If anyone should have been disqualified from ministry, it was Peter.  Paul did some pretty awful things to the name of Christ as well, but Peter?  He walked with Christ and ate with Christ and followed Christ and left his family for Christ.  He told his Lord that he'd be with him till the end.

And he was pretty good right up until the end shortly after seizing the ear from a guard showing his undying loyalty to the King of Kings.  That is, until he was asked if he knew this Jesus character.  And to that he replied, "I do not know or understand what you are talking about."

Not once.
Not twice.
But three times.

The second crow of the rooster was heard and Peter broke down and wept.

If that scenario had happened today in our Christian circles, we'd have scorned him.  We'd have said he was "no longer fit for ministry".  We'd have said that he'll never be able to be a witness for Christ again.

Thank God Peter was not living today or we might not be in relationship with the One, True God.

Peter could have forsaken all that he knew and experienced with Jesus.  He could have lowered his head and ran away to some secluded desert to spend the rest of his days.  He could have disguised himself so that he would not be recognizable as the disciple who denied Christ the Lord.

Instead, he chose to deal with his failure, shake the dust off his very worn sandals and press on the share the amazing love of the Son of God to the world.  For this, I am so grateful.

“Few unmistakable evidences glorify Him more than powerfully restored lives that humbly and authentically proclaim His faithfulness to the death.” - Beth Moore, The Beloved Disciple

Have you screwed up so badly that many are telling you you'll never be a witness for Christ?  Have you shamed your family with failure upon failure only to hear that you'll fail again?  Have you hidden in a corner hoping that no one will remember what you've done?

Well, my friend, I have good news.  For, you see, His mercies, they are new every morning.  While there will still be consequences to the sin you once allowed to entangle you, it does not have to keep you strangled from here on out.

Repent of your sin.
Receive the forgiveness offered to you.
And proclaim God's faithfulness for the rest of your days.

Cindy Beall is a Christ follower who uses her gift of exhortation by writing and mentoring women. She uses her past experiences, including the near death of her marriage, to encourage people that God truly does redeem. For more information about Cindy, log onto www.cindybeall.com *Cindy Beall is a 2009 StreamingFaith.com Guest Columnist.

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