend today and the next three days drawing your attention to four passages that we will call Matthew’s four Immanuel sayings. Matthew connected My birth to a prophecy from Isaiah and identified Me as the promised “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14) — which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). More than just a statement of My divinity as God in human flesh, “Immanuel” is a reminder that I AM the eternal and immortal God, Who became flesh and walked among you to reveal God to you and make Him known to you (John 1:14-18). As Immanuel, what I did among you, I did as God with you. You want to know how We — Almighty God as Father, Son, and Spirit — feel about you? Then look at how I treated people. Want to know what God wanted to say to you? Notice how I talked to people with whom I came in contact and what I said to them. Want to know how God cares for His people? See what I did to love people. Want to be reassured that God listens to people? Watch as I listen to people. Want to see how God chastised religious people who were hypocrites and how He healed broken people and challenged people to be more? Look carefully at My life. All along My way going to the cross, witness how I repeatedly served others to redeem them. My life example is how your God feels about you! So I invite you to enter into My story. Go all the way back to the first hinted promise of My coming after the fall of humanity in the garden (Genesis 3:15). Then go all the way up to My conception in the womb of Mary (Luke 1:26-38). This story actually continues with Me as your living Lord Who will return for you. As you enter into this story, realize that this is your story, too! Your Bible is more than a book of laws, history, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, and teachings. Think of it as your family album of stories. It is your history about how you are loved, the kind of people from whom you have come, and the glorious promises about where you are headed with your brothers and sisters who find their identity in Me. As you read from the Bible, expect to meet Me. Ask the Holy Spirit, Who inspired the words of the Bible, to help you understand them. Even more, invite the Holy Spirit to help you hear My voice as I call you to follow Me. I will call to you through the words you read, the thoughts you have, and the convictions that the Holy Spirit inspires in you. I want you to ask the Spirit to help you discover what I want you to know from what you read, what I want you to feel, and what I want you to do in response to what you read. The apostle Paul told his son in the faith, Timothy, the following: So surely you ought to stick to what you know is certain. All you have learned comes from people you know and trust because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Look closely at the words that are highlighted in bold. They teach you two things: The holy Scriptures lead you to salvation through your faith in Me! I am the key for you as you read the Bible. Ask the Spirit to help you hear My voice and deepen your relationship with Me and your faith in Me. The holy Scriptures are intended to be lived — to be practical and useful truth for your life. I want to help you use the Bible to live a life of blessing, grace, and holy character! So more than dry pages of paper and ink and more than pixels of light and dark, the words of the Bible are part of the way I come to you and instruct you. I use these words of Scripture to lead you and to show My love