Friday May 27

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means rock), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Matthew 16:16-20

I love Jesus' reaction to Simon Peter. It is way over the top. Remember this is before Peter denies Jesus three times. This man is going to screw up royally, and here Jesus is, blessing his socks off.

God believes in you, my friend. Have you heard the words to that song by Pierce Pettis?

When you start to doubt if you exist
God believes in you
Confounded by the evidence
God believes in you
When your light burns so dim
When your chances seem so slim
And you swear you don't believe in Him
God believes in you

When you rise up just to fall again
God believes in you
Deserted by your closest friends
God believes in you
When you're betrayed with a kiss
And you turn your cheek to another fist
It doesn't have to end like this
God believes in you

Everything matters if anything matters at all
Everything matters no matter how big
No matter how small
God believes in you
Oh God believes in you

When you're so ashamed that you could die
God believes in you
And you can't do right even though you try
God believes in you
Blessed are the ones who grieve
The ones who mourn and the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in your you'll reap
God believes in you
Oh blessed are the ones who grieve
The ones who mourn and the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in you'll reap
God believes in you
Oh God believes in you