DRAWING NEAR
MAY 8
Building a Leader: The Right Experiences
The twelve apostles included "Simon, who is called Peter" (Matt.
10:2).
Stan Carder is a dear brother in Christ and one of the pastors on our
church staff. Before coming to Grace Church he pastored a church in
Montana. While there, he was riding one night in a truck that was
involved in a very serious accident. Stan suffered a broken neck and
other major injuries. As a result he underwent months of arduous and
painful therapy.
That was one of the most difficult periods in Stan's life, yet God
used it for a specific purpose. Today, as pastor of our special
-ministries department, Stan ministers to more than 500 physically
and mentally handicapped people. God needed a man with unique
qualifications to show love to a group of very special people. He
chose Stan and allowed him the necessary experiences to fit him for
the task.
God doesn't always permit such serious situations, but He does lead
each of us into life-changing experiences that heighten our
effectiveness in ministry.
Peter had many such experiences. In Matthew 16:15-16, for example,
God gave him special revelation about the deity of Christ. In Acts 10
God sent him to preach the gospel to Gentiles--something unheard of
at the time because Jewish people resisted any interaction with
Gentiles. Perhaps the most tragic experience of Peter's life was his
denial of Christ. But even that only increased his love for Christ
and his appreciation of God's grace. After His resurrection, Christ
forgave him and restored him to ministry (John 21:15-19).
Peter's many experiences helped prepare him for the key role he was
to play in the early church. Similarly, your experiences help prepare
you for future ministry. So seek to discern God's hand in your
circumstances and rejoice at the prospect of becoming a more
effective Christian.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for both the good and bad experiences you have, knowing
that each of them is important to your spiritual growth (cf. James
1:2-4).
For Further Study:
Read Acts 10, noting what Peter learned from his experience.
What vision did Peter have? What was the point of the vision?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Matthew 16:15-16 (NKJV)
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God."
Acts 10
10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a
centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who
gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an
angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it,
lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up
for a memorial before God.
5 "Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
6 "He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He
will tell you what you must do."
7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called
two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those
who waited on him continually.
8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to
Joppa.
9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the
city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made
ready, he fell into a trance
11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at
the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild
beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
13 And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."
14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything
common or unclean."
15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has
cleansed you must not call common."
16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into
heaven again.
17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he
had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had
made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate.
18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter,
was lodging there.
19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him,
"Behold, three men are seeking you.
20 "Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for
I have sent them."
21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from
Cornelius, and said, "Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason
have you come?"
22 And they said, "Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who
fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews,
was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house,
and to hear words from you."
23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter
went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was
waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close
friends.
25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his
feet and worshiped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a
man."
27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come
together.
28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish
man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has
shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
29 "Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I
ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?"
30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour;
and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood
before me in bright clothing,
31 "and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms
are remembered in the sight of God.
32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is
Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.
When he comes, he will speak to you.'
33 "So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come.
Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things
commanded you by God."
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that
God shows no partiality.
35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is
accepted by Him.
36 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching
peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all;
37 "that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea,
and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with
power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed
by the devil, for God was with Him.
39 "And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land
of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
40 "Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
41 "not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God,
even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
42 "And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that
it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the
dead.
43 "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever
believes in Him will receive remission of sins."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell
upon all those who heard the word.
45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as
many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been
poured out on the Gentiles also.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then
Peter answered,
47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who
have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Then they asked him to stay a few days.
John 21:15-19
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to
Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My
lambs."
16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you
love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He
said to him, "Tend My sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love
Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you
love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know
that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded
yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will
stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where
you do not wish."
19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And
when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect
and complete, lacking nothing.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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