APPLY-DON’T DENY

APPLY-DON’T DENY
March 26, 2018

Prayer: Please show us when we can speak up for You, Lord, and how to honor You wherever You take us this day. Amen.

Scripture: But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know Me.” Luke 22: 33-34 NIV

If you have read any of my writings over the years, you know that I identify with Peter and appreciate so much that God loved and used Him. God chose Peter despite his zealous nature that sent him from rock to stumbling block so many times in Scripture. We may have the best intentions. We may have the strongest desire to serve and please God. We may hunger to know Him and hold a fire in our soul to stand firm in Him. But our human flesh gets caught around our ankles and trips us up. Too often we leave ourselves with that same sinking feeling Peter had on his way across the sea. If challenged with the question, “Would you ever deny Christ?” I am sure most, if not all of us, would reply with a resounding “NO!”. Peter was appalled that Christ would even think for a moment that he would not walk shoulder to shoulder with Him to prison – or even death. Yet, we all know the story. By the time the cock crowed Peter had indeed denied even knowing Jesus three times.

Oh, the anguish Peter must have felt at the sound of that cock crowing! Would you ever deny being one of Christ’s followers? The truth is that we ALL have. Whether it’s our attitudes, gossip, jealously, pride, fear, worry, selfishness, an inappropriate joke or relationship, refusing to acknowledge Him, through any of our actions, in our successes or when we fail to seize the opportunities that arise at our schools, we deny Christ. Oh, I am so ashamed to admit the many ways I have denied Him. It takes a conscious effort of the mind, heart, body and soul to continually apply Christ to our lives, decisions and actions rather than deny Him. It is a moment-by-moment battle raging in us against flesh and fatigue, against Satan and those who are forever fighting against us. God’s Word, His promises, His love, His protection, His authority can help us to stand firm and apply Christ in every aspect of our lives.

Is your classroom or school a safe place to apply Christ or a place of daily denial? Do you give students the opportunity to express their beliefs or are you inadvertently guilty of hushing them? It is 100 percent legal for you and your students to express the true meaning of Easter and Christmas. They can talk about and express their relationship with Christ through music, artwork, literacy, and their writings. Help them to be bold. My prayer for you is that you would help one another to be bold as you apply – not deny – Christ daily.