Prayer Works Morning Devotion: April 10, 2025

"Readying Our Hearts for Resurrection Sunday"

"Peter Denies Jesus, And Weeps Bitterly"

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Good morning, good morning, everybody. Let us pray, this is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Christ has redeemed us from the cross of the law. We are crucified with Christ.  

Nevertheless, we'll live. Not yet, us, but Christ lives by faith in us. His word dwells in us richly. We were able to say we are blessed, we are healed, we are set free. Sickness cannot dwell in us.  

The number of our days you will fulfill, sin cannot dominate us because the seed of God's word lives in us. We believe that Jesus came and died on the cross. We now have the abundant life and the victory that he provides.  

No weapon formed against the shall prosper. We are more than conquerors because of your great love. Greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world. We can do all things through Christ who strengthen us as the redeemed of the Lord, we say so. 

Brothers and sisters today, we're going to read. I think it's one of the most difficult you know situation that Jesus had to go to go through. But also is one of the most you know revealing thing about our sinful nature.  

And this moment here shows us how sinful we are, even when we know the truth. It shows how the flesh in spite of what we know can sometimes take over.

And it also shows that God knows but the overall message for today is how much God loves us and we're going to see it in this in this passage of Scripture.  

When we are done. My prayer is that we have a greater understanding of God's love in spite of the things that we do and that he knows that we are going to do. So let us read Luke 22:54.  

Remember, they were in the garden yesterday. Prior to the prayer the disciples says, hey, we'll take the cup. And we are willing to go to the ends of the world with you. If it means dying, so be it.  

This is their declaration a few moments ago. This is happening in an hour not more than a day of these statements being said between when it took place, it was about to happen.  

So now they come into the garden and they ceased Jesus. So start from 54, then seizing him they led him away and took him into the House of the high priest. I think towards the end, if I continue, I think towards the end we should do a teaching on from this hour until the crucifixion.  

Peter followed at a distance. So now the system the same man that says I'll drink the cup. I'm willing to be arrested. I'm willing to go to prison with you now. He withdraws away from Jesus.  

So he follows at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and yet sat down together. So what? He says I'll follow you. I'll go to prison if I have to.  

They took Jesus and take him to the high priest's house. In the courtyard but Jesus is being led to speak to the high priest. Somebody had put a fire and Peter goes and sits on the fire. To hang out with this group that's on the fire, enjoying the fire.  

Peter sat down with and his servant girl saw him seated day in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said this man was with him. But he denied it. Woman I don't know him, he said.  

He doesn't even say I wasn't with him. He says I don't know him. The man he walked with for three years. This is the same man who says on you the Peter I will build the foundation of the church.  

And he says, I don't know him. A little later someone else saw him and said. You also are one of them. Man, I'm not, replied Peter. About an hour later, another said, and suddenly the fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.  

Peter replied man, I don't know what you're talking about. Just as he was speaking. So you went from I don't know him. And then to say I wasn't with him to now you must be crazy. I don't know what you're talking about.

Three different answers that we usually give when confronted with difficult situations, I wasn't there.  

I don't know what you're talking about and I don't know him. Now here is my question, Peter wanted to say this. Is this what was in his heart to say or is this what the flesh that is ruling at this hour wants to say?  

I'll pick the second. That in his heart of hearts he doesn't want to say this, but he's saying things that his flesh was to say. This is where Paul says I don't want to do wrong, but somehow I find myself doing things that I don't want to do.  

Just as he was speaking the rooster crowed the Lord turned now, once you imagine this entire time, we're saying what he's saying, Jesus can hear him.

And then the rooster crowed. So which means now it's early morning. So I want you to imagine they picked him up at midnight. 

So now this is early morning. When Rooster crows and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Eye contact made then Peter remembered the word the Lord is spoken to him. Before the Rooster Cross today you will disown me 3 times.  

And the scripture says, and he went outside and wept bitterly. Brothers and sisters when you really think about this moment here. It represents our interaction with God as humanity.  

1, God knows what we will do, choices we will make. And sometimes to the extent of telling us in advance the wrong choices we are going to make. Even though we desire to do good in our efforts to do good, we are still going to make the wrong choices.  

He knows it, he sees it and sometimes you want this in advance. But in this situation Peter is want the Lord knows what he's going to say. He tells, already told him three times tonight you're going to disown me. A few moments ago I would drink the cup. 

A few moments ago I will go wherever you want to go. It's so amazing the things that we proclaim and desire to do under the anointing. You would be in church and their mind would be so strong.  

And we stand there and say, surely, God, I'm going to do this, I'm going to start my fasting tomorrow. And God, you can hear him say no, you're not because I know you. You're going to do something else.  

The first thing to say is my heart is willing, but my flesh to fight. Now Peter goes out and he weeps bitterly. Why is he weeping bitterly? Because his heart wants to do what's right. But he knows the flesh is powerful.  

And this here is the evidence to show you how gifted we are to have the spirit, the Holy Spirit working in us. This man does not have the spirit in him. Yet this is how people lived before Jesus came. Without the council and power of the Holy Spirit working in them.  

This is how it was. Say one thing here, say another over here. So Peter is weeping bitterly because he knows that have been found out even though I want to do right. Even though I'm saying I want to drink this cup, I want to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.  

I'm realizing that in my own strength, I can't. That's why he's weeping but Jesus knew. Now the perspective I want us to look at this passage of Scripture from is this. In spite of all this Jesus loves Peter.  

In spite of the decisions we make, God stands there with open arms. Loving you, loving me. Knowing that, I know, I know, I know, I know you're going to betray me three times tonight.

But man my love for you. A few minutes ago, a few hours ago, Jesus told the same man. And the devil had asked for you. 

And I prayed for you, Peter that your faith will not fail here. He knows, he sees even what's coming we don't. He warned us but still we make the wrong choices. And the love of God, the encompassing love of God.  

Shows you and I that besides the evidence, besides what he sees, besides what he knows besides the choices we will make his love for us still remains. I will drink this cup if you are going to prison, I'm coming too.  

If you are fasting, I will fast too. But my God when face to face with challenges. The flesh took over. Denied Christ three times. I can't imagine what it felt like to lock your eyes with Jesus face to face is looking at you, Peter, and I'm looking, we are looking dead in the eye.  

And I'm reminding you in the spirit, what you said a few hours ago. That I am mad at you, Peter. Because I came to die for that, so that this spirit I have, I will give it to you so you don't have to do that. The love of God. The love of God.  

In our betrayal, there's a song that was written years ago says I will crucify him again. The love that Jesus shows us. The restrain he has in this moment is unbelievable. He didn't say I told you so.  

He said Peter, you know what forget you. I don't ever want to see you again. I'm changing my mind, you are no longer the rock. On you I'm not building the church.

No, I'm not doing it, Peter. You betrayed me three times in one night I'm building the church with you and God knew.  

This is why it's important that for the matters of heart which is your intent of things remains pure. Your flesh might gruel, but let your heart remain pure because that's what God sees. Peter's heart was to do right by Christ.  

It has always been like that from wanting to walk on water from saying the right wrong thing, right time, right time, wrong time, all of that Peter's heart was always to follow Christ. 

But his flesh could not allow him to. That's why Jesus says I prayed for you, Peter, that your faith will not fail you. From being told I will build my church to from to being told, get deep behind me, Satan.  

Because their hearts, Jesus knew and the flesh that the love of God overrides all this, says Peter see. I am changing my mind from what I promised and from what I said I will. So brothers and sisters let's keep our hearts pure.  

Just keep our hearts pure, knowing that the love of God is unbelievably powerful. So as we go into the day  know this, you're going to say the wrong thing.

You're going to do the wrong thing in your effort of being right, you're going to say some things that are contrary and opposite of what God wants.  

And the assurance is that God knows that even if he does, he's not changing his mind on you. He's not changing his mind on things that he wants to do as long as your heart remains pure.  

Your desires and your intense remains pure. Let us pray. Father we thank you for your love. Today we just want to rest right here. It's not about what we desire our needs, our challenges.

You know, all those we've prayed for them, but for today, today, today, today, we just want to appreciate the fact that you love us.  

That you see us, you know us in spite of our wicked ways. You love us. You're patient with us. You are encouraging and we glorify you for your love. We praise you for the way that you love us. You showed it over and over again.  

So with that, we don't want to add anything to this hour. But rather to just say Lord, we are so appreciative of the love that you have for us. In spite of the things that we do, inspite of the things that we say.  

Now as we go into this day, we carry these grateful hearts with us knowing that's you love us, bless you, bless our day, bless those around us. Remind us in our weakness that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  

Now lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For thy is the Kingdom the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen. Brothers and sisters have a wonderful, wonderful day in God's love. We'll see you tomorrow.