Posts by The_Embassy

It’s great to have faith for yourself, to believe for your dreams and speak victory over your life. But God didn’t give you faith just for you. There will be people you encounter who feel overwhelmed by a sickness, a loss, a difficulty in a relationship. Maybe at one time they believed, they were strong, but now they’re so discouraged and down that they don’t have the strength to get back up. The way they’e going to see a breakthrough is not through their faith, but through the faith of a friend. You can be the one who steps up and believes for them. You can encourage them, pray for them, speak healing, favor, and victory over their life.

I got into a fight in 1st grade.  She pushed me down on the sidewalk; I got up and pushed her down on the sidewalk. We were both sent to the nurse (and detention) and ended up with almost identical scars that remained through high school. We later became friends and grew to laugh about our craziness.

But, before my scar came along, my skin grew this rough, bumpy scab.  As a kid, I was intrigued by scabs:  “How’d the body do that?  And look how easily you can pick it off, see the dotted, white skin underneath, and then it grows back again…like magic.”

I recently met with a counselee who was struggling with some very powerful and painful emotions. As is almost always the case, those emotions reflected deeply held beliefs. The beliefs plaguing him and the feelings of rejection they evoked aren’t unusual but something new I asked him to try in the session was unusual – at least for me.

I can’t say I blame Peter. His Master was under attack, the one he left everything to follow. His best friend was being betrayed and falsely accused right before him. If you’re going to carry a sword, you must be prepared to use it. And what better time than then? It was his duty to protect Jesus, an honor even.

So Peter decided to fight. And it was over as quickly as it started.