Keeping Watch

Mark 14:37

"Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. 'Simon,' he said,'are you asleep? Could ypu not keep watch for one more hour?'"

Jesus narrated several parables about waiting and keeping watch. the most well-known is The Parable of the Ten Virgins".

Jesus asks us to also keep watch. It is not for a very long time, just "an hour". of course we do not know how long that "hour" really is but the point is we should stay awake, be alert, keep watch for His coming.

Just before this, Peter and his friends stoutly insisted that they would not disown Jesus when the time came. They knew of the plot of the Pharisees to have Jesus arrested. Yet when Jesus went to pray in the Garden of gethsemane, they were not able to guard Him properly. They fell asleep!

Lord, please strengthen me with Your strength so that I will be alert and keep watch for Your coming.

(Photo credit: truthbook.com)

Judas and God's Will

Matthew 14:21

"The Son of Man will go as it is written about Him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! it would be better for him if he had not been born."

There have been thousands of prophecies on Jesus' sacrificial death for our sake. But Judas was never in those prophecies. God's will to sacrifice Jesus would have pushed through even without Judas' help. In fact, early on, the Pharisees already were plotting to have Jesus arrested.

So why has the name of Judas been associated with betrayal and greed? It is because of SIN.

Did Jesus want him to be the fallguy? I don't believe it. Jesus loved His disciples. he handpicked them. He knew that he was going to die for their sins even before they new it. He loved Judas for sure and even tried to warn him. "Woe to that man..." but Judas hardened his heart and chose silver over the gold that Jesus offered.

Some people say -- and I was one of them -- that Judas was created to sin the sin of betrayal. They say that if Judas had not betrayed Jesus, the plan of God would not have pushed through. This is not possible because...well..God is God! Even before Judas was even born, God;s plan for salvation through Jesus was already in motion. Even without Judas' betrayal, His plan would have its fulfillment.

So why is the story of Judas so important to us? it shows us the frailty of our humanness. Even after knowing Jesus so intimately over 3 years, after being a front-row witness to Jesus' compassion and His miracles, after sitting at His feet listening to His teachings, Judas succumbed to temptation and sinned.

We must always guard our hearts and minds against the enemy who prowls like a hungry lion waiting to pounce on the weakest in the herd.

I also believe that Jesus forgave Judas -- "Father, forgive them for they know not what they're doing." In Matthew 27:3, it says "When Jesus was condemned, he (Judas) was seized with remorse (he was sorry), and returned the thirty pieces of silver (he tried to make things right, repentance".

(Photo Credit: scottallenlewis.com)

Victory in His Will

Matthew 6:10
"THY WILL BE DONE."

Many times we end our narration about some form of misery with "bahala na ang Diyos", "If its His will we cannot do anything". According to Chris Tiegreen in "At His Feet", however, THEY WILL BE DONE is not a feeble resignation to God's will. Rather we should pray it in boldness as an assault on the gates of hell. It is a call to arms against the will of the enemy. A battle royale between the evil will of the devil versus the Holy Will of God. We know already who is the victor.

I never saw this verse in this light@ From a weary end to a prayer, it is in essence a declaration of victory!

Jesus prayed this when He taught the disciples to pray. It is at the beginning of the "Lord's Prayer" --

"Our Father, who art in Heaven Hallowed be Thy Name Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done..."

And again He prayed in Gethsemane, knowing the horrors that He was going to go through. He said --

"But not my will, but Yours."

It is a recognition of God's supremacy, His sovereign will that is perfect and holy, and powerful. By praying "Thy will be done", I am submit to His plans, foresee only His goodness in the outcome, and proclaim the victory that is solely His.

(Photo Credit: thecrossingputman.com)