Paul Email -24June2013- Matthew 16

How you doin? I wasn't going to send an email today. I thought that I received a word to take a break from emailing, but then it felt as though I may be hearing a lie. I hope and pray that these emails are not cumbersome or in anyway bothersome to anyone. I've received some good feed back that people enjoy them. I'll be praying for discernment on this matter. I'm not perfect. I am human. I can get tripped up on lies just easy as anyone else. Please pray for me. We did read Matthew 16 today. WOW! It's so loaded.

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (Matthew 16:17-20) AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! These verses follow Peter acknowledging that Jesus was the Messiah. Such authority and understanding was given to Peter. I feel Holy jealousy when I read this, right up to the next part.

 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:22-23) Jesus just said, "and on this rock I'll build my church", and now Jesus says this to Peter. Stacey pointed out how Jesus established Peter as a rock or foundation for His church and Satan tried to twisted him into a stumbling block. "Get behind me, Satan!". COME ON!!!!!!!! God always wins.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:24-28) COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love these verses. Such power. A set of instructions that sound crazy, but are so awesome! Spiritual paradox is incredible. I believe God hinds secrets of heaven FOR us, not FROM us. This is what I was talking about on Father's Day. I'm not afraid of losing my life that's of this world. I welcome gaining my soul. I welcome gaining my life in Jesus. Our enemy never relents with accusations and lies. The scouting report on Satan in the bible is very thorough. He tries to steal our identity in Christ and worship from God. Sometimes, Stacey and I hear the lies and are affected by them. All of the time, God's truths crush lies. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As the Holy Ghost told me during zoso and in dreams, "it's safe". COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise Jesus!