DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY – COMING BACK FROM FAILURE. Part 3.

Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, was reminded one day of a vicious deed that someone had done to her years before. But she acted as if she had never even heard of the incident. "Don't you remember it?" her friend asked. "No," came Barton's reply, "I distinctly remember forgetting it." - Luis Palau.

As we continue our series on ‘Coming Back From Failure’ from John 21:1-25, we studied in Part 2, the fact that failure has a tendency to make us search for the familiar, seeking solace in other areas of our lives. And how we can take the first step in overcoming failure by confessing our sins, and allowing Jesus to forgive and restore us, as He forgives and restores Peter.

General Oglethorpe once said to John Wesley, "I never forgive and I never forget." To which Wesley replied, "Then, Sir, I hope you never sin." - Unknown.

Today we look at how...

FAILURE MUST BE FACED FOR FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION
In order for us to come back from failure, we need to comprehend that unless we face our failure, we can’t get back on the road to recovery. Peter had felt a failure because he had denied Jesus three times in …

John 18:25-27 While Simon Peter was standing there warming himself, someone asked him, "Aren't you one of Jesus' followers?" Again Peter denied it and said, "No, I am not!" One of the high priest's servants was there. He was a relative of the servant whose ear Peter had cut off, and he asked, "Didn't I see you in the garden with that man?" Once more Peter denied it, and right then a rooster crowed.

Peter was taking his first step to receiving forgiveness and restoration, by jumping overboard and swimming to Jesus. We know by His word that Father loves to forgive...

But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. 1 John 1:7-9.

Jesus standing on the shore calls to His disciples... "Bring some of the fish you just caught." Simon Peter got back into the boat and dragged the net to shore. In it were one hundred fifty-three large fish, but still the net did not rip. Jesus said, "Come and eat!" But none of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord. - John 21:10-12.

As Peter walked towards Jesus, he could smell the charcoal from the fire that Jesus had made, and he possibly had a flashback to the time he had denied Jesus by the fire in the high priest’s courtyard, but he was determined to go on, and come back from his failure.

We begin to see a pattern emerging here… this was the 3rd time Jesus had appeared to His disciples since his death, Peter had denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus questioned Peter 3 times and Peter had replied 3 times, and 3 times Jesus committed the care of His flock to Peter. I don’t know the significance of all of this, only to say that when God does something He does it to perfection… Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matt 5:48.

All of this indicated, that Peter was being forgiven and restored as a child of God, to his calling as a disciple of God, to his correct position as an apostle of God, and from this time on, the smell of charcoal would not be the smell of failure!

Chuck Swindoll reports that a seminary student in Chicago faced a forgiveness test. Although he preferred to work in some kind of ministry, the only job he could find was driving a bus on Chicago's south side. One day a gang of tough teens got on board and refused to pay the fare.

After a few days of this, the seminarian spotted a policeman on the corner, stopped the bus, and reported them. The officer made them pay, but then he got off. When the bus rounded a corner, the gang robbed the seminarian and beat him severely. He pressed charges and the gang was rounded up. They were found guilty.

But as soon as the jail sentence was given, the young Christian saw their spiritual need and felt pity for them. So he asked the judge if he could serve their sentences for them. The gang members and the judge were dumbfounded. "It's because I forgive you," he explained. His request was denied, but he visited the young men in jail and led several of them to faith in Christ. - Chuck Swindoll.

BY FACING UP TO HIS FAILURE, PETER WAS FORGIVEN AND RESTORED, AND SO CAN WE IF WE DO LIKEWISE!

Loving Father, I praise you for your word that helps me to understand, that I need to face my failure in order to be forgiven and restored. I praise you lord, for you are the God of the impossible, that makes all things possible. Thank you for my forgiveness and restoration as a child of God, as a follower of Jesus, and for making my calling secure. In Jesus wonderful Name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY