Denying Jesus.......

This topic will not be popular with people, but it needs to be addressed.  People that read the Bible and those that do not read the Bible seem to know that Peter denied Jesus.  It seems like that story is covered on all areas of Christianity from "Baby Christians" to "Mature Christians." I am going to show the verse in the Bible it is Mark 14:66-72 Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below.  One of servant girls who worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire.  She looked at him closely and said, "You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth."  But Peter denied it.  "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out into the entryway.  Just then, a rooster crowed.  When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, "This man is definitely one of them!"  But Peter denied it again. A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, "You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean."  Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm lying-I don't know this man you're talking about!"  And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.  Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he broke down and wept.

So you may be asking yourself.... What is the importance of this verse?  How does this apply to me?  I would never deny Jesus?  EVERY SINGLE HUMAN CAN PERSONALLY IDENTIFY AND RELATE WITH THIS!!!!!!!  We have ALL denied Jesus!!!!  We have all been spiritually dead and put ourselves up on the throne!!  We have continued to walk in sin and find it fun.  The very sin that you enjoy is the one that Jesus went to the cross for and suffered!!!  Many people look at Peter and say "How could he deny Jesus?"  Each and every person can answer this question.  There are many in their Christian walk even to where they stumble and mess up and have put themselves BEFORE Christ.  Many times we are doing something that we know we shouldn't be doing, or acting a way that we shouldn't be acting.  Our lifestyles will truly show if we FOLLOW JESUS!! In Matthew 16:24 Jesus says "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.    This is not just a phrase that he spoke, this is an action that we CHOOSE and it must be done DAILY!!!  The moment you get Saved doesn't mean you sit back and continue living the same sinful lifestyle.  We are responsible to bear fruit.  In John 15:8 it says: This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  Maybe for some of you this is new to you, and you did not know because you do not read your Bible.  You may now ask yourself.. What fruit exactly am I supposed to bear? The answer is found in Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the {Holy} Spirit (the work which His presence within accomplishes) is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence).  Against such things there is no law (that can bring a charge.)  As being followers of Jesus Christ we ARE RESPONSIBLE to bear THIS fruit.  There are no excuses!!!  We cannot blame others because this is a choice that Each individual decides.  Nobody can make you do anything, we are responsible for our own actions and we will have to answer to each and every action we decide. This next verse that I am going to share should keep people up in their sleep.  It is Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word they have spoken.   Jesus is not a liar, and this will happen to every single person.  If we truly meditated on this verse, we would be careful with what we say to ourselves and to others.  Each and every person can relate with Peter because we ourselves have denied Jesus.  It should bring comfort to know that even the few that were selected to be with Jesus here on earth were STILL human and struggled with the same struggles that you and I face daily.  It should bring comfort to you that Jesus came for sinners and for humans that continually fail him.  We place such high un-realistic expectations on ourselves and others that we feel like we have to continually punish ourselves and make up for it.  Good News!!! You can STOP punishing yourself, Jesus already did it all!!! Jesus said "It is Finished!"  What you have to do is receive what he did and repent and he will forgive you.  What verse can you use when you mess up???  It is 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. So this is what we are instructed to do when we mess up.  When we say or do something ungodly, we are responsible to do this!!!  I hope this blog post gives you comfort seeing that You and I are just like Peter.  Peter had fear and doubt and shame.  Jesus knew each and everything that Peter was going to do and STILL accepted him with open arms.  He does the exact same for you and me!!!  Praise Jesus that he still loves us and has mercy on us when we continually fail him and do not deserve it!! Praise him for loving and wanting a sinner like me!!