Wendy

O'Rourke

We may tend to think of people in the Bible as other-worldly beings with gold-plated halos. Yet actually they were normal people like we are today—people who were used by God despite their foibles, quirks, and failings.

Peter is a great example. Along with James and John, Peter was one of Jesus’ inner-circle of disciples. He was the first to declare, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

In response, Jesus told him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:17-18).

Yet shortly afterward, when Jesus told the disciples that He must suffer and die, Matthew 16:22 records: Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

Then Jesus sternly replied, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23).

And at the Last Supper, Matthew 26:35 records how Peter told Jesus, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” But within hours, he denied the Lord three times. Peter’s own strength had failed him utterly.

But he was not disqualified from ministry! God’s great mercy is shown in John 21, when Jesus restored Peter and commissioned him to tend His sheep.

On Pentecost, we see the manifestation of Peter’s transformation as he is filled with the Holy Spirit. He stood before a huge crowd and fearlessly preached the Gospel to some of the very people who had crucified Jesus (see Acts 2:23). He continued his bold leadership of the church, doing miracles in Jesus’ name and obeying what seemed like God’s radical call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

So imagine the horror of the believers when Herod arrested Peter, intending to kill him as he had just killed James.

You would think that Peter would be frantic with worry. However, Acts 12:6 tells us, On that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. We can only surmise that Peter had such staunch faith in the resurrected Jesus that death no longer scared him. As he later wrote, [Cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7). In fact, that night in Herod’s dungeon, Peter was sleeping so soundly that an angel had to strike him to wake him up and set him free!

And when he went to find the believers, a servant girl named Rhoda was so stunned at Peter’s arrival that she left him standing at the gate. And those believers who were praying so earnestly for him showed a remarkable lack of faith when they told Rhoda in Acts 12:15, “You are out of your mind. … It is his angel!”

Peter continued exercising leadership in the newborn church, writing two epistles that continue to inspire us today. In these letters, which we call First and Second Peter, he often talked about mercy and grace. Why? He had personally experienced these priceless gifts from God, who did not give up on him when he failed.

And God will not give up on us, either! Let’s turn to Him today, confess our shortcomings, listen to His voice in our hearts assuring us of His mercy and love, ask Him to fill us anew with His Holy Spirit, and then walk forward into the future with the absolute assurance that we have God’s unmerited favor and anointing to share His love with the world.

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Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

One of the biggest surprises on my first trip to Israel was seeing how close Bethlehem is to Jerusalem. In Bible times, it wasn’t hard to travel only about five miles from King David’s hometown, Bethlehem, to Jerusalem. The shepherds of Bethlehem probably made that journey often, for they were the caretakers of the perfect lambs that were destined to be sacrificed in the Temple. As we know, these sacrifices would be completely and eternally fulfilled by Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

How fitting, then, that the angel heralding the Good News of the Savior announced it to shepherds as they kept watch over these precious sheep one night. The shepherds were understandably terrified, but the angel reassured them in Luke 2:10-11: “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”

To prove this amazing declaration, the angel gave them a very specific sign: “You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” To those of us in modern times who have grown up seeing Nativity sets and watching Christmas pageants, the thought of a baby in a manger may seem ordinary. But to the shepherds, this was shocking. A newborn baby lying in a trough where barnyard animals ate? 

As they hurried off and witnessed this proof of the angel’s pronouncement, their initial fear and confusion turned to awe and wonder. In fact, seeing Jesus filled the shepherds with so much joy that they couldn’t keep it to themselves, and they became the first evangelists. Verses 17-18 tell us, after seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened … All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished.

Then, verse 20 records, the shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Perhaps they sang the very same praises that they had just heard the host of angels proclaim:

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (v. 14)

May the Good News of the Savior fill our hearts with joy that overflows into all the world. God bless you!

Prayer: We praise You, Lord Jesus, for giving up the glory of heaven that is rightfully Yours as the Son of God, and willingly coming to earth so humbly as a human baby. We worship You and give You glory as both the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world and the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. Fill us with the joy of the shepherds so that we, too, will be evangelists who are eager to share the Good News with others. In Your name we pray. Amen.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

In the midst of the escalating threats and declining morals we see in the world today, it’s easy to get discouraged and become fearful. Yet God always provides a witness to His love and salvation!

In the Old Testament, Isaiah described the tremendous upheaval and danger that Israel faced centuries before Christ. Yet God gave this prophet a promise of the Savior yet to come, which we can read in Isaiah 7:14 (NLT):

The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means 'God is with us').

How blessed we are today, knowing that Immanuel is Jesus Christ. He is the only begotten Son of God who makes His home in our hearts when we trust in Him. And just as we look forward to His Second Coming, people in Isaiah’s time must have yearned for the fulfillment of his amazing Messianic promise.

We can be strengthened by Isaiah’s message to the people in the interim:

The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, … “don't live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven's Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe” (Isaiah 8:11-14).

Isaiah continued with an exhortation that rings down through the ages:

Preserve the teaching of God ... . Shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? … Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark  (Isaiah 8:16, 19-20).

The darker the world gets, the brighter God’s light should shine in us and through us. Jesus told His followers in Matthew 5:14,

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

In order to shine effectively, we should ask God for His guidance, just as Isaiah said. God is always eager to reveal Himself to us. You may think, God never speaks to me! But if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you have His Spirit living within you. As you pray and read God’s Word, take time to listen for His voice quietly speaking to your heart. And the more you practice listening, the more you will hear Him guiding you, protecting you, comforting you, and empowering you.

His Spirit teaches us how to let His love shine out from our lives, drawing others unto Him—even those who seem very different from us or far from God. After all, as we are reminded in Ephesians 2:2, 4-5:

You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world … . But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)

So instead of focusing on a world in turmoil, let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith, as Hebrews 12:2 tells us. Day by day, let’s ask Him to show us how we can personally share His grace, love, and salvation with others. And we have His wonderful promise in Galatians 6:9,

Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

God bless you!

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When I was growing up, my family always had our Easter egg hunt on Sunday afternoon. That’s because in the morning, my mother would dress us in our fancy outfits, then we’d drive off to church, where we would celebrate the true meaning of Resurrection Sunday. Dad conducted the choir, and Mom played her violin in the orchestra for an inspiring anthem. The pastor preached the Gospel message, then with all our hearts we sang the words of Charles Wesley’s great hymn:

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!

Although our family was far from perfect, and we certainly had our share of ups and downs, it was a priceless treasure to grow up sustained by the assurance that Christ has won the victory for us over sin and death. As children, we understood it on one level—then as we grew older and saw the consequences of our own sin and understood the truth of our own mortality, the magnitude of what Jesus has done for us became even more amazing and appreciated. He suffered unspeakable shame and death to redeem us from our transgressions for all eternity. Alleluia!

Over the years, our family spent many wonderful Easter Sundays together. After my husband and I were married, my parents would enjoy visiting our church and playing their instruments with our worship team. But then as Mom aged, we noticed that she began having difficulty following the music. Gradually her memory grew worse, her ability to read music disappeared, and she couldn’t even remember how to put her beloved violin back into its case. Watching her slow deterioration was like a long goodbye as this talented violinist, teacher, wife, and mother lost so many of her physical and mental abilities.

Even so, she never forgot that she is a child of God. One of the last videos we have of Mom is when she was lifting her hands to sing along with Psalm 103, Bless the Lord, O my soul. Although she had forgotten so much of this mortal world, verses 2–4 were still true for her:

Forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

And at sunrise the following Easter Sunday morning, she slipped out of bed and into the loving arms of her Savior. Although we were shocked and saddened by her sudden passing, we knew she is more alive and whole now than she had ever been. It was a great comfort to think of her entering heaven on Easter as all the saints and angels gathered around the throne to worship the Lamb who was slain, the risen Son of God.

I like to think that because she was such an experienced musician who loved to praise and worship the Lord, she didn’t even have to go to the heavenly choir practice in order to join the great throng in praise to Him. And when it’s my time to leave this world, she will be right there to welcome me to the alto section of the most magnificent choir in all the universe—comprised of people Jesus has redeemed from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

And perhaps, just perhaps, we’ll sing another great verse of Wesley’s hymn:

But the pain which He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation hath procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing, Alleluia!

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for taking our sins upon Yourself as You died a brutal death on the cross—then rising again to give us eternal life with You! Fill us with the power of Your Holy Spirit to live in the victory of Your resurrection each day of our lives until You take us to be with You in heaven. In Your name we pray. Amen.

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Scripture is quoted from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

My husband and I were sitting at the kitchen table having a difficult discussion with a close family member. She has very different opinions than the biblical views on abortion, marriage, and transgender issues. Perhaps you’ve had tough talks like this with loved ones. It can be really challenging to show love to people who disagree. We know some churchgoers who try so hard to accommodate those with opposing viewpoints that they simply say, “You’re right and the Bible is wrong.”

Perhaps they are thinking of how Jesus told His followers:

“Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:34-35 NLT)

As believers in Jesus, my husband and I are eager to show love to everyone so that they may draw closer to the Lord. This means showing His love to those who disagree with us and even to those who may hate us. Even so, showing God’s love mean does not mean approving and affirming views and behavior that contradict His Word.

True love points people to the cross, where Jesus died for the sins of everyone. For we all desperately need a Savior, whether we struggle with same-sex attraction, pornography, addictions, bouts of anger, telling “little” lies, or gossiping. It’s all sin, and—praise God!—it’s all covered by the blood that Jesus shed for us. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 assures us,

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Sometimes I feel like it’s walking on a tightrope, holding onto biblical values while showing love to a person who is far from God. If you’re like me, you don’t want to jeopardize relationships that are near and dear to us.

Loving God and following Him can be costly, as Moses discovered when God called him out of his comfort zone and appointed him to the seemingly impossible task of leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. And John the Baptist paid the ultimate price by giving up his life to obey God, calling people to repent and prepare the way of the Lord (see Luke 3:4).

Yet as we go through these difficult circumstances, we have the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 12:11-12 to encourage us:

“Don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said."

And as we depend on the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom, let’s also remember the admonition to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). How can we do this? By the mighty power of God that resides within us. For as 1 John 4:16 tells us, God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

Dear Lord God, please fill us daily with the power of Your Holy Spirit that we may have wisdom and discernment to know what to say to people who do not yet understand the eternal truth of Your Word. Fill us with Your unconditional love for them, that they may come to know You. We pray in the name of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.