Influencers Weekly Devotional

        Wow!  I hope this sequence of the restoration of Peter hits you like it does me, for there is not one human being out there who hasn't made a mistake, or even denied knowing Christ in some way by the way we act, and we need the assurance that we can be restored by Him.  Peter is not alone in his act of denial of Christ, and we can all be included in the issue of denying Christ.  We can't throw stones at Peter without hitting our self.  All of us have and will make mistakes, and if anyone doesn't look at his own faults before retaining the right to judge another man for his mistakes, then he is without understanding of himself, and he has no idea of God's point of view.  What is God's point of view about restoration of someone who has stumbled and fallen, especially if that man or woman is in our life and we are having a hard time forgiving that person? Concerning Peter, although Jesus had every right to do so, Jesus dismissed His right to judge and condemn Peter, and instead carefully and delicately restored him.  Jesus "graced" Peter so completely that Peter was made worthy by Jesus to lead the Church that would be formed around those disciples.  Satan had sifted Peter and had broken him, but he was not to remain in this broken state.  Jesus lovingly restored him and put him back together, which is what He does for all of us.  That is the picture of the benefit of brokenness and the essential putting us back together that grace provides.  It is also an example that Christ has given to us to replicate, and the perspective that we need to embrace if we want to have the mind of Christ. hope, by putting our own spin on the conditions of forgiveness.  Understand, there is no one that Christ will withhold His grace and forgiveness from if it is sought, for that is how thorough His grace is to us.  But, He will allow us to go to a dark place in our soul if we judge and condemn someone to a life sentience of being un-forgiven just because we think he deserves it.  In fact I think that this might be one of those sins against Christ that will require a large dose of bitter discipline to work it out of us.  So do yourself a favor and stay away from that kind of thinking about another person, for it will lead to a very dark place in your soul.  Also remember:  By the same standard that we judge we will be judged.  Giving someone grace when it is not deserved is a return blessing, for it is very much the way Jesus restores someone. When Jesus was born He brought to the world hope.  When He taught, He brought hope.  When He submitted His life to the cross, He secured hope for us.  When He resurrected from death, He proved that we have hope for a life after death. His Spirit lives within us to remind us of the hope we have been given and lives within us.  Now, as we celebrate His birthday allow yourself to take the hope that He has secured for you, and then also give it someone else by forgiving and restoring someone by your grace, as Jesus has done for you.  Give that person the hope that Jesus has given to you.  Then you will understand better how the Spirit of Christmas has worked its way into your heart.