Thread by @GPrater85015

#GeraldsDevotional
Promises of Jesus – Counting the Cost

Yesterday we looked at the promise that Jesus made to us that we would be able to ask anything in His name and that our Father in heaven would do it. But that promise did not represent an open pass to pray for anything that we wanted. That kind of power in our prayers is a bi-

product of our salvation. And that salvation comes with a definite cost. In today’s devotional we will take a look at that cost.

The first section of today’s scripture verses shows Jesus using Peter as an illustration of how we use that awesome power that He gives to us.

Peter boldly proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of the living God. This is significant because it had just been shown that in spite of all that Jesus had taught and done to prove who He was, most of the people around Him still didn’t understand. But when Peter made

this bold proclamation, Jesus said that Peter was truly blessed because he had heard that from the Father. Peter had listened with his spiritual ears and THAT was the awesome power upon which Jesus was going to build His church.

Then immediately after this high point for Peter

came a stern reminder in the next section. Here Peter relied on his instincts and his own understanding to say boldly to Jesus to perish the thought that He was about to die in Jerusalem. Ironically Peter is admonishing and correcting Jesus by telling Him what He needs to do

while at the same time calling Him LORD.

Finally, Jesus gives Peter a gentle yet stern reminder of Who is in control. He reminds Peter (and all of us) that we are to pray in power and authority by following Him and NOT trying to lead Him. Jesus then shows what it means to be His

follower and how it comes with a definite cost. We must be willing to give up our own ways and give up our own desires. These things all lead to spiritual death. In essence we must give up our lives (just as He did), pick up our cross (just as He did) and follow Him every day.

This is a significant cost and we must each evaluate it and be mindful of it every day. When we do this, it will begin to dramatically affect what we say and do. It will affect how we pray. We will begin more and more to do all of these things in Jesus’ Name and our lives will be

a reflection of Him. When He comes back to judge us for our deeds, He will actually be judging us for what HE did through us as we listened to Him. If He judged us based on our own desires and opinions, the result of that judgment would not be good for us in eternity. This is the

cost that we must each count if we desire the kingdom.

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say

Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has

revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death
21 From then on Jesus began to tell his

disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human

point of view, not from God’s.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you

will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the

truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” - Matthew 16:13-28
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