Our Plans - God's Plans

Mark 8:31-33

 ^“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.  And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

I’ve often shared that the method of bringing home the bacon to feed the family was in sales.  Now I make no apologies for making a living that way it was something I was good at, and it has benefits in my being able to listen and help people.  It also has some significant drawbacks in that if your good at sales you work hard to win, beat the competitors, any competitors. 

The downside is the competitor might be a neighbor, wife, or even your child, and that’s not healthy, but what if it is Jesus?  Yes, it might be you do not like the direction Jesus is taking your church, your child came home and said; dad, mom, I’m being lead to quit college and go work in a homeless shelter in the worst part of, you name the place.  And your answer is no, not can we pray together and allow the Lord to give us a sense of peace; your response is no.

As you read those three verses once more, what Jesus is talking about does not work for Peter, it is not the plans He has for Jesus, it makes no sense to Peter, and it will never fit the model of the world of success.  It is like the Baptist preacher of a mega church in the northeast that had publicly stated to believe what Jesus said when he reported; “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)  He calls Jesus’ words insanity, and the world is beating a path to his so-called church.

Take from the news now: “Bible teacher Ray Pritchard said Thursday on American Family Radio that Walrond is misleading his congregation.

"That pastor up in New York City ... is a misleader. He's a false teacher," Pritchard offered. "He is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"John 14:6: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by me.” We're living in days where that's considered exclusionary. But the truth of the matter is, Jesus said those words."

This question remains; are you a Peter, or a follower of Jesus, an ambassador of Christ?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice