Wow! think about this. God put this on my heart tonight.

October 22 2005

Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. Sweat drops mingled with blood falling to the ground. 'Why are you sleeping?' Why are the people I love the most asleep when I need them to be there for me? My close friend, Judas, in an act of love, betrays me the Savior of the Earth. I still love him; he had to do it to let me fully be who I claimed to be. Finally, one of my friends, Peter, does something but it is violence, don't cut off someone's ear. I perform my last miracle, still they all doubt me. I go peacefully; I don't speak against any of them. The men who are supposed to know me best have no clue of who I am. They are the ones that want me to die. It may have something to do with that I told them they were hypocrites and that they would be humbled. But the healthy are not the ones who need a doctor. I spend the entire night on trial; first in Jewish court with a man who was the father of the man who wanted to spill the blood of one man to save the rest, man he was on to something. Then I went to his son, the high priest. On the way to Pilate I saw Peter deny me and then the rooster crowed. Then I was sent to Herod then back to Pilate. I am only in Roman court since the Jews can not order anyone executed. The governor of the province and his wife found no reason to kill me, so he tried to have me freed by letting the people choose between a murderer and I. However, the leaders of the church wanted me dead, the just couldn't handle the truth, so they chose the murderer and despised him. Once again trying to spare my life he had me flogged to near death. The flesh was ripped off my back and when they had their fun with my back they rolled me over and started with my stomach. Then the guards placed a crown of thorns on my head so that the thorns were in my scalp. Then they beat me again and asked which one of them hit me. Then I got to carry my cross.



In the gospels we are called to pick up our crosses and follow Him daily. We have to prove ourselves worthy to make it to the cross. We can't die in the beatings or give up during the trials. We have to have Jesus' mind set, not my will but yours. Are we going to be there for our friends when they need us the most or will we be sleeping because they don't mean enough to us and we are too tired to worry about them? We have to beat the flesh out of us, those evil desires, and master our body and let it glorify our Father in Heaven. The disciples were ordinary men, full of sin, none were scholars, and most were from the same area except Judas the traitor. But they all had faith that Jesus was the Messiah. He spent three years teaching them one on one and at the end of it all they acted like He hadn't taught them anything.  If the men that walked and talked with Jesus could fail, how much easier is it for us to? The point is that we are not perfect; we all have qualities that are not pleasing to God. It is those imperfections, our weakness, that He can show His strength. So lean on Him when you're not strong, with Him you can overcome anything. Doubts, ask me, I can tell you stuff that only He could pull me through. Hasta la victoria siempre.

r

October 22 2005
Powerful. He took MY place. I hate to let Him down, but I do... all the time. What a man it takes to accept all of that and still love us. On a side note, I wonder what happened to Barabbas.

Amy

October 22 2005
Wow. Good stuff.

Zach McCain

October 22 2005
Thanks, Matt, for taking the time to share that with us. I know I needed it. I've been having a hard time allowing myself to lean on Him instead of trusting in my own strength lately. Thanks for that, man.