Another tough day.  Let’s read quietly, reflective: Mark 14:53-65, Matthew 26:69-75, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:25-27, Mark 15:1, Matthew 27:1-2, Luke 22:66-71, and Matthew 27:3-10.  As the holiday season starts here – Thanksgiving is upon us, we are Christmas shopping and getting ready for events, lots of reasons to celebrate Jesus – it’s a good day to remember that we don’t only worship the Baby, we worship the Savior.  What your highlight today?

Jesus never sinned, never lied… it heartbreaking to read about people mocking Him (like the soldiers hitting Him and asking Him to prophesy). They really didn’t know what they were doing or saying.

“Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, ‘Prophesy!’ And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands” Mark 14:65

There’s nothing we face that Jesus cannot understand. He is truly acquainted with our grief, and even more…I almost feel like we just now got Jesus, and the crucifixion is already upon us. In the context of the entire history (because He was there in the very beginning), this is all the more heart rending.

Coming to the betrayal and arrest…. this story is moving faster than I want it to this morning.  Let’s read John 18:1-2, Mark 14:32-42, Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46, Mark 14:43-52, Matthew 26:47-56, Luke 22:47-53, and John 18:3-24.  Come on back and let’s visit!

Jesus said that He always spoke openly, and He did!

“I spoke openly to the world” John 18:20

“and in secret I have said nothing “John 18:20

We ought to be this transparent as well. We remember Luke 18:7 from the other day when Jesus told the disciples there is “nothing hidden that won’t be revealed”.  We ought to live as if there are no secrets. Every day, we see something that someone thought would be a secret – it’s on our internet homepage or on the front page of the newspaper or on the 5:00 news.  Let’s follow Jesus’ example here as well and speak openly. Where there are no secrets, there’s also no shame and no reason to lie.

The prayer in the garden, as described by Mark and Matthew and Luke, it’s a a lot to take in. Often times I think about Jesus at this moment, wrapped in humanity and desiring human friendship. Heartbreaking really. I’ve felt that way myself at times, alone and needing a friend. Haven’t you?  Jesus can always relate to us – He’s been there too.

Of course not everyone is called to what you are called to – like Jesus, sometimes we have to be willing to move forward alone and let others sleep on.

All in one place today – it’s been a while since the reading was altogether!  Please read John 15:18-27, John 16, and John 17.  Do you have a highlight today?  What are your thoughts?  Read and come on back – let’s chat!

“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.” John 16:1-4 NKJV

It’s happening now, isn’t it? Saints, please pray for the persecuted.

But there’s more that Jesus said the disciples couldn’t handle alone. In His wisdom and perfect timing and desire to give comfort in hard times, He also tells the disciples that Help is on the way. 

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” John 16:12-13 NKJV

So now the Helper, perfectly timed and desperately needed…. it is the Holy Spirit‘s job to reveal what Christ knows to us, to reveal to us the mind of Christ. It is our job to abide and trust and rest and let Him do His work. It is also our job to do the work assigned to us, and steward the work of Jesus well with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Here we go: John 13:31-38, Mark 14:27-31, Matthew 26:31-35, Luke 22:31-38, John 14, and John 15:1-17.  Big day!  What’s your highlight?  Anything you can share or relate to?  Visit with a friend today, share what you found and listen to what they found in their own devotional time – let “iron sharpen iron” this morning!  Let’s visit:

“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31-32 NKJV

I think it’s interesting that in Luke 22:31-38, Satan asked for all of disciples but Peter was the one who got the experience. Why? Jesus said “when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brothers”. There’s the “why”. It might hurt, it might be hard, but Jesus prayed for him that when (not if, I love that) he returned, he would bring strength with him. This experience would be critical to Peter’s ministry.

Perhaps these experiences are critical for our ministries as well. Jesus, our Intercessor, is praying for you too – that you might use your experience of difficult circumstances to strengthen the people within your sphere of influence. When you receive deliverance from something, you simultaneously receive an anointing to lead someone else through the same – we all face hard times, but in the hands of the Lord, nothing is ever wasted.

We are so close to the Cross. Please read Mark 14:1-2, Matthew 26:1-5, Luke 22;1-2, Mark 14:10-11, Matthew 26:14-16, Luke 22:3-6, Mark 14:12-16, Matthew 26:17-19, Luke 22:7-13, John 13:1-20, Mark 14:17-26, Matthew 26:20-30, Luke 22:14-30, and John 13:18-30.  Days like this, it’s hard to pick out one or two items.  Ready it slow, take it in, reflect – let’s visit for a minute after we read:

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you “Luke 22:20

“This” cup with specific. The sacrifice of Jesus would do so much (freedom, redemption, acceptance, salvation, judgement, healing, fulfillment of prophecy….).  I wonder if the disciples, well versed in the old testament, understood what that meant exactly. They must’ve been comforted and broken and confident and afraid all at once. (How I dearly wish we had time to get into it in a 3 minute blog!)

“I am among you as the One who serves but you are those who continued with Me in my trials” Luke 22:27-28

What an honor it was (and still is) to be counted among the faithful during trials.

I think about Matthew 26:36-46 often – the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. I think about how lonely Jesus must have felt (He was human too), and how He wanted His disciples to stay awake with Him while He prayed.  They didn’t understand.  He found them sleeping three times. I think about that moment, how heartbreaking and emotional (it hurts to be so misunderstood). It might not be exactly right, but I don’t think it’s damaging to the Scripture – want to hear how I apply this today?  I think about times when I am called to do something on my own, or times when I am compelled by my faith to act in a way the world does not understand or accept.  Sometimes, when following Jesus, you have to come to a point where you can say, “this is mine to do, regardless of the acceptance or agreement of others – while y’all sleep on, I press on” and be okay with that, alone.

Except with Jesus, we are never alone!  Now Jesus has been betrayed and arrested…. I can’t believe we are here already.

Please read Mark 13:32-27, Matthew 24:36-51, Luke 21:34-38, and Matthew 25 today. For me, I like an early morning – but not everyone is the same.  The goal is to read daily, pray daily, practice being in the presence of the Lord daily.  We have several familiar passages today – 

Mark 13:34 stood out to me:

““It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left.”. Mark 13:34 MSG

That’s us – the servants who have been entrusted as the boss went away.  We have been entrusted with the work of Jesus, each of us having different talents or assignments – but the and goal is the same. Let’s purpose to steward it well.  Jesus is returning soon!

I also notice how in Luke 21:34-36, Jesus puts the same emphasis on worrying about the cares of this life as He does on drunkenness and carousing (that’s significant).

“But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36 MSG

We are not to be so concerned with the cares of life, so distracted, so worried that it pushes out our ability to focus on the Lord and trust Him and operate in faith. When we are so weighed down with the cares of the world that we lose our ability to trust God, we lose sight of His goodness. There isn’t one sin worse than another. We can be busy about things and not be busy about the Lord.

It’s a milestone today: 300!  Wow!  65 days to go…. seems to me like it sped up since we made it to the New Testament, does it seem that way to you?  Were you surprised at all how long it took to get through the Old Testament, how quickly we are making it through the New Testament? Please read Mark 13:1-23, Matthew 24:1-25, Luke 21:5-24, Mark 13:24-31, Matthew 24;26-35, and Luke 21:25-33.  What stands out to you today? 

“As he walked away from the Temple, one of his disciples said, ‘Teacher, look at that stonework! Those buildings!’ Jesus said, “You’re impressed by this grandiose architecture? There’s not a stone in the whole works that is not going to end up in a heap of rubble.’ ” Mark 13:1-2 MSG

Isn’t it remarkable how this nearly describes exactly our world today? Maybe the architecture is impressive, but it will not stand…

“Stay with it – that’s what’s required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry – you’ll be saved” Mark 13:13 MSG

The Lord knows it will be hard. I’m so encouraged by this as well: God has “already intervened” (Mark 13:19 MSG). It IS DONE:

“These are going to be hard days—nothing like it from the time God made the world right up to the present. And there’ll be nothing like it again. If he let the days of trouble run their course, nobody would make it. But… He has already intervened.” Mark 13:19-20 MSG

Though times will be hard, God will be faithful.

Here we go – day 299, can you believe it? Please read Mark 12:28-34, Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:35-37, Matthew 22:41-46, Luke 20:41-44, Mark 12:38-40, Matthew 23:1-12, Luke 20:45-47, Matthew 23:13-39, Mark 12:41-44, and Luke 21:1-4.  There’s so much – like every day, it’s tough to pick out a short thought (it’s just that you read so much already, I don’t want to burden you with lesser words like mine – I just want you to know that you are not alone in this journey.  We are together, learning together, reading together).  I picked out one – did you pick out one?  Come back after you’ve read – let’s share!

Jesus always had a perfect answer – and He still does today. We can learn from His written Word, and with the benefit of His Holy Spirit (and I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, but isn’t it exciting?), we can hear His rhema word as well.

I love this one:

“Don’t let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of ‘Father’; you have only one Father, and he’s in heaven. And don’t let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them—Christ” (Matthew 23:8-10 MSG)

We are all classmates – I love the visual that brings to mind!

Here we go: John 12:37-50, Mark 11:12-14, Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:15-19, Matthew 21:12-17, Luke 19:45-48, Mark 11:20-33, Matthew 21:23-27, and Luke 20:1-8.  What’s your highlight today?  Read it again if you didn’t have one – let Jesus teach you something new today!

“Jesus summed it all up when He cried out, ‘Whoever believes in me, believes not just in me but in the One who sent me. Whoever looks at me is looking, in fact, at the One who sent me’ ” John 12:44-45 MSG

John 12:44-50, Jesus teaches us such an important truth: believing in Jesus is the same as believing in God. Jesus only acts on God‘s authority. It’s so important to know that.  it’s so important to take the example ourselves: just do what the Father does, just say what the Father tells you to say. (easier said than done, right?) 

“Jesus was matter-of-fact: ‘Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large.’ ” Mark 11:22-23 MSG

Mark 11:12-14, then 20-24 – it was important for the disciples to HEAR what Jesus spoke in order for the lesson to be understood. The impact was made as they remembered His words.  God always hears us when we pray.  Our words (good or bad) have power – let’s speak with grace and love and confidence in the Lord!

Today, lots of Jesus ❤ Let’s read Matthew 21:28-32, Mark 12:1-12, Matthew 21:33-46, Luke 20:9-19, Matthew 22:1-14, Mark 12:13-17, Matthew 22:15-22, Luke 20:20-26, Mark 12:18-27, Matthew 22:23-33, and Luke 20:27-40.  Come on back and let’s talk about what we read:

“even when you saw their changed lives, you didn’t care enough to change and believe” Matthew 21:32 MSG

Wow.  Those words must have hit the disciples hard – they hit me hard today. We can’t depend on what our eyes see.  We have to trust God with and without “signs” – but how hard hearted must someone be, to see a God-change in someone and still not be inspired to act in faith?  Read that passage in context one more time (Matthew 21:28-32).  Here’s where people get it wrong: they decide whether someone is worthy of time or attention or even a life change based on their past behavior.  Here’s where Jesus gets it right: He just wants someone  to come home and be restored.  Where did you come from, what did you do?  It doesn’t matter to Jesus – just come on back and let Him change you!

“Finally there was only one left: a beloved son. In a last-ditch effort, he sent him” Mark 12:6 MSG

The parable of the vineyard (like Mark 12:1-12) – how much more powerful is that to us, given our context from the Old Testament? The MSG says the land owner sent his son as a “last ditch effort” – didn’t we see God try everything else in His efforts at restoration in the Old Testament?