Our Potential

Have you ever really messed up? Maybe it was a mistake or a poor choice, but it was something so big you didn’t see a way to come back from it. I imagine we all have.

Jesus’ disciple, Peter, might have wondered the same thing. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him, not once, not twice, but three times. That’s a big thing to come back from and Peter probably didn’t see a way for that to happen.

But although Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, He also knew something Peter probably didn’t know about himself. Jesus knew Peter’s potential and who Peter would become. And Jesus knows the same about us.

Jesus doesn’t just know who we are now, but who we can become through Him. {Tweet this}

Jesus knows we’re going to fail and make major mistakes, but He also knows these are opportunities for growth in our faith, and in who we are becoming. Jesus knows our potential.

Jesus knew Peter would mess up by denying Him, and yet, he told Peter,

So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it. Matthew 16:18 CEV

Wow. Jesus knew Peter would be the foundation of His church, even while he knew the mistakes Peter would make.

Peter came back from his betrayal. Not because of something he did, but because of who God is.

The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed. The man said, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn’t here. You can see the place where they put his body. Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” Mark 16:5-7 CEV

Especially Peter. He wanted Peter to know that He had not turned away from him. Peter’s betrayal was not too much to come back from.

Perhaps God is whispering to you today, especially you.

What choices or mistakes are keeping you from Jesus?

God’s forgiveness covers anything we think is just too much. He knows our hearts and hears our confessions. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

God knows who we are and who we can become through Him.

He knows our potential long before we see it in ourselves. {Tweet this}

Think your mistakes disqualify you from work in God’s Kingdom? They didn’t for Peter and they don’t for you. Peter looked for Jesus and followed Him. Peter’s mistakes became his testimony of Jesus’ death and resurrection. His story was part of God’s story.

And, whether we realize it yet or not, our stories are all part of God’s love story.

How do you feel when you think about your potential? Does that feeling change knowing that God already knows what your potential is with Him?

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, InstaEncouragements, #RechargeWednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, #DestinationInspiration, Worth Beyond Rubies, #porchstories, #HeartEncouragement, #TuneInThursday, #FaithonFire, Faith ‘n Friends, Grace & Truth, Spiritual Sundays

Do Over!

I'm pulling from the archives and sharing one of my very first guest posts over at LifeNotes...

Several years ago, I blew it as a mom on Thanksgiving morning. All my daughter wanted was for me to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade with her, but I had other things to get done, and the parade was not on my agenda. 

With a huffy and unpleasant attitude, I joined her in front of the TV. Her bouncy excitement immediately turned to silence while she sat by herself on the couch. I realized how I had squashed her enthusiasm, and all I wanted to do was shout “Do over!”

Remember do overs? As a kid, my friends and I would yell “do over!” anytime we wanted to start a game over or redo our turn. Anyone could shout “do over!” and get a new beginning.

That’s what I wanted—a do over!

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get do overs in life?

Please join me at LifeNotes to continue reading...Do Over!

In Christ,

Laura 

Photo credit: FreeImages.com 

Linking up with: Weekend Whispers, Give Me Grace

Comparing Our Sins

I’ve written about comparing ourselves to others in the past—how it can make us feel “less than.” But it’s not just looks, careers, children’s behavior, pictures on Facebook and stuff we own that we use to compare ourselves to others.

We compare our sins to one another. Whether we do it consciously or not, it happens.

I’m not perfect, but I’ve never done that!

Wow, he had it all…till he got caught doing that. I’d never.

Maybe not those exact words, but we’ve heard similar comments, and possibly even spoken them.

We compare our sins to someone else’s, and if we determine theirs are worse, well, then we feel a little better about ourselves.

We compare as if there are degrees of sin. But, God says sin is sin. Period.

Our sin cannot be defined by comparing ourselves with others, but rather in comparing ourselves to God’s standard. When humanity is compared to the perfection of God, we are all found guilty. –Danise Jurado, Fulfilled

We try to make ourselves look better by judging and comparing one sin against another, but compared to God’s standard—we all fall short.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:23-24 NLT

It’s freeing, in a way…knowing, and confessing, that I am a sinner. I don’t have to try to live up to someone else’s expectations, and I don’t have to make sure my sins aren’t as bad as someone else’s.

God doesn’t compare us to one another—and He doesn’t compare our sins.

Perhaps we shouldn’t either. We are all in need of God’s forgiveness. We are all in need of God’s generous grace. {click to tweet}

We all need Jesus.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV

Jesus died for all sinners—for all of us.

My sins are not more or less serious than your sins. There are different consequences, but all sin hurts us and those around us.

Comparing and judging each other based on our sins, is, in and of itself, sinful. It leads us to think one is better than another. It puts us in competition with one another—as if we can earn God’s love and grace by our own merits.

And we can’t. We can only be made right with God through Jesus.

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:22-24 NLT

Everyone who believes—regardless of who we are or which sins we’ve committed—can be made right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ.

While it might not be easy, let’s catch ourselves when we start judging our sins against someone else’s. We all need God’s grace and forgiveness…and we need forgiveness from one another.

Which means we need to extend grace and forgiveness to others, without judgment and comparison.

***

If you are reading Fulfilled, by Danise Jurado, with us, we are in the first week of the study with Chapter 1—Forgiveness. How are you doing with the reading? Have you tried the forgiveness homework?

I started with the intention of doing the first day’s work and then putting it away. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong. When you open yourself to God’s healing, He keeps working, even when you’d like to stop. Hours after starting the homework, I went to worship. The sermon topic for that weekend? Grace and forgiveness. That’s right. God at work.

In Christ,

Laura  

Linking up with #RaRaLinkup, #TellHisStory, Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Blessing Counters, Faith Filled Friday, Weekend Whispers, Give Me Grace

Fulfilled Study - Week 1

Welcome! This week we begin our study of Fulfilled...Learning to Live the Life God Promised by Danise Jurado. (For more information on the online study, click on the Fulfilled Study tab above.) 

I'm trying to keep it simple, so that it can fit into anyone's schedule. On Mondays, I'll post the reading for the week and some questions to consider. On Wednesdays, I'll post my reflections on the reading. 

Everyone is encouraged to interact in the comments sections, but if you prefer to read and visit quietly, that is perfectly alright! No pressure. 

To begin our study, I'm happy to have author Danise Jurado here with some words of encouragement for all of us!

As you journey through the pages of Fulfilled, I pray that God’s compassion and unfailing love captivate your heart in new and inspiring ways. May the promises found in His truth call to the depths of your soul to bring healing and freedom to places in your life that only God can see.

I vulnerably share my own personal stories with you, hoping that they will encourage you in your faith. Our God is always good; even during the times in life when we don’t understand. Over the ten years it took me to write this book, little by little God helped me write each sentence straight from my heart to yours.

You will find many practical steps in the book that came from life lessons God taught me. I have been sharing these steps throughout fifteen years of pastoral ministry to help many others discover freedom, restoration and the Fulfilled life God has promised.

I would love to connect with you. All my contact information can be found here: http://www.danisejurado.com/contact/

Thank you so much Laura for hosting the first Fulfilled online study! May God shower you all with His beautiful blessings.

Love Danise :)  

Thank you Danise! And now, for this week's reading...

Week 1: Read the Introduction & Chapter 1—Forgiveness 

When you finish reading, consider these questions:

• What did you think about Danise’s conversation with the senior pastor on page 3 (specifically what he said to her)? How would you have responded?

• Do you find it difficult or easy to extend forgiveness?  I can relate to the “stuff it approach” Danise describes on page 7. Are you in the habit of using this approach? How does it work for you?

• How did you feel about the forgiveness homework? Did you make that first choice to try it? If you did, have you continued with it?

Have a great week!

In Christ,
Laura

[Image credit: Danise Jurado]