Follow Me

The first conversation Jesus had with Simon Peter is recorded in the book of Matthew,

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. -Matthew 4:18–22 (NKJV)

And the last conversation Jesus had with Simon Peter is recorded in the book of John,

This He spoke, signifying by what death he (Peter) would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” -John 21:19 (NKJV)

It ended the way it started! Jesus giving a commanding invitation, “Follow me.” That reminder extends to you and me. We are all under the same instruction to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus. The number one goal in our lives should be to keep following Jesus always.

There are approximately two to three years that passed between the two verses above. In between these two moments of conversations from Jesus to Simon Peter, many events took place which are recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All of these Gospels describe Simon Peter as having zeal and being very out-spoken. He could also be very impulsive, which led him to make many mistakes. He experienced spiritual highs, such as walking on water, and he experienced spiritual lows, such as denying that he was a follower of Jesus during the events of the Crucifixion. His life was like a roller coaster of extremely high-highs and extremely low-lows!

Maybe you can relate your spiritual journey to Simon Peter’s turbulent example. Of course, you've never walked on water – unless it was a block of ice – but I suspect you have had some very high moments in your walk with God. Moments of great victory! You’ve also probably never had Jesus call you, “Satan.” Still, you’ve most likely experienced some really low moments in your relationship with God. Maybe even some moments of deep regret over sinful acts and disobedience to God.

Simon Peter was grieved by his failures, filled with shame as a result of his sin, and embarrassed by his weakness. Each of us can remember times when our faith has been weak or we’ve messed it all up. We all know the reality of low-lows.

One of Simon Peter’s lowest moments involved denying any relationship with Jesus, even though he said he never would do such a thing. I wonder is it possible that in your life you actually have had a similar moment? Perhaps, at the time you were surrounded by close friends, family members, or acquaintances? Did you – have you ever – denied God’s grace in your life? Maybe, in specific moments, you’ve been hesitant to associate yourself with Jesus, a church, or Christianity?

The enemy is actively trying to make people deny that they are followers of Jesus Christ. We see this happening globally, people are actively denying Christ and turning away from Christianity.

BUT we know the back of the book, and we know who wins!

On the other side of denial, mess up, and mistakes the invitation is still the same.

Follow Me.

Follow Jesus!

This He spoke, signifying by what death he (Peter) would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” -John 21:19 (NKJV)

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/pPak8_syxOQ

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

5. Subscribe to EricGilbert.org using this link:https://www.ericgilbert.org/subscribe. You'll be able to receive updates directly to your email inbox as we post blogs every Monday, Thursday, and Friday morning.

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This Is How You Catch Them!

Samson was able to catch not one fox but three hundred. In doing so, he was declaring that all of the things that were working against God’s people were going to start working for God’s people! First, he took the foxes away from Israel’s vineyards. This action saved the Hebrew vines from destruction. Then, he tied the foxes' tails together, set them on fire, and released them into the fields of his enemy to destroy their harvest.

God wants to give you that kind of testimony in your life!

The things that have been gnawing and eating at you can be caught and overcome. God can bring the fire of his presence into your situation. And He can send the enemy back to where he belongs so that you can experience victory over the little foxes in your most meaningful relationships.

We are all dealing with a little fox in some way. Most likely, little foxes! Meaning more than one issue or struggle chewing away at our minds and hearts. Song of Solomon 2:15 tells us that we must “catch” the foxes in order to prevent their damage.

So how do you catch the spiritual foxes that the enemy sends into our relationships to steal, kill, and destroy? With much success, I believe we can “meaningfully” apply The Five Love Languages of Gary Chapman, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Gifts:

1. Meaningfully Affirm

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. -

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

Entitlement and selfishness will keep you from affirming others. Instead, affirm the people within your circle of influence: employees, supervisors, business partners, sponsors, parents, teammates, coaches, and, especially, your spouse and children. Greater levels of meaningfulness tend to arrive on the other side of affirmation.

2. Meaningfully Touch

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. -Hebrews 13:4 (ESV)

Touch your spouse in a loving and meaningful way – physically.

3. Invest Meaningful Time

Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. -Philippians 2:4 (ESV)

If you're going to catch the little foxes that are gnawing away at the person you care so much about, you have to spend meaningful time with them. Care about what they are interested in and lean into their life. Schedule meaningful time with them, for example, a date night or a short vacation just for the two of you. Even just ten minutes of uninterrupted quality conversation can go a long way!

4. Meaningfully Serve

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. -1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV)

God commanded us to meaningfully serve the people with whom we want to have a familial relationship. In fact, God designed it to be a testimony of our faith and belief in Jesus.

5. Meaningfully Give

In all things…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ -Acts 20:35 (ESV)

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” -Luke 6:38 (ESV)

Give from the goodness of your heart without expecting to receive something in return. No strings attached! Just give. Not manipulatively, but from the purity of Christ-like generosity.

There are little foxes who will constantly try to sneak into your life. They are coming to chew, gnaw, and eat at the roots and fruit of your most meaningful relationships. But God has more planned for your relationship than dead roots and devoured fruit. So instead, believe that there will be something healthy – something meaningful – something that stands the test of time.

Jesus is more than enough to help you defeat every fox:

On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ -Luke 13:31–32 (NKJV)

Jesus showed us how to deal with the fox! “Go, tell that fox…” I love Jesus! He announced that even when the spiritual fox possesses a king-like personality, demons will still be cast out, sicknesses will still be healed, and Resurrection Day is still coming!

God has the answer for all the little foxes in your life. He has the solution for the things that are gnawing at your roots and devouring your fruit. He can and will help you catch all the little foxes in your life!

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/s9gactgmBc0

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

5. Subscribe to EricGilbert.org using this link:https://www.ericgilbert.org/subscribe. You'll be able to receive updates directly to your email inbox as we post blogs every Monday, Thursday, and Friday morning.

Three Things Jesus Taught About Overcoming Temptation

Earlier this week, we discussed how every one of us struggles with a repetitive cycle of sin, why that is, and the three categories of temptation we all face. We also discussed how to overcome those temptations in our lives by learning to speak like Jesus.

Now, dive in a little deeper to see exactly how Jesus overcame the SAME temptations and desires we face today.

In Luke, Chapter 4, Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit, and yet He is led into the wilderness by the Spirit. Typically that’s not the place we want to be led, but this is also why most of us will never lead a meaningful life. We want the promise before the wilderness. However, sometimes it’s important to work things out in private before we are visible in the public’s eye. This approach is what Jesus walks out in His life. Before launching into public ministry, He goes into the wilderness to pray and fast. It is in this setting that the enemy shows up to tempt Him. The devil wants Jesus to sin. He wants Jesus to break the law of God. How does Satan tempt Jesus? In the same three ways, he tempts us!

• Being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” - Luke 4:4 (NKJV)

He tempts Jesus to turn a rock into bread, trying to provoke Jesus to flaunt his spiritual prowess. But Jesus resists this temptation by saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” Jesus tells the enemy that spiritual food, the Word of God, is of greater value than any natural food. The enemy tried to appeal to the desire of Jesus’s flesh…His hunger. He tempted him through the LUST OF THE FLESH.

• Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” -Luke 4:5-8 (NKJV)

Next, the enemy tried to show Jesus all of the Kingdoms of the world and everything they had to offer. He offers to give all of this to Jesus, but in return, Jesus has to worship him. The enemy tries to appeal to the LUST OF THE EYES. But Jesus resisted this temptation and declared the truth of God’s Word… ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” He also commanded Satan to get behind Him! This example is powerful because you can do this in your own life. You can speak to the enemy, crushing the bondage of discontentment, comparison, and temptation.

• Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands, they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ” Now, when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. -Luke 9-13 (NKJV)

The next temptation Jesus faced was the enemy challenging His Father’s love for Him. Satan tried to convince Jesus to attempt suicide so that His Heavenly Father would have to intervene... And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” The enemy tempted Jesus with the PRIDE OF LIFE.

We see every category of sin appear in Luke, Chapter 4. We learned earlier this week that sin is lawlessness, and we break the law of God because we fight against our desires. Our desires always fall within one of these three categories: lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or pride of life.

But Jesus overcame every category! And Heaven wants you to know that because Jesus overcame every category of temptation, so can you! You do not have to settle for being a law-breaker in the eyes of God. Of course, you may slip up or make mistakes, but that is not your final story. You are made new in Jesus Christ!

How did Jesus have the strength to overcome the enemy’s temptations? Through three things: prayer, fasting, and speaking the Word of God.

1. REALIGN YOUR PRIORITIES through PRAYER. Seasons of PRAYER can help you realign your PRIORITIES. You value whatever the temptation is offering less and begin prioritizing the meaningful things that God has already made or is making available.

2. CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVES through FASTING. Seasons of FASTING can help you become more hungry for God than your next meal, and this changes your PERSPECTIVE. There is no greater appetite than our desire for food. Seeking God through fasting is a great way to modify your perspective regarding what is most meaningful in your life.

3. DECLARE GOD’S PURPOSE for your life through HIS WORD. When you are in a season of prayer and fasting, you should also be in a direct relationship with the WORD OF GOD, which leads you into a place where you can start declaring God’s PURPOSE over your life. If you are going to pray, you must involve God’s Word because the most potent form of prayer is praying the promises of God. As well, if you are going to fast, not only should you pray in place of regular meals, but you should read the Word of God as a supplement to the plate that would typically sit on your table during meals. This intensified relationship with God’s word sets you up to better declare His purpose for your life as you are in seasons of realigning priorities and changing perspectives.

Your purpose is not to bow down to the enemy so that you can have more of this world. Instead, your objective is to bow down to God so you can have more of the Kingdom of Heaven made manifest on Earth. This mission is your purpose!

My challenge to us, going into the first 100 days of the new year, is to intensify your pursuit of God through prayer, fasting, and studying God’s Word. It may sound elementary, but it is life-changing. God has called you to live a meaningful life…to be more than a weak, powerless Christian. He has called you to be a Spirit-empowered, life-giving, need-meeting, Jesus-connected, devil-stomping Christian!

Let’s put the devil in his place! Let’s live a meaningful life. Let’s start walking out the purpose God has for us, and as we come into the first 100 days of 2022, may you set things in motion that will not only change this year but generations to come.

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/HvAtVLLroEM

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.
   

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.
   

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin
   

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES