PT-2 “The Right Virtues”

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/19/2026 9:25 AM

My Worship Time                                                                      Focus:  PT-2 “The Right Virtues”

            It is my desire to finish this section in this morning’s SD, as I continue to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary as he goes through looking at the different apostles, beginning with Peter.

            “Fifth, Peter learned compassion in a most amazing way through the assault of Satan that led to his denials (Luke 22:31).  But it was Peter’s tearful remorseful recovery from that most terrible failure that enabled him to strengthen others in their  temptations (v. 32).  Compassion is a virtue that leaders often lack.  Focused on their goals and objectives, they often do not stop to care for the wounded.  Not so Peter.  Having experienced the Lord’s restoration of him (in John 21 as noted above), he modeled the compassionate comforting of those struggling with sorrow of sin that should mark all leaders.  In his first epistle, he wrote these words of comfort, expression his compassion to those facing Satan’s onslaughts:

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

That was no ivory tower exhortation; Peter had lived what he preached.

            “Finally, Peter learned courage—not the reckless impulsiveness that prompted him to slash off Maluchus’ ear, but rather a mature, settled determination to suffer for the cause of Christ.  He would need that courage since he would face trouble, opposition, persecution, and ultimately martyrdom when He told him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go’ (v. 18).  ‘Now this He said,’ John noted,’ signifying what kind of death he would glorify God’ (v. 19).

            “Peter showed his courage by boldly proclaiming Jesus as Savior and Lord to the very people who had crucified Him. Nor did he stop preaching, not even when ordered to do so by the Sanhedrin (Acts. 4:18-20; 5:27-29).  He exhorted all Christians to follow his courageous example when he wrote,

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed.  And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reference.’ (1 Peter 3:14-15)

            “Peter eventually became the leader Jesus needed him to be.  He was the primary figure in the first twelve chapters of Acts.  He was the on who initiated the replacement of Judas with Matthias, who preached the first sermon in the Church’s history on the Day of Pentecost and who kept on preaching in defiance of the Sanhedrin, who, along with John, healed a lame man at the temple, who dealt with the hypocrisy  of Ananas and Saphira, who confronted the false teacher Simon Magus, who healed Aeneas and raised Dorcas from the dead, and who took the gospel to the Gentiles.

            “Along the way, Peter suffered persecution and imprisonment. Eventually, as the Lord had predicted, he was martyred for his unswerving faith in Jesus Christ.  According to tradition Peter, after being forced to watch his wife’s crucifixion, was himself crucified—head downward at his own request, since he felt himself unworthy of dying as his Lord had died.  His life and ministry can be summed up in the closing words of the last epistle he wrote:  ‘Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen’ (2 Peter 3:18).

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  (2 Peter 3:18)

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to use the different things that we are doing for Sandy’s cancer to be used of the Lord to heal her from her cancer, to bring glory to the Lord.

6/19/2026 10:03 AM