As we celebrate the holidays, we give thanks for the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. We celebrate the life of the One Who came as a baby in the flesh. We see beautiful nativity scenes and we sing odes to Mary the unsuspecting vehicle of the Christ. Truly, it is or should be as we sing, "the most wonderful time of year!" Unfortunately, we often times get sidetracked from the entire purpose of such fantastic festivities. We choose to not think of the gruesome way He died and tend to forget the reason for the season. That is, the man whose ultimate destiny was death--an agonizing, brutal murder on a cross--a crucifixion. Picture, if you will, Jesus the night before His tortuous death that He endured for you and me. Come with me to the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Bible tells us Jesus said to His disciples, "Sit down here while I pray." Then, He took Peter, James and John, the three closest to Him, further into the garden. We read that Jesus was, "struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed." His words, a strong reflection of His immense sorrow, were "My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! Remain here and keep awake and be watching." Here we see the very human side of the Son of God. As he walks a little farther, likely stumbles from the weight of the reality of what He is about to endure, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the fatal hour might pass, He cried, "Father, everything is possible for You. Take away this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You [will]. " To His dismay, Jesus returns to find His companions sleeping! Imagine being so overcome with torment finding those who had walked with Him, ministered with Him not interceding with Him, but sleeping. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Have you not the strength to keep awake and watch [with Me for] one hour? Keep awake and watch and pray [constantly], that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The same scenario unfolds yet two more times before the guards came and carried Him to His death.
Now, imagine this same time in your life as you face temptations. You have the power, as Jesus did, to refuse to make the hard decisions for the greater good in your life. It is a war, a struggle with flesh. Everytime you are faced with temptation, picture yourself as Jesus in the garden. You can choose to die to flesh, a crucifixion, to sacrifice now for the sake of your very soul or you can choose to give into the easy thing, the fun thing, the popular thing and risk losing your life. On a much smaller scale...you can chose to betray someone to get what you want or you can do the right thing even if it means giving up the promotion, or the money, or the popularity. Whatever decision you face, I urge you to "make your petition known" as the Bible tells us, but to always have a heart that cries out, "Nevertheless, Father, not my will, but Yours be done."
Actually praying this prayer and walking out His plan isn't always as easy as it is to sit here and write it. There are times when you may pray with blood, sweat, and tears as Jesus did. Also, know that just as an angel was sent to strengthen Jesus during the grueling moments prior to the hardest thing He ever had to do, God, the Father, will put people in your path, "angels unaware," to bring encouragement. Someone to help you carry your cross, rooting you on saying, "You can do this! You can see this through to the end!"
Ponder this point as well. The ones who were the very heartbeat of Jesus could not even stay awake and pray and watch while He tried to find the strength to carry out His mission here on earth. Your family may not support your decisions, your close friends may turn their backs on you in your midnight hour, your own children may be ashamed of you. They may very well be sleeping Christians who in the final hour will deny you as Peter denied Jesus. Still, it is imperative--you must--without fail, "take up your cross and follow Him."
What amazing things will happen in your life. I would much rather have what God has in store for me than anything my feeble mind can dream up. Remember, God's word emphatically warns us that "sin is pleasurable for a season," but know this, "the wages of sin is death." Those scriptures leave no room for interpretation. The message is simple and straight to the point. No, it may not mean that a lightening bolt from Heaven will zap you out of existence. I am a living, breathing example proclaiming to you today, the wrong, fleshly choices I've made over the years brought death to my mind, my soul, and my spirit. I was indeed, a dead man walking.
I am so thankful that God saw fit to spare me and to allow me to share my experiences with you. There is nothing more fulfilling, more joyous than to know you are walking in His perfect will! It is greater than anything we can ever do in our own strength. I leave you with this passage:
Ephesians 3:20,21 "Now to Him Who is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams)--To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen."
The Bible tells us Jesus said to His disciples, "Sit down here while I pray." Then, He took Peter, James and John, the three closest to Him, further into the garden. We read that Jesus was, "struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed." His words, a strong reflection of His immense sorrow, were "My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! Remain here and keep awake and be watching." Here we see the very human side of the Son of God. As he walks a little farther, likely stumbles from the weight of the reality of what He is about to endure, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the fatal hour might pass, He cried, "Father, everything is possible for You. Take away this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You [will]. " To His dismay, Jesus returns to find His companions sleeping! Imagine being so overcome with torment finding those who had walked with Him, ministered with Him not interceding with Him, but sleeping. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Have you not the strength to keep awake and watch [with Me for] one hour? Keep awake and watch and pray [constantly], that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The same scenario unfolds yet two more times before the guards came and carried Him to His death.
Now, imagine this same time in your life as you face temptations. You have the power, as Jesus did, to refuse to make the hard decisions for the greater good in your life. It is a war, a struggle with flesh. Everytime you are faced with temptation, picture yourself as Jesus in the garden. You can choose to die to flesh, a crucifixion, to sacrifice now for the sake of your very soul or you can choose to give into the easy thing, the fun thing, the popular thing and risk losing your life. On a much smaller scale...you can chose to betray someone to get what you want or you can do the right thing even if it means giving up the promotion, or the money, or the popularity. Whatever decision you face, I urge you to "make your petition known" as the Bible tells us, but to always have a heart that cries out, "Nevertheless, Father, not my will, but Yours be done."
Actually praying this prayer and walking out His plan isn't always as easy as it is to sit here and write it. There are times when you may pray with blood, sweat, and tears as Jesus did. Also, know that just as an angel was sent to strengthen Jesus during the grueling moments prior to the hardest thing He ever had to do, God, the Father, will put people in your path, "angels unaware," to bring encouragement. Someone to help you carry your cross, rooting you on saying, "You can do this! You can see this through to the end!"
Ponder this point as well. The ones who were the very heartbeat of Jesus could not even stay awake and pray and watch while He tried to find the strength to carry out His mission here on earth. Your family may not support your decisions, your close friends may turn their backs on you in your midnight hour, your own children may be ashamed of you. They may very well be sleeping Christians who in the final hour will deny you as Peter denied Jesus. Still, it is imperative--you must--without fail, "take up your cross and follow Him."
What amazing things will happen in your life. I would much rather have what God has in store for me than anything my feeble mind can dream up. Remember, God's word emphatically warns us that "sin is pleasurable for a season," but know this, "the wages of sin is death." Those scriptures leave no room for interpretation. The message is simple and straight to the point. No, it may not mean that a lightening bolt from Heaven will zap you out of existence. I am a living, breathing example proclaiming to you today, the wrong, fleshly choices I've made over the years brought death to my mind, my soul, and my spirit. I was indeed, a dead man walking.
I am so thankful that God saw fit to spare me and to allow me to share my experiences with you. There is nothing more fulfilling, more joyous than to know you are walking in His perfect will! It is greater than anything we can ever do in our own strength. I leave you with this passage:
Ephesians 3:20,21 "Now to Him Who is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams)--To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen."
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