How are you this fine morning? It’s always a joy to start the morning in God’s Word and be able to see Him in every page that I read. I stand amazed how He reveals Himself and shows me just how marvelous and wonderful He really is! Praise Him! \o/ This morning, I came to the Rock that is higher than I am and begged Him to speak to my heart. (Psa 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.) It is Christ who reveals Himself to us through His Word. His Holy Spirit worked in men’s hearts to pen the Scriptures and not one letter or punctuation is wrong. We can rest in the knowledge that we are being taught by our Heavenly Father, our Abba! I heard a message the other day where the Preacher gave a wonderful depiction of the Trinity. The concept of three in one God is a difficult one. I’ve heard a few analogies but this was the best one yet. As white light goes through a prism, it is refracted into three primary colors: red, yellow and blue. As God is one God (the white light) He, in a sense, refracts Himself and reveals Himself as three personalities. One of those “refractions / personalities” is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus had to take on human form in order to accomplish the wonderful gift of salvation. (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9) Divinity wrapped Himself in humanity in order for us to be saved!
I grew up in a religion where we were taught that the Peter was the rock and this was what the Catholic Church was built upon. However, when you look at Matthew 16:16-18, Jesus responded in this manner because of the statement that Peter made: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). That statement, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is what the Church is built upon, not Peter himself. In fact, the word Peter in Greek is defined as a piece of a rock (petros, which is masculine). The Church is built upon Jesus, the Rock. That Greek word in Matthew 16:18 is petra, which is feminine. This rock is a mass of rock, not a piece of a rock. The word petra is feminine – the Church which is the Bride of Christ, is feminine.
petra
pet’-ra
Feminine of the same as G4074; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively): – rock.
This is no coincidence, friend. Peter is not the rock. We must build our faith on the Rock. Jesus used an analogy that describes it well in Matthew 7:24-25. If our faith is built on the foundation of Jesus, the Rock, it will stand firm.
The Holy Spirit of God revealed this to me in the Scriptures (1Cor 10:4) the first week I was born again. He knew that this would be a stumbling block for me because I was raised Catholic. I remember calling my “spiritual mother,” Vicky, and telling her what the Lord had shown me. She always rejoiced at my “revelations” because she knew them as well. She was saved six months before me and God used her to show me the way to Him. 😀 The best thing she taught me was not to trust man’s words (or religion for that matter) but to turn to God’s Word and let Him show me and teach me. “Read the Bible for yourself and God will show you the truth of His Word.”
Friend, do you know Him personally or do you only know of Him? I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
Vicky
Ma Belle Kat, how I rejoice that the Lord saved us and we have seen His goodness and faithfulness in our lives these past 40+ years. I will always be forever grateful that He allowed us to walk this pilgrim’s path together. Praise His Holy Name! Know that you are loved and cherished my dear sister!
Kate Plourde
Amen and amen! God is so good to us! I praise Him and thank Him daily that He used you as I probably would not have listened to anyone else at that time. He knew the deepest need of my heart!