Ever thought about what Peter must have felt like when Jesus rebuked him? I’m referring to Matthew 16:13-25, and Mark 8:27-33. Jesus had just been telling Peter how blessed he was, that he had received a revelation from the Father in heaven… that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. But then, Jesus started telling His disciples how He was going to suffer, and be killed; and Peter, pumped with confidence, began to rebuke Jesus. Then Jesus turned to him and said, “Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”
Yee-ouch! It’s one thing to get rebuked when you know you’ve messed up. It’s a whole nother thing when you’re riding high, and think you’ve got it all together. It’s a hard landing from way up so high.
I got an unforgettable little taste of that one time. It’s not like I was rebuking the Lord, but I had some thoughts that weren’t in agreement with the way that God saw things.
I had just heard a testimony of great things happening in some ministry I wasn’t familiar with, and I don’t even remember now who it was. There had been thousands getting saved, healed, and filled with the Holy Ghost; and amazing miracles were happening. I started thinking, “Oh, it’s too bad all those people are getting saved, and all those miracles and healings are happening where they aren’t getting the strong word that I have heard. I wonder how many of those will be able to overcome, and endure to the end, and actually make it into heaven, without the preaching of the strong meat of the Word that I hear. Probably not many. It’s so sad.”
Then came God’s rebuke. He said, “If you are really serious about being perfect as your Father which is in heaven (Matt 5:48), then you need to learn to rejoice in what I rejoice in, just as much as I do.” He said, “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, than over 99 righteous that need no repentance. (See Luke 15:3-10) Are you not going to rejoice with Me?”
Then it got even more serious, when He asked me, “Who do you think saved and healed those people, and did those mighty miracles? Do you think it was a MAN? Do you not see that I was the one who did those things? Do you think I don’t know what I’m doing? Are you telling Me that I should not have done what I have done? Do you think you have a better way? Are you going to tell Me what I should do, and how I should do it? . . . Are you WITH Me, or not?”
Now, there’s no question that the teaching of the Word is important. It’s part of the great commission. But I’ll tell you straight up… if I ever felt like a Pharisee, it was right then! I could see the pride and religious envy woven into my thinking. Oh, how could I have been so blind, and so UN-like my Father! It put me down on my face. But it changed me forever! That’s the part that I LOVE! I love God’s correction, and chastening… even rebuke… because it’s changing me… to be like HIM! THAT is what I want, whatever the cost.
Don’t ever be afraid of God’s correction. It might hit hard, and hurt for a moment, but His loving hand is supporting you through it all. Just humble yourself under His mighty hand, and He will lift you up! He is so ready to forgive you, and take you in His arms, the instant you repent! He LOVES us! He wants to bring us SO close, that we are IN Him, He in us, and our hearts beat in rhythm together! …A unity that is almost indescribable!
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