Category: Devotional Thoughts

Peter, Betrayal, and the Unseen Battle

It is now Holy Week–a time we use to contemplate the last week of Jesus’ life before the crucifixion. I’m not sure why, but a few verses of Scripture have been on my mind. I’m referring to a conversation between Jesus and the disciples, with special emphasis on Simon Peter.

It was the Passover meal. Jesus was explaining the “new covenant,” based on the blood he would soon shed on the cross. The disciples still didn’t get it—they began arguing over which one was the greatest. Jesus told them just how weak they really were:

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

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 22:31-34

Peter refused to believe the Lord’s prediction, but we all know what happened. Jesus loved him in spite of his failures (just as He does with us).

“I have prayed for you”

This is the statement that strikes me. Jesus would soon atone for Peter’s betrayal with His own blood. Three days later He would conquer death itself. But He wanted them to know something else: “I have prayed for you.”

The enemy had asked to “sift” all of the disciples. I don’t pretend to completely understand this, but his request was granted: the disciples all scattered when Jesus was arrested. But the Lord had interceded on their behalf. He fought one last battle on His knees before walking the road to Calvary.

I’m reminded of the importance of intercession—fighting the unseen battle on our knees. How often do we try to do ministry in our own strength?  How often do we fail to consult with Him and ask Him for the victory? Paul reminds us of the true nature of the Christian’s battle:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
-Ephesians 6:12

The battle belongs to You, Dear Lord. Thank you for reminding me of this, and please forgive me for those times I try to win it in my own strength.

The Cross: God’s Revelation of Love

Easter Sunday is quickly approaching. It’s the time when we think more about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I’d like for all my readers to reflect on the cross as God’s ultimate revelation of love to us.

Let’s think about this whole concept of revelation.  Here’s what it means: we would not know God completely unless He chose to reveal Himself to us.

We can know some things about God by simply observing the universe in which we live.  Paul talks about this in the Book of Romans:

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 
-Romans 1:20

But these general observations (called “general revelation” by theologians) can only take us so far.  We need more information to know who God is and what He is like.  This is where the Scriptures come in: they teach us about a holy, loving God whose character is nothing like ours.

The apex (high point) of God’s revelation comes in Jesus Christ and what He accomplished on the Cross.  The Bible describes it this way:

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
-Romans 5:8

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
-John 15:13


Here is our problem: we often look to the wrong place to “see” God’s love.   Sadly, this is true of believers and non-believers alike.

Here’s what I mean–we tend to ask questions like this:

“If God loves me, why did this happen to me?”
“If God loves me, why am I in so much pain?”
“If God loves me, why isn’t my life going the way I want?”

Do you understand the problem?  We will always be disappointed if we simply rely on our life circumstances as “proof” of God’s love.  It would go something like this:

*I had a good day today.  God must love me.
*I’m heartbroken.  God must not love me.
*I got a pay raise.  God must love me.
*I got stuck in traffic.  God must not love me.

It reminds me of the “he loves me, he loves me not” game that children play with flower petals.

Please don’t misunderstand me here–I know that disappointment with God is a very normal human emotion.  God understands these feelings, and even allowed them to be recorded in Holy Scripture (the Psalms, for example).

But disappointments in life do not change what Jesus has done on the Cross.  Do you want to know how much God loves you?  Don’t look at your difficulties.  Look instead to the cross!  Jesus has already proven His love through his sacrificial death.