Friday November 9, 2012

Read Matthew 17:1-9

I’ve ended up with my foot in my mouth so many times that I wonder if I don’t suffer from foot in mouth disease. Peter is often described as a rash and impetuous believer. He often puts his foot in his mouth because he speaks before he thinks. Haven’t we all have suffered from this at some point in our lives?

 

But Peter wasn’t being rash and thoughtless.  Being a devout and zealous Jew Peter knew that the new kingdom would come and the Feast of Booths would be celebrated by all and sundry. Perhaps he was wanting to get in first and to revel in the new kingdom that he thought was about to be inaugurated.  The presence of Moses and Elijah may have confirmed in his mind that this was the time for the kingdom to be inaugurated.

 

And as soon as Peter suggested setting up three booths - which has nothing to do with resting for the night as many suggest (as if a heavenly being needed to rest for the night)  - a glory cloud envelopes them and the heavenly voice tells the disciples that Jesus is the Son of God and that they must listen to Him.  They must listen to Him.

 

The disciples need to learn that the Kingdom comes only through the death and resurrection of Messiah. He must die on the cross for the sins of the world. He must rise from the dead and ascend to the heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit must be poured out as well before the kingdom can come in all its glory and power.  There is no short cut. There is no easy road. Jesus must suffer and die before the kingdom comes.

 

Sometimes we may be like Peter and the other 2 disciples - unwilling to listen to Jesus and wanting to take short cuts. How often do we pray for an end to hard times or for God to bless us in the dry times. How often do we want to run straight into the blessings of God. But like Peter we need to listen to Jesus. Sometimes there are no short cuts. Sometimes we have to walk the heavy road. Sometimes we have to carry a burden. But even so, the Kingdom will come. Jesus will be glorified and all peoples will bow the knee at His Lordship.

In the midst of your narrow road you can still praise the Lord.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray that as your church gathers this weekend to meet with God that He would be powerfully present and that He would grant every single person ears that hear the Word of the Lord. Pray that the non believers would hear the call of God and turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. Pray that the believers would hear the voice of God and walk in obedience to Him.

¥ Pray that God’s work in China would continue to grow and spread. Pray that God would rise up more and more people willing to serve Him and reach out further with the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. Pray that this would happen in Australia as well.

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My Additional Prayer Points.

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