David and Peter!

Hello Guys and Gals!

I wonder if any of you have ever wondered what David and Peter had in common? Both men were great leaders of faith under God! But what did they have in common? They both, after serving the Lord faithfully, fell short in something, and were admonished for it and went on to continue to serve the Lord!

Let's look at David first. In 2 Samuel 11, it tells about how David stayed home from the battlefield and chanced upon Bathsheba bathing from the roof of his house. He inquires of her and finds out that she is the wife of Uriah. He sends a messenger to Joab telling him to place Uriah in a place where fighting is very dangerous. In so doing, Uriah dies in battle. After the time of mourning, David takes Bathsheba for his wife.

Now let's look at what happened. First, David was not at the battlefield where he should have been. Second, when he saw Bathsheba bathing, instead of averting his eyes, he found her beautiful and inquired after her. Third, he sent a messenger to Joab to place Uriah in a very dangerous place essentially murdering him. Fourth, not only did he sin against God and Uriah, but also led Joab to sin against God and Uriah as well.

In 2 Samuel 12, it tells about how the prophet Nathan tells a little story to rile David's wrath against the sinner of the story. Then Nathan tells David that the sinner in the story is none other than David himself. Because of David's sin, the Lord said that the sword would never depart from his house and that the Lord would raise up evil from David's own household and even take David's wives before David's eyes and give them to his companion who would lie with them in broad daylight.

Now David immediately repents of his sin and the Lord immediately takes Davids sin away and David does not suffer the punishment of the sin by dying! But the consequences that the Lord said would happen because of David's sin are still there! Just because David repented does not mean that he does not still suffer the consequences of his sin.

Let us now look at Peter. In Galatians 4, Paul opposes Peter to his face. Why? Because Peter, when eating, would eat with the Gentiles. Yet, when certain circumcised persons would attend, Peter would hold himself aloof fearing what the circumcised persons would say about him. In doing this, other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy. It says that even Barnabas was carried away by the hypocrisy. So Paul, in front of everyone said, 'If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?'

Now we know that Peter went on to become the 'rock' upon which Jesus would build His church. But we also see here that he too was fallible.

Why have I place both David and Peter together? Because both men were Godly men who did great things in His name both before and after their sins! I want to say to you that sin does not prevent us from doing great things in God's name. Now we may have to suffer the consequences of the sin, or may have to deal with the scars that sin leaves upon our lives. But that should not keep us from doing His will!

So what that you have sinned. So what that you have a stain on you from that sin. 'Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.' Hebrews 4:16. This has to be one of my favorite verses in the whole bible! It tells us that it does not matter what your sin is, but come boldly to the throne of God's grace. Why? So we may receive God's mercy AND find grace within ourselves to help others in their time of need! What an amazing witness. God has turned our sin into an avenue by which we can help others who are in need!

So if you're facing a sin that you think is preventing you from doing God's will, get up and boldly go to God's throne of grace! Do it right now! Do not let sin win in your life. Let God turn your sin into a witness for Him!

God bless you all this day!