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Prophet, priest, Messiah? Simon didn\u2019t know. He did know with Jesus, he was in the presence of Godliness.\u00a0 That meant he was out of place.<\/p>\n
Simon followed the traditions of their people, albeit a bit more loosely than Andrew.\u00a0 He envied his brother\u2019s devotion to God.\u00a0 It seemed to give him the purpose Simon was seeking himself.\u00a0 He believed in God.\u00a0 He just couldn\u2019t believe God would accept a man like him.\u00a0 Where pride tells a man, he does not need God, guilt tells a man, he does not matter to God.\u00a0 Both are lies.<\/p>\n
There had to be more to life than fishing.\u00a0 A better reason to get up each day than whatever prosperity could be had catching a few more fish.\u00a0 When Simon\u2019s wife Miriam died along with their child, just before giving birth, the emptiness increased and overwhelmed him.\u00a0 Religious leaders, Pharisees, and teachers offered no hope — no answers, for themselves or Simon.\u00a0 He had no respect for them.\u00a0 They were selling something they didn’t own.\u00a0 Andrew followed John the Baptist, who called for repentance.\u00a0 Change was something Simon wanted and needed, but not something he knew how to do.\u00a0 He could not fix himself no matter how much effort he put into it.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t even know how exactly he was broken.\u00a0 He only knew he was.\u00a0 What he needed was a new life.<\/p>\n
Jesus was different from the rest, not just a seeker like Andrew, certainly not a discouraged one who\u2019d given up, like Simon himself had become.\u00a0 Being with Jesus, Simon had never felt so unworthy and yet so welcome.\u00a0 Jesus seemed to be the source of what they sought.\u00a0 His words rang with authority.\u00a0 There was power.\u00a0 Was He the Messiah?\u00a0 Simon didn\u2019t pretend to know yet, but Jesus had answers, and just maybe \u2013 maybe He was the answer.<\/p>\n
READ AN EXCERPT<\/a> ORDER A COPY NOW<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Prophet, priest, Messiah? Simon didn\u2019t know. He did know with Jesus, he was in the presence of Godliness.\u00a0 That meant he was out of place. Simon followed the traditions of their people, albeit a bit more loosely than Andrew.\u00a0 He envied his brother\u2019s devotion to God.\u00a0 It seemed to give him the purpose Simon was<\/p>\n