19^th April

“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “You know I love You.” “Then feed My lambs,” Jesus told Him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “You know I love You.” “Then take care of My sheep,”Jesus said. A third time He asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”…. “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You.” Jesus said, “Then feed My sheep.”

John 21:15-17

When Jesus met Peter again at the shore of Galilee, the place where Peter was first called, He questions Peter’s commitment and love for Him, not as a test, but more for Peter’s sake. Just as Peter had denied Jesus three times, here Jesus allows Peter to declare His love for Jesus three times. Each time Jesus affirms His confidence in Peter by commissioning Him to feed His flock.¹ Jesus graciously restored Peter, forgiving him and later empowering him with the might and boldness given by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

Are there times in your life that you feel you have completely let God down? Perhaps a missed opportunity to speak up for Christ? Perhaps an action you did knowing it was wrong? Whatever it is, you can be forgiven and restored, just as Peter was. Peter truly did love Jesus, but was let down by his human weakness. Yet Jesus, didn’t let Peter wallow in his guilt, but rather restored him and reminded him of the calling he was first given. Jesus has a plan for each of our lives. Don’t let guilt and regret keep you from being who God made you to be. Be restored. Receive His love. And walk in the plan of who God called you to be!

18^th April

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”… “….Then Jesus told Him, “Follow Me.”… “As for you, follow me.””

Matthew 4:18-19, John 21:19b, 22b

Peter, the all action disciple of Jesus, the lowly fisherman called to be a rock for the church, after Jesus’ resurrection, went on to become one of the main founders of Jesus’ church throughout the Roman Empire. We experience the fruit of his boldness to share about the resurrected King. Yet Peter’s life has a great lesson we all can learn from. A lesson of ultimate forgiveness and restitution.

Peter, along with his brother Andrew, was one of the first disciples that Jesus called to ‘follow Him’. As Jesus met them by the Sea of Galilee, He called out to them and they immediately put down their nets and followed Jesus. Yet, fast forward a few years, and Jesus’ prophetic words, that Peter would deny Him before His crucifixion, happened just the way Jesus said. Peter fled in utter shame, guilt and disbelief at his own actions. He just denied knowing Jesus, the man who had taught him so much and who had loved Peter so deeply.

Yet when Jesus re-appears to Peter, incredibly and significantly, again at the Sea of Galilee, He calls out to him, repeating His commission, to come and ‘follow Me’. Although these are simple words, they show us that Jesus completely forgave Peter and restored him. Moreover Jesus didn’t even make mention of Peter’s betrayal but rather reached out to him again, in the same place He was originally called, commissioning Peter to be His Rock once more.

Jesus calls out to us today, to ‘follow Him’, despite your past! He can restore you and give you a new and fresh commission today. Take up your cross, don’t worry about others, YOU follow HIM!

13^th April

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Why did He do it? Why did a good and sinless man, the Creator of our life, the King of this world, lay His life down for us, for our wrong doings, for our sins? Why did He pay the ransom that we deserve to face? Moreover, why did He give His free gift of eternal life to us, received by just believing and not doing, instead of the punishment we deserved? The answer; simply because He incredibly and radically loves us.

God knew that there was nothing we could do to come close to Him. Even our best efforts were not enough, because at the end of the day, we had all sinned and fallen short of His glorious standards. We tried to follow His laws, but we kept failing to keep them. So God sent His one and only Son, to live a perfect, sinless life, and take the punishment due to us for our un-holiness and un-cleanliness, our sinful and wrong actions, our rebellion and disbelief. We deserved to die but instead we were given life, eternal life, through Jesus Christ. The writer of Romans says this, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God.”¹

When you read this today, don’t let familiarity breed contempt and laziness. This is the good news, which has the power to save, the power to transform lives. This is what gives us hope to live in this world. This gives us joy, happiness, and peace. We are alive because of this truth. Jesus paid our debts. Rejoice that He did it for YOU!

12^th April

“Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Romans 5:7-8

What an amazing truth this is. Jesus willingly laid down His life, for not just someone who was upright, not just for good people, but for sinners, for people who may not even accept His sacrifice. What amazing love is that! It’s like we have been let off the hook for something we have clearly and blatantly done wrong, but don’t receive punishment for! We are forgiven, because Jesus chose to die for us at our worst to give us His best!

As you reflect upon this devotion today, think about what you have been saved from, and rejoice that it was while in that situation, moment, or wrong decision, that God gave His only Son for YOU. Rejoice that that is how much you are loved. Rejoice that God no longer identifies you with that wrong choice or action, but instead sees His resurrected Son standing in the place of your punishment and judgement. What grace! What Love!

11^th April

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:13

Yesterday, we looked at Judas’ dramatic yet simple betrayal of Jesus, by a kiss; a damning sign of false affection. Yet Jesus’ response to Judas completely blows the mind of the reader and shows us exactly what Jesus was like; what our God is like. Jesus says to Judas ‘My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for’¹ Isn’t that an astounding statement. Even in those words, the love and grace of a merciful God flows so freely.

Jesus could have easily turned round and caused a raucous, screaming and shouting ‘JUDAS, how could you betray Me. You know who I am. I have loved you and taught you and blessed you!’ One would think these words would be a reasonable response from a man who was just betrayed by one of His twelve closest friends (Jesus was 100% human too, as well as 100% God). Yet Jesus didn’t say that at all. Instead, like a humble lamb led to the slaughter, He purposefully and sacrificially allowed Himself to be arrested and accept the betrayal by Judas.

Jesus showed us that He was freely laying down His life, as the greatest act of love, for people just like Judas; people who didn’t do anything to gain God’s love and favour, but were freely given it. We too are radically loved, by the sacrificial death of our Lord. His life was the greatest act of love, not only shown by His words to Judas, but throughout history, to us and to all mankind. Our choice – to accept it or reject it!

10^th April

“So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.”

Matthew 26:49

This Easter Sunday, many Christians around the world will be celebrating Jesus’ victorious resurrection over sin and death, the ultimate act of love. As we lead up to the victorious Sunday, it often gives us a time to reflect on what we have been saved from, as if to almost review our lives through the lens of grace that was so freely given at the cross.

Today’s verse tells us of the moment that the disciple Judas, betrayed Jesus with a kiss. One can only imagine what was going through Judas’ mind at that time. Of course scripture tells us that this was not a spontaneous idea but a premeditated action, previously arranged with the leading priests in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. We also know according to scripture, that Judas probably didn’t just act on his own, but allowed satan to influence his thoughts, and enter his mind¹. Yet the ‘not so talked about’ part of Judas’ life is the regret and remorse he had knowing that he had just betrayed an innocent man with the kiss of death. His remorse was so deep, that not only did he try to return the ‘blood’ money, but he also eventually hanged himself.

Friends, as we reflect on our lives, on the things that we have done wrong, even the actions we have done that may even blatantly deny Christ, know that there is still forgiveness for you. You don’t need to die in condemnation, because you can live in freedom from guilt and shame. Don’t let you actions lead you to hate yourself so much that you can’t live with what you have done. Jesus’ forgiveness was for all mankind, and His love reaches even the darkest places in our lives. Turn to Him. Repent of your sins and accept the renewing and restoring work of the blood of Christ, freely shed to wash you clean.

8^th – 9^th April

^{Weekend Edition}

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

Titus 2:11-14

Life can be hard sometimes. Feelings of giving up, of throwing the towel in and feelings of defeat may often enter your mind. But you were not created to be on the loosing side. You are adopted into the victorious family of Christ, of whom the author and creator of our very breath, is the God, Father and Head of the house. We are promised that one day Christ will return. That is our glorious hope. That day when Christ returns in all His glory to rid this world of evil once and for all and take us home to live with Him eternally!

Although that day has not yet come, we can still have victory in Christ in this life, on this earth. Read what Paul says to Titus in verse 14, ‘He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people…..’ Yes we are living in an evil world, full of sinful pleasures and temptations, but we have victory over them, through the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is in His resurrection that we can live sanctified and purified lives, with ‘wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God’.

Friends, may we rejoice, in the glorious hope that awaits and in the victory we now live in!