Woke up to fog, then more fog, then the sun kinda broke through, then more fog.  Temp is mild, though so can’t have everything.

Blaze is enjoying the yard, running around out there with NO snow!  Little character doesn’t want to come inside – but when it started raining ‘twas a different case.  He is still skittish and doesn’t care for company.  He is getting better with the cats, though, they ignore him so he has stopped trying to intimidate them – usually.......  

Mathew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

³³ But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Christ draws a very fine line, either you confess me, or I will deny you before my Father; pretty clear, no way to wiggle out of it.  Peter knew that when he denied Christ and we know the story well:

Mathew 26:69-75  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.

Peter walked with Christ for about three years.  He was one of the favorites of Christ, a special disciple that He expected much of.  Peter was bold, brave, outspoken; there was no doubt in Peter, Jesus was the Christ.  He said it, because he believed it.  He saw the miracles, he heard the teachings of Christ, he had experienced firsthand the power that Christ possessed.

Peter loved Christ.  But on that morning he was confused, he was disillusioned.  Judas had turned traitor.  All the other times that the leaders had tried to capture Jesus, Jesus had escaped unharmed.  Peter had taken up the sword that Jesus had told him to bring and started to fight, but Jesus stopped him.  Peter’s whole world had been turned upside down, and he did not handle it well.

This proud man whom Peter had followed for the past three years was now being beaten and humiliated before him.  Jesus was not defending Himself, He was standing there and taking it.

Peter was a man of action and all of this had to be disheartening.  Forbidden to fight for Jesus, he followed him to the trials.  He was recognized by people and denied he knew him.

He denied Christ.  When the prophesy was confirmed by the crowing of the cock, he fully realized what he had done.  Ashamed, fearful and probably being reminded of the statement that Jesus made about denying him, he fled and wept.  Peter had denied Christ, three times, in public. 

Why couldn’t Peter stand before these people?  Why did he deny he knew Jesus?  For the same reasons we sometimes do the same thing – he was there in his own strength. 

As a strong man Peter relied on his strength and boldness to make his way in life.  When faced with all that occurred that night and morning he was ill prepared to combat satan as he worked around and then within him.

God gives us gifts, we learn to use those gifts and then we forget who gave them to us.  As time goes on we learn that we can use those gifts with very little effort on our part.  Because we are good at something we tend to rely on our abilities rather than on God.

But there are times that we are tested and our abilities are insufficient to get the job done.  We need to prepare ourselves for the eventuality by being close to God; always submitting ourselves in both strength and weakness to Him.

Peter was warned that he was not up to the task.  Instead of asking Jesus how he could be stronger, he puffed up his chest and said not me, I would never leave you.  He was defeated by his pride even before he was confronted.

We can be very thankful that the story doesn’t end there.  It gives us hope that we can overcome our own pride, our own failures and sins.  Jesus looks at the heart of man, as He did with Peter, and He forgives us:

Mark 16:7  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

and Peter!

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again