Jesus Prayed for Peter!

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you Simon, that your Faith may not fail. and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Luke 22:31-32.

It was encouraging and comforting to read the above verse this morning.

It is true that, as Jesus predicted, Peter failed and denied Jesus because he relied in his own strength to stand firm in the faith. When he repented, he was not only restored [Luke 22:54-62; John 21:15-19]; he became a great leader and an apostle. He became a bold and daring witness for Jesus. [ Acts Acts 2:41]

I thought that the Lord was reminding me, that the enemy is out to destroy our faith. The things that are happening around us today, are attacks of Satan; The new theories introduced in movies, media, books and talks are aimed to rob the faith that Christians have in Jesus as the Lord and Saviour of the world.

We are also being sifted like wheat. The chaff, which has no grain in it , will be blown away, when the sifting takes place. Jesus has already prayed for us too, that our faith should not fail. So we need not allow ourselves to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine or be blown away altogether. That confidence is enough to defeat the enemy.

I thought of the Christians who are going through religious persecutions in some parts of the world. Like Jesus, we are to pray for them to have strength. They are brothers and sisters.

Maybe some of us have failed. Be encouraged. Our loving God is waiting to restore anyone who repents. He will strengthen and enable us to strengthen others. What a great God we have!

I thanked God for the revelation, that Jesus prayed for us and is still interceding for each one of us.

A "Mark" to be Spared!

"Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had a writing kit and said to him 'Go through out the city and put a mark on the foreheads of those who lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.' When the destruction came they were spared"
Ezekiel 9:4,5

We are familiar with many different marks of identifications these days, mainly to prevent cheating. Thousands of years ago God spoke of marks for a different reason.

What are we doing about the shocking things we see and hear today, in all walks of life, even in religious organizations? Disgraceful behavior in the name of freedom and new philosophies that shake the foundational truth and values which were held in high esteem, cause pain to many. We could ignore, criticize, condemn, talk about it or cry to God to have mercy on them, change them and save them from the consequences.

God is pleased with those who intercede. He will mark them and show His favor to them on the day of judgment. May you and I be marked as an "Interceder"!