Tag Archives: garden of gethsemane

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – A Different Garden

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Alistair Begg

O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice; let me hear it.    Song of Solomon 8:13

My sweet Lord Jesus remembers well the garden of Gethsemane, and although He has left that garden, He now dwells in the garden of His church: There He discloses Himself to those who keep His blessed company. The voice of love with which He speaks to His beloved is more musical than the harps of heaven. There is a depth of melodious love within it that leaves all human music far behind. Tens of thousands on earth, and millions above, are consumed with its harmonious accents. Some whom I know well, and whom I greatly envy, are at this moment hearkening to the beloved voice.

O that I were a partaker of their joys! It is true some of these are poor, others bedridden, and some near the gates of death; but, my Lord, I would cheerfully starve with them, pine with them, or die with them if I might simply hear Your voice. Once I heard it often, but I have grieved Your Spirit. Return to me in compassion and once again say to me, “I am your salvation.”

No other voice can content me. I know Your voice and cannot be deceived by another; let me hear it, I pray You. I do not know what You will say, nor do I make any condition, my Beloved; simply let me hear You speak, and if it be a rebuke I will bless You for it. Perhaps the cleansing of my dull ear will require a painful surgery, but let it cost me what it will, I have only one consuming desire—to hear Your voice.

Pierce my ear with Your harshest notes, but do not allow me to remain deaf to Your calls. Tonight, Lord, grant Your unworthy servant his desire, for I am Yours, and You have bought me with Your blood. You have opened my eyes to see You, and the sight has saved me. Lord, open my ear. I have read Your heart; now let me hear from Your lips.

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The family reading plan for October 30, 2014 * Hosea 3, 4 * Psalm 119:121-144

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Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Where the Battle Is Won

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 26:36-46

If you want to experience victory in the conflicts and tough decisions facing you, consider what Jesus did. Before He got to the cross, the Lord fought a crucial, pivotal battle in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He wrestled with what lay ahead.

For our Savior, the weight of sin He would bear was overwhelming. He was about to experience complete spiritual separation from the Father. He went out to a peaceful and quiet place of prayer, where He got alone before the Father and cried out to Him. When Jesus left that garden, He walked out a winner. He would still drink the cup of suffering and separation, but He knew that in the end, He would triumph over it (Heb. 12:2).

Jesus’ example reveals that the key to winning life’s battles is to come before the Father—alone with Him and fully surrendered to His will. Godly counsel is important, but you cannot depend exclusively on others to tell you what to do. If you don’t spend time alone with the Lord, wrestling things out until you know what He is saying, you’ll never be sure you’re doing the right thing.

By making it a habit to spend time alone in God’s presence, you’ll be able to discern His perfect will as you come to major decisions with significant or even lifelong consequences. When you fully surrender to Him, you place the consequences of your choices into His most capable hands. After all, where could your decisions—and your future—be safer than in the control of our all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God?

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Know the Light

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When Jesus needed rest, He and the disciples stole away from the crowds, many times to the quiet, olive tree-laden hillside of the Garden of Gethsemane. The night of Judas’ betrayal was different.

If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.

Matthew 26:39

The chosen 11 were with Him, but Jesus already felt heaviness and sorrow, even unto death, and wanted the three closest to Him to go further and “sit…and watch with me.” But even they could not appreciate His severe suffering…His profound sense of the evil of sin resting upon Him. His God-nature wanted to obey the will of His Father. Conflict with the man-nature made Him ask, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” The extreme passion of the moment was lost on the disciples. They slept as He agonized. Jesus was alone with grief so intense it was beyond human knowledge.

After repeated prayer, Christ stepped forward. Knowing the Father’s answer, and with resolute fortitude and tranquility, He accepted the darkness and trials to come – so He could be your Light forever. Pray now for those in darkness, including your leaders in this nation, that they may know and love the true Light of the world.

Recommended Reading: John 1:1-5, 11-17

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Star of Revelation

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For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. —Hebrews 4:12

Just think of the power of God’s words. In the beginning, God spoke our world and the universe into existence. When He said, “Let there be light,” there was light. When Jesus was on the Sea of Galilee and a violent storm erupted, He said, “Peace, be still!” and it stopped. When Peter tried to defend Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told him, “Put your sword in its place. . . . Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”

The same voice that can create the heavens and Earth, stop storms, and summon angels will one day bring judgment. Revelation 19:15 says, “Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. . . .”

As John wrote down the words of Revelation from the island of Patmos, he fell at the feet of the angel who showed these things to him. But the angel said, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant. . . . Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. . . . What does this mean? It means that if you read the book of Revelation but do not grow in your love for Jesus, then you have missed the point. Revelation, which means “unveiling,” is not just an unveiling of our future; it is also an unveiling of Jesus. It is all about Jesus. He is the star of Revelation. He is the focus of Revelation. And He should be the star of and focus of our lives as well.

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Max Lucado – Three Cookie Days

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Every day, God prepares for us a plate of experiences.  Some days are “three cookie days.” Many are not!  Sometimes our plate has nothing but vegetables, twenty-four hours of celery, carrots, and squash.  Apparently God knows we need some strength, and though the portion may be hard to swallow, isn’t it for our own good?  All are important and all are from God. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.”

The next time your plate has a portion you find hard to swallow, talk to God about it.  Jesus did. In the garden of Gethsemane His Father handed Him a cup of suffering so sour, so vile, that Jesus handed it back to heaven.

“My Father,” He prayed, “if it is possible may this cup be taken from Me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Mark 14:36).

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Charles Stanley – Lessons We Learn in Gethsemane

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Matthew 26:36-46

When you are suffering, do you turn to God’s Word? That is the only source we can count on to bring life, hope, and promise to otherwise hopeless situations. Its principles illustrate how to—and how not to—deal with trials. When we respond God’s way, the difficulty that threatened to harm us actually enriches our character and enables us to do greater works for Him.

I believe that the most intense suffering ever recorded was that of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Christ knew that by bearing our sin, He was about to endure not only a gruesome and horrific crucifixion but also the full force of God’s wrath. Even more devastating, He’d be separated from His Father for the first and only time since eternity past. That’s something no other child of God will ever have to endure, because Jesus’ agony achieved mankind’s redemption. So we know that whatever trial faces us, God will be by our side, supporting us through it.

Let Jesus’ Gethsemane experience be your example in times of trouble. Our Savior trusted His Father fully and accepted His will. Remember, the Father is in control. He limits the length and intensity of the pain. And, while He hurts to see His children suffer, He loves us enough to allow the difficulty. There is a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose if we embrace His road for us.

What trial are you facing? Do you trust that God is in control? Our Father allows pain because He loves us. Only He knows whether hardship or blessing will bring about the needed changes in our lives. And He will spare no experience, effort, or heartache to conform us to His Son’s likeness.

 

 

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“Why, God?” – Greg Laurie

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I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”—Psalm 42:9

I don’t think it is ever a bad thing to ask God why. Some people will say that we should never question God. But I question God all the time. I don’t mean that I doubt His existence. But I do say, “Lord, I don’t understand why you have done (thus and so). . . . Why, Lord?”

As you read the psalms, you see that many times the psalmist cried out, in essence, “Why, God? Why have You allowed this in my life?”

And Jesus Himself asked, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:45–47).

So don’t think it is wrong to ask, “Why, God?” It isn’t wrong. But let me add this: don’t expect an answer, necessarily. You can ask all you want. And maybe the Lord will give you an answer. But in most cases, He won’t. Quite frankly, I think that if He did, we wouldn’t understand it anyway.

So here is what we need to say: “Well, Lord, I don’t understand, but I trust you.”

Even Jesus struggled with God’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, under intense pressure, “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus literally was perspiring sweat and blood, and He said, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (verse 42).

There has to come a point when we say, “All right, Lord. I will do it. I don’t feel like doing it. I don’t want to do it. I don’t even think it is a good idea to do it. But I am going to do it, because You told me to.”

That is what Jesus did. And that is what we need to do as well.

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Personal Gethsemanes – Greg Laurie

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Prior to the cross, Jesus went to a garden called Gethsemane. There, as He faced the horrors of what was to come on the cross, He prayed, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.”

What was that cup that Jesus was recoiling from? I believe it was the cup of God’s wrath, which He would drink for all of us. The judgment of God that should have come upon me instead came on Him.

He then prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

We will all face our own “Gethsemanes” in life. By that I mean, a time…

When life is not making any sense.

When your problems seem too great to bear.

When you are seemingly overwhelmed.

When you feel like you just can’t go on another day.

There is a point where we have to say something that is very important to God. And that is the same thing Jesus said: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

Much is said about the cross (and rightly so), but keep in mind, here in the Garden of Gethsemane we see the decision that took Him to the cross was agonizingly made!

It is interesting that sin began in a garden. And the commitment to bear that sin was also in a garden.

In Eden, Adam sinned. In Gethsemane, Jesus conquered.

In Eden, Adam hid himself. In Gethsemane, our Lord boldly presented Himself.

In Eden, the sword was drawn. In Gethsemane, it was sheathed.

Jesus did this all for us.