Falling asleep at the wheel can be deadly. Spiritual sleep is even more dangerous:The church in Sardis had the reputation of being alive, but Jesus pierces them with truth: “You are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains.” (Revelation 3:1-2)He calls us to the same this very day— wake up spiritually. Shake off the distractions and walk wide awake in the light of Christ.
Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” John 18:11, nasb
“When the going gets tough . . .”
What happens next? “The tough get going,” right?
I suppose this partially explains why Peter, a fisherman, happened to be packing a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night when Jesus was betrayed. You remember the story—how he rushed to his Master’s defense, how he hacked off an ear from one of the high priest’s security detail.
That’s how we typically react to situations we perceive as injustices. That’s how we typically respond to threats against our well-being or against that of our children and family. When faced with opposition, our tendency is to rely on the flesh—on our own strength, wits, and ingenuity—rather than seek and trust God’s greater plans for why He would lead us into such a difficult spot.
This may be how we do it. It may be how Peter did it. But it’s sure not how Jesus did it.
Jesus, we know, was facing opposition that night as well—a level of opposition no other person could ever know or endure, one that dwarfed whatever sense of dread or discomfort Peter and the other disciples were experiencing.
There in the tense darkness, Jesus had been on His face, praying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39, esv). The cup represented the wrath of Almighty God for all sin, for all time. The cup represented your sin and my sin—not His sin but our sin—sin that required the Sinless to go to such brutal extremes of sacrifice. It represented spiritual suffering of unparalleled proportions, not to mention horrific physical torture that was about to take place.
And He knew everything that was coming. Having full power, He also could have stopped it. He was in an authoritative position to walk away unscathed from the awful demands of the hour.
Instead, He looked into the frothing terror of that cup and fully surrendered to it. “The cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”
That’s what the truly tough do. They surrender while others are fighting. They pray while others are sleeping. They say things we might never say (and don’t say things we would), because they refuse to fold under what is seen, and they refuse to rely on human logic or strength alone when facing what God has chosen to do in their lives.
Peter’s agenda all along had been to prevent Jesus’ death by any means possible. When Jesus had spoken of it earlier, Peter had shot back, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22). But Jesus rebuked him then, same as He rebuked him later in the garden, “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23). Peter thought the goal was survival. But the goal, as always, was surrender.
If you’re standing today in the face of opposition—whether to a person or circumstance, or to a looming dilemma contradicting what you want in life—how are you choosing to handle it? You likely just want it to end, but God wants His will accomplished. You probably despise its intrusion, but God is using it to humble and shape you, to put you in position for being a workable part of His plan.
Don’t fight it. You’re tougher than that.
Surrender.
Journal
Pray
Father, thank You for the example of Your Son in helping me see how to stand up to life’s most difficult challenges. Thank You for continually proving to my heart what Your Word says: that You are trustworthy, and that surrender to You is always the best way, no matter the cost. I commit to You my fears and feelings surrounding the struggles I’m facing most intensely today. I invite You to do what You desire in me, and I ask You to grant me a heart of glad submission. I pray these things in the name of the One who surrendered at the highest cost possible—my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Revelation 2
If you’ve been longing for a deeper faith…If you’ve felt that fire slipping…If you’ve wondered where to find it again…You’re in the right place. This is a life-changing message from the Book of Revelation.Revelation isn’t just about the future or ominous prophecy. It’s about our King. And nothing can compare to what happens when Jesus Himself shows up.
There’s just so much noise. Politicians, headlines, uncertainty, unthinkable tragedy. But above it all stands the King of Kings.
Take heart! The glory of Jesus Christ is revealed in Scripture, and you CAN rest your hope fully in Him.
Turn in these timeless pages to the book of Revelation, and learn what Jesus thinks of His church – and ours today.
Revelation 1
What problem are you facing today? If Jesus Christ were sitting across the table from you, wouldn’t that problem vanish in an instant under the gaze of His love? When God is magnified, our problems are diminished. As we come under the power of God’s Word, we should leave with a greater view of God and a smaller view of our problems.
When we see the glory of Jesus Christ revealed, it shatters fear and strengthens hope.If you know someone who needs this teaching, share it with them. Now, let’s get into God’s Word together—Book of Revelation chapter 1, starting in verse 12. Come on—open your Bible, and let’s dig in.So grab your Bible, and watch this introduction from Pastor James on his verse by verse study through Revelation, beginning today…
Paradigm Shift on Prosperity
Psalm 73
Having doubts isn’t the problem.
Letting your view of life be shaped only by what you see is. When your perspective is off, everything looks wrong… God, forgive us for our faulty thinking. Let’s bring those doubts into His presence and develop better thoughts.
Worship the Lord with all of your heart, then open your Bible to Psalm 73.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11, 16, ESV
Spoiler alert: In the end, Jesus Christ wins.
Scripture tells us repeatedly and pointedly that Jesus Christ, the Mighty Warrior, is always victorious. Make no mistake about it. Jesus is going to win. Someday the clouds will break open, and we will see Him on a white horse (Revelation 19:11). His powerful appearance will be breathtaking and terrifying: “His eyes are like a flame of fire. . . . He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. . . . From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (19:12–13, 15–16). With simply a word, He will instantly set the world in order. In the end, Jesus Christ wins.
All of history leads to Jesus’ victory, and all of God’s promises culminate in Jesus. We experience God’s promises through Jesus.
For example, do you need peace, that calm assurance that God is in control? Ephesians 2:14 assures us that Jesus “himself is our peace.” Remember, God doesn’t dispense peace like a pharmacist filling a prescription: “Take two, and call me in the morning.” He gives us Himself. God doesn’t have to give us something. He is the something! Jesus Christ fulfills the promise of God’s peace.
It’s Christ’s presence that takes away fear.
It’s Christ’s sovereignty that assures and calms us in the face of doubts.
It’s Christ’s goodness that renews us when we are weighed down by despair.
It’s Christ’s watchfulness and intervention that keep us from faltering.
And it’s Christ’s inevitable victory that assures us we will not fail.
When we think about times of trial in our lives, if we really pinpoint what’s most difficult about the trial, it’s the not knowing. The biggest reason why we fear, doubt, despair, and falter is that we don’t know how it’s all going to end.
Every one of us lives with some level of uncertainty. You’re not alone in this struggle. You have some insecurities in your life right now; I’m living with some question marks too. Yours might take the form of a health crisis, a broken relationship, a financial problem, a wandering child, a self-destructing family member.
Think of the stresses that keep you awake at night, those issues that linger on the edges of your thoughts and never fully go away. If you definitively knew when and how that circumstance would end, you would be okay. If you could foresee that it would end well, then you could bear the waiting. If you could predict with certainty that it would end badly, then you could prepare yourself for what’s to come. It’s the not knowing that pushes you to the limit.
A football team doesn’t give up because they lose a few yards. Their focus is on the final score, not one bad play. We fixate on our momentary trials (2 Corinthians 4:17), wondering, How will this finish? If only we knew.
We do know.
God is always victorious. Ultimately, I will not fail. Sure, I will experience some pains and losses along the way. But in the end, because Jesus wins, so do I.
Journal
Pray
Lord God, by faith I choose to lift my eyes from my momentary trials to the final outcome. Jesus wins. No matter how my life looks or feels today, ultimately Jesus wins. And as an adopted son or daughter of the living God, because Jesus wins, I do too. Teach me an eternal perspective, Father. Though life is painful, it’s short. I set my heart on eternity, and I thank You that I know exactly how this all ends. I pray in the name of Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, amen.
The Clarity of What (Part One)
Before the earth took shape, before time began—God was there. From everlasting to everlasting, He is. Yes, our days are short and fleeting.So what does God want you to do about it?Dive deep into Psalm 90 with us -and learn how to live fully in light of forever. Because your time is short, but the impact can be eternal.
Does God Leave Sin Unpunished?
Where Is God When I Need Him?