“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” – Matthew 3:7-8

Before the start of Jesus’s earthly ministry, John the Baptist prepared people for His coming by calling them to clean up their spiritual lives and repent of their sins. His fiery preaching even drew the hypocritical and self-serving religious leaders and teachers. However, he didn’t celebrate his growing influence and social media platform. Rather, John challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees for bothering to show up. Why had they come?

Though our covenant with God is very different from theirs (ours is based on God’s grace toward us through faith in Jesus Christ while theirs was based on obeying Old Testament Law), John’s message to these who were seemingly religious but thoroughly rotten remains relevant to us. “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

In other words, if you say you’re sorry for things you’ve done and say you want God’s forgiveness, then live the rest of your life like you truly hate those sins. Many people today quickly say they’re sorry for any number of things, but they aren’t really. After “apologizing”, their lives aren’t changed, their behaviors aren’t different, and there’s nothing about them that indicates they were sorry. They aren’t bearing any fruit consistent with real repentance.

Followers of Jesus must repent when we sin. Repentance goes far deeper than glibly saying, “I’m sorry” – there must be life change. Repentance looks like a desire to work with the Holy Spirit to kill that sin in your heart, to battle that temptation whenever it arises. If we immediately repeat the sin we said we were sorry for, that isn’t repentance and there’s no reason to believe God has forgiven it. We too must bear fruit in keeping with repentance, even once we’re saved by God’s grace, so we can live a life truly pleasing to our Lord.

Reflect on the last few times you told God or others you were sorry. Were you? Do your life change because of that sorry or are you lacking the fruit of repentance?

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
– Psalm 4:8

David was a man who knew his share of unsafe times. He was often on the run, fleeing from enemies determined to kill him. He sometimes didn’t know where he would sleep from one day to the next. But he chose to trust in the Lord and because he did, he could lie down and sleep in peace. This wasn’t because the world was safe but because He trusted that God knew and desired what was ultimately best.

David’s trust wasn’t a blind trust that nothing bad would ever happen to him. Lots of bad things happened to him! It was a considered trust that God knew what was eternally best, that God was always present and faithful, He never fell asleep on watch, and that God would ensure the best outcome from His perspective. David knew God’s will for his life and could trust it would continue to unfold.

With trust like that, David could let go of his fears and stresses. He could quiet his mind from endlessly planning his next move to stay ahead of his enemies and from second-guessing his last move. David could simply rest in God’s spiritual, emotional, and physical protection.

Are you resting like that? Are you quieting your mind and sleeping in the peace and confidence that even when you don’t understand His plan, God is trustworthy and has a good plan for you which He will protect at all times? If you aren’t, consider this matter carefully and choose to trust in God. Turn your anxieties and concerns, your racing mind, fears, and worries over to God. Dwell in His comfort, peace, and safety.

“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.”
– Psalm 1:1-2

Do you want to be blessed? If so, the first psalm tells you three things to avoid and two things to do…

DON’T follow the advice of sinful people (even if they say they’re saints). It doesn’t matter if the advice comes in person, on TV, on the radio, on the web, or on social media. If that advice goes against God’s Word, will, and plan, don’t do it. That means you must be actively and critically thinking about any advice or direction you receive, not just “going with the flow”.

DON’T comfortably practice sin. Everyone will sin, but if you want to be blessed, you must be fighting every temptation to sin, praying for God’s help in the battle, and fleeing temptation rather than celebrating your latest rebellion against the God of the universe.

DON’T sit around being a critic. Don’t habitually use negativity to appear smarter, funnier, or cooler. Do positive things to make a difference rather than merely criticizing those who are trying or mocking the ways and will of God.

DO learn to enjoy reading the Bible. That must start with reading a portion of the Bible for yourself each day (or listening to it read), developing that skill to become a better reader (or listener) to God’s Word, and learning to enjoy the awesome beauty of what God has revealed to His people.

DO make a habit of actually thinking about what you’ve read. Don’t let Scripture enter your mind and exit just as fast. Grab ahold of key verses. Re-read them several times. Identify the key words and think about what they mean. Think hard about what the verses mean. Why are they there? What is God’s purpose in sharing them with you? Reflect on ways to apply them in your life and be blessed.

“Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, ‘Follow me.'” – John 21:19

What a difference a few days can make! The night Jesus was arrested, Peter was too scared for his own skin to even admit knowing Jesus. Now, as the risen Jesus stands in front of Him and lovingly restores him to faithful ministry, Jesus invites Peter to die. Jesus tells him that he’ll spend time under arrest and ultimately be executed for preaching and teaching the good news of Jesus Christ.

This time, Peter doesn’t turn away. Once again, just as He did in the beginning, Jesus invites Peter to “follow”. Where Peter failed before, this time he’s ready and will follow Jesus for decades before giving his life for Christ. Peter is now ready to yield his whole life, every day he’s given, to preaching and teaching Christ. He’s ready to follow Jesus, wherever He leads and whatever the outcome.

What about you? Few are required to follow Jesus to death, but every Christian is called to follow Jesus. You’re called to follow Him into sacrifice, uncertainty, joy, blessing, challenge, disappointment, satisfaction, purpose, significance, and possibly persecution or even death. Are you ready to follow?

Jesus is present with you. He invites you each day to get out of bed and follow Him. Will you follow Him today?

“That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.” – John 21:7

Peter had utterly failed Jesus. When the pressure was on and push came to shove, Peter crumbled and pretended he didn’t know Jesus. After proud and defiant boasts about his bravery and willingness to die for Jesus, Peter had been a coward and left Jesus to die alone. Peter’s shame and guilt could have paralyzed him and left him stuck spiritually for the rest of his life. It could caused him to run away from Jesus or try to hide from Him. Thankfully, it didn’t and Peter became a powerful preacher of Christ’s love and grace!

When the disciples saw the resurrected Jesus that morning in Galilee, Peter was so eager and anxious to get to Jesus that he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. While the others calmly brought their boat back to shore, Peter just wanted to be with Jesus and Jesus welcomed Him. He couldn’t wait to be in His presence and Jesus love Him for that.

This is an important example for each of us. There may well come a day when you feel like you’ve failed Jesus. There may be a time when you’re overwhelmed by shame and guilt. You may fear that Jesus won’t ever want anything to do with you again because of some sin, weakness, or failure. You may think you’re beyond Christ’s love and forgiveness. Don’t believe it!

Rush to Jesus! Don’t worry about how embarrassing your return might be or how wet you might get by jumping out of the boat. Don’t worry about making a fool of yourself. Just rush to Jesus! Confess your sins, mistakes, and failures to Him and He’ll forgive you every time. He’ll embrace you with love and compassion. He already died for you – He won’t reject you when you return to Him. He’ll put your relationship with Him right and even make it better than it was before.

Don’t let sin and shame hold you back from rushing to Jesus. Leave all that behind and know that your Savior will always welcome, forgive, and restore you.