Dear Friend,                          

The Last Supper of Jesus with his twelve disciple-follwers was drawing to a close. Jesus gets Peter’s attention.

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.”Luke 22:31*

I’ll bet that got Peter’s attention – and generated some anxiety, too!

However, Jesus continued with a wonderful word, “but (and what a “but” this is)

I have prayed for you (Peter) that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32

Wow! Peter learns three things: first, the disciples will be tested. Second, Jesus had prayed for him. Third, when Peter was to turn back (meaning that he was going to fail the test and that he would recover), he was to strengthen the others.

You and I are tested frequently as various situations challenge our temper and our character. At times we fail.Perhaps you are feeling that way today in some aspect of your life. The key toPeter’s recovery was Jesus’s prayer for him.

Jesus is praying for you right now. “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost[a] those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession [pray] for them.” Hebrews7:25 (see also Romans 8:34)

Whatever you are facing, no matter how irritating, frustrating or devastating, no matter how inclined you may be to turn your back on Jesus, he is standing with you, praying for you, that you may turn to face him and be freed by him.

What are you to do? “Turn back!”and “Strengthen the people in your life,” or as Jesus said to Peter on the shore of Galilee, “Feed my sheep.”

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Joy to you – E. Stanley Ott

© Copyright 2019 E. Stanley Ott
*Scripture from the ESV

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1. Have you ever messed up so badly that you knew the simple words often said, "It's going to be okay," just weren't enough?
2. When you know you have failed deeply - in a relationship, in some behavior, with some thoughts, where do you turn, where can you turn for true forgiveness?
3. What would it mean to you to know that Jesus Christ, the Lord himself, prays for you personally by name?
4. Trusting that our Lord will sustain you, forgive you and renew you, then what is our Lord asking you to do now? Notice what he told Peter to do when he turned back to Jesus.