Its amazing that the foundations of the church was built on Peter. Peter rebuked Jesus when Jesus had told the disciples about his death. Peter also denied knowing Jesus three times, yet he was the one that Jesus built his house upon. Why? Because Peter believed something by faith. He believed in something that man did not tell him, not even Jesus. Jesus had asked his disciples " Who do you say that I am"? Peter responded saying that you are the Son of the Living God. Jesus responded by saying "Blessed are you for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven". This is why the foundations of the church was built, it was built upon Peters faith. The Word of God says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Peter pleased God by his faith, thus resulting in the church of God being built on the faith of Peter.
After Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead, he had appeared to many people. Some believed in him and some did not. Thomas also known as doubting Thomas and one of the disciples, chose to live by sight and not faith. In the Word it talks about how we live and walk by faith and not by sight. After many had told Thomas that Jesus is risen, Thomas chose to say, " Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe".
Thomas by saying this chose to live by sight and not by faith. We already know that without faith it is impossible to please God. So this choice by Thomas did not Please God. After 8 days had went by after Jesus death, Jesus appeared to Thomas saying," Reach your finger here, and look at my hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing". Then Thomas answered emphatically, " My Lord and my God!" then Jesus responded,(probably shaking his head at Thomas) and said, " Thomas, because you have seen me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed". Jesus was basically saying that those who have faith are blessed as opposed to those that must see everything to believe. Faith comes by hearing, not by sight.
How many of us are in and out of our Faith in Jesus? How many of us need to see it before we believe it? How many of us read the word of God (see) and don't hear (Faith) the Word of God? Our aim is to please God! Faith allows us to hear the Voice of God. Faith allows us to hear by Faith the will of God in our lives. Not one of us living today has lived during the times of Jesus. Not one of us living today visibly seen with our own eyes and witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus. But we heard about it! We read about it! The Good News continues to be spread! Its up to you to wait and see it to believe it. Until then, we believe by Faith and that allows us to hear the Good News of Jesus and receive him as the Son of God.
I can go on and on and on........... But I think you got the message.
Hebrews 11: 6
6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him.
Romans 10:17
17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2 Corinthians 5:7
7: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Matthew 16:13-20
13: When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14: And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15: He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God.
17: And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven.
18: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19: And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20: Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus
the Christ.
Matthew 26: 33-35, 66-75
33: Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because
of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34: Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the
cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35: Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny
thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
66: What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
67: Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with
the palms of their hands,
68: Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
69: Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying,
Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
70: But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
71: And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto
them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72: And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73: And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter,
Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
74: Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And
immediately the cock crew.
75: And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
John 20:24-31
24: But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus
came.
25: The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he
said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put
my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will
not believe.
26: And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them:
then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace
be unto you.
27: Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and
reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but
believing.
28: And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29: Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30: And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which
are not written in this book:
31: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Hebrews 11:1
1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen.
Behold, Jesus Christ is coming, are you ready?
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