The Fruit of the 'Christian' Tree

We have a new applicant for the position of pastor....

John 13:34-35

When I fail, I have to remind myself that Jesus is there to pick me up, dust me off, love me and help me to move forward.

The highlights of his CV are as follows: he is a fisherman in the family business. He has no formal Bible College qualifications. He is known to be impetuous and often puts his foot in his mouth. He speaks bravely but can deny he knows people who need his support. Even when it seems he has got his life in order he can fall back into old ways. This person is, of course, the Apostle Peter, who along with Paul, John, and James, the brother of Jesus are the main figures in the NT church.

The majority of the men mentioned in the NT are presented warts and all. (I may be wrong, but the women are all presented in a positive light, except Sapphira and maybe Martha.) This is great news! I am well aware of my warts. I am unworthy to be a representative of the creator of the universe. I am not selling myself short, because none of you are either. After decades of following Jesus I still fall short. Often times, our strength is also our weakness. They are two sides of the one coin. Strong-willed, determined people can get lots of good things done but are often also pig-headed. I think Paul falls into this category.

When I fail, I have to remind myself that Jesus is there to pick me up, dust me off, love me and help me to move forward. The same Jesus walks beside you as well. He has already forgiven sins in your future. Yes, there may be consequences for our mistakes, but they are forgiven by God.

Bless you as you walk the journey with Jesus.

Pastor Andy