What an amazing devotional. I have read this sporadically in the past and was very blessed. A small group of my friends and I decided to read through this together. I cannot express what a blessing it has been to me.

Peter is one of the people in God's word I truly empathize with. I react as he did. I get all in a tizzy, I react to everything and THEN I calmly think about things and figure out the proper response. Sigh! I am so weak in this area. Anyone who wants to send up a prayer for me regarding this, please feel free!!

Anyway. Yesterdays reading stood out to me. I decided to share something I shared with my on-line bible reading friends. I hope it encourages you as it did me. I LOVE when His Word reaches into the depths of my heart. he so lovingly teaches and guides. He so tenderly works with my faults.

WHY did this little blurb miss my attention yesterday when I read!

“All our vows and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to carry them out. When we come to the end of ourselves, not in imagination but really, we are able to receive the Holy Spirit.” OC MUFHH 1/5

WOW! Did I need to read that! I never really looked at Peter and his “vows” in such a way. When Peter said he would “go” at that moment, it was in his OWN strength. It was not until he was broken that it became something he could actually do by God’s strength. Christ new that Peter would have to go through denying Him before Peter would truly be ready to “go”.

I NEED some of that brokenness. Over these past years I have developed these bad habits of always re-dedicating a portion of my life, constantly living in fear that my last “promise” or “vow” was not sincere enough and that God is not pleased with my so called “mediocrity”. The truth is, all those vows and promises were made in my own strength, and they would NEVER come to fruition because anything done in the flesh will NOT yield the righteousness I SO desired!

Going through these trials these past months, I am able to see how much I worked within the confines of my unholy flesh. Always seeking and striving to earn what God will so feely gives if only I would yield to HIS will and stop trying to impose MY will onto Him. Does that make sense?

I wish I had more time to write more of what is racing through my mind! So much! I HAD to share this and get it down to someone who would listenJJ! I need to go and help take down the Christmas décor outside the house! Wouldn’t want to become one of those people that leave the lights up until Easter!