Deny you Lord? Not Me!

I recently finished reading through the Gospel of Mark, but am still working through some of the insights I gained.  For instance, in reading the passages detailing Jesus' last days before He died I read again of Peter's denial, three times over, that he did not know Jesus.

As I read I ask the question - "What do you have for me in this God?"  The most obvious answer was - how would I respond if I were in Peter's shoes?  The quick and easy answer is, I would not deny Christ, He is my Lord and Savior.  But then again, that's what Peter said too when he was told that before the rooster crowed twice he would deny Jesus three times.

Moving beyond the quick and easy (at least to say) answer;  the question burrows a little deeper into my thoughts and soul - in my everyday life how do I deny my Lord?

• When I think "just this once" won't matter . . . I deny the His holiness in my life. 
• When I think He's so busy with everyone and everything else in the world I don't need to bother him with this need or concern - I can handle it; I deny His Lordship.  
• When I put my needs ahead of my others - I deny His example and admonition to follow it.
• When I ask "why Lord?" either for me or someone else I deny His sovereignty.
• When I think I accomplished something on my own I deny His power and deny Him the glory due only to Him.
• When I won't forgive or accept forgiveness offered to me I deny His gifts of forgiveness, mercy and grace.
• When I think or talk badly about myself to myself I deny His creativity - the way He knit me together (and at that point my should doesn't know it well!  See Psalm 139)
• When I care more about what someone may think of me than their relationship with Jesus I deny His saving grace,  power and pre-eminence.

These are just a few of the ways . . .  you don't need or want to her the litany of my sins, but I need to step back and go a little deeper than my first "easy" response.  Lord teach me more and more from your Word and heighten my responses to You!