"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation"

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 “They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”  He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch....

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  [Mark 14:32-34, 37,38]

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"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation"

Darkness had settled over the land. It was Thursday night running into Friday morning.  When they came to an enclosed piece of ground name Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus left eight of the disciples near the entrance.

He took Peter, James, and John with Him deeper into the garden. There He experienced an overpowering burden on His holy soul as he anticipated becoming a sin-offering for us.  We cannot conceive what it meant to Him the Sinless One, to be made sin for us. He left the three disciples with instructions to stay there and stay awake. He went a little farther into the garden—alone. Thus would He go to the cross alone, bearing the awful judgment of God against our sins.

First, He prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. If there was any other way by which sinners could be saved than by His death, burial, and resurrection, let God reveal that way. The heavens were silent. Was He asking to be excused from going to the cross? Not at all; this was the purpose of His coming into the world. There was no other way in which we could be redeemed.  Do NOT believe the devil’s lie “that all paths lead to  God”. "For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many." [Matt. 7:13]

Returning to the three disciples, He found them sleeping—a sad commentary on fallen human nature. Jesus warned Peter against sleeping in that crucial hour. Only recently, Peter had boated of his undying steadfastness. Now he couldn’t even stay awake.  If a man cannot pray for one hour, it is unlikely that he will be able to resist temptation in the moment of extreme pressure. No matter how enthusiastic his spirit may be, he must reckon with the frailty of his flesh.


 

 



"...Yet not what I will, but what you will."

 “Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” [Mark 14:35]

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

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 “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” [Matthew 3:1,2]
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!””    [Mark 1:14,15]

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"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

John the Baptist was six months older than his cousin Jesus. He stepped onto the stage of history to serve as forerunner for the King of Israel. His unlikely parish was the wilderness of Judea.

John’s message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” The King would soon appear, but He could not and would not reign over people who clung to their sins. They must change directions, must confess and forsake their sins. God was calling them from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of heaven.

John was put in prision by Herod. From then on Jesus took up the message which John had preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It was a further call for moral renewal in preparation for His kingdom. The kingdom was near in the sense that the King was present.

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God. His specific message was that:
1)The time was fulfilled. According to the prophetic time-table, a date had been fixed for the public appearing of the King. It had now arrived.
2) The kingdom of God was at hand; the King was present and was making a bona fide offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel. The kingdom was at hand in the sense that the King had appeared on the scene.
3) Men were called on to repent and believe in the gospel. In order to be eligible to enter the kingdom, they had to do an about-face regarding sin, and believe the good news concerning the Lord Jesus.

Dear friend, have you repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?  Are there any unconfessed sins in your life?

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”[2 Chronicles 7:14].

“I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” [2 Corinthians 6:2].  Dear friend, tomorrow is not ours!


 

John the Baptist Beheaded

 “Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.  When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.  The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.”  And he promised her with an oath, ...  She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”   “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.   At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”  The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.  So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison,  and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother." [Mark 6:21-28]

"...do you love me more than these?"

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 “Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”  So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.  This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.   When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”   “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”    [John 21:10-15]

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"...do you love me more than these?"

The Lord Jesus took care of their physical needs first. Then when they were warm and had eaten,  He turned to Peter and dealt with spiritual matters. Peter had publicly denied the Lord three times. Since then, he had repented and had been restored to fellowship with the Lord. In these verses, Peter’s restoration is publicly acknowledged by the Lord.

It has often been pointed out that two different words for love are used in these verses.  We might paraphrase as follows: “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these other disciples love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I am fond of You.” Peter would no longer boast that he would never forsake the Lord, even if all the other disciples did. He had learned his lesson.

A practical way of demonstrating love for Christ is by feeding the young ones in His flock.

Just as Peter had denied the Lord thrice, so he was given three opportunities to confess Him.  Third time, Peter appealed to the fact that Jesus was God and therefore knew all things. He said the third time, “You know that I am fond of You.” And for the last time he was told that he could demonstrate this by feeding Christ’s sheep. In this passage, the underlying lesson is that love of Christ is the only acceptable motive for serving Him.

Dear friend, have you repented like Peter did, for denying Jesus Christ by your words or actions? Jesus is asking each of us the same question, “_________[Fill in your name here], do you love me more than these?”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”  You can also share the Word of God to a friend or a family member or a colleague, who is hungry for the Word of God.  You can send an email or share the Word on the facebook or talk to them personally.

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” [Romans 10: 14].


 

Throw your net on the right side...

 ““I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”   “No,” they answered.  He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. " [John 21:3-6]

I will make you fishers of men,
Fishers of men, fishers of men.
I will make you fishers of men,
If you follow Me.


HOW TO PRAY ?

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 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."[Hebrews 11:6]
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  ”    [John 14:6]

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How to Pray

Without faith it is impossible to please our Father. So if you don't have the faith in the first place, don't waste God's time and yours with your prayer. God will hear your prayer but don't expect Him to answer. Now don't get down on yourself if you feel your faith is not the greatest. We all don't have the faith of Abraham but if you believe what this verse says, you have faith. How do we earnestly seek Him? We do that by studying His word, the Bible. Think of the Bible as our instruction manual for our life. We have questions? His word has the answers.

No amount of good works can compensate for lack of faith. After all said and done, when a man refuses to believe God, he is calling Him a liar. “He who does not believe God has made Him a liar” (1 John. 5:10), and how can God be pleased by people who call Him a liar?

 Faith is the only thing that gives God His proper place, and put man in his place too. “It glorifies God exceedingly, because it proves that we have more confidence in His eyesight than in our own.”

 Faith not only believes that God exists, but it also trusts Him to reward those who diligently seek Him. There is nothing about God that makes it impossible for men to believe. The difficulty is with the human will.

 This is step two in our quest for a better prayer life. You have  to better believe that Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. Also you need to have faith in His works and believe that He is with our Father now in heaven. A good way to show God that you believe in Christ is to ask for things in His name.

We must forgive those that have sinned against us if we want to be forgiven."....leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" [Matthew 5:24].

 

Pray without ceasing

 “...And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." [Ephesians 6:18]

"..pray without ceasing," [1 Thess. 5:17]

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Once Gay . . . Always Gay? From Victim to Victory!

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 “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done . . .
were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”    [Psalm 40:5]

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Once Gay . . . Always Gay?
From Victim to Victory!
[Testimony of Linda]

The first time I was asked to write my testimony, I thought, "Great! Now I can tell everyone what wonderful things God has done in me!" Then, as I prayed about it and asked for just the right words, I realized that there’s just no way I can tell all that He’s done!

I mean, where would I start? Would I start with the little girl whose innocence was stolen from her by 3 different adult men she so freely trusted over a period of 10 years, whose dad turned her into a "good little boozer" by the time she was 5? Would I start with the 12-year-old who gave her bruised and confused heart to Jesus and thrilled at the prospect of serving Him someday in some great and glorious manner?

Where would I start? Would I start with the 16-year-old whose world was turned upside-down and inside-out when she was raped by 4 men in 1965 — whose family's shame and ignorance prevented them from giving her the love and support she so desperately needed? Would I start with the 18-year-old whose overwhelming sense of abandonment, guilt and shame drove her to the streets and prostitution where she finally challenged the God she loved and wrote His death certificate on her heart?
Oh, God! Where do I start?! Should I tell about the 30+ years of alcohol and drug abuse, 25 years of homosexuality, repeated suicide attempts, multiple self-mutilations, and an all-out subconscious attempt to sabotage every good thing You brought my way? Should I tell about that September day in 1975 when you overwhelmed me with Your great love and drew me back to You — and still, I continued in my sin because I wasn't Biblically grounded and just wasn't strong enough to submit to Your love?
Or . . . would I start with that Summer day in 1996 when I knelt in a little friendly church and gave Jesus permission to do in me whatever He wanted to do? That was the day when my "adoption" became final — when God became both my Father and my Mother, and Jesus became my Husband and my Brother.

“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband
— the Lord Almighty is His name —
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
He is called the God of all the earth." [Isaiah 54:4-5]


Then started the process of healing and deliverance that exceeded my wildest expectations! As the Psalmist wrote, were I to speak of all that He has done, they would be too many to declare! (Psalm 40:5)
As I learned to lean on Him, His love prompted me to ask Him to show me His truth concerning my lifestyle. Patiently and lovingly, He opened the eyes of my heart; and in obedience to His revealed will, I haltingly walked away from the homosexual lifestyle I had embraced. Although I knew I was doing the right thing, I fully expected it to remain a physical struggle because I had been deceived into believing that I was born a lesbian and would remain that way until I got my resurrection body someday.
But, as God gently kissed away every emotional scar of the past and I persisted in seeking His truth, Satan's hooks lost their grip and the chains fell off. Then in November 1997, God breathed new life into me and delivered me completely from every homosexual desire or tendency I'd ever had! And as if that weren't enough, He even removed every physical scar from the years of self-mutilation!

Today, I truly am a "new creation in Christ; the old is passed away, behold, all things have become new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) He has healed every hurt I so carefully guarded and nurtured all those years; He has penetrated the dark recesses of my heart and mind and flooded them with His marvelous light!

Today, I am alcohol-free, drug-free, nicotine-free, and pain-free. Instead of looking for the light at the end of the tunnel (and doubting if it's really there), I am standing in that light. I have found a joy and peace that truly surpass all understanding!
What I have learned is this: there is true freedom in becoming a captive of the King; there is healing in His outstretched guiltless, nail-pierced hands; there is unspeakable joy and peace in submission and obedience.

To anyone reading this who has tried to bury the pain, the shame, and the fears of the past — who's been told God hates you because of your lifestyle — who thinks there's no way out and the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train — I say this: You call yourself "victim"; the world calls you "survivor"; but in Christ, you can be the victorious conqueror — once you stop seeking the God you want, and start seeking the God who IS!

 -Linda

  
   
 

To God be the glory

 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." [Ephesians 3:20,21]

 

    

"To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done."