Happy Monday! I hope that you had a good weekend. I must say, I am so thankful for Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of my life and soul. In Him, I find peace, comfort, joy, truth and everyday I am in awe of all the things that He does and gets me through. Today, we will continue our reading in Matthew chapter 16.

BIBLE VERSE  – Matthew16:21-23 NLT
“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.””

Key points in these verses (there are more):

• Jesus knew the mission and the cost.

• Jesus would be killed. 

• On the third day, Jesus would be raised from the dead.

• Peter reprimanded Jesus. 

• Jesus immediately recognized Satan’s attempt to use Peter to deny Jesus’ mission. 

Take aways (there are more):

• Jesus stayed the course. 

• Jesus knew His purpose, plan and how His life would change our lives (believers) for all eternity. 

• Peter probably because of fear, but definitely for His love of Jesus the Messiah, he couldn’t wrap his mind around what Jesus was saying. 

• We need to ask the Holy Spirit for discernment and wisdom to recognize when Satan tries to lie about our future and rebuke him when he tries to over take our emotions because of fear, anxiety or other things the Lord has already forgiven.

Questions:

• Do you find yourself having a hard time wrapping your mind around the promises God has spoken over your life?

• Does fear have you trapped?

• Is Satan trying to lie to you about your future? 

REFLECTION
Brothers and sisters, it’s time to declare the promises of God over your life and your family. In Jesus name, tell Satan to get away from you. Trust  God’s plan for your life and not the lies of the enemy. 

• Jeremiah 1:5a says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;

• Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

• John 10:8-10 says, “8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

• 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

• Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Stay focused on God’s plan for your life. Don’t give up and don’t be distracted by the people Satan uses to distract you from God’s plan for you. Keep praying. Keep trusting God’s plan. Keep walking in faith.

PRAYER
Father God, we thank you for your Son, Jesus. Thank you for forgiveness of sins, your mercy and grace, but most of all for your love for us. Lord, strengthen us as we seek you. Strengthen us as You increase our faith in you. Lord, comfort us when we are overwhelmed and pour out your endless peace into our hearts. Lord, carry us on difficult days, but open our eyes to see your greater plan. Heal our brokenness and restore our hope. Lord, we trust you, we trust your promises and know Jesus is our only hope. Lord, help us to feel your presence today. Help us and remind us to be a light in this world. Keep changing us. We want to see things as you do. In Jesus name, amen.

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