Freedom for the Unglued.

Over time, negative thought patterns can become self-defeating labels that impact how we see ourselves and keep us stuck in hard places.  Instead of seeing our failures as temporary setbacks, we begin to see them as permanent conditions or even as part of our identity.

From the Unglued video last night we saw that like the unfinished statues, Prisoners, we are also unfinished and trapped in a hard place.  What self condemning labels come to mind when you think about your raw emotions and reactions? What impact have these labels had on how you see yourself? How do they keep us stuck?

I never get appreciated….. Always waiting for appreciation or worth in my actions. My worth should be in the Lord. My acts of service should be without expecting nothing in return. 

The Apostle Peter was also stuck in his emotions.. (Matthew 14:22-32)  (Matthew 16:21-23) (John 18:1-10) He even let his fear cause him to deny Jesus three times.  (John 18:15-18, 25, 27)

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

After this event i am sure Peter was labeling himself, why do I doubt? I am always so full of fear and worry…. I always fall. Like Apostle Peter I want to walk on that water, but I am looking around unfocused. Me of little faith, I do not trust He will catch me when I fall. I want so bad to succeed that I sabotage it with my doubt.

Peter was not always named that. His given name was Simon which means shifty, but the first thing Jesus did when He met Simon was change his name to Peter which meant rock. I looked up my name Jennifer and it means …..White; fair; smooth….  What could that mean for me?  I am pretty white and pasty if that is what they are talking about, but I am sure that  meaning goes deeper.  I think of snow white and how fair she want, how she cared for others and had a sweet heart.

Jesus begins his relationship with Peter chiseling away.  Jesus gives Peter a new name that reflects a deeper truth about his identity. I believe my new name is .. not really a name, but a daughter. He gave me a father that i longed for and my new name daughter and child of God, sister in Christ. All these new names give me a new perspective on who I am with Him in my heart.

In John 1:29 you will see John when he lays eyes on Jesus and proclaims and baptizes Him! Well the next day John and two of his disciples, one being Simon Peter’s brother, Andrew They were there, John pointed out Jesus and the disciples followed Jesus.  They asked where he was staying and went there to listen to Jesus’ words. They spent the day there.  4 in the afternoon Andrew ran home to his brother Simon Peter and proclaimed they had found the Messiah! and he brought Simon Peter to Jesus. We are to bring people to Jesus in just this way!  Jesus takes one look at him and says… you are Peter. Can you imagine? Jesus knew who he was, knew he was Simon. He knew who he had been and I also saw that masterpiece beneath and named him a worthy name of that masterpiece.

Close your eyes (after you read this) and think to yourself coming to Jesus and Him speaking these words to you… what emotions come to mind?

I see you………..   I always feel invisible. Hiding in plain sight. He sees me… who I am.. all of me… and doesn’t not turn away in disgust. 

I know who you are……….. Nothing I have done is hidden from Him. Completely transparent. NO mask needed and that is freeing. 

I know the deeper truth about who you really are…… who I am inside. Who I was meant to be. Who he sees me as. My full potential. 

2 Timothy 1:7

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

In the situations where I want to become unglued, I always have the choice to be a reactor or a responder.

Humility

 

Acts 10

Todays scripture was Acts 10 and it was long! The first thing that really stood out to me was This is from easy to ready version.

²⁶ But Peter told him to get up. Peter said, “Stand up! I am only a man like you.” 

 

It is important to remember we are only “men” human just like anyone else. We are not better than anyone else just because God uses us.

³⁴ Peter began to speak: “I really understand now that God does not consider some people to be better than others.³⁵ He accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. It is not important what nation they come from. 

 

 

Matthew 4: Jesus Begins to Preach

The second part of Matthew 4 begins with “When Jesus heard John had been put in jail.” In Matthew 14:3

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

When Jesus heard of this He went to Galilee. He went and lived in Capernaum to fulfill what the Prophet Isaiah said. Peter lived there and his house became the base of operation during that time. Jesus spent most of his public ministry in this area of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Isaiah 9

^1 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

Jesus saw two brothers Simon called Peter and Andrew fishing near the Sea of Galilee. He told them “come follow me. and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their stuff and followed Him. What great obedience.

Jesus saw also two other brothers; James and John. They were in a boat fishing with their father Zebedee. Jesus called to them and the also immediately came.

These men are so quick to follow; no questions; just faith. They didn’t say yeah after I finish my work I will meet you there; as we do with saying we have no time for the Lord. If we put God above all things this is how it should look. He says come we come immediately; at once; drop what we are doing and come.

Jesus Begins to Preach

Acts 8

Saul persecutes the church. (1-4) Philip’s success at Samaria. Simon the sorcerer baptized. (5-13) The hypocrisy of Simon detected. (14-25) Philip and the Ethiopian. (26-40)

People were scattered and now Saul joins the party. I am not sure where Saul even came from but I didnt research the history either. Stephen was buried; but Saul was angry!

³ But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

The people that were scattered preached the Word wherever they went.

Phillip who was brought in when Stephen was now began to get some hype.

⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

A man named Simon was a sorcerer in the city Philip visited. V. 10 “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” When the people started to believe in Philip’s God they were baptized and Simon was as well. He also from then on remained with Philip.

Peter and John heard the good works going on there are paid a visit. The people there had been baptized, but the Holy Spirit was not on them so Peter and John laid hands on them and they all received the Holy Spirit. I find it funny they did not come until the CITY believed, not just a few but all of them! One city at a time! Everything seems amazing and like most stories here comes the downfall.

Simon saw what they had done and wanted to do it too. I think he had the right intentions; but tried to buy this gift with money…

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

Wow…..  this makes me think of the Christians who come to church, do everything that is required, but do hold God and His Word on their heart. Their intentions are good but they do not have a right heart.

Philip and the Ethiopian

God sent Philip from Jerusalem to Gaza and he met an Ethiopian eunuch on the way. This man was reading Book of Isaiah the prophet and Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. Philip sat with this man and they went over the verses. Philip told him about Jesus.

 ³⁶ As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”

I love that … what can stop me!? So Philip baptized him. I also love how the Holy Spirit took Philip away and the man continued on happy… he didn’t even question where is Philip? They went their separate ways. God brought them together and also separated them to spread His Word.