Month: March 2022

Invisible Footprints

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. Psalm 77:19 ESV

Once when I was a teenager, I was wondering what it must have been like for Peter to walk on the water, so I dangled my foot over the edge of a pool and put it lightly on the surface. Immediately I decided that his faith must have been a lot stronger than mine! When I read about God’s footprints, I am always reminded of that moment. Interestingly, the idea of going across water is repeated three times in the Bible. First, we see this when the Israelites were cornered with their back to the Red Sea and the Egyptian army in hot pursuit, God had Moses lift His staff over the waters and He sent a wind to blow till the sea parted till in the morning His people were able to cross on dry ground. With soldiers chasing them on chariots, this seemed an obvious choice! Then, forty years the children of Israel came to another water crossing. It was at the Jordan River, and this time they needed to cross if they were to enter the promised land. At the Red Sea, God parted the waters for them, but this time the priests had to walk down to the water’s edge and actually get their feet wet. Then, the water suddenly stopped flowing and everyone crossed. Though this challenged the faith of the priests, it was still a pretty easy choice for everyone else. But the third time we see God’s footprints is an entirely different affair. This time we find the disciples in a boat being tossed on rough seas on a dark night. Suddenly out on top of the dark waters they see someone walking across the waves coming towards them. These guys were all terrified. Then, Jesus called out, “Don’t be afraid, it is I” Sure we know that Peter made a stab at some water walking himself that night. What amazes me most is not Peter’s ability to defy gravity, but that he left an example for us to follow if we are to walk by faith with a God who leaves His invisible footprints in the sea!

Poured Out

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

Poured Out

I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Psalm 22:14 KJV

As a teenager I always loved the Christmas presents I got from my stepmother Amy. She bought me beautiful expensive clothes, but she always left the price tag on! It was not that she minded spending the money, but she wanted to be sure that I treated her gifts with special care! In some ways God is a lot like Amy. God loves lavishing us with His grace, but He wants us to know the cost.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said that His soul was sorrowful unto death. He agonized in prayer in order to accept the suffering of the cross. He asked if there was any other way and then sweat ran down His face like great drops of blood. Just hours after He had finished praying, Jesus was nailed to the cross. Today’s Bible verse tells us that He was poured out like water. The spear pierced His side and then the last drop of the lifeblood of Jesus flowed down to the ground. What a price He paid for us! Let’s be grateful to God for His blessings and treasure more greatly the gift we are given, by remembering the price that He paid.

When Did He Forgive Me?

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Luke 23:34 KJV

As I grow older, I can’t say I have learned all of the answers, but I have come to discover some of the best questions. The funny thing is that when God gives an answer it is rarely as detailed as I would like. Today’s verse asks one of those. When does God forgive us? At the cross, when Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them!”  there were plenty of people in need of forgiveness, beginning with His disciples, who had run away. Then there was the crowd, milling about and hurling insults at the Lord, and of course the soldiers. Their hands had held the nails and they had shoved the crown of thorns on the head of Jesus. The list is endless, but today let’s consider the two thieves; who were crucified with Jesus. Scripture tells us that at first they both joined the crowd in cursing Jesus, yet somewhere along the way, one had a change of heart. That is when we hear him cry out, “Lord remember me!” How interesting that just after Jesus turned to that man and promised him paradise, that He makes His prayer; “Father forgive them.,” Forgive this thief, those hiding disciples, and the cursing crowd. Forgive the hands holding nails and, even the cowardly governor who has sent Me to the cross. Yes, Father forgive them.” Jesus’ request did not include “Forgive them all except, or don’t forgive them until. Jesus cried for mercy, both immediate and complete. Yet that day only a dying thief and a Roman executioner understood and received His gift. What about you? Are you wondering when God will forgive you my friend? The most wonderful news in the universe is, we don’t need to wait until we can figure out how it works or what we need to do before it will happen, because God has already forgiven us and all we need to do is believe!

At the cross, at the cross where
I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
Isaac Watts