Getting Hungry for More of God: A look at the Journeys of Peter and Paul

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LISTEN NOW! Steve, Greg, and Pat encourage us in a discussion about increasing our hunger for God as they dive deeper into the reality of what transpired through the lives of the Apostle Paul and the disciple Peter. Their journeys enabled them to be used mightily for the Kingdom of God. Steve shares how the Holy Spirit has been leading him to change the perspective of what it means when he would ask God to see what Paul saw. Through Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus the light and glory of Jesus shined so brightly upon Paul, that it caused him to be blind for 3 days. Paul may have been blinded to the world, but God was showing Paul his own heart. What a revelation this must have been for Paul to encounter. Of all the persecution he had done to the church, to Jesus, yet Jesus still loved him! This revelation and perspective of who Paul was and the truth that Jesus Christ still loved him is what gave him such a powerful perspective of who Jesus Christ is. This revelation of Jesus allowed Paul to advance the Kingdom unwaveringly amidst persecution and hardship that he wrote the majority of the New Testament in the Bible from a prison cell. Amidst all the great exploits that God used Paul to do, in a letter written from prison, Paul shares his perspective: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners- of whom I am the worst”.

Steve continues to share about the disciple Peter and his journey of encountering his own heart as well. In his zeal, Peter told Jesus what he would do for Jesus. Jesus spoke the true reality to Peter that Peter would deny him. Steve shares how he has been soaking on that reality of what it must have been like for Peter for those 3 days after Jesus was crucified. He had denied Jesus 3 times. He wept bitterly. It was all over. Jesus was crucified. Now what? He knew nothing else than to go back to fishing and then 3 days later, Jesus returns on the shore calling out to the disciples. Peter had such an encounter with Jesus that he leaped from the boat and swam to Jesus while the other disciples remained in the boat paddling behind him. He was sold out. He pursued Jesus like no one else did. Peter had been to the depths of his own heart. He knew who he was; and Jesus still called out to him. Because of this, Peter was able to be used boldly declaring the gospel at Pentecost when 3,000 people said yes to Jesus.

We are no different from Paul who persecuted the church if we try to live life apart from Jesus proclaiming our good works. Steve and Greg remind us that we are Paul. If we allow God to show us the depths of our own heart; that is where great encounters with Jesus are, in our holy desperation for him. Will you go there?

https://vfntv.com/media/audios/highlights/2014/apr/4-21-14/42114HL-5%20The%20Price%20of%20Hunger.mp3

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Saul Blinded for 3 days, Peter’s Zeal for Jesus, Peter disowns Jesus, Peter pursues Jesus, I am the Worst, Seek Jesus With All Your Heart
Acts 9:1-9, Matthew 26:31-35, Matthew 26:69-75, John 21:1-9, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Jeremiah 29:11-13