Gospel
THAT LOOK
By: Rev. Lucian Thompson
Recently I had a friend share with me that they wanted to know what God’s plan was for them. Most serious Christians have asked this question at one time or another.
God does have a plan for each of us. His word tells us this in Ephesians 2:10, For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
How do we go about seeking God on this matter?
The scriptures tell us to Study to show your self approved, a workman, rightly dividing the word of God.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these other things will be added unto you.
Obviously, the better we know God, the more we know what He expects of us.
Oh so simple…right?
Something happened…somewhere along the way, I stop to stray and lose the need for tomorrow. In that dark and distant part of my life, I learn the meaning of sorrow.
There was a radio show when I was a kid that always started and ended with the question: What evil lurks in the heart of men…the shadow knows!
Well, that kind of sums it up. When we stray from the word of God; when we let the world or things of this world become more important to us that the things of God, evil takes residence in the hearts of men.
Ah…yes the shadow knows…folks, that be the Holy Spirit. He is very much aware of the evil we try to hide from others, and if you are a born again Christian, the Holy Spirit won’t share your heart with anyone or anything. Light cannot fellowship with darkness.
In Luke 14:26 we read, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
That tells me we have some things to consider if we are straying, or as we say in the Christian vernacular, backsliding. Stay, stray and pay, or confess, repent, and live.
Evil loves the darkness…yet, what we do in the darkness will be revealed in the light. Backsliding can only be done by a Christian. Non-Christians live in the darkness and don’t know what light is.
Once we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, you can expect that God will expose our, “walk on the wild side,” for all to see. Don’t be surprised if it happens in this life before you are transformed into your sinless body at the Rapture.
Consider this: Jeremiah was a prophet God selected to call a backsliding Judah to repentance. His cry is still heard today! God is calling all backsliding Christians to come back as He is coming for a Bride without spot or wrinkle.
Hosea…the Lord had him take a “wife of whoredom”.
Hosea's wife Gomer would continue in her adulterous ways and Hosea would go find her in the streets, bring her back home and clean her up to be his wife. By this example, God was showing His people how he would restore them to Him in these days we live in now.
That should bring hope to our hearts. It should also shame us.
Too many Christians are whoreing around today; giving their affections to things of this world rather that to God.
It amazes me that God would even want us back!
What if the facade we put up for others to see was suddenly, without warning, torn away and the real you was exposed in the harsh light of day.
Would you be ashamed?
Would you be in anguish?
What would you do after you were laid bare and naked for all to see?
The Bible tells us of a man who had this happen to him. At one time, He would have fought the entire Roman army for Christ.
Yet, when Jesus was taken into custody and was beaten and sentenced to death, Peter failed to put into actions his bravado. Lip service doesn’t make it.
When the cock crowed for the third time, Peter came face to face with who he really was under all that brave talk he spurted just hours ago.
That is when he cut off the ear of a temple servant when the hoard of Roman soldiers and Temple Guards came for Jesus.
Why so brave? Peter had just witnessed an awesome sight.
Just as the Roman soldiers and temple police were preparing to arrest Jesus, a supernatural power was suddenly released that was so strong, it literally knocked an entire band of 300 to 600 soldiers backward and down on the ground!
It was as if an invisible bomb had been detonated. So much explosive strength was released that the power knocked the soldiers flat on their backs!
Where did this discharge of power come from, and what released it?
John 18:4-6 tells us, Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
Jesus revealed His true identity. He was God; the God that told Moses in the burning bush that He was, I Am! That’s where the power came from.
Like Peter, how quickly we forget who we are as Christians and the all things possible power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Jesus went to that cross for us! But, we don’t do well at sacrificing, do we? How many of us would take a death sentence for a fellowman who deserves to die?
How many of us would miss one hour of T V so we could read and study the Bible each day?
How many of us would skip buying a bigger and better, “What Ever, you fill in the blank,” so you could pay your tithe to honor God and keep the church you get fed in open for business.
No…we don’t do well at sacrificing, do we?
Back to the moment the cock crowed and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him about deigning Him 3 times before the roaster crowed.
At that moment, Luke 22:61, says, “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Peter was crushed in his spirit. He must have been crumpled in some corner crying his eyes out over how far he had fallen from just hours ago.
Close your eyes and think slow motion here…In his mind, Peter turns and comes eye to eye with Jesus, the One he had just denied three times. Jesus gives Peter…THAT LOOK.
That Look that sent Peter to his knees in shame and agony. He had been exposed in the light and it was crushing him from within. Never had he felt so little and unworthy in his entire life.
He must have wondered why Jesus didn’t spit at him? Why didn’t Jesus look on him in discuss and bitterness? Why did He give him That Look?
I want to tell you there was a day, not so very long ago that I saw That Look. I, too, was trying to hide my whoredom from men. I was talking the talk, but not walking the walk. Oh, I wanted to, but I was loving the darkness more that I loved God. I wanted to continue in my wicked ways and have God too.
In other words, I tried to have my idols along with my God, just like the rebellious Israelites did from generation to generation.
It was That Look that brought me to my knees and changed my life completely. When I saw That Look, for the first time in my life I understood the depth of the meaning of what Jesus conveyed to Peter and to me with That Look.
Unspoken words, yet so very loud and clear.
With That Look Jesus said, “I forgive you.”
At that moment I knew like Peter knew that Jesus was God and that His death and resurrection; that His blood paid for my sins, once and for all.
All pretenses were gone. All my doubts disappeared. All my fears dissipated with That Look.
What now?
Peter went on to preach the greatest sermon ever preached, saving for the Sermon on the Mount by Christ, on the day of Pentecost and for all his remaining days taught and preached under the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lucian was led to the greatest friend he could ever know, Jack Sheets, and together we started this ministry where we have seen the power of the Holy Spirit change other lives as well.
When Jesus rose from the grave and He appeared to those women who had come to minister to His body, He told them to go and tell the Disciples…and Peter to go to Galilee where He would join them. A better understanding of this verse is to, “go and tell my disciples…and especially Peter.
Oh, how Peter needed to hear that! Jesus wanted Peter back in fellowship with Him. Jesus called for me also and He is calling to you…come back…I have work for you to do. I will restore you and clean you up and take you as my wife to live with Me forever.
My prayer is that you just saw, “THAT LOOK.”
No matter where you laid your head before this moment, you can be cradled in the arms of Jesus right now as a part of His Bride.
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling…calling all sinners, come home.
What is your need today? Why not present those needs to Jesus, the Great "I AM"? Let Him speak to your heart, directing you to His Word. Once you see the promise you need, get your mouth into agreement with His Word, and you, too, will see the power of God unleashed against the forces that try to defy you!
The Jesus we serve is powerful! There is no force strong enough to resist His power. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, political force — absolutely nothing has enough power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ!
When the Great "I AM" opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it is destroyed right before you!
Are you at that place now? Have you seen That Look?
This is your moment.
That Look is for you.
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About The Author
Lucian Thompson is the Associate Pastor, with Trinity Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where the old time Gospel is good enough for us, and Vice-Chancellor of TCF Theological Seminary. He is an avid student of Eschatology and his major thrust of ministry is geared in Outreach. He has written a fictional book titled, “Cop Out”, based on his experience as a former Chief of Police as related to the premise, “what if he were still a cop and the Rapture happened?” It is now posted as an e-book at Trinity Christian Fellowship A free download is available. Pastor Thompson can be contacted at: [email protected]
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When we see our ugliness, we see Gods glory! This was a much needed sermon, at least for me. Thanks for obeying God.
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