Jesus said to his disciples, "During this very night, all of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say, 'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you." Peter spoke up, "Even if all the others reject you, I never will!" Jesus replied, "I promise you that before a rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you don't know me." But Peter said, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never say I don't know you." All the others said the same thing.
Matthew 26: 31 - 35
Peter told Jesus that he would be willing to die for his Master! Peter sincerely believed that he would stand up for and even be willing to die with Jesus. The other disciples repeated those words to Jesus. But we read in the Bible that Peter’s strength of will was washed away in the flood of pressure that came just before the rooster crowed!
Peter was serious in his declaration of faith and willingness to die for Jesus. In fact, Peter was the one who cut off the servant’s ear when they came to get Jesus. Surely, Peter could have died if the soldiers had responded violently. It was not in the heat of the moment that Peter denied the Lord, it was rather in the quiet of sitting by a fire waiting to see how things would come out! It is a warning for us today.
Don’t be afraid of the violent onslaught of the Devil and his minions. Most, will stand up to that even as Peter cut off the servant’s ear. The hardest part of remaining loyal to Jesus is when you are sitting quietly by the fire and someone points you out as a follower of Jesus. The first and second denial that Peter made of the Lord were in response to comments by two “servant girls” who recognized him. Peter stood up well against the Roman soldiers who came to take Jesus away, but later he denied even knowing Jesus when two “servant girls” recognized him.
Sometimes it is the subtle temptations in a quiet time that are most difficult!
“Lord Jesus, help me not to deny You today. Make me strong enough to withstand even the QUIET TIME TEMPTATIONS. Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever. Amen.”
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