GOD’S WORD FOR OCTOBER 27

Our  book excerpt today, and ongoing,  is from “Chiseled by the Master’s Hand”  Lessons from the Life of Peter, by Erwin  Lutzer.  Dr. Lutzer is  Canadian-born and served as Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years, until his retirement in 2016.   He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Moody Church.  He’s written many books and has radio and internet teaching programs.

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Consider Peter, the famous apostle.  When Peter was growing up as a lad in Bethsaida, no one would ever have guessed that he was destined for greatness.  He spent his early days fishing in the sea of Galilee, at least had a rudimentary education, and would have been willing to live his life in obscurity.  He probably became acquainted with the Greek language and its culture because of the foreign influence in this Jewish town.  But even after three years with Christ, he was judged to be unschooled, as in Acts 4:13.  Yet for all that, think of what Peter accomplished!

About all we know of Peter’s family is that he had a brother Andrew, and their father’s name was John.  These two brothers were fishing partners with two other brothers, James and John, whose father was Zebedee.  Their business was so successful that they needed hired servants to help with the trade.  Incredibly, all four of these young men were eventually chosen to be the disciples of Christ.

Though he was born in Bethsaida, when Peter met Christ he was married and had moved to Capernaum.  His mother-in-law was healed of a fever at the beginning of Peter’s friendship with Jesus as we’re told in Mark 1:29-31.  Twenty years later Paul mentioned that Peter often took his wife with him on his missionary travels (1 Cor. 9:5).  We can only speculate about the kind of stress his decision to follow Christ must have had on his marriage.

Mention the name Peter and you get a variety of responses.  Some remember him for his vacillating, unpredictable comments in free-flowing discussions with Christ.  Others think of his remarkable insight into the person of Christ; or in contrast, there is his fearful denial in the presence of a servant girl.  Then again we remember his boldness when confronted by mobs on the Day of Pentecost.  Those who have been particularly blessed by his writings in 1 and 2 Peter think of him as a theologian, the man who knew God and gave explicit instructions on how Christians should conduct themselves in a hostile world.  No personality in the Bible exhibits so much faith and doubt, courage and fear, love and impulsiveness.  No other disciple reveals his heart so often and so honestly.  He is, in the words of Clarence McCartney, “the most vivid and intense person portrayed in the Bible.”

Peter provides an excellent example of how God shapes a life, beginning with the raw material and progressing to a more finished product.  The Lord’s training technique includes both encouragement and rebuke, public instruction and private reflection.  There was both joy and sadness, success and failure.  Christ interacted more often with Peter than with any of the other apostles.  Conversation itself is instantaneous, but the refinement of Peter continued throughout his lifetime.

This is nothing less than the sculpturing of the soul.

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Psalm 34:18

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Matthew 11:29

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalm 68:19

Blessed be the Lord,

Who daily loads us with benefits,

The God of our salvation! Selah

Job 5:11

He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

Psalm 72:12

For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper.

Psalm 138:6

Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.

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