Today I want to discuss something that I believe is truly important. The thought for today began with the following scripture…
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. Mark 14:71-72
We all know this story very well. Peter the disciple of Jesus had vigorously sworn he would stand by Jesus no matter what. When Jesus said Peter would deny him, Peter couldn’t comprehend it. He thought that would never happen.
The truth is, none of us can truly know what we will do under pressure…until we are under pressure.
The thing I want to discuss from this event is…the curse.
I find it very interesting that not only does he deny Christ, but he calls a curse upon himself as he lies. He said, “A curse on me if I’m lying” when he clearly knew he was lying. But when we observe the rest of Peter’s life, we see him far from cursed. The rock upon which Christ will build the church…that’s how Jesus referenced him later.
You may be wondering, at this point, what in the world I’m talking about. I’m so glad you asked.
I believe that some of us feel like we’ve cursed ourselves and have no hope of being blessed in some areas of our lives. I bring out this part of the story to say, “You are never so cursed that God cannot redeem you.”
This devotional may not be relevant to everyone, but for the few that it helps find release…this is worth it.
Friend, no matter what vow to God you’ve broken, there is hope. No matter what curse you have released over yourself, it’s not too late. Even if someone else has spoken curses over you, they can be voided. There is hope.
Today, I want to breathe that hope over everyone of you.
When I was young, I dabbled in some dark things, and for years the Christian crowd I was around, made me feel like those things disqualified me from being in certain positions and receiving certain blessings. But that’s the opposite of the grace I have found in God. I have been told that certain “celebrity” Christians have received such a portion from God because they lived holy lives even when they were young, never struggling with the things I struggled with…but that also, couldn’t be further from the truth.
But for the grace of God, we are all saved.
Sin is sin. God sees it the same, no matter how bad we want that to be different. Oh, how pride can wash over us and make us think our sin is so much less than someone else’s…but friend, when we allow our hearts to rest on that, we become a stench to God.
He shows us in scripture that…
“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28
God’s standard is high.
So how is this helpful with someone who feels cursed? Well, it’s all to say, none of us is truly any better than the other. Pride is just as sinful as lust. Arrogance is just as sinful as murder. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft. If we all, in the magnitude of our sins, can be found by Jesus and brought into the family line of God…grafted in…then how can we not be released from curses, just as Peter was?
The entirety of life and our inability to save ourselves with so-called good living…is all designed to point us to Jesus. We all need Jesus. He is the only way. The only Truth. The only Life.
No one comes to the Father except through Him. We all lived under the curse…then there was Jesus. Breathe in that freedom today. There is forgiveness at the cross. There is life when we lay ours down. It is only by dying to our sin nature that we come alive. Jesus. Jesus is everything.
365 Days in the Presence 