Not long ago, I was in need of an encouraging word. In a time in my life when it [life] appeared to be dismal and like that of a dessert {dry land nothing available to my hands that I needed or wanted was appearing}.
Then I a friend grabbed her bible and read to me John 18 1-5
Jesus Arrested
1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
(Garden was an olive grove: Synoptic it is called Gethsemane, meaning "oil press,")
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
Judas being able to hand over Jesus to the Roman soldiers, Jewish servants, and the apostle isn't the success story, but that the Father’s will is being done.
Jesus is now in the hands of the Roman guards and about to be beaten, struck with many forms of violent tools, and then nailed on a cross for me and for you. He didn’t do anything wrong, we did.
We have sinned against God and only against God. If you were the only one on the earth, He still would have gone to the cross for you to live with him in eternity.
Now, I ask you. Whom do you seek?
When you go to bed at night, what are your last thoughts on?
Who is the last one you say good night to and thank for a wonderful day?
When you wake up in the morning, what your first thoughts on?
Who is the first one you say good morning to and thank for a wonderful day to come?
What is your outlook on life?
Do you worry about your tomorrow or the right here and now?
Are you lonely?
Are you broken?
Are you without money or a home or even food?
Matthew 6:25-34
Jesus says “ For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26" Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
IN 1 Peter 5:7
Living Bible:
Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking of you and watching everything that concerns you.
New Living Translation
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
What a Great God we have! He cares about you, the minor details of your ministry, of your life, of those lives that are around you.
Take His word to your heart and know that he is going to grow His church, His family, His kingdom; with or without you. But this is how Great our God is that he cares about the small stuff more than the big stuff.
Be encouraged! Whom do you seek?
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. II Thessalonians 3:3
You might be sitting here wondering “who is this Lord you speak of?” Who is this Jesus of Nazareth that you talk about? Who cares for me so much about the little things in my life?
You see, there is this man and his name is Jesus. He came from heaven to earth to show the way to an everlasting life passed death and he did this by dying on a cross, not of his own will but that of Father God; the creator.
When you decide to turn your life over to the one and only Jesus Christ of Nazareth and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved from the domain of darkness.
When we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and we are need of a savior, he comes into our lives and changes us forever.
I encourage you to pray these words with me and mean them with your heart and begin to really know this man name Jesus.
Dear God, I have tried to do it all by myself, on my own power, and I have failed. Today, I want to turn my life over to You. I ask you to be my Lord and my Savior. You are the only One who can. I ask that you help me to think less about myself and my wants and desires. I want to daily turn my life over to You, to daily seek Your direction and wisdom for my life. Please continue to help me overcome my messes, my sins, and Jesus, continue to change my life forever.
Help me to do Your will and not my own. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer for the first time, I want you to know there is a party going on upstairs in heaven. There are angels singing, praising, dancing and the Lord is smiling and ready to go to work in your life.
I encourage you to talk to someone and call 1-888-NEEDHIM or chat at http://www.needhim.org/
You are not alone anymore in your mess! You are now a child of God and there is a benefit package waiting for you to pick up.
May God's word dwell in you richly,
Marjorie
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