I told Peter that Satan desired to sift him like wheat. I told him that I would pray for him that his faith would not fail. Note that I did not say that I would not allow Satan to do this. You can see from the account that followed that Peter was sifted like wheat, and his faith did not fail. Is this a process that anyone would volunteer for? Yet consider those you know who are the most mature and established in their faith. Do you know any of these who has not also been sifted like wheat? I prayed for them as I did for Peter, and I will pray for you too. You can see that when Peter was converted he did strengthen his brethren, and you will too. Can you see that this is an essential part of the transformative process, and not oppose it.

Please pray for a coworker facing an endometrial biopsy on Wednesday.

How seriously do you take my admonition against name-calling? I said that those who use terms that are fairly mild by today’s standards are at risk of severe consequences. Do you apply this strict rule equally to those outside of your faith tradition or outside of your political persuasion? It is easy to solidify your group identity by denigrating those outside it, but it does not serve my redemptive purposes. You can respect the essential humanity of others even if you don’t agree with their positions or approve of their behavior. In response to my teaching about loving your neighbor I was asked ‘who is my neighbor?’ and told the story of the Good Samaritan. Everyone. 

Have you been taught that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? This is clearly stated in my word. Has this only been presented to you in a negative sense, as an admonition that your conduct should be up to this standard? This truth should make you neither fearful nor arrogant. You can also see it from the positive side, that you carry my presence with you wherever you go. In the temple of your body, you can mediate divine intention to those you encounter. How many times in my word have I plainly declared your authority to act in my name? You have a commission as my ambassador. Exercise it. 

According to the creeds and doctrines of your faith I am both human and divine. Most people who encountered me on earth saw me as being human only. I didn’t look any different from other people and they had no reason to think otherwise. There were some who realized I was divine, such as Simon Peter, and I said he was blessed  because flesh and blood had not revealed this to him, but my Father in heaven. How do you see me? As divine only? If you have not known me in my humanity then it is too easy for you to think of me as distant and alien. Do you see the importance of both? Do you need a revelation of my humanity?