FAITH CAPSULE: How are you progressing in following Christ in your walk in life?
Luke 22: 31-71
The challenges that are encased in following Jesus in the past; in the present and the future are going to remain the same. Following Jesus is flowing where trouble often presents itself. However, none that follows Him indeed and in truth ends up in regret. Determination will fail but the desire to truly follow Him will deposit in man what it takes to follow Him. How are you progressing in following Christ in your walk in life? Following Him when all is going well is not a good indication of your walk. Following Jesus when life becomes more challenging and when things are not going your way is a true sign that your faith is strong. Peter walked with Jesus, ate with Him and prayed with Him. Peter truly determined to follow Jesus. Jesus must have known the sincerity of Peter’s heart in follow when Jesus and Peter engaged conversation: “And the Lord said “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:31-33) Peter’s determination could not hold but the prayer of Jesus prevailed on behalf of Peter. However, when a great challenge came up in the course of peter’s following of Christ, determination failed as mentioned above. It is written, “Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.” (Luke 22:54-55) Are you keeping your distance from Him? Are you taking a seat among His opposition? Peter kept his distance when trouble caught up with Christ. In his distance he also gained comfort by sitting with those who opposed Jesus. He did not just take any seat; it was a warm seat by the fire. It is very easy for man to keep distance from the Lord when challenges confront man. However, keeping distance will not ease man’s challenges. Keeping distance will cause man to become a denier of the Lord as savior. Peter, in his distance, denied the Lord. Luke 22:56-57, “And a certain servant girl saw him as he sat by the fire looked intently at him and said, ‘this man was with Him’ But he denied Him, saying, woman I do not know.’’’ Keep on following Jesus regardless of challenges.
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to constantly remain focus in your entire walk in Him.