GOING A LITTLE FARTHER, HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND PRAYED THAT IF POSSIBLE THE HOUR MIGHT PASS FROM HIM. ‘ABBA, FATHER,’ HE SAID, ‘EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU. TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME. YET NOT WHAT I WILL, BUT WHAT YOU WILL’
(Mark 14:35-36).
Lord Jesus, thank you for what You have done for me on the cross. Thank you that You went through with Your Purpose—to die for us. Today, I kneel down at the foot of Your cross and allow You to die for me, too—for the forgiveness of my sins, for the healing of my diseases, for the redemption of my life from the pit, for love and compassion in my heart, and for my life to be made new.
PRAISE THE LORD, MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS—WHO FORGIVES ALL YOUR SINS AND HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES, WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT AND CROWNS YOU WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION, WHO SATISFIES YOUR DESIRES WITH GOOD THINGS SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S
(Psalm 103:2-5).
Lord Jesus, teach me how to deal with temptation. Teach me how to keep watch against the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies, for my spirit is willing, but my body is weak. When the father-of-lies tells me that I am an out-cast…a derelict…a good-for-nothing, because of rejection that I suffered as a child, remind me of what You have done for me on the cross. When the father-of-lies tells me that I am a pitiful beggar who is dependent on other people’s love and acceptance, because of a lack of affirmation as a child, remind me to come to the cross, again…and again…and again.
THEN HE RETURNED TO HIS DISCIPLES AND FOUND THEM SLEEPING. ‘SIMON,’ HE SAID TO PETER, ‘ARE YOU ASLEEP? COULD YOU NOT KEEP WATCH FOR ONE HOUR? WATCH AND PRAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION. THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE BODY IS WEAK’
(Mark 14:37-38).
Have you allowed the Lord Jesus to die for YOU, personally, for your childhood abandonment, your childhood rejection, your childhood shame, and your childhood condemnation?
I urge you to go to the cross, often, whenever you feel you cannot keep watch against temptation, any longer. Bring the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies to the cross with you, and allow Him to nail them to the cross, too.
Then, your youth will be renewed like the eagle’s, each time.
Maintain an Awareness
We run…and run…and run. We run towards bad distractions and destructions like alcohol, drugs, or even crime, or we run towards good distractions like entertainment, or our husbands, wives, friends, or counselors.