Failure can be a teacher as it humbles us and leads to a more teachable spirit. Reflecting on my life, I know that some of my most significant failures, both on the job and spiritually, have led me to become a different person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a …
Jesus questioned his captors and then made an unusual comment. Luke 22:53 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.[1] Jesus knew that satan had been waiting for this time. The evil one was behind the plot to …
Are you fighting a spiritual battle and don’t realize you are in one? If you are, this is not uncommon because our enemy is deceptive. Jesus gathered His disciples to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane to prepare for a spiritual battle. He knew he would have to suffer and die for the sins of …
The kiss that Judas betrayed Jesus with was not only an empty gesture but the worst kind of hypocrisy and treachery. It was tradition for disciples to greet their teachers with a respectful kiss. Judas used this sign of friendship to identify Jesus for the soldiers. Luke 22: 48 But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray …
As Jesus prayed on the Mount of Olive, He asked that the cup of suffering be removed. What is this cup? It is the cup of God’s wrath. Our sin separates and brings God’s anger. In Scripture, drinking the cup of wrath represents experiencing God’s judgment for our wrongdoing. Psalm 75: 7 It is God alone …
Being alert and praying sounds easy, but it takes focus, especially when you are tired from a spiritual battle. Jesus knew He was in a spiritual battle as He contemplated His suffering on the cross to pay for the sins of humanity. To gather strength in this battle, Jesus took His disciples to the Mount …
When the Lord puzzles us is an experience all believers face at some time along their faith journey. While the Lord sees the bigger picture of what He is doing and where He is going, that isn’t always that clear to the sheep of His pasture. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus gathered His disciples …
New seasons in life often mean times of change. We all have our favorite seasons, but without changing the seasons, there would not be a growth and production cycle. Winter is my least favorite season, but the ground could not rest without it. Spring is a wonderful season when seeds are planted and begin to …
The danger of overconfidence is something we may dismiss until we are caught up in failure of our own making. The Bible often connects pride with overconfidence, leading to our downfall. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. [1] Through faith in Jesus as our Savior, we have everything we need …
A warning of a test helps you to prepare so you are not caught off guard. How we respond to the warning is often influenced by our blind spots. We can over or underestimate our abilities for the upcoming test. Jesus had celebrated Passover with His disciples. Afterward, they began to argue about who was …