Get Back On That Horse!

A.P. (Tony) McCoy, a famous horse jockey, had his first win at the age of 17.  By 2009 he had over 3,000 wins to his name.  In 2009, he was on his fourteenth attempt to win the “Grand National”.  The Grand National is an annual race that takes place near Liverpool, England.  It is one of the oldest horse races.  It has been taking place since 1836.  It is the race that was featured in the old movie classic with Elizabeth Taylor, “National Velvet”.  So it is quite prestigious to win that particular race.  On Tony’s fourteenth attempt he took a fall.  Needless to say he didn’t win.  You would think after 14 attempts and a big embarrassing fall Tony wouldn’t have gone back.  Not the case.  He truly exemplified the old cliché, “Get back on the horse that threw you.”  Of course, I don’t think he got back up on the same horse for the 2010 Grand Nationals.  He rode, “Don’t Push It” and won the Grand Nationals on his fifteenth attempt.  How wonderful he must have felt to accomplish that goal.  If he had decided that fall on the fourteenth was it, he would have never experienced that joy of winning in the fifteenth.

Many times we make that same mistake in our walk with the Lord.  We fall of the horse.  We sin again.  Sometimes it is the same sin we have committed a million times.  We figure, “How can God love us?”  “How can God forgive us again?”  We think we are no good.  We can’t forgive ourselves.  We are just a failure at this relationship with God.  We think that He couldn’t possibly use someone like us.  We think we are worthless.  The point is…we are worthless.  It really does take God to forgive us.  It isn’t up to us.  He can use us.  After all, He is almighty God.  He can do what He wants.  It glorifies Him, when He uses us.  It shows His power, grace, and love all the more through us.  The Apostle Peter experienced the same things we do.  He denied Christ three times.  He felt horrible.  He was still called to be an Apostle, but he didn’t think he could do it anymore.  He had failed Jesus in His hour of need.  Look at what Peter does in John 21: 2-3.

² Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them.

Peter had been called from fishing for fish by Jesus to fishing for men.  He felt so bad, that he figured it was over and went back to his old way of life.  He was trying to give up the Lord’s call to be an Apostle and Fisherman of Men.  Jesus loved him so much (after all He died for him and us) that Jesus went and met Peter where he was at and counseled him.  Jesus showed him He loved him and made sure Peter knew that He was forgiven and that he was still to be on assignment for Him.  He was not to go back to fishing for fish.  He was to feed God’s sheep.  Read John 21: 17-19.

¹⁷ He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said. ¹⁸ “I assure you: When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go 19 He said this to signify by what kind of death he would glorify God. After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!”

We see a lot of God’s wisdom and love in John 21.  Just before Jesus re-assured Peter, He demonstrated to Peter and the other disciples His power and control one more time.  He had them catch one more big batch of fish.  It was like saying, “If I can make you catch a lot of fish, I can make you catch a lot of men.”  It was also telling all of them that He could still use them even after they had all abandoned Him that night He was taken.  The main piece of wisdom we can learn from this passage is that no matter what our sin is, as long as we repent, God can use us to do mighty works for Him.  It’s not a matter of us feeling worthy or capable in ourselves.  It is Christ working through us that makes the difference.  If Jesus was willing to die for us because of His love for us, then why wouldn’t He forgive us when we sin and have us get right back up on that horse again so He can get back to glorifying His name through us?  Think what the Christian world would have missed out on if Peter didn’t get back up on his horse.  Think what Peter would have missed out on.  What will the world miss out on if you don’t get back up that horse?  What will you miss out on?

Who Are You Looking For?

Have you ever been shopping with someone and they say they are going to go look at something in a particular area of the store while you continue shopping for the things on the list?  Then when you are done with your list you go looking for them in that area of the store.  When you get there, you can’t find them.  They apparently have wondered off looking at other things or have gone back to where you were and are now looking for you.  You get out your cell phone and you dial them up.  They don’t answer their phone.  They are so caught up in what they are doing that they have tuned out the ringtone.  Valuable time is wasted while you hunt for them.  At last you meet up and can continue on with the day.  That whole scenario can be a little frustrating.

I wonder if Jesus felt that way about Peter.  Peter had committed wholeheartedly to following Jesus and followed Him right up in to the court area near where Jesus was being questioned after being taken prisoner in the garden.  At that point, Peter wondered off in to fear.  He was separated from Jesus and denied Him 3 times.  Peter didn’t stay where he needed to stay.  He needed to stay in the aisle of trust and no fear.  After Jesus resurrected, Peter seemed to still be wondering.  He wasn’t making it back to Jesus to continue the day that had been planned for him.  Jesus had to go looking for him at Peter’s comfortable place (the beach and fishing boat).  Read John 21: 1 – 19.

It’s as if Peter wasn’t looking for Jesus anymore.  He wasn’t going to continue on in the plans for the day (to be a fisher of men, instead of fish).  Jesus knew what Peter was looking for.  Peter was looking for forgiveness and love.  Jesus gave it to him and re-focused him on his purpose for him.

John 21: 15-17

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Feed My lambs,” He told him. 16 A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Shepherd My sheep,” He told him. 17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said. 

Who are you looking for?  Are you looking for Jesus?  Are you looking for forgiveness?  Are you looking for someone you need to forgive?  Are you looking for your purpose?  Look for Jesus to gain forgiveness.  Look to Jesus to help you in relationships with others and to help you forgive when you need to forgive.  Look to Jesus for His plans for your day.  Look to Jesus to help you continue on.  Be encouraged, look for Jesus…He is just waiting on the shore for you!

Get Back On That Horse!

A.P. (Tony) McCoy, a famous horse jockey, had his first win at the age of 17.  By 2009 he had over 3,000 wins to his name.  In 2009, he was on his fourteenth attempt to win the “Grand National”.  The Grand National is an annual race that takes place near Liverpool, England.  It is one of the oldest horse races.  It has been taking place since 1836.  It is the race that was featured in the old movie classic with Elizabeth Taylor, “National Velvet”.  So it is quite prestigious to win that particular race.  On Tony’s fourteenth attempt he took a fall.  Needless to say he didn’t win.  You would think after 14 attempts and a big embarrassing fall Tony wouldn’t have gone back.  Not the case.  He truly exemplified the old cliché, “Get back on the horse that threw you.”  Of course, I don’t think he got back up on the same horse for the 2010 Grand Nationals.  He rode, “Don’t Push It” and won the Grand Nationals on his fifteenth attempt.  How wonderful he must have felt to accomplish that goal.  If he had decided that fall on the fourteenth was it, he would have never experienced that joy of winning in the fifteenth.

Many times we make that same mistake in our walk with the Lord.  We fall of the horse.  We sin again.  Sometimes it is the same sin we have committed a million times.  We figure, “How can God love us?”  “How can God forgive us again?”  We think we are no good.  We can’t forgive ourselves.  We are just a failure at this relationship with God.  We think that He couldn’t possibly use someone like us.  We think we are worthless.  The point is…we are worthless.  It really does take God to forgive us.  It isn’t up to us.  He can use us.  After all, He is almighty God.  He can do what He wants.  It glorifies Him, when He uses us.  It shows His power, grace, and love all the more through us.  The Apostle Peter experienced the same things we do.  He denied Christ three times.  He felt horrible.  He was still called to be an Apostle, but he didn’t think he could do it anymore.  He had failed Jesus in His hour of need.  Look at what Peter does in John 21: 2-3.

² Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them.

Peter had been called from fishing for fish by Jesus to fishing for men.  He felt so bad, that he figured it was over and went back to his old way of life.  He was trying to give up the Lord’s call to be an Apostle and Fisherman of Men.  Jesus loved him so much (after all He died for him and us) that Jesus went and met Peter where he was at and counseled him.  Jesus showed him He loved him and made sure Peter knew that He was forgiven and that he was still to be on assignment for Him.  He was not to go back to fishing for fish.  He was to feed God’s sheep.  Read John 21: 17-19.

¹⁷ He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said. ¹⁸ “I assure you: When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go 19 He said this to signify by what kind of death he would glorify God. After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!”

We see a lot of God’s wisdom and love in John 21.  Just before Jesus re-assured Peter, He demonstrated to Peter and the other disciples His power and control one more time.  He had them catch one more big batch of fish.  It was like saying, “If I can make you catch a lot of fish, I can make you catch a lot of men.”  It was also telling all of them that He could still use them even after they had all abandoned Him that night He was taken.  The main piece of wisdom we can learn from this passage is that no matter what our sin is, as long as we repent, God can use us to do mighty works for Him.  It’s not a matter of us feeling worthy or capable in ourselves.  It is Christ working through us that makes the difference.  If Jesus was willing to die for us because of His love for us, then why wouldn’t He forgive us when we sin and have us get right back up on that horse again so He can get back to glorifying His name through us?  Think what the Christian world would have missed out on if Peter didn’t get back up on his horse.  Think what Peter would have missed out on.  What will the world miss out on if you don’t get back up that horse?  What will you miss out on?

Wisdom Dealing With Mockers

In light of the recent skepticism and mockery created by the recent false prophecies of a certain religious group, we need to address as Christians how to handle being mocked or respond to the mocker and skeptic.  As Christians our witness is put on the line by all those around us proclaiming to be Christians, as well.  So when groups like this do things that put Christians in a bad light, we are going face more pressure from the world for our faith.  We need to know how to respond.  Jesus gave us the best demonstration of wisdom when it came to those who deliberately mocked and scoffed at Him.  All throughout the four gospels you will find accounts of Jesus being ridiculed, laughed at, and asked skeptical questions.  Many of the questions He was asked were just to make Him look bad and place Him in jeopardy of the law.  When it came to His last days on Earth we see Him deal with mockers and scoffers even more frequently.  During His various trials before the Jews and conversations with Pilate we see Him being continually accused.  In Mark 15: 3-5 we read:

“3 The chief priests were accusing Jesus of many things, 4 so Pilate questioned him again,
Aren’t you going to answer? Listen to all their accusations! 5 Again Jesus refused to say a word, and Pilate was amazed.”

In our own human nature, we want to defend ourselves.  Jesus was the only truly innocent man there ever was.  Of all people, He had a right to defend Himself.  He also had all the power and wisdom to defend Himself that He needed.  Yet, in His wisdom He chose not to respond to the mocking and accusations.  His actions really did speak loudly for Him in the end.  By the time Pilate was done with Him, he felt Jesus was innocent and should be released.  Think about how you would feel about Jesus if you knew that He didn’t go innocently to the cross for us.  If Jesus lashed out at His accusers, and punished them for what they were doing, what would you be thinking about Him?  By the way He responded we see Him more as that true gentle, peaceable, loving Lamb of God.  We see Him as the true sacrifice for sin.  If He had gotten revenge on those who blatantly did wrong against Him, we would probably have a whole different view of Him.  He did more for the faith by staying strong and silent, then by coming back at those who mocked.  Even on the cross Jesus asked that the Father forgive them and in wisdom stated, “For they know not what they do.”

Mockers, scoffers and skeptics truly don’t know what they are doing.  They react out of worldly conditioning and sinful natures.  We need to learn to respond to those who come against us for our faith in wisdom like Jesus did.  We need to remember where they are at spiritually and if it were not for Jesus, we would be there too.