Psalm 26 David's prayer starts out rather boldly.... "Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity; and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering." But, the next statement seems to temper his boldness... " Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my mind and my heart."
Like David, we may examine ourselves and think we are doing great... but we need to let God be the Judge, to reveal the things in our minds and hearts that we have hidden, even from ourselves.
Paul wrote about that in I Corinthians 4:3 "But to me it is a very small thing that I should be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. " He goes on to tell us to ".... wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God" ( v5)
That is not to say we shouldn't examine ourselves.. for we are supposed to do that:
Matthew 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye..." Jesus tells those who wish to judge others... examine yourselves first.
I Corinthians 11:28 "But let a man examine himself..." and
II Corinthians 13:5 " Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless you fail the test."
But, we cannot stop there. We must come willingly to the One Who examines with Holy Light.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil." ( Proverbs 3:5-7)
David shares his self-examination with us:
He walked in TRUTH - rather than deceit and pretending. ( v3-4)
He delighted in WORSHIP - rather than in wickedness. (v5-8)
He chose INTEGRITY - rather than bloodshed, wicked schemes, and bribery. (v 9-11)
He would rather be in church than on the board of directors of an evil company.
In the presence of God rather than in the presence of the most powerful, wicked men.
Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? But, again, David does not rest on the goodness of his own conscience. "Redeem me and be gracious to me." (verse 11) David prays. Right now I'm doing ok - "My foot stands on a level place;" not facing a mountain or a valley, not being thrown a curve...
but, not taking that for granted. Still "poor in spirit". Still in need of God's grace.
David keeps his eyes on the Lord. He is trying, but not relying on himself. It is not all about him and his efforts.. it's all about the Lord, the Mighty God, the King of Heaven, the Holy One of Israel.
It is His Name that is to be honored, therefore David ends his prayer, " In the congregations I shall bless the Lord."
O heavenly Father, let us hear Your voice and seek Your examination of our own hearts and minds.
"Search me, O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." ( Ps. 139:23-24) Am I, are we, walking in Your Truth? Do I delight in worshipping You? Am I choosing integrity over the schemes of this world and the evil one? Father, I want to walk in Your paths, so I pray that You will lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your Name's sake. Let Your will be done in my life and in my family and church. Reign in us Lord! Let Your Name be honored and revered in all the earth!
Amen.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Psalm 27 Our God is Trust-worthy! David's psalm is a testimony of God's faithfulness to him and encouragement for us to also completely trust Him with our whole hearts.
Why can we trust God?
He is light. Illumination. Clarity. With Him there is no "variation or shifting shadow" (James 1:17). Never a hint of darkness. No wavering of His pure Light! His Light will never be covered or diminished! His motives are never questionable. He is always willing to "cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
He is salvation. Liberty. Deliverance. Prosperity. Safety. In Him we find shelter. In His Shelter we find beauty and peace.
We have no reason to fear or dread when we have confidence in our Mighty God. "Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord."
He will conceal us in His Presence.
He will set us on higher ground.
He will hear our cries and answer us.
He will never forsake us.
He will teach us His ways.
He will lead us on level paths.
David shows us how to exercise this faith and trust in the Lord.
1. (v. 4) He prays for the Lord to show him His majesty and beauty. Ask Yahweh to reveal Himself to you.
2. Then, he also asks for God to give him opportunity to "meditate in His temple." To hear, read, memorize, and study the Word of God and then to ponder, personalize, and pray the Word. To know what God has spoken and to take it in fully - mind, heart, and soul.
3. He sings praises to the Lord. (v6) Sacrifices of joy. Offerings of praise.
4. He seeks God's face. (v8). This is an act of obedience, for God Himself initiates this intimate relationship. But it also reveals an attitude of humility and love.
5. David believed. He believed that God would hear him, help him and deliver him. "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
Father in Heaven, show us the beauty and majesty of Your holy Name.. of Your character and reputation. Reveal Yourself to us today in a new and fresh way. That we will not take You for granted or think to You too common or small. We want to see You and fall at Your feet in awe!
Father, bring Your Words to life in our hearts today. Let us not just rush through a verse or two, but speak it in a way that it stays with us all the day, leading us to ponder and respond to it.
Father, we offer You songs of joyful praise today. We adore You. You are our Light. You are our Salvation. You are worthy of all our worship. We exalt You and bless Your holy Name.
Father, we seek Your Face. Your eyes of grace and love. Your beauty and glory shining on like the sun. How precious to think that we are the apple of Your eye! Come nearer Lord!
Father, we believe that we will see Your goodness today. We give thanks for the goodness You have shown to us already and are grateful that Your treasures of goodness never run out. That Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.
We pray all these things in the powerful Name of Jesus, that Name above all Names, our precious Redeemer and Lord.
Amen
Why can we trust God?
He is light. Illumination. Clarity. With Him there is no "variation or shifting shadow" (James 1:17). Never a hint of darkness. No wavering of His pure Light! His Light will never be covered or diminished! His motives are never questionable. He is always willing to "cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
He is salvation. Liberty. Deliverance. Prosperity. Safety. In Him we find shelter. In His Shelter we find beauty and peace.
We have no reason to fear or dread when we have confidence in our Mighty God. "Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord."
He will conceal us in His Presence.
He will set us on higher ground.
He will hear our cries and answer us.
He will never forsake us.
He will teach us His ways.
He will lead us on level paths.
David shows us how to exercise this faith and trust in the Lord.
1. (v. 4) He prays for the Lord to show him His majesty and beauty. Ask Yahweh to reveal Himself to you.
2. Then, he also asks for God to give him opportunity to "meditate in His temple." To hear, read, memorize, and study the Word of God and then to ponder, personalize, and pray the Word. To know what God has spoken and to take it in fully - mind, heart, and soul.
3. He sings praises to the Lord. (v6) Sacrifices of joy. Offerings of praise.
4. He seeks God's face. (v8). This is an act of obedience, for God Himself initiates this intimate relationship. But it also reveals an attitude of humility and love.
5. David believed. He believed that God would hear him, help him and deliver him. "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
Father in Heaven, show us the beauty and majesty of Your holy Name.. of Your character and reputation. Reveal Yourself to us today in a new and fresh way. That we will not take You for granted or think to You too common or small. We want to see You and fall at Your feet in awe!
Father, bring Your Words to life in our hearts today. Let us not just rush through a verse or two, but speak it in a way that it stays with us all the day, leading us to ponder and respond to it.
Father, we offer You songs of joyful praise today. We adore You. You are our Light. You are our Salvation. You are worthy of all our worship. We exalt You and bless Your holy Name.
Father, we seek Your Face. Your eyes of grace and love. Your beauty and glory shining on like the sun. How precious to think that we are the apple of Your eye! Come nearer Lord!
Father, we believe that we will see Your goodness today. We give thanks for the goodness You have shown to us already and are grateful that Your treasures of goodness never run out. That Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.
We pray all these things in the powerful Name of Jesus, that Name above all Names, our precious Redeemer and Lord.
Amen
Monday, April 28, 2014
Psalm 28 David's prayer, his personal conversation with the "I AM" is recorded here for us to listen in on, to share, to use as our own.
This past weekend we attended a conference at our church that we call "Journey into Prayer". This bi-annual conference has been birthed out of our desire to grow in our prayer lives. This particular module focused on using the Lord's Prayer. The speaker, Dennis Fuqua, does a wonderful seminar on this and has written a book entitled "Living Prayer (The Lord's Prayer Alive in you)". If you ever want to grow in your prayer life, this will help you. Check out his web site at www.livingprayer.net.
So, coming to the Word today and finding a prayer written by David... I'm excited to listen and learn more. Not to David only, but to the Voice of the Shepherd Who is answering the prayer "Lord, teach us to pray." Teach ME to pray.
"To Thee, O Lord, I call." Prayer is not a list of needs. It is not a rote recitation of certain words.
It is not one sided. David is crying out to the One Who rules the universe. To the One Who loves and directs and helps and hears. David is desperate to hear from God, so cries out to God. "My Rock, do not be deaf to me, lest if Thou be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit."
David comes to pray with an attitude of absolute dependency and need. There is no one else who can help. "Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to Thee for help." Supplications= earnest entreaties, real, deep, desperate needs. He recognizes that he is "poor in spirit". And in his poverty he cries out to the One Who can fill that need.
David also comes to pray with an attitude of reverence. "When I lift up my hands toward Thy holy sanctuary." The sanctuary is the place that God has chosen to establish His Name. Deuteronomy 12:5, "But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God shall choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. " To think of the sanctuary was to think of the Holiness of God.
Both of these attitudes are addressed in the Lord's Prayer - "Hallowed be Your Name" and "Give us this day our daily bread". Our daily prayer is to ask our Father for provisions, for He is the giver of all things... but to, more importantly, seek the honor and glory of His holy Name.
Verses 3-5 are David's prayer regarding the wicked, the unrepentant. He asks the Lord to:
Keep him away from the wicked.
Judge them and deal with them as they deserve.
Tear down their evil works.
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Verses 6-8 are David's prayer of praise and thanksgiving.
He blesses the Lord for hearing and helping him.
He proclaims the strength and the faithfulness of the Lord.
He exalts the works of the Lord - giving strength and defending them.
Verse 9 is one last request "Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; Be their shepherd also and carry them forever."
This is a need that we have also. We need the Lord to be our every day Shepherd, carrying us through this journey of life. We need His blessing and salvation. We desire His Presence always.
Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
This our prayer today, Father, that Your Name be kept holy and given honor and reverence. That Your Kingdom be established and expanded. That Your will be done in our lives.
Give to us today all that we will need to serve Your purposes.
Forgive us for our sins, and lead us in Your paths. Deliver us from the one who desires to steal, kill, and destroy Your people.
In the Name of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, we pray .
Amen
This past weekend we attended a conference at our church that we call "Journey into Prayer". This bi-annual conference has been birthed out of our desire to grow in our prayer lives. This particular module focused on using the Lord's Prayer. The speaker, Dennis Fuqua, does a wonderful seminar on this and has written a book entitled "Living Prayer (The Lord's Prayer Alive in you)". If you ever want to grow in your prayer life, this will help you. Check out his web site at www.livingprayer.net.
So, coming to the Word today and finding a prayer written by David... I'm excited to listen and learn more. Not to David only, but to the Voice of the Shepherd Who is answering the prayer "Lord, teach us to pray." Teach ME to pray.
"To Thee, O Lord, I call." Prayer is not a list of needs. It is not a rote recitation of certain words.
It is not one sided. David is crying out to the One Who rules the universe. To the One Who loves and directs and helps and hears. David is desperate to hear from God, so cries out to God. "My Rock, do not be deaf to me, lest if Thou be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit."
David comes to pray with an attitude of absolute dependency and need. There is no one else who can help. "Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to Thee for help." Supplications= earnest entreaties, real, deep, desperate needs. He recognizes that he is "poor in spirit". And in his poverty he cries out to the One Who can fill that need.
David also comes to pray with an attitude of reverence. "When I lift up my hands toward Thy holy sanctuary." The sanctuary is the place that God has chosen to establish His Name. Deuteronomy 12:5, "But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God shall choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. " To think of the sanctuary was to think of the Holiness of God.
Both of these attitudes are addressed in the Lord's Prayer - "Hallowed be Your Name" and "Give us this day our daily bread". Our daily prayer is to ask our Father for provisions, for He is the giver of all things... but to, more importantly, seek the honor and glory of His holy Name.
Verses 3-5 are David's prayer regarding the wicked, the unrepentant. He asks the Lord to:
Keep him away from the wicked.
Judge them and deal with them as they deserve.
Tear down their evil works.
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Verses 6-8 are David's prayer of praise and thanksgiving.
He blesses the Lord for hearing and helping him.
He proclaims the strength and the faithfulness of the Lord.
He exalts the works of the Lord - giving strength and defending them.
Verse 9 is one last request "Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; Be their shepherd also and carry them forever."
This is a need that we have also. We need the Lord to be our every day Shepherd, carrying us through this journey of life. We need His blessing and salvation. We desire His Presence always.
Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
This our prayer today, Father, that Your Name be kept holy and given honor and reverence. That Your Kingdom be established and expanded. That Your will be done in our lives.
Give to us today all that we will need to serve Your purposes.
Forgive us for our sins, and lead us in Your paths. Deliver us from the one who desires to steal, kill, and destroy Your people.
In the Name of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, we pray .
Amen
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Psalm 29 In ascribing to the Lord glory, strength and worship... David gives us a vivid description of the "voice" of God:
His voice "is upon the waters".
His voice thunders.
His voice is powerful.
His voice is majestic.
His voice breaks cedar trees.
His voice shakes mountains.
His voice "hews out flames of fire."
His voice shakes the wilderness.
His voice makes the "deer to calve".
His voice "strips the forest bare."
This is the voice of the Lord, the King of Glory. The One who reigns forever. The Lord who gives "strength to His people." The Lord Who blesses "His people with peace."
The Lord, Yahweh, is the King of kings. All the "mighty", all those who are powerful on the earth, must acknowledge and bow before Him. Glory and strength are His. No matter what kind of person you are, no matter how powerful or wise, rich or famous.... glory does not belong to you. Worship the Lord God.. and Him alone. The voice of the Lord is heard in the crash of thunder. It is felt in the seismic waves. His power is experienced by all of nature and all of mankind. (whether we acknowledge it or not!)
And we are commanded to give Him the honor and glory due His Name.
Father in Heaven, Almighty God, Lord and King, we honor You. All power and wisdom is Yours.
All of creation has come from You. Spoken by You. You are magnificent and beautiful, mighty and strong. You are full of glory! Always good and always righteous. You reign over all the heavens and all the earth. Fill our hearts with understanding of Your Majesty. That we might truly worship You correctly and fully. Lord, open our eyes that we might see You.
Amen.
His voice "is upon the waters".
His voice thunders.
His voice is powerful.
His voice is majestic.
His voice breaks cedar trees.
His voice shakes mountains.
His voice "hews out flames of fire."
His voice shakes the wilderness.
His voice makes the "deer to calve".
His voice "strips the forest bare."
This is the voice of the Lord, the King of Glory. The One who reigns forever. The Lord who gives "strength to His people." The Lord Who blesses "His people with peace."
The Lord, Yahweh, is the King of kings. All the "mighty", all those who are powerful on the earth, must acknowledge and bow before Him. Glory and strength are His. No matter what kind of person you are, no matter how powerful or wise, rich or famous.... glory does not belong to you. Worship the Lord God.. and Him alone. The voice of the Lord is heard in the crash of thunder. It is felt in the seismic waves. His power is experienced by all of nature and all of mankind. (whether we acknowledge it or not!)
And we are commanded to give Him the honor and glory due His Name.
Father in Heaven, Almighty God, Lord and King, we honor You. All power and wisdom is Yours.
All of creation has come from You. Spoken by You. You are magnificent and beautiful, mighty and strong. You are full of glory! Always good and always righteous. You reign over all the heavens and all the earth. Fill our hearts with understanding of Your Majesty. That we might truly worship You correctly and fully. Lord, open our eyes that we might see You.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Psalm 30 The Lord, Yahweh, the self-existent One, Who has revealed Himself to us, is my God.
He is my Creator and my King.
He hears my cries and He heals me.
He shows favor to me... He delights in me!
He takes my mourning and turns it to joy.
He is gracious to me.
He is my helper.
He loosens the rags of bondage and dresses me in gladness.
He rescues me from death and hell.
So, I will sing praises to the Lord !
I will give thanks to His holy Name!
I will not be silent!
I will give thanks to Him forever!
I will extol Him, giving Him all my praise!
Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. What a wonder... I can echo the words of David, written thousands of years ago... and they are true for me too! You never change! Perfect and holy. Kind and forgiving. You are my God. Just like You are David's God. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me.
Thank You for loving me and caring for me. Thank You for hearing my cries for help and answering my prayers. Thank You for healing me and helping me, for setting me free from sin and death and hell. I praise You!
Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me! Bless His Holy Name!!!
Amen
He is my Creator and my King.
He hears my cries and He heals me.
He shows favor to me... He delights in me!
He takes my mourning and turns it to joy.
He is gracious to me.
He is my helper.
He loosens the rags of bondage and dresses me in gladness.
He rescues me from death and hell.
So, I will sing praises to the Lord !
I will give thanks to His holy Name!
I will not be silent!
I will give thanks to Him forever!
I will extol Him, giving Him all my praise!
Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. What a wonder... I can echo the words of David, written thousands of years ago... and they are true for me too! You never change! Perfect and holy. Kind and forgiving. You are my God. Just like You are David's God. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me.
Thank You for loving me and caring for me. Thank You for hearing my cries for help and answering my prayers. Thank You for healing me and helping me, for setting me free from sin and death and hell. I praise You!
Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me! Bless His Holy Name!!!
Amen
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Matthew 27-28 The crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ.
Chapter 27 starts out with the sad account of Judas, trying to take back what he had done. We are told that he "felt remorse". He tried to return the 30 pieces of silver. The religious leaders offered no help, no counsel, no forgiveness, and no restoration. They could not help him find his way back to God. In despair, Judas took things into his own hands. He threw the silver into the sanctuary and he took his own life. Although Judas confessed his sin, he found no salvation. He went to the wrong place for that. He needed to go to the cross...
The chief priests took the returned silver and purchased a field, "the Potter's field". This field would be called the "Field of Blood" and would be used to bury strangers. Jeremiah had prophesied this very thing... the priests would have known that prophecy, but even this truth they ignored, so bent on their desire to see Jesus die.
Pilate tries to free Jesus, he knows the hearts of the Jews, and wants nothing to do with this trial. He even washes his hands and proclaims his own innocence of "this Man's blood". The people foolishly answer that " His blood be on us and on our children!" Sadly, that is what happens.
The soldiers carry out the crucifixion. They:
Strip Him.
Put a scarlet robe on Him.
Put a crown of thorns on His head.
Put a reed in His right hand.
Spit on Him.
Mock Him.
Beat Him.
Lead Him away.
And crucify Him.
Jesus refuses the wine mixed with gall.
Resists the temptation to save Himself.
Cries out to the Father.
Yields up His spirit.
His body is removed from the cross.
Buried in Joseph's tomb.
And He rises on the third day!
The story does not end there. For Jesus tells His disciples that "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Because He has authority, they are to go and make disciples in all the nations! Salvation is made available to all who become disciples of Christ, being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and observing all that Jesus commanded.
Judas tried to take back his sin. He couldn't.
Pilate tried to proclaim he was innocent. He wasn't.
The chief priests and elders tried to bypass the Truth. They didn't.
The soldiers tried to shame and abuse Jesus. They didn't know what they were doing.
But Jesus did exactly what He said He would do. He died and He rose again on the third day.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix "our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who of the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
We can't take back our sins. We can't proclaim our own innocence. We can't create our own truth.
We can only look to Jesus! Keep fixing your eyes on Him! He died to pay the price for our sins... and He alone can take them away! He proclaims us to be blameless and holy, because He has the authority to do so. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the Truth!
O Hallelujah What a Savior!
Chapter 27 starts out with the sad account of Judas, trying to take back what he had done. We are told that he "felt remorse". He tried to return the 30 pieces of silver. The religious leaders offered no help, no counsel, no forgiveness, and no restoration. They could not help him find his way back to God. In despair, Judas took things into his own hands. He threw the silver into the sanctuary and he took his own life. Although Judas confessed his sin, he found no salvation. He went to the wrong place for that. He needed to go to the cross...
The chief priests took the returned silver and purchased a field, "the Potter's field". This field would be called the "Field of Blood" and would be used to bury strangers. Jeremiah had prophesied this very thing... the priests would have known that prophecy, but even this truth they ignored, so bent on their desire to see Jesus die.
Pilate tries to free Jesus, he knows the hearts of the Jews, and wants nothing to do with this trial. He even washes his hands and proclaims his own innocence of "this Man's blood". The people foolishly answer that " His blood be on us and on our children!" Sadly, that is what happens.
The soldiers carry out the crucifixion. They:
Strip Him.
Put a scarlet robe on Him.
Put a crown of thorns on His head.
Put a reed in His right hand.
Spit on Him.
Mock Him.
Beat Him.
Lead Him away.
And crucify Him.
Jesus refuses the wine mixed with gall.
Resists the temptation to save Himself.
Cries out to the Father.
Yields up His spirit.
His body is removed from the cross.
Buried in Joseph's tomb.
And He rises on the third day!
The story does not end there. For Jesus tells His disciples that "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Because He has authority, they are to go and make disciples in all the nations! Salvation is made available to all who become disciples of Christ, being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and observing all that Jesus commanded.
Judas tried to take back his sin. He couldn't.
Pilate tried to proclaim he was innocent. He wasn't.
The chief priests and elders tried to bypass the Truth. They didn't.
The soldiers tried to shame and abuse Jesus. They didn't know what they were doing.
But Jesus did exactly what He said He would do. He died and He rose again on the third day.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix "our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who of the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
We can't take back our sins. We can't proclaim our own innocence. We can't create our own truth.
We can only look to Jesus! Keep fixing your eyes on Him! He died to pay the price for our sins... and He alone can take them away! He proclaims us to be blameless and holy, because He has the authority to do so. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the Truth!
O Hallelujah What a Savior!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Matthew 26 A plot. An anointing. A betrayal. And a denial.
The time has arrived. Jesus has been warning the disciples of what was going to happen... yet they still are taken by surprise. He had just taught them about being ready... but they were unprepared for the events that would happen over the next few days.
Kind of like us. We have been warned that persecution is inevitable, but are caught by surprise when it actually happens. We are taught that following Christ involves laying down our own rights and our own lives... but are unprepared for the events that come our way that demand just that. We know that Christ is going to return in all His glory... but we don't live like we expect it to happen any time now. We are like the disciples in so many ways.
A plot.
The chief priests and elders of Israel plotted to do away with Jesus. They wanted to do it secretly, so as to not disturb the peace. Murder was in their hearts. Fueled by jealousy and envy, they were burning with indignation and anger. There are those who still plot together to do away with Jesus. The liberal politicians, scientists, judges, intellectuals, etc.. of our day act just like the Jews in Jesus' day. Underhandedly plotting to smear His Name, to dismiss Him, ignore Him, and pretend like He never existed.
An anointing.
The woman who came to anoint Jesus with the precious oil seemed to be more aware than the others that the time had come... that what Jesus had told them.... was going to really happen. She came humbly and lovingly. She risked her reputation, her resources, and her relationship with others, to show her Lord how much she loved Him. She endured the criticism by fellow believers to offer her worship from the heart. Jesus was worth it all to her. Is He worth it all to us?
A betrayal.
Judas freely chose to strike a bargain with the Jews. For 30 pieces of silver he would betray his Master and Friend. His betrayal must have hurt. Jesus loved Judas. Even at the moment of betrayal, He called him, "Friend". Even knowing what was going to happen, Jesus washed Judas' feet at the Passover Supper. We can be close to Jesus without really knowing Him. Like Judas, some play the part of a Christian, but there always comes a time when their true colors show. Jesus was a way to gain 30 pieces of silver to Judas. Judas missed the Truth and the Life that Jesus could give him, instead taking what ultimately would lead him to his own miserable death. There are many today who think that Jesus is a way to money or power. They, like Judas, miss the truth. They, like Judas will die miserably in their sin.
A denial.
Peter was so sure of himself. He was so sure that he declared, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Peter, who could not stay awake an hour while Jesus prayed. Peter, who impulsively sliced the ear off of a servant. Peter, who denied 3 times that he even knew who Jesus was. Peter, who was so sure of his devotion to Jesus, goes out weeping bitterly because he finally realized how poor in spirit he really was. We can sympathize with Peter, can't we? We can be encouraged because we know the story... we know that Peter is given another chance. He is restored by Jesus again. He goes on to become a great leader of the church. How many of us are willing to admit that we have also denied Jesus? That we have said with our mouths that we love Him and will follow Him anywhere... but then turn around and act like we don't even know Him at all. O that we would also realize our poverty of spirit and mourn over our denials.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! I want to be more like the woman who anointed Your feet. To forget all else but my love for You. Forgive my denials and betrayals of You. Help me to see clearly and not miss the most important thing - You! Father, grant me a heart to receive Your Truth and to be fully Yours. Amen.
The time has arrived. Jesus has been warning the disciples of what was going to happen... yet they still are taken by surprise. He had just taught them about being ready... but they were unprepared for the events that would happen over the next few days.
Kind of like us. We have been warned that persecution is inevitable, but are caught by surprise when it actually happens. We are taught that following Christ involves laying down our own rights and our own lives... but are unprepared for the events that come our way that demand just that. We know that Christ is going to return in all His glory... but we don't live like we expect it to happen any time now. We are like the disciples in so many ways.
A plot.
The chief priests and elders of Israel plotted to do away with Jesus. They wanted to do it secretly, so as to not disturb the peace. Murder was in their hearts. Fueled by jealousy and envy, they were burning with indignation and anger. There are those who still plot together to do away with Jesus. The liberal politicians, scientists, judges, intellectuals, etc.. of our day act just like the Jews in Jesus' day. Underhandedly plotting to smear His Name, to dismiss Him, ignore Him, and pretend like He never existed.
An anointing.
The woman who came to anoint Jesus with the precious oil seemed to be more aware than the others that the time had come... that what Jesus had told them.... was going to really happen. She came humbly and lovingly. She risked her reputation, her resources, and her relationship with others, to show her Lord how much she loved Him. She endured the criticism by fellow believers to offer her worship from the heart. Jesus was worth it all to her. Is He worth it all to us?
A betrayal.
Judas freely chose to strike a bargain with the Jews. For 30 pieces of silver he would betray his Master and Friend. His betrayal must have hurt. Jesus loved Judas. Even at the moment of betrayal, He called him, "Friend". Even knowing what was going to happen, Jesus washed Judas' feet at the Passover Supper. We can be close to Jesus without really knowing Him. Like Judas, some play the part of a Christian, but there always comes a time when their true colors show. Jesus was a way to gain 30 pieces of silver to Judas. Judas missed the Truth and the Life that Jesus could give him, instead taking what ultimately would lead him to his own miserable death. There are many today who think that Jesus is a way to money or power. They, like Judas, miss the truth. They, like Judas will die miserably in their sin.
A denial.
Peter was so sure of himself. He was so sure that he declared, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Peter, who could not stay awake an hour while Jesus prayed. Peter, who impulsively sliced the ear off of a servant. Peter, who denied 3 times that he even knew who Jesus was. Peter, who was so sure of his devotion to Jesus, goes out weeping bitterly because he finally realized how poor in spirit he really was. We can sympathize with Peter, can't we? We can be encouraged because we know the story... we know that Peter is given another chance. He is restored by Jesus again. He goes on to become a great leader of the church. How many of us are willing to admit that we have also denied Jesus? That we have said with our mouths that we love Him and will follow Him anywhere... but then turn around and act like we don't even know Him at all. O that we would also realize our poverty of spirit and mourn over our denials.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! I want to be more like the woman who anointed Your feet. To forget all else but my love for You. Forgive my denials and betrayals of You. Help me to see clearly and not miss the most important thing - You! Father, grant me a heart to receive Your Truth and to be fully Yours. Amen.
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