The Death Grip of Fear



California hker holding on to the face of a cliff.

You may have seen in the news over the last couple of weeks the remarkable rescue of a young lady who was holding on to the side of a cliff for dear life - not figuratively, but literally. She and her companion had gone hiking in a mountainous state park in California and decided to hike down a cliff. However, when they had gotten several yards down, they realized the cliff was not made for hiking! They were looking at a 500 foot drop straight down and decided the only way out of this very dangerous situation was to go back up the way they came.

Her companion went first and got back to the top of the cliff, but the 24 year old woman was frozen solid to the wall of the cliff - in fear! She had only a make-shift tether tied to her friend, so she was literally holding on to the cliff for her life. Two hours later when a helicopter let a rescue paramedic down to her and he had wrapped a safety harness around her waste, she would not or could not let go of the cliff. The paramedic said he had to pry her hands away from the crag she was holding on to with what he called a "death grip." Oh WOW! It all ended good as she and her friend were rescued and suffered only minor injuries.

That young lady was so full of fear that she was actually crippled to the point of not being able to help herself when the rescuer came. She was so afraid that she was not able to let go, even knowing the rescuer had hold of her.

As I was watching the video of that rescue on TV and then thinking about it later, I realized that it is a perfect illustration of how believers and receivers of Jesus Christ sometimes let fear cripple their faith!

Fear can cripple faith in so many ways - from being afraid to share Jesus with someone, to being afraid that He might not answer prayers or heal a seriously ill loved one or heal a marriage that looks like it cannot be saved or heal the hurt from abuse, and the list can go on and on. Fear is dangerous!

Fear is crippling because it changes one's focus. Coaches and motivational speakers are notorious for statements like, "Keep your eye on the prize..." And that's not a bad motivational tool. If we don't see the goal we are reaching for and keep it in our crosshairs, then we are more likely than not going to miss the goal or at least take longer to achieve it. The same is true in our spiritual walk. To allow the Lord to fulfill his purposes for us, we must stay focused on Him. It's when we take our eyes off of Jesus, that fear can cripple us. I'm so thankful for Peter because he gave us so many examples of what our humanness apart from God can do. Remember when he wanted to walk on water like Jesus?

• Matt. 14:22-33 is an account of that story. After feeding the 5,000, Jesus had the disciples go on ahead of Him to the other side of the sea. While He went up on the mountain to have some alone time with the Father, the guys were in the middle of the sea when a great wind stirred the waves. The account in Mark 6 says Jesus saw them straining at the oars. They were in physical danger of being swamped by the waves. Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. They thought Him a ghost and cried out in fear. But when He spoke to them, they realized Who it was.
• Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him... (vv.28-31)
• As long as Peter's eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was fine - in fact, more than fine - he was walking on the water toward Jesus! But when he let himself get distracted by the wind - his gaze drifted away from Jesus - he began to sink. Fear took over and crippled his faith! And Jesus was within arms' reach! Just like the paramedic trying to resuce the hiker. He was right there with a harness around her waist, but she couldn't let go of the cliff. She - and Peter - were paralyzed by their fear.

Fear is also crippling because it feeds our doubt. Since our faith rests in a God whom we cannot physically see or touch, doubt is a powerful weapon Satan uses to diminish our faith. A believer who doubts God's truths and faithfulness is not likely to speak out for Him or to stand strong when troubles come. Many times when fear is feeding a believer's doubt, she will take matters into her own hands. The outcome is usually not a good one!

• Genesis 15-21 gives the account of Abraham and Sarah and the birth of their son, Isaac. God had chosen Abraham to be the "father of many nations." He had promised him a son through whom He would fulfill that promise. After many years, Sarah had born no children - she was barren. They began to doubt God's promise, and just as many believers do, they took matters into their own hands. Sarah suggested that Abraham bare a child by her maid servant, Hagar. Since God had not given Sarah a child, this must be the way He intended it to happen. Back in that day, children born to the maid servants were considered children of the master. So the son born to Hagar by Abraham could be the son God had promised. That son was named Ishmael. He was not the son God purposed to fulfill His promise through. Much dysfunction and discord was instigated because of Abraham and Sarah's doubt.
• God reminded Abraham about His promise and specifically told him that the mother would be Sarah and they would name the child Isaac. He even sent an angel to reveal the same to Sarah. - And she laughed. Her doubt continued because of her age. She forgot that the One dealing with them was the One who spoke the earth into existence! Even Abraham doubted and reminded God that he was a hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. However, a year from that day, Sarah gave birth to a son whom they named Isaac.
• When God didn't work on their time-table, Abraham and Sarah began to doubt what they knew about God and what they had heard from God. That fear led them to take matters into their own hands and "help" God out. They were afraid God had left them, or they were afraid that they heard the wrong thing, or they were afraid that time was running out on them and God.
• Their doubt led to the birth of two sons who were in conflict with each other from the beginning and the creation of two nations of people who continue to be in conflict with each other to this day. However, even in the midst of their doubt and disobedience, God was faithful, He never left them, and He fufilled His promise to Abraham. But the whole world lives with the consequences of their doubt.

Fear is one of the most powerful emotions that a person will ever encounter. And just like what happened with that hiker, fear can overtake every other emotion and rational thought. When we allow fear to change our focus and give rise to doubt, it becomes crippling. Spiritually, fear will cripple our faith. So, for that NOT to happen, we must keep our eyes focused on Jesus and let Him work in our lives in His time, trusting that He will do what He says He will do.

And we must remember that whenever we find ourselves hanging on to a cliff with a death grip, He is right there with us, urging us to reach out to Him for our rescue. He is our safety harness, and He will never let go.

Do not fear for I am with you; Do not look anxiously about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Is. 41:10

Liar, Liar...

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" - A familiar childhood chant we've all probably sang out to tease our friends. Think for a moment about why people lie. Obviously, to distort the truth, change someone's perception or perspective, or to avoid detection. Those are probably the main reasons for lying. We've all done it at some time(s) and to some extent. Most of us do not lie to cause harm, but unfortunately, not all lies are so innocent.

Ervin W. Lutzer says in 10 Lies About God and the Truths That Shatter Deception , that there are lies about God that permeate our culture.

• God is whatever we want Him to be.
• Many paths lead into God's presence.
• God is more tolerant than He used to be.
• God has never personally suffered.
• God is obligated to save followers of other religions.
• God takes no responsibility for natural disasters.
• God does not know our decisions before we make them.
• God helps those who help themselves.

92 percent of Americans say they believe in God. That make us a "Christian" society, right? Wrong... When pressed, statistics tell a different story. Americans believe in spirituality, but not necessarily the God of our Bible and Jesus Christ. Somewhere along the way, America has bought into lies about the God of the universe, and believers are standing silently by - allowing the Truth to be distorted.

To begin to really understand this dilemma and to begin to counteract it, we must know who the main players are in this drama.

One is God - the God of the universe - We must know our ally, His nature, and how He works:

• The One by whom all that is created was created (Rev. 4:11).
• The One who is all powerful, all knowing, and all present.
• The One who does not change (Malachi 3:6).
• The One who says, "I AM who I AM." ( Exodus 3:14).
• The One who says, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Light..." (John 14:6).

To know that One is to know Jesus and the Word. We need to study it and hide its truths in our hearts to foil Satan's attempts to veil our eyes (2 Cor. 4:3).

The other player is Satan himself. We must know our adversary, his nature, and how he works:

• 1 Peter 5:8 - ...your adversary, the devil, is prowling about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour
• 2 Cor. 4:3-4 - ...Satan is the god of this world...and the one who tries to keep us from seeing Truth
• John 17:15, Eph. 6:16 - Satan is the evil one...
• Eph. 2:2 - Satan is the prince of power of the unseen world...
• John 8:44 - Satan is a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies...
• Rev. 12:9 - Satan is a dragon, the serpent of old, and the deceiver...
• 2 Cor. 11:14 - Satan disguises himself as an angel of light...

How easily deceived we can be when our eyes are not focused on Jesus consistently. Yet, it seems so simple. On one hand we have Truth, on the other hand we have the Father of Lies. But that liar will never come to us looking like the red guy with a tail and pitchfork. He will come dressed in all kinds of disguises trying to trick us, deceive us, and destroy us.

Believers need to choose to no longer stand silently by and let our world believe the enemy's lies about God.

As we begin a new week, I echo those words of Peter to all of you and to myself: "Be sober of spirit, be on alert...our enemy is seeking someone to destroy..."

I also echo the words of David, "But the Lord abides forever; He has established His throne for judgement...The Lord will also be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble...and those who know Your name will put their trust in You. For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." (Psalm 9:7-10)

Author Inverview

Last semester, I had the privilege of leading Before His Throne, a Bible study written by Kathy Howard. It is a great study, and our group enjoyed it greatly. She has just released her newest study, and I am happy to recommend it to you.

Kathy Howard, a Bible study author and speaker, has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years. She’s taught a wide range of topics to an even wider range of students – everything from basic Bible stories at a middle school to teacher training for church leaders. Kathy particularly enjoys speaking at women’s events and retreats to encourage them in their faith. She has a Masters in Christian Education from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary and serves on a church staff in West Texas.

Kathy and her husband have three children and one son-in-law. They live in Midland, Texas, where Kathy is on staff at Fannin Terrace Baptist Church. When the family gets together there are also four dogs in the mix. Kathy writes to have something to do while drinking coffee. Find out about her Bible studies and speaking ministry and get discipleship and leader helps at her website: www.kathyhoward.org.

Unshakeable Faith, an 8-session Bible study for women by Kathy Howard, has just been released by New Hope Publishers. This study helps readers apply 8 key “faith traits” found in the life of Peter so they will be prepared to weather the harshest storms of life. Today we got to interview Kathy about her new Bible study!

Kathy, what prompted you to write on this particular topic?

Over the last few years, many Christian women I love and admire have endured difficult circumstances such as life-threatening illness, divorce, death of a child, and financial hardship. The quality of their faith significantly affected how they endured these trials and how God worked in them for His glory. God strengthened and guided them through their close relationship with Jesus.

Their experiences made me wonder how I would do in the same circumstances. Like most women, I manage to juggle the everyday things of life – work, family, ministry, and home life – without too much difficulty. But sometimes, even in just a small crisis, my self-sufficiency is shaken. Would I stand firm in really hard times or would these trials knock me flat? I began to ask God to show me how my faith could be prepared.

So why Peter? Why is he a good example for us to study?

Peter was just an ordinary man, a fisherman. He worked hard. He had a family and friends. Peter was passionate and a natural leader, but he was also headstrong and impetuous. Peter had sworn to follow Jesus unconditionally, no matter the circumstances. Yet on the night Jesus was betrayed, his faith wavered and he denied His Lord. But then several decades later Peter willingly faced martyrdom rather than deny Him again. This study is about what made the difference in Peter’s faith. Unshakeable Faith looks closely at Peter’s life and teachings to discover some of the key characteristics God built into his faith that helped him stand firm in the face of death. That’s the kind of faith I want to have.

What’s unique about this study?

I love to study God’s Word. Learning about God, His ways, and what He desires for us is wonderful. But if we don’t apply what He teaches us, let it shape our lives, then we fall short of the full purpose of study. Unshakeable Faith not only leads readers into learning God’s Word, but it also purposefully helps readers apply it. In addition to each week’s application section, there is a “Faith Shaker” story that helps us see how that faith trait works in real life. These stories are about real women who have faced a life trial with which many readers will relate. Readers get to see how their faith keeps them standing firm. A strong faith in Jesus Christ does work in real life!

Where can readers get a copy of Unshakeable Faith?

The study is available at most online bookstores and many Christian bookstores. If your local bookstore does not carry it more than likely they can order it for you. Here are a few links to online stores.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unshakeable-Faith-Traits-RockSolid-Studies/dp/1596692979/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295970163&sr=1-4

New Hope/WMU Bookstore: http://www.wmustore.com/product.asp?sku=N114134

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Unshakeable-Faith/Kathy-Howard/e/9781596692978/?itm=1&USRI=unshakeable+faith+by+kathy+howard

Christian Book Distributors: http://www.christianbook.com/unshakeable-faith-traits-rock-solid-living/kathy-howard/9781596692978/pd/692978?item_code=WW&netp_id=834962&event=ESRCN&view=details

Brash or Bold?...

I live deep in the heart of Texas (and am a Proud Texan!), and for four days, we've been frozen in one of the worst ice and snow events in many years. It has been in the teen's since Monday night (I am writing on Thursday) with just enough ice on the ground to bring nearly half of Texas to a grinding halt. Schools have been closed, and we've experienced rolling blackouts due to excessive energy needs across the state. Where we live, this is a rarity! My dogs really don't like this weather! Neither Lily, our Bichon, or Sis, our Rat Terrier, want to go out and do their business! You would think they are the most meek and mild little dogs in the world - until the Schwann man rings the doorbell. Then they morph into these dastardly beasts who bark and snarl like they are going to have the guy for lunch! Their brashness always amazes me, and frankly, wears me out! The only way I could get them to go outside this morning was to let them out through the garage. For some reason, an opening to the front yard spells freedom. They got so excited and start jumping and barking. I guess they didn't realize it is as cold in the front as it is in the back! So I opened the garage door and off they went, racing with each other to see who could get to the grass first. Only our driveway is still a solid sheet of ice, and when their little paws hit it, they both went sliding down the drive and into the street! That made me laugh!

However, there is another side to our dogs. For example, when I am kicked back in my recliner and Lily is laying across my lap, her bark becomes a growl, and she is one serious pooch who is filled with the "don't mess with my Momma!" mentality! If another dog even thinks about sniffing my feet, Lily strikes the "at attention" pose and really will try to take down even the biggest of dogs - like Rambo, our daughter's blue heeler. Her boldness to go against this dog who weighs probably five times her weight amazes me! BTW - I think she is more interested in protecting her territory than her master!

After reading the last chapters of Luke and the first few chapters of Acts, I started thinking about the difference between brash faith and bold faith. When you look those two words up, you find them both described as "confidence." But digging deeper into the nuisances of the words, you'll find a subtle but important difference.

Brash/brashness is the appearance of confidence. Cocky and reckless are its synonyms. (Dictionary.com)

Bold/boldness is confidence. Courageous and resolute are its synonyms. (dictionary.com)

It was Peter who recklessly cut off the ear of one the soldiers who arrested Jesus, and it was that same Peter who cowardly denied even knowing Him three times before He was murdered. Peter was a hot-head whose appearance of boldness was dimmed by his fear. Before he experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit, Peter's "faith" was iffy - at best. Obviously, there was something about Jesus that captivated him and caused him to alter his life and follow Him for three years. But his relationship with Jesus was not deep enough to alter his character.

That all changed with his Pentecost experience. When the Holy Spirit filled that upper room and filled those 120 people, it literally altered personalities! Peter went from the cocky, reckless young man who would fade when the pressure was on, to a courageous Apostle who perfomed supernatural works and resolutely proclaimed that there is no other name by which one might be saved but Jesus. He became a powerful preacher whose fearless faith allowed him to stand before thousands of people as well as the same officials who had crucified the Christ. Just as Jesus had said, Peter became the rock upon which the Christian church was founded.

Peter was transformed from brash to bold - by the power of the Holy Spirit working in his life. That kind of boldness requires courage to press on through our fears and do what we know is right. How can we get that kind of boldness? - the courage to proclaim the name of Jesus without backing down - no matter what...

The answer? Do what the disciples did:

1. pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage. Read the first four chapters of Acts and count how many times and how much time they devoted themselves to prayer!
2. look for opportunities in your family, social relationships and work circles to talk about Christ - and do it! When Peter and John were ordered by the officials to not talk about Jesus anymore, they said whether it is right in the eyes of the government or not, we can not NOT talk about Jesus (my paraphrase!).
3. realize that rejection, social discomfort, and embarrassment are probably going to come your way. Scripture tells us that Satan is the Prince of this world - and he HATES Jesus. It's not going to be easy to be a bold believer. and
4. start where you are by being bolder in small ways. The more you practice telling others about your Jesus, the more natural it becomes.

If you want to be a Brash christian with a little bite - don't worry about it. Most of us are already there! But if you want to be a Bold christian with a big impact for the Lord, roll up your sleeves, get down on your knees, and pray for the Holy Spirit to alter your character.

Routine or Reality????

As I write this post, I am wrestling with a question - Am I living in routine or in reality? I'm going to do my best to explain what that means in my mind, and then, I want you to ask you, along with myself, to make a choice. Routine or Reality?

Routine - n - 1. a customary or regular course of procedure 3. regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure (Dictionary.com)

We all have several activities that are routine - things we do mostly at the same time of day and in the same manner. Brushing my teeth comes to mind first. If you were to ask my husband about my morning routine, he would probably call it a ritual! It goes something like this: brush my teeth, wash my face, take a couple of pills (one is a hormone and one is for blood pressure - you don't want me to NOT take either of those!), wash my hair, do my make-up, dry my hair, etc. If anything gets me off that routine, I may end up at church or work with wet hair or as a raving maniac! That's how stuck I am in my routine! I feel confident that you are relating to this - well, maybe not the hormones! That just seems to be the way we are wired.

The scariest experience of routine is when you are driving a familiar path to work, a store, or even home from somewhere, and you realize that you don't remember the last couple of minutes, you don't remember passing by a certain landmark or stopping at a red light. (I hope you are still relating to this???) Scientists tell us that these are times when our subconscious takes over, and we are actually on cruise control. That has happened during my morning routine also. There have times when I've had to count the blister-pack to see if I took my blood pressure medicine because I could not remember taking it! That's so bizarre!

Reality - n - 1. the state or quality of being genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic; 2. the state of being present  (Dictionary.com)

Reality is getting a bad rap these days due to "reality t.v." The number of shows on the countless number of channels is probably more than we want to know. And, for the most part, what purports to be "reality" is no more than an unscripted script. Most do not come close to showing genuine or authentic life. Reality changes when the camera shows up!

Then there is the issue of personal reality. Again, most people show others only what they want them to see. The person(s) who really knows our reality is the one who lives with us everyday. My husband knows the "real" Debbie more than anyone else because we have spent so much time together. But even he doesn't know all of my inner-most thoughts.

These words are not opposites. In fact, some would argue that one cannot chose between them because they exist simultaneously. And that is true to some degree. Everyone has routines in their lives, and that is part of our reality.

However, when it comes to my spiritual life, my relationship with Jesus Christ, I need to evaluate the role of each one. Routine - do I need some regular, habitual procedures in my walk with the Lord? Obviously, the answer to that is yes. I need to regularly spend time in His Word and in prayer. Those are two of the most important ways we communicate with each the Lord. Do I need to worship regularly and fellowship with other believers consistenly? Again, the answer is yes. The problem comes with part of the definition. When an activity becomes unimaginative or a rote procedure, am I really present? Or do I tap the cruise control button and am not even aware of all that is going on? How many times have I walked out of Bible study or church and couldn't really tell you what was talked about? Or how much of my prayer time is repetitive thank you's, bless them's, and don't forget the food? We do need some regular routines in our spiritual walk, but when they become so routine that my heart and mind doesn't even have to be present, something is wrong.

I was reading the first couple of chapters of Acts when this idea of reality began bumping around in my mind. After Jesus was raised from the dead, He spent forty days appearing to the disciples and various other people at random times giving them assurance that He was the same Jesus and giving them instruction. Right before He ascended into heaven, He told the disciples to return to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The gathered in the upper room and waited for ten days. While they waited, they prayed. They were out of their routine. Jesus was gone from them; they were on their own waiting. The Holy Spirit came upon those 120 people in a dramatic way. Their reality changed. The authentic Jesus was very present with them once again - only now in the form of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, as a man, could only be in one place at a time. As a spirit, He could (and can) be everywhere, and He empowered them in a supernatural way.

Fifty days ago, Peter denied even knowing the man Jesus. After the Holy Spirit filled him, he preached to a huge crowd about the risen Jesus, and over 3,000 accepted Him as their Savior that day. The Christian church was birthed in the reality of the Holy Spirit!

Acts 2:42-47 gives the account of this first church. It says, "and they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...and day by day continuing with one mind ...with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God...and the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved."

They were living in the reality of the Holy Spirit - not the routine of godliness. The reality of the Holy Spirit is that He is ALIVE, REAL, ACTIVE, EMOTIONAL, and POWERFUL! That's what "the state of being present" means! You are not on cruise control, not remembering if you encountered Him today or not. You are so conscious of His presence, that everything you do is framed by that awareness. Is your spiritual life dull and seemingly non-existent even though you know that you know Him as Savior? Then perhaps you've been living in the routine of godliness. It's worth pondering.

As for me, I want to live in the REALITY of the Holy Spirit!!!

Have Your Been Sifted...Yet?

I've concluded that the most difficult job in the world is farming the land. It is not as difficult as it used to be with advent of the industrial revolution - tillers, tractors, pickers, combines, balers, etc. Just think for a moment how different life was before those inventions! Think how difficult growing crops was before even the most basic of tools were around. It all goes back to Adam. Remember how God told him that because of his sin, he would have to work the land for their sustenance, and it would be back-breaking work? That was not just a play on words.

In Luke 22:31, Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat. So, let's examine what that agriculture term suggests. Sifting grain such as wheat or barley is the process of separating the chaff, little stones, and sometimes tares from the kernels that eventually make meal. In Bible times, this was primarily done by the women using a sieve of some kind or sometimes just shaking the grain furiously by hand. It was usually a long, tedious process. Basically, the purpose is to separate the good parts from the bad. Little stones and dirt are obviously not good, and tares are weeds that choke out the good fruit. But what about chaff? It is part of the plant. Chaff is the dry, scaly protective covering of the seed grain. Once the grain is mature, the outer casing begins to dry and pull away from the seed. Its usefulness is over. Eventually, it will fall off and be blown away by the wind. When sifting, that process is speeded up so the grain can be harvested and turned into meal.

What was Satan wanting? He wanted permission to try and break Peter. No doubt, he had been watching Peter and the other disciples for three years as they followed the Christ. He had seen Peter's brashness and impulsiveness, and knew Pete could be a hot-head. He knew Peter's weaknesses. Satan thought this just might be his chance to break Peter and get to Jesus. He wasn't successful in breaking Jesus in the wilderness, so this was another chance. Remember, Satan and his demons are in constant conflict with God and His angels - Good vs. evil. He was hoping that Peter was all chaff and no seed.

This should be a wake-up call for all believers in Christ. Once you accept Jesus as your personal savior, Satan does not forget about you. He still prowls about like a hungry lion seeking someone to devour (I Peter 5:8). No, he cannot rob you of your eternal salvation. However, he can rob you of the abundant life Jesus wants you to experience on this earth. He can devour your joy, peace, and your faith. If he is successful in that, he will prevent you from sharing your faith and being a godly influence to those with whom you come into contact. In other words, you will still go to heaven, but he doesn't want you to take anyone with you.

How does Satan sift us today? Well, be certain he knows our weaknesses - just as he did Peter's. Some of the most common sieves we filter through are physical sufferings, financial hardships, career issues, family problems, and a vast array of personal temptations. In those trials (sifting), Satan tries to shake us hard enough for the chaff to fall away. His hope is that our seed is dried up and is of no use to us or anyone else. But the person who has a growing, dynamic relationship with Jesus won't have a dry, scaly covering that is so fragile that it falls off when shaken. And his seed will be ripe for planting whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself.

I hope you didn't miss the fact that Satan had to ask permission from Jesus to even approach Peter. Talk about the sovereignty of God! And we see in subsequent verses that Jesus allowed Peter to be sifted - and he didn't do too well. That could be a whole post of its own!

Another remarkable thing is seen in v. 32. Jesus, still speaking to Peter, says, "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once your have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Here's our WOW moment! Jesus prayed for Peter! And Jesus prays for us - He intercedes for us to the Father! He knows us, each one, by name, and takes us before the Father and expresses our needs. This is the Creator, the One who breathed life into man's existence! He also knew Peter would falter - and told him so. Of course, the brash, young Pete exclaimed his loyalty to Jesus and pooh-poohed the very thought of such. And, again, we have the benefit of knowing the rest of the story. Jesus also knew that Pete would come around and realize he had danced with the devil and would turn back to Jesus. He prayed that Peter's sifting experience would make him stronger in his faith, and that he would be a source of strength and encouragement to other believers. Was Jesus' prayer answered? Oh, yeah! Big time!

We know from Peter's experience that sometimes our trials and adversities are a direct result of Satan's work around us. We also know that sometimes God, in His infinite wisdom, allows us to be tested and sifted. There are times when we need the dry scales knocked off so that we can be spiritually healthy. We have the assurance that Jesus is with the Father watching and praying for us by name that our faith will be strengthened, and we can then strengthen the faith of our brothers and sisters.

So, the question that is posed for us is, how will we fare when Satan sifts us like wheat? Because he will - sift us, you know. Is your "faith" made up of dirt and weeds and chaff so that when you are shaken, it will blow away with the wind? Or, is there a plump, ripe seed smack dab in the core of your faith that will sustain you through the trials when they come?

Jesus is praying for you - and for me - that our faith will grow strong so that it will sustain us through whatever life brings our way. That's a WOW!