"Stretching Our Faith!"

Discuss how God has to stretch our faith to move us to newer levels of our walk with Him.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
So it takes a baseline level of faith for us
to even believe in God and do the things that
He wants us to do. Well, how many y'all know
that as we continue to go deeper in God, He's
gonna have to stretch that faith level for us to
fully walk out that ministry. So if y'all already go

(00:24):
and hop in, strap in, and let's take this ride
and start breaking this tradition that we can stay at
the same level of faith that we starting then, but
yet still fully walk out and do the things of God.
Let's go, Hello, hi, and howdy. This is JK. Moore

(00:47):
and I'm welcoming you all back to break in tradition.
So tonight we will start on a series as you
can see title Stretching our Faith, and we're gonna look
at one very particular example, or more importantly, more to
the point, one very particular person in the Bible, and

(01:07):
we are going to look at how his faith level
had to be stretched from the time he started walking
with Jesus all the way up until the time that
Jesus had left Earth went back up to Heaven. But
he had to continue going and continue walking and doing
the ministry of God here on the earth. And this

(01:27):
person that we're going to look at, excuse me looking
this person that we're going to look at is even
more important to me because it's my granddaddy Peter, and
y'all know how me and granddad Pete get done. So
let's go ahead and hop right on into it. So,
first of all, let's start at looking at the definitions
of the word stretching, and then the definition of the

(01:50):
word faith. So stretch of something soft or elastic, be
made or be capable of being made longer or wider
without tearing or breaking, straighten or extend one's body or
a part of one's body to its full length, typically

(02:13):
so as to tighten one's muscles, or in order to
reach something, extend or spread over an area or period
of time, make great demands on the capacity or resources
of So definition number three here and definition number four

(02:33):
are the ones I'd say that are truly the most
relevant to what we're going to be looking at. So
that's stretching. So let's look at the word faith, because
we gotta have faith, Okay, faith, complete trust or confidence

(02:58):
in someone or something exactly like I said, Okay, they
even have begun walking this walk in the Kingdom of God.
We had to have faith to believe that a there
really is a God, b that there really is a Jesus,
a Christ, and see that there really is a Holy Spirit.

(03:21):
So complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Number two,
strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a
religion based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof, So stretching faith.
According to the two definitions we got here, okay, an
extension of something over a period of time, and strong

(03:45):
belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion
based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof, or more importantly,
Number one, complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
So biblical definition of what faith is we can get
that in Hebrews Chapter eleven, verse number one. What is faith?

(04:11):
It is the confident assurance that something we want is
going to happen. It is the certainty that we hope
for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see
it up ahead. Okay, so we can't touch it, can't

(04:34):
smell it, can't taste it, can't hear it, but we
know deep down in our heart of hearts that again,
like I said, there is a God, there is Jesus,
there is a holy Spirit, there is a heaven, and
there is a legal fire for eternal damnation. All right,

(04:58):
all of that so so actually ironic because what keeps
a lot of people, and I mean by the own
a mission, what keeps them from even coming to God
is the fact that they can't do those things. Okay,
I can't see them, I can't touch them, mine, I
can't talk to them, I can't you know whatever. In
other words, the census that we have to interpret and

(05:23):
observe this physical world. They were like, okay, well I
can't use any of those to talk to God. So
how do I know he's real? How do I you know?
Why should I believe that he's real? Well, I mean,
I give several different examples of why you can believe
that he's real. But I often asked this question, Okay,

(05:48):
to that same type of person, I would say, how
many plannings are there in our solar system? Oh? There's eight?
Oh there's nine? Really, how do you know that? Have
you ever been to Mars? Have you ever been to Jupiter?
Have you ever been to Saturn? Oh? But no, But
I've seen satellite images of them, and I can look

(06:10):
through my telescope and this that old. Kay, but you've
never actually been through Okay, you can't zoom in to
actually see that these planets are there and to see
their atmospheres and what's on the man things. Okay. So
you just have images that are provided to you by anybody. Well,

(06:30):
anybody can make up an image, all right, But you
can't actually smell Mars. You can't taste Jupiter. Okay, you
can't feel Saturn. You know. See where I'm going with this.
So faith a word that is talked about multiple times

(06:50):
throughout the Bible, or without faith, it is impossible to
please them and by him talking about God. So again,
takes a baseline level of faith for us to believe
that God is there. But what about when God starts

(07:13):
adding on levels or in other words, Okay, you either
say you want to go deeper in the things of
God or you want to go higher in the things
of God. Okay, Well, to go deeper or go higher,
you can't stay at that same baseline faith level. It's
going to take some stretching of that faith because the

(07:36):
next level in God, okay, the level of that baseline
level of faith, you might not be able to handle it.
So God has to do what it takes to stretch
that faith to get you ready to operate on that
next level. So, like I said, we're going to be
looking at Peter because for me personally, all right, Granddad

(07:58):
Pete is a purpose perfect example of the stretching of faith.
Now for you all and other people, it could be
somebody else in the Bible, and of a surety that
there are other examples of people who we can see
how their faith level had to be stretched. On the
episode last week, Okay, I talked about John the Baptist

(08:20):
album Jesus. He knew before Jesus actually walked up to
him he was a messiah. He had faith and confidence. Okay.
After a period of time had gone by, John was
thrown in prison by Kenya Herod's wife Haradius, and John
sent his disciples to find Jesus to ask him, Okay,

(08:41):
are you are you really the Messiah? See? Okay, John
started off at one faith level, but he couldn't stay
there because in his thinking, like men the other of
the Jews who were waiting and hoping on their Messiah
to show up, John couldn't reckon with the fact that Okay,

(09:05):
you're the disciple. You supposed to be here to set
all these things in order. I've been out here teaching
about you, okay, I've been out here baptizing people in
your name. But yet I'm stuck up in prison. And
John knew what the faith was for any prophet who

(09:26):
had been in prison, Okay, they let's just say, they
usually then't make it out, Okay, usually died a sad,
sad death. So Jesus gave his disciples some words to
take back to him, and you told him. Okay, yeah,
you all were here. You just witnessed what you saw
me do. Go back and tell John what you saw

(09:47):
me do, and tell him this, Okay, had to have
a faith level, a stretching of that faith level, all right.
So we're going to start here in Matthew chapter fourteen,
verse number twenty two, and we're gonna again throughout this presentation,
we're gonna look at how Peter, one of his disciples,

(10:10):
and from what I've been able to tell from New Testament,
I believe Peter has probably actually talked about, and I mean,
of the original disciples slash apostles, Peter is the one
that we have more writings about than any of the
rest of them as far as what they did. John

(10:33):
may be not John the baptizer, but the other John,
the brother of James, one of the actual apostles. I
would say he's probably the one that gets the second
most writings about him in the New Testament, like I
said again, of the original disciples. So Matthew, chapter fourteen,

(10:55):
verse number twenty two, I will put a quick Paul
once and can go and some water, hell right quick?
And two for anybody who wants to follow along in
their own word, you can get to it. Matthew fourteen
twenty two. Okay, So very familiar passage of scripture, and

(11:24):
we're just using this to set the scene, so to speak,
about where Peter started off and again where we're going
to end up with them. Okay. So in the heading
of my Bible it says Jesus walks on water, and
it reads immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples

(11:47):
get back into the boat and cross to the other
side of the lake while he sent the people home.
After sending them home, he went up into the hills
by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there along. Meanwhile,
the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for

(12:10):
a strong wind had risen and they were fighting heavy waves.
So my sincere belief that Jesus set this whole scenario
up completely on purpose to set up what's about to
happen next, because generally, okay, he traveled with them wherever

(12:32):
they were going. Verse number twenty two says he insisted
that they get back into the boat and cross the
other side of the lake while he sent people home.
It could have been some more issues or some more
whatever that Jesus had to deal with with these people
before he could join them and tell them, okay, y'all

(12:53):
go ahead, I'll catch up with you. But again, this
was completely on purpose, because it's that after you send
them home, he still didn't immediately in another boat to
join them. He went to the hills to pray. Night
fell while he was there alone. So yeah, that was
definitely on purpose. And because it said night fell, that

(13:14):
leads us to reasonably assume that when he first went
up to these hills to start praying, clearly he must
have still been daytime, all right. So now, first number
twenty five, about three o'clock in the morning, Jesus came
toward them walking on the water. All right, So again

(13:38):
just mentioned about he didn't hop in another boat to
join them, No, he came walking on the water. You
have people who dispute this account, Well, they ain't really
no way to the student that. Okay, we only get
mentioned of one boat, and that's the one the disciples
in there. So if he wasn't walking, flying, floating, levitating

(14:00):
however other means than how would he have got to them?
In verse number twenty six, when disciples saw him walking
on the water, they were terrified in their fear. They
cried out, it's a ghost. But Jesus spoke to them
at once. Don't be afraid, he said, take courage, I

(14:22):
am here, all right. So up to this point they
still hadn't seen too too many of the miraculous things
Jesus did, and clearly they had never seen him come
in this form, in this fashion, or else they wouldn't
have cried out that it was a ghost. So that's

(14:44):
why Jesus had to come for them, and that's why
he had to speak to let them know. All right, fellas,
yo yo yo, all right, it's just me, yesua, I'm down.
Take courage, all right, I'm here I'm here to join you.
I'm not a ghost, all right, Verse number twenty eight.
Then Peter called to him, Lord, if it's really you,

(15:10):
tell me to come to you walking on the water. Okay, Yeah,
Peter is an interesting character, Okay, Usually, like I said,
with out of even the between Matthew and X, the

(15:33):
time that we get with Jesus and these disciples, all right,
Like I said, Peter was always the one, always the
one that had to take things to the next level.
So even with hearing the voice of Jesus saying, calm down,
it's me. I'm coming to join y'all, he still wanted
more proof. Okay, if it's really really you, then tell

(15:59):
me to come on soccer the water like you are hey,
Verse number twenty nine. Yes, come, Jesus said. So Peter
went over the side of the boat and walked on
the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong
wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.

(16:20):
Save me, Lord, he shouted. So. Yeah. The fact that
he was able to perform and act that he clearly
had never done before, and by him, of course, I'm

(16:41):
talking about Peter walking on the water. That wasn't enough
assurance to him. But when he saw the and okay,
it didn't say, you know, as soon as he stepped
first foot down, okay, he got scared. No, it said
verse number twenty nine. He walked walked Okay, action word

(17:06):
verb and ed passed tense. So that mean he had
to have taken some steps more than one on top
of the water towards Jesus. But the wind and the waves, okay,
because it didn't say that Jesus had silenced the weather

(17:31):
that was going on as he was walking towards them.
Initially he came walking through it. Now in fairness and
complete and total fairness, hindsight is twenty twenty. Okay. Yeah,
we can sit here all these thousands of years later
and be like, bro Okay, if Jesus was walking on
the water and the strong wind and the waves weren't

(17:53):
affecting him, and you called to him and you asked
them though, allow you to do the same thing, and
you are initially going there, then why did you get
fred officer? Okay, remember we're talking about faith levels here. Levels. Okay, steps,

(18:14):
none of us go from zero to one hundred immediately
when it comes to walking out this walk literally us too,
walking out this walk with God. And if somebody does, well,
man should a God bless them? God bless them. But

(18:34):
I can say in my personal experience of course, starting
with me and others who I've seen around me, and
I'm talking about some awesome, powerful people in the Kingdom
of God. Eah, it ain't none of us gone zero
to one hundred steps layers. Jesus was doing this to prove,

(18:57):
like I said again a point, okay, well, if you
got that much faith and belief that you can walk
on this water like I can, then come home. Come on.
And Peter initially did it. So he started off walking okay,

(19:17):
spiritually in the right track belief, faith, But then just
like that, that flesh kicked in, saw the strong wind,
saw the waves coming towards him, and then he got
afraid and that faith level do doo drop right on

(19:38):
back down, and he started to sink. Not because of Jesus,
that Jesus didn't make him sing aint Jesus had them,
It's because of his own faith level and belief. He
started to sink all right. So ver number thirty one,

(20:02):
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. You have so
little faith, Jesus said, why did you doubt me? When
they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then
the disciples worshiped him. You really are the son of God,

(20:24):
they exclaimed. Okay, so of course verse number thirty one,
Jesus was not gonna let this man sink. He wasn't
gonna let him drown. He wasn't letting him sink or
drown again, proving an example to walk out this faith walk. Yes,

(20:46):
ultimately I have y'all. I got you covered. Oh okay,
I have to have you covered because it's the only
way you can be saved and redeemed back to the
Father is through his blood. So okay, you covered in
the long run. But I cannot do everything for you.

(21:07):
All you meaning us, have to individually walk out this
faith walk, which is why that word walked and walk
was mentioned. It is literally that spiritually and of course

(21:27):
physically or naturally. It is a faith walk. And if
we start doubting Jesus at any point, that is gonna
knock us back down, and that's going to keep us
in a place of arrested development. In other words, just

(21:50):
like this storm in our lives when we face storms again,
naturally and most definitely spiritually, because our Satan don't care
what faith level you at. Okay, you pleased and committed
your life back to God and it don't belong to
him no more. Okay, yeah, he's going to when at

(22:14):
all possible, keep sending these storms and storms and storms.
So Jesus is trying to show us, Okay, no matter
how bad the storm is, remember, ultimately, I have you all,
no matter what it looks like with your natural eyes,

(22:37):
no matter what it feels like in your natural bodies,
I have you. I got you. He asked him. Why
did you doubt me? In other words, Bro, you were
doing it. You were walking just like me. Okay, you

(22:58):
were annointed them believed because of your faith and your belief.
Like I said, not, Jesus didn't didn't just put it in them.
God the Father didn't just put it in them. No,
it was by his own faith. Jesus said, come, just
like all the rest of us. God said, come, all

(23:21):
are welcome. But this is also an illustration of a
lot of people when things are quote unquote going good
in our lives. Oh yeah, man, we're one thousand on

(23:42):
God and we're one thousand on Jesus. We're one thousand
bar our perception of good. But as soon as some
type of storm comes up, as soon as something comes in,
shakes up the status quot, so to speak, and all
of a sudden we start doubting, just like John the Baptist. Okay,

(24:06):
are you really the Messiah? Okay, God, do do you
really have me? God? Are you really there? Yeah? But
wasn't he there all the time that that things were
going good for you? So why would you think he's

(24:29):
not there? Now? God doesn't leave us? People leave God?
So okay, did just like Jesus add why did you
doubt me? Oh? Okay? Did do you? Because things are
now not going the way you want them? Okay, do
you doubt God? Did you walk away from him? No?

(24:53):
Well then okay, yes he's still there. And you notice
it said when they climb back into the boat, the
wind stopped just that fast, just that fast. Yes, we

(25:19):
are going to have to deal with some turbulence, okay,
some chop, some disturbances, but we cannot cannot cannot doubt God,
and we cannot doubt Jesus, and we cannot doubt the

(25:40):
Holy Spirit. And y'all, I am the first partaker of
this word I'm talking about and to me because I
have done this. I have done it. I ain't about
to sit here and lie nor sugar coat. But I'm
still here. I'm still here. So I had to learn. Yeah,

(26:06):
you know what, things might get rough, but God's trying
to teach me something. He's trying to show me something,
or in other words, he's stretching my faith because there's
something new or more that he has for me to do.
And he has to know that I can continue walking

(26:28):
on the water towards him. He has to know that
I'm not going to let the strong winds and the
waves shake me up and shake that faith up me
and have me start doubting and sinking and wallowing. And
again had goals for everybody who claimed they want to

(26:48):
go deeper and higher in the things of God, you
know what. To be completely honest, sometimes I don't think
people really truly understand what they're saying and what they're at.
I really don't because, like I said, yeah, they want
these things, but they think that everything is going to
stay the same. Nook. No, Okay, Let's look at a job.

(27:17):
You work one position, but you want that higher position Okay,
you work on the first floor, but the office where
that higher position is it is on the third floor. Yeah,
you want the position, you want the pay, you want
the title, and you know whatever perks might come with it.

(27:37):
But you don't want to have to pack your stuff
up and move up to the third floor because it's
new to you, because it's unfamiliar, because you've already been
comfortable with where you were seated at on the first floor. Wow,
it don't work like that. You want to go higher,

(28:04):
you want to go deeper, but then you have to
be ready to move. You have to be ready to stretched, stretch,
excuse me, mm hmm, because what you're about to deal
with on the third floor, all right, it ain't the

(28:26):
same like the stuff you were dealing with on the
first floor. So you have to be put in a
place spiritually, mentally, so a lot of times physically to
be able to handle it. You really are the son

(28:46):
of God that disciples worshipedon. I remember now by this point,
Da had been walking with Jesus for a while. He okay,
had already seen some of the miracles he reformed the
excuse me performed. They had already begun walking and performing

(29:12):
certain tasks in miracles. But yet when it came down
to it, when it came down to Granddaddy Pete. Okay,
with all that blustering bravado. Hey, if it's really you,
let me come walk with you, like okay, come on,
ain't getting y'all. Okay, this is Jesus we're talking about.
And you think he didn't know that that was gonna happen.

(29:33):
Of course he knew. It was a teaching moment for
verse number thirty one. And that didn't just go for Peter,
that went for all of them. Why why do you
have such little faith? Why did you doubt me when

(29:55):
things started getting choppy? Y'all? The last dog on thing.
We need to do, Like I said, start doubting God
and start doubting Jesus. You not want to put ourselves
in that place. Okay. So that was this moment. So
they worse than you really are the sum God? All right,

(30:15):
So at faith level moving up a little bit at
least for at this moment. All right? All right, Now
hop over to the Book of Luke, chapter twenty two,
starting verse number thirty one. Luke chapter twenty two, starting

(30:37):
reverse number thirty one, and we are going to put
a quick polls on it, all right, one Mollion Luke,

(31:01):
Chapter twenty two, starting verse number thirty one, and the
heading of this section is Jesus predicts Peter's denial, all right,
and it reads Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift
each of you like we Okay. So this is just

(31:26):
verse number thirty one by itself, it's just another perfect
example to show that, yes, Satan may be the prince
of this world, the ruler of this world. For now.
He has control okay, of the airways and the outer

(31:49):
space waves to around the earth, the earth, things in
the ocean. But even with all that, when it comes
to touching the people of God, he cannot cannot just
go in and do it of his own volition. He

(32:12):
has to get permission from God the Father. And like
I said, there's other scriptures that show this where it
says he entered into Heaven wait before God. So miss
me with that mess that first of all, that Satan
and the other fallen angels, unclean spirits, devils whatever word

(32:35):
you want to use for them, okay, that they're in hell.
No they are not, No, they aren't. They are not
in hell because Hell is not a place that you
come back from. So no, they're not in Hell. And
I describe or tell people the reason why Satan is

(32:58):
able to do this still going to the third Heaven
and before God is because people seem to forget before
he was Satan, he was Lucifer, the highest ranking angel,
and as an angel, he still has some angelic privileges. No,
he can't stay there all the time like he used

(33:19):
to be able to, but clearly he can still get there.
So he has to sift each of them like we
because Satan ain't stupid. He knows exactly what these guys
were symbol for, and he knows exactly where they're going
to start on this planet. And he doesn't want to
have it. He ain't trying to have it. So yeah,

(33:44):
he's asked off. He can go ahead and take these
boys out. And look at verse number thirty two. But
I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your
faith should not fail. So when you have repat, hinted
and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers. Okay, very

(34:10):
interesting scripture here, verse number thirty two. But I have
pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should
not fail. Okay, yeah, Jesus ain't forgotten the whole boating,
walking on water incident. So again he knows who he's

(34:31):
dealing with here. Even more importantly, say that he pleaded
in prayer for him, that this faith should not fail.
Who do you plead in prayer to? Well? Who this is? Jesus?
Who else would he be pleading in prayer to red
is the God? And Father telling him? No, yeah, you know,

(34:54):
my man Simon some repeated me off the chain, but
he's still one of my chosen disciples to become apostle.
So no, Father, I that don't grant Satan this request. Yeah,
I have worked for something to do, like the other ones,
they all have tasks to do. You remember at this point,

(35:18):
Judas of the Scariot was still rolling with him, even
he had a part to play. Now, again, hindsight being
twenty twenty, would have been easy for to say, oh
what Jesus knew what Judas was gonna do. He should
have went in and let's say said no, no, no,
this is God we're talking about here. This is the

(35:39):
Son of God we're talking about here. They operate in
the most perfect example of what we know is order. No,
Judas had a part to play, because even if he
had allowed Satan to sift Judas, then it would have
had to have been somebody else to fill that role.
But that role had to be played out. So no,

(36:04):
so he pleaded in prayer to the Father, Kneil, don't
let him do it, and that Simon Peter's faith should
not fail. Okay, we don't need another, like I said,
another sinking in the water incident. But the end part
of that, so when you have repented and turned to
me again, strengthening your brothers. Remember, y'all, Jesus talked for

(36:33):
the moment where was happening then, But he also talked
prophetically what was going to happen in the future. When
he's saying when he repented and turned to him again
and strengthening his brothers, he is talking prophetically right here,
and then he's about to come right back in the

(36:57):
next couple of verses and explain that. Verse number thirty three,
Peter said, Lord, I am ready to go to prison
with you and even to die with you. The war
got dog one, Granddaddy Pete, like I said, always jumping
out there with the with the brado. The Brado they

(37:18):
call it. Now this the same guy who said, Lord,
if it's really you, let me come walk on the
water with you. And then well, one good gust the
wind and one good wave and oh no, I'm about
to say it, I'm going down. So now here we go.
Some time later, he's the same. He's ready to go

(37:38):
to prison with him, and even to die with him.
I love how Jesus came back in verse number thirty four.
But Jesus said, Peter, let me tell you something, all right,
check this out, broh, because you always the one before
the rooster crows to marloro. You will deny three times

(38:04):
that you even know me. Mm hmm. That in less
than twenty four hours from now. Yeah, you sitting there
talking about you ready to die with me and go
to prison for me, and all these things we're in alrighty, Yeah, sorry, devil,

(39:06):
you ain't sipped me out neither. You ain't sipping out
this this teaching. Yeah. So that's why, again Jesus speaking
prophetically in verse number thirty thirty two, we can go
back after what Jesus said in verse number thirty four.
So when you have repented and turned to me again,
strengthen your brothers. Okay, because again he knows, okay, when

(39:31):
he selected his the disciples, Okay, he knew what type
of personality these guys they like, said, Jesus knew everything
that was going to go down, and he knows that
this personality, this temperament of Peter. Yeah, right now, it's
a lot of bluster, but it's going to be cultivated.

(39:54):
That faith is going to be stretched and perfected to
actually be the fullest extent of use for the Kingdom
of God. All right, So yeah, strengthen your brothers once
you repent it for denying me, and y'all keep it moving,

(40:16):
all right, all right, on to the next So now
let's go to Looke twenty two fifty four through fifty seven,
and not going to pause for this because we're writing
the same book, and the heading of this section is

(40:37):
Peter denies Jesus, Rest number fifty four handed reads. So
they arrested him and led him to the high priest home,
and Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a
fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,

(40:58):
and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him
in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally, she
said this man was one of Jesus' followers, but Peter
denied it. Woman. He said, I don't even know him. Okay,

(41:21):
so real quickly. This is after they've had the final Supper.
This is after they've gone out to the garden to pray.
This is after Jesus had to rebuke all the disciples
for not staying awake and praying with him. This is
after the prince and the temple guards came to arrest him,

(41:44):
and again Peter acting off the chain. This is after
he used his sword to chop off the ears of
one of the prison guards and Jesus rebuked him. He
didn't get on the temple guards who came to get him.
He rebuked Peter for chopping off the ear, Okay, told him, look,

(42:04):
I told you all way back when that this very
moment was coming, that it has to be, and I
didn't give you permission to assault this man. What are
you doing? So Jesus healed the man's ear. So after
they took Jesus off okay, and arrested him, took him
to the High priest home, said Peter followed as a distance.

(42:26):
Now did any of the other disciples follow even from
a distance. We don't know, we're not told. But as
we can see with verse number fifty seven, we know
why Peter specifically was there. All right, let's go on,

(42:48):
so we already have the one fifty seven. Peter denied it.
Number one woman, He said, I don't even know him.
First number fifty eight. After a while, someone else looked
at him and said, you must be one of them. No, man,

(43:10):
I'm not. Peter retorted, all right, there's number two. About
an hour later, someone else insisted this must be one
of them because he is a Galilean too. But Peter said, man,

(43:31):
I don't know what you are talking about, and immediately
why he was still speaking the rooster crowd that was
number three. Wow, wow wow. At that moment, the Lord

(43:55):
turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord's words flashed
through Peter's mind. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you
will deny me three times. Your excuse me, you will
deny it three times that you do even know me.

(44:18):
And Peter left the courtyard weeping bitterly. Y'all, I have
in my mind, like I'm sure you know what we
all do from time to time when we read these
different scenarios in the Bible. A lot of times they
helped me. If I try to put myself there mentally, okay,

(44:41):
try to picture the scene, and whenever I come across
this set of scriptures right here, this denial, y'all, it
does some Okay, it sends a dog on chill down
my spine. I ain't gonna even lie, just imagining being

(45:02):
Peter standing there and when that when that rooster crowed,
and just looking up through the window, through the open door, okay,
whatever part of that house Jesus in, and having him
look at me in the eye, and then remembering what

(45:26):
he had just said that day before. Man, like I said, y'all,
it man it, okay, this is me somebody who didn't
even go through this experience. And like I said, it's

(45:48):
sending a dog on chill down my spine every single
time I read it. So I cannot even begin to imagine,
cannot even begin to imagine. Besides remembering, okay, like I said,

(46:10):
the Lord's words flashed through Peter's minds. Okay, besides remember
what Jesus said, Okay, just those feelings, and it was
definitely feelings because sixty two said he left the courtyard,
weeping bitterly, weeping bitterly? Okay? Was he weeping out of

(46:39):
remorse or regret? Was he weeping out of shame? What
was he weeping out of? You know, his own character
that he had, you know, the displayed some level of

(47:01):
I don't think, I don't know if I want to
use the word cowardice. But okay, again, for all that
bluster and bravado, when the rubber met the road, okay,
he immediately nutted up and denied Jesus. And more than
likely it was a combination of all of it. It

(47:23):
was a combination of all of it. Just didn't say
he was just crying. Okay, it's a he was weeping, weeping,
his hardcore crying, and not just weeping, he was weeping bitterly.
So yeah, again, it was more than likely a combination

(47:44):
of all the above, all the above. So again, in
just these scriptures that we went over tonight, we saw
this fluctuation when it came to Simon Peter times of bravado,

(48:14):
some level of faith, and then something happens and then
knock right back down, back up, back down. And again
it's interesting that that these these people, they they even
they recognized them. I mean, it makes sense. Okay, we're

(48:36):
we're talking about what three roughly three year span that
that they were going around the area with Jesus. And
on top of that, Peter was one of the few
who when it wasn't all of these disciples, if it

(48:58):
was just you know, three of them, Him, James and Johnny.
So he was even in that inner circle. So there
was times he went with Jesus, okay, making them even honestly,
even more recognizable. It was just Jesus and the three.
So these people recognize them, They knew exactly who he was.

(49:23):
And even though we don't have all the accounts of Peter, yeah,
they ain't no telling how many other times he was
popping off at the mouth and doing something he probably
ain had no business doing during the time that they
were going around during Jesus ministry. So yeah, yep. So
that faith level, that faith, that faith stretching him getting

(49:47):
them somewhere, and he does get somewhere, that we go
back here again, Luke twenty two thirty two. But I
repleaded in prayer for you, Simon that your faith should
not fail. So when you have repented and turned to

(50:07):
me again, strengthen your brothers. Jesus speaking prophetically. Okay, So
we're gonna stop it right there for tonight, Lord Willing,
we're gonna pick that be back here next week, all right,
to pick up with part two of this we we're

(50:29):
gonna see further account of Peter different situation after Jesus
had been crucified, spent three days ministering to the dead
and then coming back to life. All right, So yes, y'all, yes, yes, yes,

(50:57):
this walk with God, this faith walk. Tell people all
the time it is not easy, Okay, oftentimes it is
not fun, but it is necessary, just like how other people, okay,
had to have a level of faith that had to

(51:19):
have their faith stressed to pray for us, to witness
to us, to minister to us, to get us to
a place to where we had the faith to even
accept that there is a God and to accept Jesus
the Christ as our Lord and savior. Okay, Now that onus,

(51:41):
and that responsibility is put on us to go out
and do the exact same thing with other people who
haven't accepted God that he exists, and who haven't accepted
Jesus as their Lord and savior, and even and while
we're doing that, Okay, we have to be tailor depending

(52:04):
on where we're going, depending on the type of personal
or the type of people we're talking to, because oh yes,
please believe, it does take a stretching of that faith
level from where we just started to where we have
that function and that confidence to go into certain places

(52:25):
to talk to and witness the other people. So it's necessary.
Matter of fact, I'd go so far as to say
that while we're still here on this side of existence,
we are going to constantly and it is going to
constantly be a stretching of our faith. But one of

(52:46):
the few things out of many that gives me confidence, okay,
is knowing Jesus is right there. He's saying, yes, come God,
the Father is right there. Like son, Okay, I got you.
And I'm far enough right now at this current level

(53:08):
to have witnessed, to have witnessed what my faith has
done for me and where it has brought me. So Yep,
like I said, there are times where just like Granddad
Peter right here, might get in their flesh and that

(53:32):
never fully doubting God, thank God. Okay, it's more so, Okay,
Lord man, I've been dealing with this for a while.
All right, I'm having to go through this. What's what's
just got to do me? Why I got to do this?
Why got to do that? But then okay, immediately I
know better, like, oh what you know what? God, your God,

(53:56):
you brought me this far. I ain't got no reason
to doubt you now. And I tell people, do not
or excuse me not people, more specifically, believers, do not.
Do not jump onto other believers if you know that
they're having a moment like that. And again the example

(54:18):
I used, did Jesus not ask the Father not once
speaking of roosters crowing three times? Because remember so many
things in the Bible happened in threes. But did he
not petition the Father not once, not twice, but three
times to let that cup pass from him? In other words,

(54:44):
to not have to go through that humiliation, that pain,
that scourgeon, that beating, the completely illegal trial illegal okay,
which we see the beginning of right here, ending with this,
because it said he was taken to the high priests

(55:05):
all going trials. First of all, they weren't held at night,
and they weren't held in high priests homes. That's what
the temple was for so completely illegal it messed okay,
all of that, he asked the Father petitioned them three

(55:25):
times to let this cup pass, but everye time, every time,
every time, every time he immediately came back around and said,
but nevertheless, Father, not my will, but your will be done.
And that again is one of the foundations for me,

(55:50):
and I'm sure for many of you, of understanding and
accepting that this stretching of our faith has to happen,
because ultimately, I know my life is not my own.
It's not. It was bought and paid for with a price.

(56:12):
A lot of people don't want to hear that. They
don't want to accept that. They don't like the fact
that their life is not there, that they ultimately have
say over what happened in their life and their destiny. Well,
actually kind of ironic, because yeah, you do. Each of

(56:35):
us individually decides where we're going to spend eternity, which
again is something a lot of people don't like, they
don't want to have to. Okay, why can it be
why does it only have to be heaven eternal life,
or why does it have to be the lake of fire,

(56:55):
eternal death and eternal damnation? Okay, why does it have
to be one of those, Well, ask God that question.
I ain't got I didn't create these dimensions, and I
cannot judge you nor put you in these dimensions. I can't.

(57:22):
But speaking of faith, I have enough faith. No, I'm
not gambling or risking my eternity. So even when the
wind kicks up a little bit and the waves get
a little rough, well you know what, Oh well, God
you're there. You're gonna guide me. You're gonna pull me

(57:44):
through it, whether I like it or not, whether I
want to do it or not. Because, like I said,
this faith walk walking stop. No, especially with the way
society and culture is turning in the West now when
it comes to us believers in God and us believers
in Jesus. Oh man, oh man, You talking about a

(58:09):
stretching of faith, which is one of the reasons why
God laid it on me to do this particular teaching now,
because this is where we're at, and the storm's only
going to get rougher and rougher from here. Is it
going to be constant twenty four seven, three sixty five,

(58:32):
Not yet, thank God, But it's going to keep building,
and it's going to keep building, and it's going to
keep building. The word tells us that it does, because
don't forget, we still have, okay, a whole seven years
period of tribulation. We still have an anti Christ and

(58:56):
a beast one world ruler setting up shop to enact
and play his part in the grand scheme of things.
We still got a battle of arm A getting the old. Yeah,
there's still plenty more to come anymore. So we have
to make sure that we're willing. God already knows we're able,

(59:21):
He knows who's able, and he knows when they're able.
He will never put more on us than he can
bear on. Okay, that's scription, Okay, So we have to
be willing to go through that stretching period. Not fun,
not easy, not pleasant, but it's necessary, all right, all right.

(59:45):
So again that's why I said, that is where we
will stop right here, And if you all would do
a brother of favor, make sure right up under that
video you hit that like button. Also make sure to
subscribe to the channel, drop a comment, and definitely do
share this with any and everybody who you think might

(01:00:06):
want to or need to hear the information. And I
definitely do appreciate it. Also in description, you will find
the links to the audio versions. And because this will
actually be my first video going up on YouTube, want
to make sure I put that here. You can find

(01:00:28):
the audio versions of Breaking Tradition on Spotify, Amazon, Audible,
Iheartradioanspreaker dot Com. Just go to them search box type
in Breaking Tradition. It'll take you right there. You'll also
I'll also be putting the links in the comments to
the Rumble channel where all the older videos are, So

(01:00:50):
if you would go there, do the exact same thing,
like follow, comment and share those and I definitely do
appreciate it. So, guys, before we get out of here tonight,
because of what day it is, it is September eleventh,
prayers and thoughts definitely going up for this country, for
all the friends and the family of people who lost

(01:01:15):
someone on that day twenty four years ago. Man, it
does not seem like it's been that long, but it
have so. Never want to forget that, never want to forget.
Definitely do not want to forget all of the people
whose lives got sacrificed, all of the brave people who

(01:01:37):
did whatever they could to help people out of those
situations when those planes hit the different locations who you know,
gave their lives doing that. Man, just again, want to
keep them in our memories at all time. And even
on top of that, all I mean, in just the

(01:01:57):
past couple of weeks ever school shootings, I'm the young
lady in North Carolina, and I mean, god, I'm right
here in South Carolina. So that's neighbor, you know, young
Ukrainian lady whose life got taken for And of course

(01:02:18):
in the past day or so, Charlie Kirk, a fellow believer, Okay,
a man who was a perfect living example of you
talk about stretching, stretching your faith, stretching out our faith.
And the fact that he's been un alive, that he's
no longer here. So definitely prayers, some thoughts going up

(01:02:42):
for his family, his friends, and his colleagues, people who
knew him. Just prayers going up all around, y'all, all
around this. And we are in a time, if not
human history, against specifically for this country and for the
where where we have got to pray like never before.

(01:03:04):
So guys, just stay aware, stay preyed up, and do
not let this change who you are as far as
being a believer. Okay, we don't want to sink down
on these people's level, all right. Don't want to call
for you know, retaliations and go out there and you know,

(01:03:27):
start committing any type of primes yourself. I don't want
to hear about anything bad happening to you all that
could have been avoided. So guys, hey, stay preyed up.
They still love people. That's a commandment from our father
and from our savior. Okay, even if you have to
do it from afar. Still exercise a measure of love, y'all.

(01:03:51):
And look past all the cosmetic stuff with what that means. Okay,
Look past skin colors and ethnicities, Look past sexual orientations,
look past cultures, look past the political affiliate. Okay, that
stuff that I just name that is not what Jesus
died for. It's the spirit and the soul that is

(01:04:15):
what we are working towards being saved and redeemed back
to God. And then only then it's by teaching and
sharing this information. And that's all we can do. Is
up to people individually whether or not they want to
accept it or not. So hey, if they don't, just
like Jesus said, all right, when you leave out of
that situation, knock the dust off your feet and keep

(01:04:37):
it moving because there are still plenty of people out
there who will listen to it and who do want
to hear the good news, so we'll just stay focused
on that. So guys, hey, until then, appreciate y'all joining
this old country boy here. Listen to me Joe on
the bottom for about an hour, and God willing, we

(01:04:57):
will be back next time for part two of Wretching
your Faith. So until then, guys, I will see you.
When I see you, Peace,