Peter's Denial of Jesus Christ

Peter the apostle, also known as Simon Barjona or Cephas or Peter the Rock, was a simple fisherman. He was uneducated and led a simple life yet he grew to be the presiding apostle and leader of Christ’s church after the crucifixion. What brings a man of such humble beginnings to such greatness? There is only one answer, and that is Jesus Christ.

When Christ chose his apostles he picked the best possible men. He knew them and their potential but he also knew that they would need to be taught and refined. I have spent a lifetime learning the gospel and dare say that I know more than a lot of people because of my years as a seminary teacher however, I still feel like an infant in many ways. These men had three short years that they would learn. True, they had the ultimate teacher, but three years is not a long time to learn all that they needed to know about this “vast gospel plan”*.

This humble apostle of the Lord walked away from his profession, the very means he had to support his family, and never looked back. He placed all of his trust in the Lord that his family would be provided for and he accepted the call to serve. What incredible faith he demonstrated right from the beginning! We read of him healing the sick, escaping from prisons, raising the dead, prophesying, and walking on water. Later he was threatened, beaten, and eventually murdered. This was a man of deep spiritual and prophetic fortitude. And yet some see him as weak because, in a terribly frustrating and violent time, he denied the Christ. It is important to note that he did not deny the divinity of Christ but only his own association with Jesus. There is a big difference!

Some people have speculated that Jesus actually commanded Peter to deny him for his own safety. He needed Peter to be alive and unharmed so that he could be the president of the church. They say that he wept bitterly because he hated denying his association with Jesus even though he KNEW that Jesus was the Christ. I don't know if that is the truth or if he simply denied him out of fear or something else. The important thing to learn is that Christ proved that he knows us. It's also important to know to feel the Godly sorrow of sin is the first step back to repentance. Peter wasted no time on his repentance. So often we procrastinate our repentance. I know I have. 

One of Peter’s amazing qualities is how quickly he progressed in the gospel. I am inspired by his resilience and ability to learn from his mistakes and quickly jump right back into the work. Some may say he lacked faith as shown when he attempted to walk on water. What I see is a man who DID walk on water. 

Peter’s leadership, faith, endless devotion to the Lord and his church, as well as his courage, and spiritual strength are all qualities that I greatly admire in this humble apostle of the Lord. Just as Peter was tried and tested, so have I been tried and tested in my own life. Just as Peter felt the spirit burning and testifying of Christ, so have I felt this same testimony. Just as Peter slipped and stumbled as he learned the gospels, so have a stumbled and fallen. However, we have both picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off through the repentance process, and grown stronger. Peter truly is a shining example of faith and turning ones weaknesses into strengths. He is a man who has earned his place on the right side of the lord to “judge the nations” with his brethren, the Twelve apostles and the Savior of all mankind.

*All quotes come from Elder Spencer W. Kimball’s “Peter, My Brother” article found in Appendix D of The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles (old student manual).

To Him That Overcometh

In Revelation chapters 2–3, the Lord’s counsel to each of the seven branches of the Church in Asia follows a pattern:

• He told the members of the branch what they were doing that pleased Him.
• He told them in what ways they needed to repent.
• He told them of the blessings that would come if they were faithful.

Here is a chart to show specifically what the Lord taught the people in each branch:

City	What They Did That Pleased the Lord	How They Needed to Repent	Promised Blessings
Ephesus (2:1-7)	They were patient, shunned evil, cast out false apostles, and served the Lord	Return to missionary work and repent	Eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God
Smyrna (2:8-11)	They worked hard and endured tribulations	Endure their tribulations and not be afraid of what they might suffer in this life	They will not be hurt of the second death (spiritual death)
Pergamos (2:12-17)	They held fast to their faith and did not deny Christ	They are falling back into old traditions of sacrifice and fornication	Temple blessings were promised
Thyatira (2:18-29)	They had charity and served each other as well as faith and patience and good works	They were committing fornication and adultery as well as sacrificing to idols	Power over nations and the morning star
Sardis (3:1-6)	The Lord was not pleased with them	They needed to strengthen each other and remember what they had been taught about the gospel	Clothes in white and reside with Christ in the next life. The Lord will defend their names to the Father.
Philadelphia (3:7-13)	They had a little strength and obeyed the commandments and not denied the Lord	They were doing well and were not chastised to repent	They will have a place with the Father and the Son
Laodicea (3:14-22)	They were neither cold nor hot but lukewarm	Because they were lukewarm the Lord was not impressed	They need to let the Lord into their lives and be more passionate about the gospel

So how does the council and warnings of the seven branches of the Church in Asia apply to us today? Are we guilty of the same things that these early church members were guilty of? Do we put more emphasis on our idols (smart phones, cars, RVs, big homes, big screen tvs, social media, etc.) then we do on service, love, missionary work, and magnifying our callings? Are we lukewarm in the gospel or do we live the commandments with passion?

There is some council found in these verses to return to the basics of faith, charity, and service. Hidden in the text is also references to the temple work that needs to still be done. Again I ask, are you lukewarm when it comes to your activity and devotion to the covenants you have made and if so what will you do to light the spark again within your heart?

Several times in these scriptures we read the phrase “to him that overcometh”. Doctrine and Covenants 14:7, 63:20 gives additional insight and meaning to this phrase. From these scriptures we learn the simple truth of the gospel that we must endure to the end in order to obtain eternal life with the Father.

I encourage you to find the key to your own heart that will light a fire of faith and give you the strength to serve the Lord with all your heart so that you can have the strength to endure all of the trials and tribulations that will come in this life. If you are able to do this the Lord has promised you blessings beyond your comprehension.

The Savior’s Instructions about the Holy Ghost

The Savior taught many things while he was among the people. Today we will focus on what he taught about the Holy Ghost. Here is a list of several verses and what the Lord said about what the Holy Ghost does and what the disciples must do to receive the Holy Ghost:

• John 14:15–17: As we keep the commandments we will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost
• John 14:26–27: The Holy Ghost comes from the Father and teaches us the truth of all things. He will also help us remember what we have learned from the scriptures and prophets. Finally, he will bring peace and comfort to us. We have the council to not be troubled or afraid.
• John 15:26–27: The Holy Ghost will testify of Christ. We are to also testify of Christ.
• John 16:7–8: The Holy Ghost could not dwell with the disciples as long as Christ was there. Only one member of the Godhead is necessary for one to feel the spirit. They did not have need of the Holy Ghost while Christ was with them but once he left them then he would send the Spirit to be with them.
• John 16:13–14: The Spirit will guide us in all truth as well as help us see clearly that which is to come.

When the Savior left the Apostles and disciples were seemingly without a spiritual guide. They needed the Spirit with them to help strengthen, uplift, and comfort them through the coming years. Things would become almost unbearable as the Apostles are killed and the gospel is taken from the earth. The faithful believers were blessed to have the comfort and peace that the Spirit could bring to them during their trials.

For many years I was a seminary teacher. I loved that assignment and learned so much from the scriptures. Even today I am surprised at the things I can remember that I studied years and years ago. I know it is the Holy Ghost that brings those things to my remembrance when I need them.

Today we have trials of all kinds. When we are scared or troubled we can call upon the Spirit to help us through our challenges. I remember a time when I was struggling with severe depression. I had seen a doctor and received medication but was still unable to shake the deep darkness I was feeling. Thankfully, the Spirit came to me like a cool summer breeze when I was at my very darkest hour. I could feel the comfort and peace and hope. It saved me in every way possible.