Let's Pray

[vooke]

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Good morning church,
Matthew 26:69-75 (KJV)
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Barring Judas, Peter is one guy recorded tripping the most of all the disciples. Here we have a classic instance where he denies Jesus severally (thrice) in one night and goes a s far as taking an oath to this effect.

Jesus had just been arrested and the man who a few hours earlier was prepared to die for Christ and cut a man's ear (where was he aiming?) is distancing him from his master.  What was at stake? The Jews was only interested in the 'ring leader' of this sect, Jesus. So I doubt Peter was in mortal danger. I believe the worst that could have happened was to jeer him for associating with a blasphemer and perhaps cast him out.

Whatever they could have done to Peter after positively ID-ing him as a Jesus freak, it was scary or inconvenient enough to Peter at that moment.

Now, Peter repented and is both dead and buried for close to 2000 years. Today, before we contemptuously read Peter's slip, do we deny Jesus Christ after we have known him?

Have you ever been embarrassed of telling people you pray especially those who don't subscribe to your faith? Peter was among those who felt Jesus was getting what he deserved.

 I don't know how negroes invented 'bwana asifiwe' greetings for believers and you are supposed to reply 'Amen!'. I been there where this brother is almost shouting and am feeling, 'this is NOT the place to declare to all and sundry that am a Christian' and it's just a greeting.  vooke is guilty.

It gets funny; you have a Christian basis for doing whatever you are doing but you won't admit to doing it because it is Christ-like. You go around in circles philosophizing. Say you forgive somebody who wronged you because Christ forgave you but you be like, 'I forgave her because bitterness is unhealthy...bla bla bla....'

In conclusion,
Romans 1:16 (KJV)
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth
Some of us are ashamed of our faith and not at the point of death but mere expediency . This robs us our testimony and we are most ineffective as believers when we deny Christ. Denying Christ can have eternal consequences. Jesus said if we deny him before men, he would deny us before the Father( Matthew 10:33)

Have a blessed Lord's Day free of denying the very Lord that redeemed you (2Peter 2:1) even as you worship Him