??Peter had followed the Lord Jesus for three years as his disciple, or special helper. During those years together, Peter had listened, learned, helped, and watched the Lord Jesus. After witnessing the many miracles that Jesus did, and hearing His wonderful words, Peter had believed on Jesus. In fact, he was much more bold than the other eleven disciples in declaring, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!"
??Sometimes, however, Peter would get so excited, he would speak before he really thought about what he was saying. Have you yourself ever done that？I have!
??One night the Lord Jesus and His disciples gathered in an upper room to celebrate a special Jewish holiday called Passover. After the special meal, they sung a hymn, and then all went out as a group into the night. As they walked toward the Mount of Olives, Jesus sadly said, "All of you will be offended because of me tonight." Jesus meant they would all turn away from Him and leave. Peter quickly responded, " Even though all men shall be offended, I never will." Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me, Peter." Peter still declared, "Though I should die with you, yet I will never deny you, Lord!" And all the disciples were saying the same thing. But who was telling the truth？Who is the only One Who really knows what is going to happen？??Jesus knew that in a few short hours, He would be arrested by the religious leaders. Sure enough this happened, and what do you think the very frightened disciples did？They ran away! However, Peter did come back and follow from a distance as they led the Lord Jesus to the palace of the high priest.
??As the religious leaders accused and abused the Lord Jesus, Peter waited outside in the courtyard with the servants. A young girl happened to notice Peter and said, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee!" But Peter quickly denied it, and said, "I don't know what You're talking about." He left that place and went out to the porch, but there another maid saw him, and said to the others, "This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth." Using a swear word, Peter denied Jesus again, saying, "I do not know the man."
??It wasn't long before another person said to Peter in front of everyone, "Surely you also are one of Jesus' followers; I can tell by the way you talk." The Bible says in Matthew 26：74, "Then Peter began to curse and to swear saying, "I do not know the man!"
??Peter was scared, and angry. Even though Peter believed in the Lord Jesus, was he allowing the Lord to control his words？Do you ever get angry and say things that aren't right？And then you wish with all your heart you hadn't said them？If you have believed in the Lord Jesus, do what's right by letting God control your words! Words have such strong power! When they are used in the right way, they can be so helpful and encouraging to others. But used in a wrong way, words have strong power to hurt others deeply.
??Gossiping is one of the wrong ways we use words. Gossip can be telling the truth to someone who doesn't need to know it."Megan failed her math test and I made a perfect score. Megan always makes a lower grade than me." That may be true, but is it kind？Is it something you should be saying？??Swearing and cursing, and using God's name in vain are other ways to use words in a wrong way. God's Word tells us never to swear because we don't know what is going to happen. You can say, "With the Lord's help, I will try my best to do what I？ve said." One of God's commandments is, "You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain." Do you ever hear people say God's name or Jesus' name, and they are not talking to Him, they are not praising Him or telling about Him？They use the name of the true and living God as a byword. God and His Son Jesus are so holy and pure, we should use their names very reverently and carefully.
??James 3：10 says, "Out of the same mouth proceeds blessings and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus, you should not be saying wrong words one minute, then right ones the next. Let God control your words!
??Peter had said, "I will never deny You, Lord, " but what had happened？He was denying He even knew the Lord Jesus. Immediately after the third denial, a rooster crowed nearby in the darkness of early morning. The book of Luke tells us at that very moment Peter looked up into the palace where the Lord Jesus was standing, and their eyes met. As Jesus looked at him, the memory of Jesus' words cut like a knife into Peter's heart："Before the rooster crows, you will deny that you know me three times, Peter." The Bible tells us that Peter went out and cried bitterly. He had failed the Lord Jesus so terribly, and now it was too late to tell the Lord Jesus how sorry he was.
??By noon the next day the Lord Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross, dying. Neither Peter nor the other disciples understood it at the time, but Jesus had come to earth for that very reason：to take the punishment for sin for the world.
??Are you in the world？Then you know you are one of those for whom Christ Jesus died.
??You and I have sinned and broken God's laws in many ways. One of those ways is when you use words the wrong way. Lying to your parents, bragging, complaining, gossiping, and saying unkind things about others are all ways we sin with our tongue. Romans 3：10 says ？There is none righteous, no, not one." God is perfect, and He is a perfect judge. As the Judge of all the earth, He says that sin must be punished. As the Judge He has determined what that punishment will be. The punishment for sin is that we will never be allowed in Heaven, but instead must suffer forever apart from God in hell.
??I am so glad that the Judge of all the earth also loves us very much! Because of His great love, He sent His perfect Son Jesus to take our punishment for us! We will never understand how much pain and sorrow our Lord Jesus endured as wicked men slapped and beat Him, and then nailed Him to a cross. Jesus Himself said before He died, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected...and be slain, and be raised the third day." Luke 9：22. Jesus took that suffering willingly, gave His precious blood willingly, and then willingly gave up His life. Kind friends took His body down from the cross, wrapped it, and put it in a tomb. Although all the disciples grieved, Peter must have felt especially sad because he had denied Jesus.
??But something wonderful happened, and have you guessed what it was？Early on the third day women came running to Peter and the other disciples with the news："Jesus is alive!" The women told of angels, and an open, empty tomb! Peter jumped up and ran. He had to see for himself. The Bible says Peter ran to the tomb and stooped down, looking inside. Sure enough, the tomb was empty, and the strange thing was, there were the linen cloths that had been wrapped around Jesus, but no body was in the cloths!
??Peter went away wondering, but he did not have to wonder long. Soon the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples, and they saw their precious Lord, with the nail prints in His hands and feet. During the times that Jesus appeared to them, Peter realized Jesus had forgiven him. Jesus told the disciples that although He was going back to His Father in Heaven, He would soon send the Holy Spirit to be with them, and live in them. The Holy Spirit would give them power to tell others about Jesus. Then about 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead, He went back to Heaven.
??Ten days later it happened, but probably not at all as the disciples were expecting! During the special Jewish holiday called Pentecost, Jews from all over the known world had come to Jerusalem to celebrate. Although these people were all Jewish, they spoke many different languages. Peter and the other disciples were gathered in a room still waiting for the Holy Spirit to come. Acts 2 tells us that on the tenth day, suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like a rushing mighty wind and what looked like tongues of fire appeared above each of their heads. Verse 4 tells us ？And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues." The people in the streets of Jerusalem heard the disciples speaking, but what each one heard, he heard in his own language! They listened in awe to the words! What were the disciples speaking？??The Bible says, "the wonderful works of God." Everyone was amazed!" Isn't this group of people from Galilee？How can they be speaking all these languages？" Others mocked and accused the disciples of being drunk. Then Peter stood up to speak. Peter's words were bold and clear as he told the huge crowd that God's promise through the prophet Joel was being fulfilled! God had promised to send His Holy Spirit down, and now His Spirit had come and brought this amazing miracle. Peter began to preach about the Lord Jesus, how He had died for sin, and how God had raised Him from the dead. Peter was letting God control his words now!
??If you know Jesus as your Savior, do what's right by letting God control your words!
??Through God's power, your words can be clear and bold and right. Ephesians 4：29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying." Edifying means building up？or helping people do the right thing. Remember four ？power？words：Think："Would God want me to say that？" Say：Say Ephesians 4：29 to yourself. Pray：Ask God to control your words. Obey：Speak those words you know God would approve. You can do it, with God's power! With God's power, Peter was letting God control his words!
??God's Holy Spirit was working two ways that day：giving Peter the power to preach, and also working in the hearts of the people to show them their sin and their need of Jesus! As Peter preached, many believed on the Lord Jesus and then were baptized.
??Do you want to guess how many？Acts 2：41 tells us the number was about 3, 000!
??Peter was changed that day through the power of the Holy Spirit, and for the rest of his life, Peter spoke boldly for Jesus. Two of the letters Peter wrote to encourage Christians are in our Bible today. Take time to read I and II Peter in your Bible! Peter's life is a great example for us to show us the importance of letting God control our words.
??If you know the Lord Jesus, will you remember our four power words？Think：Would God want me to say this'say：Ephesians 4：29 to yourself. Pray：Ask God to control your words. Obey：Say only what you know would please the Lord. Remember the Lord is right there listening to all your words!
??If you are not a child of God, you cannot ask Him to control your words until He controls your life! Will you go to ？How to Be a Child of God？and follow those steps？
??彼得是耶稣的一个门徒。三年来, 他一直跟随著耶稣。在这些年里, 彼得听见, 看见, 学习, 甚至帮助主耶稣。他看见了耶稣行的许多神迹, 听到了耶稣的许多教导, 彼得相信耶稣。而且, 比起其他的十一个门徒来, 彼得信得更勇敢, 他曾对耶稣说："你就是基督, 永生神的儿子。" 可是, 有的时候, 彼得兴奋过头了, 他说大话说得都不知道自己在说些什么。
??小朋友们, 你有没有过这样呢？我有。 有一天晚上, 主耶稣和他的门徒在一起, 庆祝一个特殊的犹太人的节日, 叫做逾越节。吃完了晚饭, 他们唱了一首诗歌, 然后他们就一起离开, 到橄榄山去。正走著走著, 耶稣忽然难过地说："今夜你们为我的缘故, 都要跌倒。" 耶稣的意思是说他们都会离开他。彼得马上说, 众人虽然为你的缘故跌倒, 我却永不跌倒。耶稣说："我实在告诉你, 今夜鸡叫以前, 你要三次不认我。" 彼得说："这怎么可能呢？我彼得就是必须和你同死, 也总不能不认你。众门徒都是这样说, 但是, 谁讲的是真的呢？只有耶稣知道将要发生的事情。耶稣知道, 再过几个小时, 他就要被那些宗教领袖抓起来。这件事果然发生了, 然后门徒怎么样了呢？他们都吓跑了。
??但彼得又跑回来了, 他远远地跟著, 看见他们把耶稣带到大祭司那里去。当那些宗教领袖控告耶稣, 羞辱耶稣的时候, 彼得在外面院子里, 和差役坐在一起。这时, 有一个使女前来说："你也是同那加利利人耶稣一夥的。" 彼得在众人面前却不承认, 说："我不知道你说的是什么。" 他就出去, 到了门口, 又有一个使女看见他.就对那里的人说："这个人也是同拿撒勒人耶稣一夥的。" 彼得又不承认, 并且还起誓说："我不认得那个人。" 过了一会儿, 旁边站著的人前来, 对彼得说："你真是他们一党的, 你的口音把你露出来了。" 圣经在马太福音26：74说："彼得甚至发咒起誓的说, 我不认得那个人。" 彼得又害怕, 又生气。
??虽然彼得相信耶稣基督, 他有没有让主来掌管他的口呢？很显然, 没有!小朋友们, 那你有没有生气到一个地步, 说了你不该说的话呢？然后, 你真后悔你不应该说那些话。如果你已经相信了耶稣, 你就应该让耶稣来掌管你当说的话。你可别小看话语这个东西, 因为话语是带有能力的。当话说对了, 它可以帮助别人, 鼓励别人。但当你用错了它, 它就会深深地伤害到别人。说闲话就是把话语用在了错的地方。虽然你可能讲的是真的, 但是也许对方并不需要知道这件事。
??比如你对别人说："你知道吗？小梅数学考砸了, 我考了一百分呢。小梅总是比我的分低。" 这也许是个事实, 但是你非要讲出来, 让大家都知道吗？因为这实际上是说闲话。所以我们不应该说这样的话。起誓, 诅咒, 乱用神的名也是错误的使用了话语。神的话语告诉我们不要起誓, 因为我们不知道将要发生什么事。你可以说："在神的帮助下, 我说的我会努力做到。" 神的命令说：不要妄用神的名。我们有时会听到有人用神的名, 或耶稣的名, 但不是在对神说话, 不是在赞美神, 也不是在向别人讲述耶稣。他们却用永生神的名作为口头语。神和神子耶稣是这样圣洁, 我们提到神的时候应该充满了敬畏。雅各书3：10说："颂赞和咒诅从一个口里出来, 我的弟兄们, 这是不应当的。"
??如果你是一个信耶稣的人, 你就不应该一会儿说对话, 一会儿又说错话。我们应该让神来管理我们的话语。还记得吗？彼得曾经夸口说："我永不跌倒。" 但怎么样了呢？他甚至不敢承认他认识主耶稣。在他第三次不认主耶稣的时候, 正是在清早, 鸡就叫了。路加福音中告诉我们, 就在那时, 主转过身来看彼得。彼得便想起主对他所说的话："今日鸡叫以先, 你要三次不认我。耶稣的话就象刀割一样刺入彼得的心。圣经说彼得就出去痛哭。他完全失败了, 现在, 他是多么想对主耶稣说声对不起, 可是太晚了。第二天中午, 主耶稣被钉死在十字架上。所有的门徒, 包括彼得在那个时候还是不明白, 主耶稣到这个世界上的原因, 就是要为我们承担对罪的惩罚。
??你生活在这个世上吗？当然!我们都生活在这个世上。主耶稣是为你, 为我而死, 你知道吗？我们都犯了罪, 违反了神的律法。说错了话是违反神的律法, 还有说谎, 自夸, 报怨, 说闲话, 说别人的坏话, 这些都是与说错话有关的罪。罗马书3：10说："没有义人, 连一个也没有。神是完美的, 他也是一个最公正的审判官。作为这个世界的审判官, 神说罪必须得到惩罚。他已经决定了这个惩罚是什么, 就是我们不能去天堂, 我们要永远与神分离, 经受地狱之苦。
??所幸的是, 我们的审判官, 他非常爱我们。因著他的爱, 他让他的儿子耶稣来为我们承担这个惩罚。耶稣为我们经受的痛苦, 羞辱, 我们永远不能明白。耶稣死在十字架上之前, 曾经说："人子必须受许多的苦, 被长老, 祭司长和文士弃绝, 并且被杀, 第三日复活(路加9：22)。耶稣是情愿为我们受苦, 他心甘情愿流血, 舍去他的生命。他的朋友们从十字架上取下他的身体, 包好了, 放在一个坟墓里。所有的门徒都很难过, 但最难过的还是彼得, 因为他曾经三次不认主。
??奇妙的事发生了, 第三天一大早, 有妇女们跑来告诉彼得和其他门徒, 说："耶稣复活了。她们说看见坟墓空了, 她们还看见了天使。彼得听了, 马上起来, 跑向坟墓, 他要亲眼看一看。圣经上说, 彼得跑到坟墓前, 低头往里看, 见坟墓是空的, 裹耶稣的细麻布还在, 瘫在那里。彼得就回去了, 心里感到很希奇。但没多久, 主耶稣就向门徒显现。门徒们看见他们宝贝的主耶稣, 还看见他手上和脚上的钉痕。
??在耶稣向他们显现的时候, 彼得知道主已经原谅他了。耶稣告诉门徒他要回到天上与天父在一起, 但他会让圣灵来与他们同在, 住在他们里面。圣灵会赐给他们能力向别人传讲耶稣。耶稣从死里复活四十天后, 就回到天上去了。过了十天, 奇妙的事发生了。那时正是犹太人的节日五旬节, 住在天下各国各地的犹太人都来到耶路撒冷庆祝节日。虽然他们都是犹太人, 但他们说的话并不一样, 各有各的口音。彼得和其他的门徒正在一间屋子里等候圣灵的降临。
??使徒行传2章告诉我们, 在第十天, 忽然从天上有响声下来, 好像一阵大风吹过, 充满了他们所坐的屋子。又有舌头如火焰显现出来, 分开落在他们各人头上。第四节说, 他们就都被圣灵充满, 按著圣灵所赐的口才, 说起别国的话来。街上的人们, 各人听见门徒用他们本地的口音说话, 就很纳闷。都惊讶希奇说, 看哪, 这说话的不都是加利利人么？我们各人, 怎么听见他们说我们生来所用的乡谈呢？圣经说这是神的大作为, 每个人都很惊讶。可是也有人讥诮说, 他们无非是喝醉酒了。
??这时候, 彼得站起来, 大声说, 神借先知约珥所发的预言已经应验了。神应许他要将他的灵浇灌下来, 在地下要显出神迹。现在, 圣灵已经来了。彼得的声音又清楚, 又有力。然后, 彼得又开始讲述主耶稣怎样为我们的罪死, 神却叫他从死里复活。彼得完全让神来掌管他口里所说的话。所以他的话语充满了能力。
??如果你已经相信耶稣是你的救主, 你就应该让神来掌管你口应该说的话。神的能力会让你的话语像彼得一样, 又清楚, 又有力。以弗所书4章29节说："污秽的言语, 一句不可出口, 只要随事说造就人的好话, 叫听见的人得益处。" 造就人就是帮助别人做对的事。
??如何能说造就人的好话呢？我们要记住以下四点：1)思想：我所说的话是神让我说的吗？2)提醒：用以弗所书4章29节来提醒自己。3)祷告：让神来掌管你应该说的话。4)顺从：只说神允许你说的话。难不难呢？神的能力会帮助你做到。
??你看, 彼得就是让神的能力来掌管他应该说的话！ 在那一天, 神的圣灵以两种方式来显现他的大能。一个是给彼得能力来讲话。同时, 圣灵也在人们的心里动功, 让人看见自己的罪, 看到自己实在需要耶稣的拯救。当彼得讲道的时候, 很多人都相信了耶稣, 并受洗。你知道一共有多少人吗？使徒行传2章41节说, 一共有三千人。 圣灵的大能在那一天, 彻底地改变了彼得。在彼得以后的生命里, 他大胆地传讲耶稣。在圣经里还有两篇彼得鼓励其他基督徒的书信。你可以去读一读彼得前书和彼得后书。彼得的一生给我们树立了一个很好的榜样, 他告诉我们让神来掌管我们话语的重要性。
??如果你已经相信耶稣, 请你记住我们以上讲到的四点：1)思想：我说的话是神让我说的吗？2)提醒：用以弗所书4章29节来提醒自己。3)祷告：让神来掌管你应该说的话, 4)顺从神的命令：只说讨神喜悦的话。 你知道吗, 你说的所有的话, 神都知道, 他正在倾听！
??如果你不是神的孩子, 你就不能让神来掌管你应该说的话, 因为他要先掌管你的生命。请你去听"怎样成为神的孩子, "并照那里所说的去做。 |