The Garden of Gethsemane - the battle ground for salvation I believe the battle for our souls began in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the garden, while praying, The Lord experienced such great anguish, that he sweet turned into drops of blood. Jesus ask his disciples to pray with him 3 times so they wouldnt fall into temptation. But they fell asleep and fell into temptation when they came to arrest him. But an angel, from heaven, strengthens him. How many of you know that the joy of the Lord is your strength? (Psalm 27) .... The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid. Jesus asked his disciples to pray, so they wouldnt fall into temptation. When Jesus was arrested, one of his disciples cut off a servants ear. This is what happens when we dont pray like we should. We fall into temptation. This same Peter who said, Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water. This same Peter who said, Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will. This same Peter was regretful.(v75) / Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: Before the roster crows, you will disown me three times./ And he went outside and wept bitterly. According to (Luke 22:60-61) Peter Peter deined the Lord, the rooster crowded, and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Just think of the things we do and assume that know one sees us. Just as Jesus saw Peter when he lied, Jesus hears what we says and dont say, Jesus sees all that we do, even when we see no one. Peter figured it out to late. Ive already messed up and blown it. Theres no use trying to get it back together. No matter how devasting your life my have been, it doesnt have to be an excuse to give up and throw in the towel. Failure at one point in your life or failure in one area in your life is not an excuse to give up on yourself. The beauty of Gods grace is that He can put the broken picks of your life back together again. God has something better for you to do than just drowning in your regrets. He will move you beyond your regrets into his marvelous light. It is time to finish what you have started. (Phil 1:6) being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. !Peters Misplaced Confidenece Peter was a hot head. A person who would speak or act on impluse, who would just say or do whatever came to mind, right or wrong. Does this sound like someone you know? Peters life caved in on him so bad he thoughgt it was over between him and Jesus. Peter, the leader of the twelve disciples, bragged that he would never let the Lord down. !A lot of Christians are like Peter Peter had good intentions: give examples Peters promise was a good one Peters vow of faithfulness was solid We have good spiritual intentions, promises, and vows that we cant keep. But with Jesus, I can do all things. This why Peters world collapsed. He tried to pull off spiritual goals in the power of the flesh. Peter had a lot of self-confidence. He just knew that he couldnt and wouldnt fail. (Matt. 26:36) The song writer wrote, We fall down and we get up. For a saint is just a sinner who fell down but got backup again. For you see, my brothers and sisters, he didnt get backup on his own. But the hand of Jesus, reached down and picked him up again. For it doesnt matter how far you have fallen, God can reach you, even if he as to reach way down. It doesnt matter, how deep you are in your mess. Jesus can pick you up and turn you around, plant your feet on solid ground. Jesus will put clapping in your hands and dancing in your feet. Jesus can do it! He can do it! He can do it! Dont give up When a boxer is losing the fight, his manager might throw in the towel, signifying that the fight is over. Siants, dont give up on Jesus. For Jesus didnt give up on you. In the garden of Gethsemone, Jesus didnt give up on you. When they beat my Lord all night long, Jesus didnt give up on you. When they nailed his hands and feet, Jesus didnt give up on you. Denial around the campfire Because of your mistakes, you may have though, I am not going to make it or Im never going to mount to anything. But Jesus still loves you and the power of His blood continues to prevail. You can say, I am still holding on. I am still here today because you know that you know that you know you never would have made it without the Lord. Moving Beyond Regrets How: confess your sins and repent Results: Reinstatement from Jesus Conclusion When you belong to God, nobody and nothing can snatch you out of Gods hands. (John 10:28-29 KJV) 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I love to boost on God. Come and go with me to Mount Camel. Ahab, the king of Israel, worship Baal and made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke God to anger more than all the kings before him. Ahab abondoned the Lords commands and followed the Baals. And God was about to bring judgement on Israel. Elijah had a showdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah. He boost or bragged on the power of The Lord. He said to the prophets, you build and alter of wood and cut up a bull for a sacrifice, but do not set fire to it. And built and other also. The god who answers by fire - he is GOD. The prophets called on the name of Baal from morning until noon. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. Shout louder! Surely he is god! (small god) Maybe he is deep in thought, or busy, or sleeping. You say to all of the haters and enemies, I like to see you try, snatch my blessing; I like to see you try, snatch my joy; I like to see you try, snatch my peace (Isaiah 53:6 NIV) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Psalm 32:5 NIV) Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Psalm 51:4-10 NIV) Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner partsa; you teachb me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. a The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 01:20:51 +0000
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