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The Fisherman · The Call to Women in Faith Podcast

• 0:00
  Hello there. Many of us make New Year resolutions, and we sign up for challenges.
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  This year, our loving pastor decided to organize a 40-day New Testament challenge.
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  Rules of the challenge are that we had to read the entire New Testament in 40 days, back-to-back.
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  I signed up. This was an excellent idea.
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  The exercise gave me many revelations, but the one thing that it did,
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  which kind of underscored and emphasized,
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  is that it gave me a chance to see Peter transform from an impulsive,
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  brash fisherman to the greatest apostle that Jesus chose as the rock on which
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  he would build his church.
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  Quote, And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
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  church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
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  End quote. Matthew 16, verse 18.
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  As impulsive and overconfident as Peter was, he still loved and trusted Jesus.
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  Quote, Simon answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. End quote.
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  Matthew chapter 16, verse 16. He appears arrogant when he says that others may
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  forsake Jesus and that he would never.
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  Quote, Peter answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because
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  of you, I will never be made to stumble. End quote.
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  Matthew chapter 26 verse 33.
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  But then, after he denies knowing Jesus, he wept bitterly.
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  Quote, And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who had said to him,
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  Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.
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  So he went out and wept bitterly. End quote.
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  Matthew chapter 26 verse 75 He wept bitterly.
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  That sounds like remorse, sincere, heartfelt repentance.
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  Peter's fallen nature made him deny the one he trusted and loved.
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  He did what he did, not what he wanted to.
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  What do we do when we sin against God? We are asked to repent.
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  The act of repenting transforms us. God forgives us, gives us a fair share of
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  disciplining, and in obedience, we see glimmers of transformation.
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  In Peter's case, there was more than just a glimmer of transformation.
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  After it was announced that our Lord and Savior is risen, Peter ran to the empty
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  tomb and was eager to see Jesus.
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  And later, when he was filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost,
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  he brought 3,000 people to Jesus.
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  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about 3,000
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  souls were added to them. End quote.
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  Acts chapter 2 verse 41.
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  Peter's transformation reveals a humble, obedient, Jesus-loving leader willing
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  to serve and die for the one he once denied.
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  In his loving kindness, Jesus molded Peter like an expert potter and made him
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  the rock which facilitated the inception of the Bride of Christ.
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  Jesus is working on all of us, continuously, transforming us into whatever he deems fit.
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  Whoever he deems fit, we are in safe hands.
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  Repent and lean on him. Cry bitterly and surrender to the one that you do not
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  want to deny. May God bless you.
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  Dear Jesus, you are our loving Savior and Redeemer.
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  Teach me to be obedient to the transformation you make me go through.
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  Let me lean on you and exchange my yoke of arrogance with your light yoke of humility.
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  May my heart be wholly and truly yours. Amen.