Rise up!

 

I want you people out there who are broken and wandering in the desert to consider this closely.

Peter followed Christ. He knew Him. He loved Him and listened to every Word that He said. He had total faith in Him. He watched Him perform miracles and walk on water!!! Even Peter walked on water for a tiny moment in time until his fear made him fall. Petr denied Christ three times just as it was written. One of Christ’s own disciples fell short on faith and stumbled.

I see this as in parallel with what we go through in this dark life. I see you and know that you are hurting and struggling. But let me tell you, our faith may fail or weaken. We may stumble and even fall but does that change our love and faith in Christ?!

If you are reading this and you feel guilt and shame, the answer is no! If you had no qualms about your behavior, then maybe. But I hear your cries of pain and shame and I know that you still love the Lord and long to be whole again. You are still usable by Christ! Your faith is still holding you up and keeping you from drowning!

I know there are many of you who feel unworthy because you attempted to conquer the world and, instead, it conquered you. I know that once you were defeated, even for a moment, you felt weighted down with guilt and shame… unworthy… unsalvageable. And, I know from experience, when you feel that way, you tend to stop fighting against the dark current and you let it take you under. I have seen it so many times.

But you hear me now… RISE UP! No matter how many times you fall, no matter how little your faith in your salvation is, no matter what other people say (fear of man) and with all of the power of the One who saved you has given unto you, RISE UP! Again.

If Peter can be tested and brought to tears and pushed low and then, by the tiniest faith he could muster, he got back up… despite his humanness, he knew what he knew, what he knew… SO DO YOU!

Start over. Turn the page. Repent. Get right! Be Humble. Trust Him. Know that you are called, or you could never have been saved and proclaimed Him Lord.

The world is like quicksand ready to pull you under. The evil one will use any means to keep you believing that you are lost for good. Even Christians can be used to pull you under! Recognize the darkness for what it is and LIGHT YOUR LAMP again! RISE UP!

You and I will never be “worthy.” We are, after all, sinners born and bred. Not one of us are… but we ARE loved by God. We ARE chosen by the Lord. We ARE His heirs. Just like Peter and David…. David was an adulterous murderer and yet He was loved and chosen!

Isaiah 54:10 —

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

We have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to be like Christ. Keep your spark going by feeding it fuel (the Word)

RISE UP and shine your light in those dark places so that it must flee from you.