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Those He Calls He Equips

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.Hebrews 13:20-21

When God calls us he equips us, the God of Peace, the one who brought us from the dead by the blood of the Eternal Covenant, will equip you so to do his will. So in this concept of being equipped, we see the calling being irrevocable. "For it is God who works in you to Will and to act on behalf of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). 

God called you, he's working in you equipping you to work on behalf of his good pleasure. "So that the man of God may be complete fully equipped for every good work."2 Timothy 3:17. 

In Hebrews 12 we read God disciplines those he loves, so that we share in his holy character. As the scriptures say, he shakes once more those things which can be shaken, so what is left is unshakable, His kingdom is an unshakeable Kingdom. 

So in other words, the suffering, is a whipping, that is painful and hurting, and to be seen as divine discipline. For a purpose, he is equipping us, which is establishing us as Peter writes.

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

After you have suffered a little while... What is the discipline of God? it's suffering, it doesn't feel good, it's unpleasant but after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all Grace shows up. 

There is strengthening in Grace, right, sometimes we're going to find we are not that strong. I mean in my own life, in this trial, in the shaking, my faith was not as strong as I thought. Like when Peter was sifted by the devil. But God gave him Grace, He called Peter to come "follow me" again. 

In the beginning, he said follow me, when he was fishing and Peter spent a few years in ministry with Jesus. He even walked on water until he took his eyes off of Jesus in the storm. He had faith to walk on water but when Jesus was about to be crucified after Peter had said he would put his life on the line for Jesus, he didn't but denied him three times.

When it came to putting his own life on the line for Jesus his faith was not strong but Jesus rose again and grace met him on the shore. What did Peter do when he denied Jesus, he went back to fishing, and when Jesus met him Peter dove into the water because he still loved him. 

Peter had to be shameful for denying Jesus, what did Jesus say about the unfaithful servant who would be cast among the unfaithful? And what is said, if you deny me I will deny you before the father. Imagine how Peter felt, maybe all that hope that he was the Messiah and the Christ just went away? Or he had failed miserably?

What happened to that faith, when he walked on water, seeing Jesus walk on water, performing miraculous signs, the transfiguration. And what about him confessing Jesus as the holy one and His words were eternal life? So he still believed right? But this coming to this point of death dying for Christ he didn't give up his life. Did not Jesus say if you save your earthly life you will lose it? So what does Peter do? He goes back to fishing but here is God's grace; Jesus shows us and tells him to come ashore. Jesus is already cooking fish but tells them to bring the fish, which he later says to Peter do you love these. I believe that's what he's talking about, the fish in reference to his earthly life of fishing, do you love fishing more than me? Do you love this life, and what did Jesus ask him three times, the same number of times Peter had denied him, do you love me? Then feed my sheep, take care of my sheep. What did Jesus say to Peter for the second time? follow me.

The sifting of the devil when Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail, had seemed like it did right? Peter went back to fishing but the grace of God showed up. When Jesus said come follow me again to Peter it is not like he had everything figured out nor had he the strength to but he says I'm going to do it, I'm going to follow Jesus, I love you more than this life, there is much more given, there is joy, peace and there's love and there's friendship and all things in Jesus. I believe Peter thought I don't have the strength from what I just went through but I'm going to follow you. Of course, we learn it is His strength, his equipping us to wok on behalf of his good pleasure.

Peter writes after you have suffered for a little while the God of all Grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will strengthen you and establish you. This is the trial, or the proving, the testing of our faith, that Peter experienced. It is an amazing thing He will equip those he called. Those he's called to Pastor like Peter, he's called me, he has and will equip though it's hard and the trials and discipline is painful. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."2 Corinthians 12:9 What's that verse again, the God of all Grace after you suffered a while... I fell short my faith was not as strong, I suffered, the God of all Grace shows up.

He equips me with patience, endurance. That you will be strengthened with all his glorious power for all endurance and patience with joy. Colossians 1:11 Always thanking the Father, he equips us with joy when the task seems burdensome, of course, he calls us to cast our burdens upon him, casting means it's his burden, yours no more, it's not your burden to bear, if you're carrying it cast it to him, sickness, trial, lack of faith it is a burden, he is faithful he's the God of Grace. Right? he's called you by his grace "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."Psalm 16:11

There is rewards for following Jesus. He equips me with Hope when I feel like giving up, when my faith seems to fail he is abundant in grace. Peter dives into the water, he can't wait till the boat gets to the shore, for his hope had bashed but now here's the resurrected Christ. Yes, his plans are for our good, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."Jeremiah 29:11 So when things seem bleak in the disaster, in the storm everything seems hopeless and in your striving and when your faith is failing and you can't, and your faith is failing, he shows up the God of grace, for he has called me and you, he has purposed for us, the plans for good, a future, and hope.

I am certain that God who began a good work within you will continue his work until it's finally finished on that day Jesus returns.Philippians 1:6 It is certain, he who began a good work in you will finish it. He doesn't leave us nor forsake us, no one can take us out of his hands, no one. Peter had to feel that way, after denying Jesus he would be denied before the Father, after turning back it is shamed to be counted among the unfaithful. But if he began a good work in you, he's not going to give up on you he is the God of all Grace, who chose you according to Grace. This calling is according to an election, it's irrevocable. So if he has called you he is equipping us, that good work he began in us, he equips us until the day of Christ, he is always equipping the ones he calls.

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