Fall Creek Christian Church

"Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died...On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity." Zechariah 12, 13 After a few days of ultimate frisbee, crawling through caves, sitting by smoky fires, playing football, and battling it out during capture the flag, all while camping out under tarps in the midsummer humidity of Indiana, one is in desperate need of cleansing. There was no chance I was driving all those guys home smelling like they and I did. Before leaving, we strategically planned a stop at the state park's waterfall -- a wonderful nonstop fountain of water to deal with all manner of foul smells and odors. God, through the prophet Zechariah, re

"You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, while all of you are building your own fine houses." Haggai "Who's honking?!", I asked more than a little annoyed. I looked around and was mortified to see next to me a car in the shoulder I nearly ran off the road when I changed lanes. Its happened to all of us, hasn't it? Or, at least to enough of us - the newer cars have a flashing symbol on the side view mirror to warn us. Of what? A car in our blind spot. I do not want to know how many accidents and many people have lost their lives due to driver's blind spots. The prophet Haggai reveals to the people of Israel and to us today that blind spots are not just a reality while driving. The people who returned to Jerusalem from exile occupied their time with building nice homes, planting crops and accumulating herds. This, whil

"How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded." 2 John "What?!", I asked, not fully comprehending what I was hearing. "Israel." he repeated. "Do you want to go to the Holy Land, to Israel?" After some more back and forth, I finally understood that he was offering to pay my way to go on a nearly three week long adventure to the Holy Land. I would get to walk where Jesus walked. I would get to go to the places I've only read and dreamed about my whole life. I could hardly believe this was the real deal. I was still in a state of wondering if this was really happening all the way up to the plane taxiing down the runway and then speeding up for takeoff. Truth and living in truth matters. Decades after Jesus ascended to heaven, his best friend John was still writing about him. He could see that there were people who were beginning to try to twist and change the truth about

  "Hearing this the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament." Daniel 6:1-28 After trying one more time to reach some sort of understanding and compromise, we both walked away as frustrated as ever. Stubbornly, we had given only lip service to a genuine surrender to and pursuit of God on this matter. The weight of this challenge strained our marriage and walls of bitterness began to build between us. We could see it clearly, but we were in the weeds too deep to navigate our way out. Graciously, with all other options exhausted, God led us to a mutually respected couple for counsel who helped us move forward through the maze of crazy.   King Darius found himself in just such a place. Who would have thought, the great king of the Medo Persian empire found himself cornered by his own law. Not his position, nor his power, nor his strategic intelligence could do any

"And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So, you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land." I Peter 1:17 - 2:10 Every once in a while, I hear this statement from one of my children, "Dad, we all know that ______ is your favorite." The accusation is followed with some kind of evidence that they feel makes a compelling argument. The truth is they are all my favorite and there is different evidence to support that reality for each one. Vantage point is the issue. Granted, I have certainly been guilty of inconsistency of behavior, but not of heart. I would die to defend any one of them. One of Jesus' closest friends, Peter, writes that the heavenly Father has no favorites. He is never inconsistent in his behavior or his love. His assessment of and his response to the behavior of his children is perfectly accurate every single time. He spar

  "I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day...I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again." Ezekiel 34   As the toy car flew past my face and hit my leg, I thought to myself, "Wow, that just missed my head." For reasons unknown, my granddaughter thought it was good idea to throw the car over the stair railing into the room where we were sitting. Mom and dad quickly and firmly communicated to her that she had found a bad idea. Meanwhile, little brother, who follows her every lead, had made his way up the stairs with the car in hand. The command for him to not throw the car and the car itself hit the air at the same time. He's discovering the need to be a bit more discerning in who he follows.   God, through Ezekiel, had a lot to say about shepherds. In his word to Ezekiel, God spoke to the sh

  "For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols. Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness." Ezekiel 20   Once again, I sat there absolutely amazed and honored to have a front row seat to the grace of God being displayed in one of his children. Marriages and families hung in the balance as the betrayed spouse considered her next steps into the future. Still dazed by the revelation and unable to shed another tear, she spoke words that so beautifully reflected the heart of Jesus. Words of forgiveness. Words of fresh starts and new paths. Wounded beyond measure? Yes. Willing to press forward? Also, yes. The people of Israel, as revealed in Ezekiel’s writing, were a wayward and unrepentant spouse of God. The covenant of love they had entered into lay tattered to shreds at the feet of their lifeless idols. At every turn, God’s merciful calls for

"If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths." Ezekiel 3:16-27   I knew it was time for all our defensive training to be put into action. Our grandson, like his mother before him, was full-on baby energy. His target? The stairs. I was right on his heels as he made his break for the stairway. He managed to scoot up a few stairs before I scooped him up. Unimpressed by quick reflexes, he squealed and waited again for just the right moment to make his escape unaware of the inherent danger the stairs posed for him. It was time for a different strategy -- The Baby Gate. As he watched, I firmly secured it to the wall and it proved to be just the right obstacle at just the right time. Ezekiel had a thankless job. He had all kinds of hardships and had to be

"Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear." II Timothy 4:1-22 I remember very vividly my last summer as a staff member at the camp I had grown up attending. My time, in that stage of life, was coming to an end. I looked around, as many of my peers had already made their way home and said their good-byes, reflecting on all the memories. That time I was told was coming was almost there. Soon, I would no longer belong. As I faced the reality that time waits for nothing and no one, I felt challenged to make it a life practice to fully embrace every season and every moment God would give me. Timothy was given that same challenge by his mentor Paul over and over again. At the close of his last le

"If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed." I Timothy 4:1-16 As the specific actions of the award winner are being read and described, I can't help but imagine being with them in those moments where life and death were separated by the thinnest of lines. I, inevitably tear up as I hear the words, "with no regard to their own life" followed by some remarkable expression of courage on behalf of others. As the Congressional Medal of Honor is placed around their neck, everyone there and those watching on television passionately applaud such a worthy recipient.  Paul left his protégé Timothy with a formidable task. His job was continue to lead the church in the city of Ephesus into right teaching, spiritual growth and steadfastness in their commitment to Jesus. In chapter 4, Paul told him to preach the truth and n

  "Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life!" Jeremiah 21 Watching the grandkids is an amazing blessing. The little ones require constant vigilance and energy. There is a reason we normally have our children when we are young! They do life at a head-spinning pace. I get a big kick out of their constant negotiations. "One more show, then bed." "A piece of chocolate, then green beans." "Two more stories, then bath, then snack, then bed." It's entertaining, but at some point, the negotiations end and they receive the terms of how it's really going to go.  King Zedekiah found himself in a real dilemma. The Babylonians were on their way to destroy Jerusalem and he was powerless to stop them. He decided to go into negotiations with God, "I'll ask your prophet for help God and then you do a miracle or something and se

  "Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things." Jer. 5:20-25 As I looked at the credit card statement, I was thoroughly confused. Furniture? Restaurants in different states? I thought the credit card company mailed me the wrong statement. Nope, it was ours. A quick call to my sweetheart confirmed my suspicion. Our card was hacked. Someone robbed our card numbers and used them for a shopping spree. The card was immediately shut down and, thankfully, we were not obligated to pay the fraudulent charges. Even still, we felt some of those feelings of being wronged and violated. As Jeremiah recorded the words of God, it must have struck him as sad as it does us. First, God lays out the appropriate responses his people should have had towards him, respect, fear, and awe, but didn't. Then, he informs them of the consequences. They deprived themselves of blessings. They effectively robbed good things from themsel

"So again, I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:21-33  So, it has finally happened. Nearly 24 years ago, we welcomed our last little princess into the world. As excited as we were, her three big sisters rivaled us in enthusiasm and joy. They had a living, wiggly little doll to play with and they just couldn't get enough. We tell people she came with "some assembly required" as her pulmonary vein was not connected to her heart. We almost lost her. This weekend, I will "give her away." Honestly, I don't like that phrase. In time and eternity, I could never give her away. I'm her daddy forever. However, as with her three sisters before her, I have to come to terms with the reality that another man will soon become her No.1. She, like her sisters, has chosen well and I believe everything good for their tomorrows. Although a single man, Paul was acutely aware of the monumental si

"Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart. O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me... Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you." Psalm 51 After experiencing unsuccessful steroid shots in my shoulder (translation: It still hurt!), the doctor decided it was time to take a closer look. "How about that?!", he says, looking at the images on the screen. My aging rotator cuff had severed and needed to be renewed. During my appointment after the surgery, he showed me the cause of my injury -- a nasty looking bone spur that he had to remove. In time, I'm told, with exercise, it will be restored to full strength. As David stood there shattered in the midst of his own wicked choices, he was painfully aware of what needed to happen. He knew, like we know, he could not undo the cause for his guilt, shame and sleepless nights. What he needed only God could give him. He needed soul surgery. The si

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." II Corinthians 4   "Ouch!", that little barb stuck deep. I could see my careless words had, once again, landed with an unintended sting. Back to the way too familiar doghouse I go. Trouble. "That can't be right.", I say to myself. I know we made a few additional purchases and ran into a few medical bills, but "Whoa!" Trouble. "Don't do it! Don't do it!", I'm yelling at myself in my own head. Everything in me wants to return fire as Jesus' words echo in my ears, "Turn the other cheek." Trouble.  Paul (and Jesus for that matter) never undersold the reality of troubles in this life. "All kinds", Jesus said. In this chapter, Paul uses words like pressed, persecuted, and pushed down. He tells us that th

  "Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered -- how fleeting my life is." Psalm 39  I'm the Monday drop-off and pick-up. The teacher slides the minivan door open, unbuckles her from her car seat and with a hug, a kiss on my cheek and an "I love you pop-pop!", off she heads into preschool. Yesterday, I dropped her mother off for kindergarten with a hug, a kiss on my cheek and an "I love you daddy!" Two little girls separated by 25 years by the calendar, but by nothing in my heart and mind. I have no doubt that David pondered such thoughts as his little kids ran all around the palace underfoot providing laughter and joy to him only to turn around and bump into their children. The brevity of life is often times lost in the busyness of life. At best, each of us is but a breath. A lifetime, a moment -- both are fleeting, water spilled on the ground unable to be recaptured. In his reflections, David remembers and

 "When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some." I Corinthians 9:19-27 So, how does a Caucasian, English-speaking, middle-class American talk about Jesus with a group of hut-inhabiting, indigenous people in Panama who do not speak English? That was the question I was talking with the Lord about all day before the evening gathering where I was slated to preach through an interpreter. During that day, I noticed one of the family matriarchs had placed an old pot with fresh water at the bottom of the ladder that led up to her hut. No dirty feet were getting into her house! That familiar picture allowed me to share with the people that Jesus came to take our dirt/sin away so we could come into the Heavenly Father's house. Paul faced the same challenge everywhere he went with the Good News of Jesus. His audiences were as diverse as any. Diffe

  "Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? Instead you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers." I Cor. 6:7-8 Frustrated, I find myself muttering under my breath, as I have once again, managed to get my extension cord all tangled and knotted up. I thought for sure, when I rolled it up so carefully the last time I used it, that all would be well this time. Nope. Loops and knots. Knots and loops. Running the end through one loop makes a knot with the other. It turns a straight forward project into an aggravating time consumer. Hmm... maybe that's why they make those extension cord holders? As Paul wrote the Corinthian church, they were all tangled up as well. Wrong was right and right was wrong. Their worldly pasts were driving their Jesus following present and it was a mess. What do you do when you're wronged? Take them t

"He did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did turn away from doing what was right." II Chronicles 34 Ugh! Once again, the delicious comfort food in front of me was just too much for me to resist. Why can't healthy foods be comfort foods? Big sugar and carb content foods are just so good, too good if you ask me. Somehow turnips and tuna don't bring the same feeling as french fries and a Frosty. Turning away from the right foods is not hard to do. After all, the wrong foods are easily accessible, cheap and taste so good -- buttery crust hot apple pie with ice cream anyone?     Josiah, the boy king, seemed to be born with a spiritual true north. Undoubtedly, there were some godly influences in his life. At eight years old, recess is still the highlight of the day - not administrating a nation. At 16, however, he made a choice. It's a choice available to all of us actually. He chose to seek the Lord. Seeking t

  "He was deeply committed to the ways of the Lord." II Chronicles 17   "You're not serious, are you? That's not true! You don't know what you're talking about." It was an interesting conversation to say the least. At some level, I wish I would have said less. Not because what I said resulted in a lively and targeted attack against me, but because what I said drew more attention to me than the particular Biblical perspective I presented. Regardless, it was very apparent that Biblical morality was more than just a little offensive to my fellow college classmates. God's ways aren't always appreciated.   When Jehoshaphat ascended to the throne, he did so fully committed to the ways of the Lord. God's favor was on him as he obeyed God. He sought God. He rejected idols and all forms of false worship. He prepared teaching teams to travel the country. He had numerous copies of the Book of the Law made. Under the blessing of God's protection,

  "That night God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!" II Chronicles 1:1-13   World peace. The cure for cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS, and every other disease. End of hunger and poverty. Less noble thoughts would include...more wishes, all the money in the world, immortality, power over the entire world. It's such a staggering question to consider. If you could have one thing from God himself, what would it be? My head starts spinning when I think of the possibilities. I've decided to simply wait on answering this question until God asks me.   Solomon couldn't wait any longer. The reason? God did ask him!! Even more than simply asking, he commanded him to reply. What do you want?! It appears that his answer came quickly. No fuss. No tossing and turning. No bargaining. No clarifying questions. Just simply: wisdom and knowledge to rule God's people. That's it? The one person in all of human history

  "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing praise to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds." I Chronicles 16:1-36   I sat there in quiet reflection as he spoke. It was my wedding rehearsal dinner and my dad got up to speak. He's not known for keeping his comments short, but on this night, in this moment, with every word, he nailed it. In front of all my family and my wife's family, he verbalized very personal and specific reasons why he was proud of me. Very few things in this old world encourage and inspire one's heart like sincere public affirmation from someone we love and respect.   As David and the people of Israel brought the Ark of God's covenant into Jerusalem, there was only one person on their minds and hearts -- Yahweh, the only true and living God. He and he alone dominated the affections of their hearts. Catch the flurry of commands David uses to direct this

"After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.' Acts 24 The ruins of Caesarea where Paul was imprisoned under Felix are pretty amazing to see. The big amphitheater, the chariot racing track, and the beautiful blue water of the Mediterranean Sea stay imprinted on my memory. There was also a large collection of stones forming a peninsula under the water. They used to be part of Herod's headquarters where the governors would stay and where Paul was imprisoned. He was stuck there. Two years. I tried to imagine what he heard, felt, and thought while he waited. Felix was familiar with this new movement we call Christianity. Paul spoke with he and his wife about Jesus. It was quite the movement of the heart as Felix was made more than a little uncomfortable listening to Paul speak about righteousness, self-control and judgment. He kept calling Paul to come talk wit

  "'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' he asked them. 'No,' they replied, 'we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.'" Acts 19:1-20 There was no point in denying it. I was caught red-handed and full-cheeked. The chocolate chip cookies that were still warm and gooey simply over powered any ability on my part to refrain. My wife had made them for a specific reason which did not include my indulgence. "Are you eating those cookies?" she asked. I chewed faster, but it was no use. She had already walked around the corner and saw the chocolate on my fingers and face. After a good talking to, I sheepishly left the kitchen stealthily grabbing one more cookie on my way out. The missionary journeys of Paul were filled with the evidence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples that when he left, the Holy Spirit would come and dwell within them. In the verses for the day, the evidence of his presence is unmistakable. As

"And Elijah said to the king, 'This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Is there no God in Israel to answer your question? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.'" II Kings 1 As the substitute teacher attempted in vain to restore order in my 7th grade history class, I allowed myself to enter into the growing chaos. Many of us kept messing with each other and largely dismissed the sub as irrelevant. Unbeknownst to us, however, he was writing names down with great precision for our regular teacher. Upon returning to school on Monday, our teacher read all the names on the list. One by one we were called to the hallway to receive our well-deserved swat.  Ahaziah, the king of Israel, and his people needed a hard lesson in respect as well. I'm sure any of the characters in the story would have gladly taken a swat instea

  "...And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord." I Kings 11:1-13   To this day, we still don't know what happened. None of us could figure out why our friend ejected himself from the training program after three years of investment. There was nothing else in mind to pursue, just "I quit." It was painful to watch as nothing came together for him. No focus. No long-term goals or planning. Just floundering. We have all kept a mental note of where he could have been if his heart hadn't been turned away.   King Solomon was a noble and godly man. He sought the will of God and the best for his people. He was a builder, an author, and a close observer of God's law for a very long time. Then it happened. His heart was turned. God gave strict instructions not to marry outside of the Jewish community. Solomon chose to diverge from that plan, God's plan. As a result, he shipwrecked his walk with God. A life that started out so strong ended up dera

"But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife's consent, he kept the rest."  Acts 5  It didn't seem like that big a deal. True, I lied to my mom in order to get out of going to church. But seriously, one Sunday out of 52. It wasn't like the world was going to come to an end, right? After my family left, I was there alone wondering what I was going to do. My troubled conscience simply wouldn't allow me any peace. I never felt the need to try to pull that stunt again.  Ananias and Sapphira found out that lying was a bad idea, too, especially to God. Their desire to be seen as generous overwhelmed their desire to actually be generous. Integrity is a big deal. There must be consistency between who we say we are and how we live. Shortly after their judgement fell, the disciples' integrity was also tested. Even under the whi

"Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, 'Hushai's advice is better than Ahithophel's.' For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster upon Absalom!" II Samuel 17 I used to think that summer was road construction season. However, the never-ending reality of flashing signs and orange barrels lining the highways reveal that now all seasons are construction season. The crews work during the day. They work during the night. The evidence of their work isn't only seen in traffic jams but also in smooth roads and stable bridges for which we are all grateful.   Family problems are one thing, but a brother assaulting his sister and a brother killing his brother and a son attempting to kill his father is something completely different. It goes way beyond the average family dysfunction. This description is of King David's family! In the middle of this literal royal mess, we s

  "And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel."  II Samuel 5 I took a moment to watch as the high school students were pouring out their hearts into their labor. Some were scraping the old shingles off the roof. Others were hauling mountains of trash out of the backyard. It took four days for nearly thirty of us to clean up the yard and reroof the house of a young man's family in my friend's ministry. It was exhausting and exhilarating. Blessed are those living for others.  King David watched, waited and trusted in the Lord all the way to his ascent to the throne. It was not easy living on the run, hiding, and even pretending to be an enemy of his own people. The Lord removed King Saul in his time and gave David the keys to the kingdom. Once foreign kings began to send him gifts, he knew he was established and why, "for the sake of his (God's) people Israel."

"He told him, 'Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam' (Siloam means: sent). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!"  John 9:1-41   I wish I were better at running errands. I've certainly improved over the years, but I still have plenty of room to grow. My wife will ask me to stop at a few different places for very specific items at each one and then drop something at so and so's house on the way home. It's not brain surgery, but I still miss something from time to time. I want to improve because I want her trust in me to grow.     Being "sent" is a common theme throughout the pages of the Bible. In our story for today, Jesus tells a man blind from birth to wash the mud off his eyes in the pool of Siloam. He obeys and is healed. Shocked, those who knew him took him to the religious leaders where he gave an incredibly bold witness to what Jesus had done. He was faithful to that which he was sent to do.    Jesus' great commission to h

"Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy....But now your (Saul's) kingdom must end..." I Samuel 11, 13:7-14 I don't really mind assembling furniture. It takes a little time, but it feels good when it's all done. There are times, however, when an assembly starts well with all the pieces accounted for and the bags of screws and bolts are all neatly labeled. The pieces are all there. Step 1 is smooth sailing. Then it happens. 5 steps later, the whole project is upside down and inside out. Somehow, somewhere the assembly didn't line up with the instructions. I'm left with no choice but to disassemble the whole mess and start all over. Strong start. Weak finish.   This phenomenon is not limited to furniture assembly. It's actually an unfortunately common reality in many Bible stories including King Saul. He had it all together when the starting gun sounded -- obedience, faith, courage and a genuine

"He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." John 3:22 - 4:3 Few things warp a person's perspective like a crowd. We've all witnessed the crash and burn of those who in some way or another have amassed a crowd and weren't able to keep grounded. We've seen many desperately try to keep their name in lights finding the spotlight absolutely irresistible. In all spheres of life, the crowd pulls and the person splinters. From movie stars to politicians to athletes to church leaders to business leaders, the siren song of applause has led many to shipwreck.  John the Baptist had people around him who were struggling with the love of crowds, but John himself did not. How was that possible? How did he slip off center stage and rejoice that it was happening? In a word, perspective. John knew who he was. John knew who Jesus was. He was the warm up band and praised God for the privilege. God gives to each as he sees fit. True joy and fulfillme

"At that moment, the Lord turned and looked at Peter..." Luke 25:54-62 I wasn't sure how the young man was going to react. Getting caught in a bald-faced lie is not a great way to start the day. To make matters worse, he was lying about not stealing. There he was guiltier than guilty having just broken two of the top ten commandments. His face went flush and he mumbled something as he walked away. He never did own up to what he had done and certainly never made restitution. I wish he would have, for his sake not mine.   Jesus' friend Peter knew what it felt like to be called out for failing. He lied three times about not knowing Jesus. It was a tough spot to be in. I get it. Jesus was just arrested. His friends were on the run. He had no idea what was about to happen and what that would mean for him. He panicked and lied, three times. The rooster crowed. It was the signal Jesus had told Peter about a few hours earlier. It was then that Jesus turned towards Peter and t