Verily, verily I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
The first thing to notice here is that the Lord made reference to Peter being both young and old. The fact that he said when thou shalt be old showed that although Peter followed the Lord for about 3 1/2 years as a man he still didn't consider him old. It takes more than 3 or 4 years of seminary or sitting on a pew to become an adult Christian. That's why so many go into all the world to be a witness and don't understand what they should be a witness of. Peter said that as babes in Christ we should desire the sincere milk of the word of God. The Lord may have said come in faith as a child but he didn't say to remain a child. That faith as a child should lead us to follow the Spirit of God and grow in faith. Not stay a child. Under the law the men of war were from about 20 years old and upward. Thus signifying that there is a time and season for all things done under the sun and that as soldiers for Christ we are to grow in faith. Jesus even spake of those who had no faith, little faith and so great a faith. David said "I was young and now I am old and I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread." Who was David speaking of? 1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. David said he had one desire and that was to dwell with the Lord forever. As an adult who had come to a mature faith he knew that he could only glory in the Lord. Paul in like manner knew that he had nothing to boast but in the death of Christ his Lord. As the Lord spake unto Eve, her desire should be towards her husband. In like manner when we grow in faith our desire should be towards Christ. The Lord told Peter when he was converted to strengthen his brethren. This same one whom he would later say should become old. That converting wasn't getting baptized as the mainstream says. John even said "I baptize with water but he that cometh after me shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire." Can we find a baptism after John's? The first chapter of Acts shows that those assembled in the upper room were baptized with fire when they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That Spirit is what caused them to grow in the Lord and desire the meat of the word as adults. That is the conversion that the Lord spake unto Peter about that would allow him to strengthen his brethren. Not the initial baptism of water. It is good to be baptized with water and have the Holy Ghost be "with" you but something toatally different to have the baptizm of the Holy Ghost and have him "in" you. Samson wasn't listed as having the baptism of the Holy Ghost but the Spirit of God moved on him from time to time. Many just don't see that when they confess their sins and are baptized they have started walking in faith and that second baptism of the Holy Ghost will convert them and give them the mind of Christ that will always seek to do the Father's will and not their own. The word says that that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The works of the flesh will have no place in the kingdom of God. The Lord said the words he spake were Spirit and life. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. These are the things the Lord are looking for both in and out of season. Such as the parable of the fig tree. The word said that in his day every man would be under his fig tree. Revelation says the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. What are under the leaves of the fig tree? The fruit. The fruit of the Spirit within those who are healed. Those who have been delivered from the darkened world of the enemy's kingdom. That darkness being as Job said where words, or scripture is used with no knowledge. Where there is no way. The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath. If we are risen with Christ we should seek those things which are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. The Lord said when you see these things coming to pass look up for your redemption draweth nigh. The things that we should take notice of are the evil and perilous times we live in and the way Christianity is no longer seeking Christ. That form of Christianity where "buddy Jesus" just wants to bless our socks off even if we forsake the assembling of ourselves on Sunday. Had Noah's wife, sons and their wives forsook the assembling they would have died with the ungodly. Had Lot's wife and daughters forsook the assembling they would have perished. Had the children of Israel forsook the assembling they would not have heard the word of God. All of these are types and shadows of the importance of going to church and hearing the word. Many don't even stop to think but it says that there is an angel in heaven that preaches the everlasting word. If they don't want to hear the word here how can they ever desire to be in heaven where it is preached without end? If they have not the desire to tithe their time and go to church how can they expect the Lord to honour that? He rebuked his disciples and said "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" The Lord is no liar and for people to hear the words "well done" they better have done well. The word of God says that the carnal mind is emnity with God. Paul said that because they were divided they were carnal and he could not give them the meat of the the word. Those who all believed differently and spake differently and had denominations of a sort claiming to be of Paul or Titus and such all had a different witness. When the Lord was tried before the Sanhedrine it says that their witnesses didn't agree. Proverbs shows us that when witnesses do not agree and causes dissention among the brethren it is an abomination in the eyes of God. The Baptists claim the Catholics are going to hell and the Pentecostals think all but they are going to hell. The Lord said howbeit in vain do they worship him teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. They make an open show of the abomination of causing a division as they make the word of none effect. When the word is of none effect there is no righteousness to stand before God without spot. There is no true faith to believe God against all odds and please Him. There is no sanctification or ability to come out of a world the Lord commanded us to be willing to hate and forsake. The straight sector doesn't like it when you tell them that the vast majority of their doctrines and denominations are but an abomination. But, just like those they cast stones at they better speak one thing and believe one thing for eternal life. That one thing better be one way of God that was originally given to the elect lady and her children. If we wish to have eternal life we have to come beyond a carnal, or fleshly mind and have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is that which is about his Father's work. One that did his Father's will. John shows us that the Father's work and will is that we believe in the only begotten Son of God. He who was made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Our very Samson, or strength in times of trouble. Even our Ruth and Naomi who would bring forth the lineage of a great King although considered unclean as a Moabite. The flesh has no desire for the things of God. Neither does a carnal mind. If we wish to be as Peter we need to grow in the Lord and become mature Christians that can discern good from evil and see the Son of God in the laws and prophets so that his Spirit can carry us where we wouldn't go naturally. Towards the word and towards heaven and towards pleasing Christ even if it means using the whole word and denying our wants and desires in the natural that we had before knowing him. The Lord likened the seed to the word. He likened the temple to his body. The pharisees knew the root form of the Hebrew words better than any of us. They still could not understand him. The spirit of man will seek out the things of man. The Spirit of God will seek out and reveal the things of God. Many who study the original language and translations are still blind. It takes the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It takes Jesus revealing himself by the very Spirit most of Christianity rejects. Many that are abominable by their denominational views that limit the word of God cast stones at those who although gay, might be making a greater sacrifice in continuing to believe in spite of great opposition. They condemn theirselves by their own mouth just as the Lord, who is no liar, said they would. May God bless, Tiff
