5 mars 2023
Benjamin ROGERS

“Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.” Matthew 26:74
Simon Peter was with the Lord throughout His ministry and was one of the main disciples who was radically transformed by the power of God. Despite all of these, the crowd could not see Jesus in him at some point. My question to you is :can people see Jesus in you:
• When provoked to anger?
• When you’re out of job?
• When in full time employment?
• When you’re at you peak in life?
Regardless of who we are and our experience in Jesus, it is always possible for us to fall into sin. This is because we still wear the old, fallen, wicked, adamic flesh. It is only by the good grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved. We should understand that there are factors that influence the display of inward and outward characters that cause people to sin and these are:
1. Wrong Place Factor: This explains that when you are in the wrong place and are not strong enough to resist the odds of that place, your behavior can be controlled by others. There are places that you should not go as a believer.
2. Wrong People Factor: Your association with the wrong people will influence your character negatively if you are not careful. Peter associated with the wrong crowd that night that is why his behavior was influenced, and it wasn’t long until he was acting just like them. You need to exercise great caution when it comes to the people you associate with. The Bible tells us that the wrong kind of influence on our lives can have tragic impact on us.1 Cor. 15:33 says *_‘‘Be not deceived: evil communication corrupts good manners.’’_*
3. Wrong Performance Factor: The Bible tells us that Peter began to swear (Matt 26:72; Mark 14:71). He certainly did not look like sound preacher at that moment. You must be mindful of what you do for you not to misrepresent Jesus.
Many believers are having identity crisis in their environments. They’ve forgotten who they are and are sending the wrong message to a lost world. You need to think about what your life says about Jesus.
Bible references for spiritual growth: 2 Corinthians 5:20, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 5:1-33, Matthew 5:14-16, Colossians 3:17
God bless you.