One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few wks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went through for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Jesus left the upper room with his disciples and, as was his habit, went to the Mount of Olives, his place of secret prayer. There he told the apostles, “Keep praying for strength to be spared from the severe test of your faith that is about to come.” Then he withdrew from them a short distance to be alone. Kneeling down, he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When Jesus finished praying, he got up and went to his disciples and found them all asleep, for they were exhausted and overwhelmed with sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “You need to be alert and pray for the strength to endure the great temptation.”

Luke 22: 39-45 -(TPT) (ESV in italics)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus is again withdrawing to the secret place. As he fervently prays, he begins to sweat blood. Sweating blood is a condition that occurs under extreme physical or emotional stress when the fight-or-flight response is experienced to such an elevated degree that the vessels supplying the sweat glands hemorrhage blood. The phenomenon has been observed in individuals condemned to execution. Leonardo da Vinci once described a soldier who sweated blood before battle.

This detail in the garden narrative lets us know that Jesus, you were fully present in your story. You did not dissociate. You did not escape in your thoughts. Although every part of you wanted to flee from the torture ahead, you willingly accepted your coming execution. You actively refrained from using your power to overcome the darkness advancing towards you. You understood that without this sacrifice, the battle was lost against death. Precious Jesus, you set your sight on the battle against death in order to win back the treasure that had been lost. You prepared your mind, soul and strength to march, stumble, and limp toward the cross to save us all.

RESPONSE

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Jesus, my heart is full of compassion for you. It is such an overwhelming thought to think of you in such anguish, sweating blood, feeling the adrenaline surge through your body, feeling the panic rise into your skin as drops of blood. And yet you stayed. You chose me. You chose me. Through it all. You anchored your fear and your dread in the depths of unshakable love and you turned your eyes towards the cross. I am sorry that your disciples could not stay awake with you. I am sorry that the anguish on your body and soul was so great that an angel had to come to strengthen you. Jesus, thank you for not fleeing from the garden. Thank you for not escaping the crushing that had begun. Thank you for choosing to stay fully present so that every part of you would be made available now to every part of me. You are the courageous hero of my soul. You are my savior. You are the truest friend who laid it all down for me.

How I wish that I could promise to stay faithful to you in all my moments the way you have stayed faithful to me. I cannot. My sins and my wanderings are what put you there in that garden. Thank you for being the immovable one, willing to bear the weight of sin, that you would become the eternal anchor for my wayward heart. I love you.

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few wks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went through for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” -Luke 22: 20-28 (TPT)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus. Judas was your friend. You shared your life, your love, your friendship, your time --you trusted him. Precious Jesus, you confided in him. He was permitted into the most vulnerable circle of friends you had. He was your family. And he chose to reject you. But not just to disagree with you or walk away from you … or to even hate you ... but to use you for his own gain. He chose to exchange your unblemished life for his ambitious gain and purpose.

Jesus, I am so sorry. My heart aches for what you felt. My heart grieves for you and the pain you must have felt with his betrayal. He joined the list of teachers, neighbors, and now trusted friends…that turned on you in hatred, rage, and murderous intent. My precious friend…may I sit with you now and share in your pain for a moment? I see what you endured. I only understand it in part, but still, I love you so for it.

RESPONSE

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Precious friend, I am in awe of your character of love and meekness. You were still kind to Judas in his betrayal. You did not seek revenge, you did not slander his name…you did not try to control him. You stayed under the plan of your Father and you chose to stay confined by the attributes of love. You held the prize above the pain. You managed your heartache for me. How often have I turned on you or tried to manipulate you or some facet of your grace for my own gain? How often have I let pain rule me and revenge fuel my thoughts or intentions?

I love you. I have chosen to worship and trust the most faithful and trustworthy of friends. Even when I am not trustworthy, you are. You are. You remain constant even when I am not. Sweet Jesus, teach me to walk in your ways. I want to be a trusted and safe place for your friendship, your intimacy, and your presence to reside. I want to be constrained by the strength of Holy Love - that does not seek its own gain but loves like you. Transform and strengthen me through your glorious and faithful love so that I might be like you - able to show steady love, compassion, and strong humility in a treacherous, ambitious, and broken world. Amen.

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few wks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Eight days later, Jesus took Peter, Jacob, and John and climbed a high mountain to pray. As he prayed, his face began to glow until it was a blinding glory streaming from him. His entire body was illuminated with a radiant glory. His brightness became so intense that it made his clothing blinding white, like multiple flashes of lightning. All at once, two men appeared in glorious splendor: Moses and Elijah. They spoke with Jesus about his soon departure from this world and the things he was destined to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had become very drowsy, but they became fully awake when they saw the glory and splendor of Jesus standing there and the two men with him. As Moses and Elijah were about to return to heaven, Peter impetuously blurted out, “Master, this is amazing to see the three of you together! Why don’t we stay here and set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah?” While Peter was still speaking, a radiant cloud of glory formed above them and overshadowed them. As the glory cloud enveloped them, they were struck with fear. Then the voice of God thundered from within the cloud, “This is my Son, my Beloved One. Listen carefully to all he has to say.” When the thunderous voice faded away and the cloud disappeared, Jesus was standing there alone. Peter, Jacob, and John were speechless and awe-struck. But they didn’t say a word to anyone about what they had seen. -Luke 9:28-36

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

After having to walk by faith, and being against so much opposition, so many doubts, so much mockery … what do you think Jesus felt as he spent time with Moses and Elijah? Was the overwhelming emotion relief … to be seen, and heard, and completely understood? Did he need to hear from them that he was not crazy? That he was God in flesh?

Do you think he collapsed in their arms and wept with them? Asked them if there might be a different way? Told them how hard the journey had been? Did they laugh and bring him accounts of the happenings of heaven? Did they make Jesus homesick but also fill him with home?

What do you think Elijah and Moses told him? When they left him, what do you think Jesus felt? He was there … once again … in the dark, at night, with friends who didn’t really understand … ? Was he overcome with sadness or energized and full of joy for the prize set before him?

RESPONSE

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The fact that you did this for me, that you counted all things loss for my sake inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. That you struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord. -Philippians 3:7 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase for prayer)

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few wks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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On another Sabbath day, Jesus was teaching in the synagogue. In the room with him was a man with a deformed right hand. Everyone watched Jesus closely, especially the Jewish religious leaders and the religious scholars, to see if Jesus would heal on a Sabbath day, for they were eager to find a reason to accuse him of breaking the Jewish laws. Jesus, knowing their every thought, said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand here in the middle of the room.” So he got up and came forward. Jesus said to all who were there, “Let me ask you a question. Which is better: to heal or to do harm on the Sabbath day? I have come to save a life, but you have come to find a life to destroy.” One by one Jesus looked into the eyes of each person in the room. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your arm and open your hand!” With everyone watching intently, he stretched out his arm, and his hand was completely healed! The room erupted with bitter rage because of this Sabbath-day healing. And from that moment on, the religious leaders plotted among themselves about how they might harm Jesus. -Luke 6: 6-11 (TPT)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus said, “Let me ask you a question. Which is better: to heal or to to harm on the Sabbath day? I have come to save a life, but you have come to find a life to destroy.”

How fast or slowly did Jesus look around the room? Were people holding their breath? Did they hold their gaze or have to look away as The Savior looked at them? Did Jesus’s eyes have tears in them? Were they full of questions or anger … with deep fatigue or anxious invitation? Did his voice tremble with grief or anger? Did he find any eyes that looked back at him with a decision to join Life? What happened inside Jesus as he looked at each person in the eyes? Was this the moment that every part of him gained resolution and strength to save that which was lost? Did he know that this miracle was the tipping point - and would activate the tireless plotting of his death? If so, did he feel a sense of relief when he felt the momentum change … and his course was set to be convicted for murder?

RESPONSE

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Precious Jesus, I am so saddened by this scene. Precious Savior, Giver of Life, how many times do you ask my heart such searching questions as you asked in that room? What part of me accepts your invitation. What part of me erupts with rage? Oh Lord, I do not want to partner with evil in any way. I do not want to “find a life to destroy” and yet … I know that often my choices and behaviors, my beliefs and perspectives are as twisted as the religious leaders who were offended by the liberation of a man … only because it did not come in the form or method they found acceptable.

Right now, I thank you for taking that sin and the wrath of our choices to reject life in all its’ forms … and I thank you for letting the weight of that sin crush your body and soul. Jesus. I want to have eyes to see you working, I want to have eyes to see you destroying injustice, over turning tables, bringing life even when it destroys our notion of what is safe, or right, or appropriate.

Jesus … I want to stand beside you in that room, against those raging eyes … and always choose you - the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let me feel more comfortable with your heart of life than I ever do in the camp of mockers and destroyers … Even if I must sacrifice my own privilege, position, reputation, or beliefs to find you in Truth. Let me have the purity and the love and to be able to look back into your eyes with complete devotion to you and the ways of your Father. Amen.

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few wks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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One Sabbath day, Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field of ripe wheat. His disciples plucked some heads of grain and rubbed the husks off with their hands and ate it. This infuriated some of the Jewish religious leaders. They said to Jesus, “Why are you allowing your disciples to harvest grain on the Sabbath day? Don’t you know it’s not permissible according to the law?” Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read the Scriptures? Haven’t you read what King David did when he was hungry? He entered the sanctuary of God, took the bread of God’s presence right off the sacred table, and shared it with his men. It was only lawful for the priests to eat the bread of God’s presence. You need to know that the Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath day, for I am master over the Sabbath.” -Luke 6: 1-5 (TPT)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Try to imagine the anger, sadness and loneliness Jesus might have felt as he could so clearly see his Father’s intentions for the Sabbath being subverted to create power structures and oppressive hierarchies instead of rest and restoration. Did others see the distortion too? Could he verbalize this outrage to friends or did he have to carry his grief alone?

Imagine the amount of self-control and meekness that Jesus, the Great Table Turner, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and Master of the Sabbath, used to only speak the truth and not unleash crushing wrath and justice on these religious leaders. Imagine how Jesus felt as he knew that the wrath and justice against these sins, that made him so angry and created so much hardship for his people, would be unleashed on him on the cross. One day soon, the wrath of their sin would be upon his flesh ... upon his soul.

RESPONSE

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Jesus, words fall short. We see the religious leaders and we feel angry at their distortion of the scriptures, their distortion of the Sabbath and the accusations they are hurling at you. And you are looking at them knowing that you are going to bear the weight of all of their sin and pay the price so that they can be saved, healed, and delivered. We all have a part of those religious leaders in our heart. We’ve carried judgement toward you in our heart.

We distort the truth, even when we don’t mean to. But you’ve chosen freely to cover our sin with your love. To pay the price with your blood.

Once again, you’ve counted all things loss for my sake and it inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. You struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord. -Philippians 3:7-8 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase in prayer)

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” -Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

What did you feel when only one leper came back? Were you hurt? Sad? Angry? Did you feel taken advantage of? Did you feel hopeless and discouraged? Did you have to fight with regret for healing those who did not seem to value the gift?

I’m sorry that happened to you Jesus.

This is my opportunity to see you. To thank you. I want to be your friend. To be with you in your suffering. To remain grateful and humble and remember how many times you’ve chosen to have compassion on me even when I didn’t notice your lovingkindness.

I’m sorry they didn’t come back to say thank you. I want to say thank you! Thank you for your compassion to the lepers. Thank you for healing them! Thank you for your continued and steadfast compassion to those who do not notice your goodness. Jesus, I want to be with you in your suffering and see you as you humbly serve me and others everyday. Thank you for fighting the offenses, hurts and temptations in this story and living an unblemished life so you could become my sacrificial lamb.

This is one of the ways I am able to so clearly see you as servant King. Leaving your throne to go to the least of these. That others wouldn’t touch or consider giving the time of day. But you turned it all upside down but loving, healing, and befriending these outcasts.

RESPONSE

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The fact that you did this for me, that you counted all things loss for my sake inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. That you struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my “righteousness” is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ—the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. -Philippians 3 7-14 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase as prayer)

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went through for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Jesus went out and looked for a man named Matthew. He found him sitting at his tax booth, for he was a tax collector. Jesus said to him, “Be my disciple and follow me.” That very moment, Matthew got up, left everything behind, and followed him.

Matthew wanted to throw a banquet to honor Jesus. So he invited Jesus to his home for dinner, along with many tax collectors and other notable sinners. While they were all sitting together at the table, the Jewish religious leaders and experts of the law complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why would you defile yourselves by eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners? Doesn’t Jesus know it’s wrong to do that?”

Jesus overheard their complaining and said, “Who goes to the doctor for a cure? Those who are well or those who are sick? I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but to call those who fail to measure up and bring them to repentance.” -Luke 5:27-39 (TPT)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus, here you are reaching out to those most in need and once again the religious leaders, the very ones we would hope would be championing you, cheering you on, are in opposition to you. Challenging you. Telling you that you are in the wrong.

Did you have to work to see the value of the religious leaders souls as they devalued others? Were you tempted to be resentful and ask God to exclude them from the plan of redemption? Did you have to get on your knees and seek God for the ability to forgive them and how they were judging the worth of the beauty and broken you knew as friends? Did you have to cry out for God to give you patience and forgiveness with them?

RESPONSE

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Jesus, you were counting all things loss for my sake and it inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. You struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my righteousness is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ - the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. -Philippians 3 7-14 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase as prayer)

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few wks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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When Jesus saw their faith, he said (to the paralyzed man), “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” -Luke 5:17-26

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus, You were well aware that people associated sickness, disease, and disabilities with sin. You understood that most likely others looked down on and judged this man who was paralyzed. History tells us he would have experienced rejection, possibly even from his very own family and friends. In your great love, you not only healed his physical body, but you were caring for his soul. You, the Living God, healed his body and with that same power you proclaimed the good news and forgave his sin in front of everyone.

And the Pharisees and the teachers of the law accused you of blasphemy.

Were you sad to see the Pharisees miss it? Regardless of their criticism were you able to celebrate with this man? Could you feel God’s pleasure as the power flowed through you to heal this man’s sickness and forgive his sin?

RESPONSE

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Jesus, in a display of power you healed this man’s body, forgave his sin, and in restrained power and humility you endured not only the lack of appreciation and thanks, but endured accusations of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.

Thank you for your healing power! Thank you for forgiving sin! Thank you for not being intimidated by your detractors.

Jesus I can see some of what this must have cost you. You were counting all things loss for my sake and it inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my “righteousness” is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ—the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. -Philippians 3 7-14 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase)

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Then Jesus, armed with the Holy Spirit’s power, returned to Galilee, and his fame spread throughout the region. He taught in the synagogues and they glorified him.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been raised, he went into the synagogue, as he always did on the Sabbath day. When Jesus came to the front to read the Scriptures, they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and read where it is written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he has anointed me to be hope for the poor, freedom for the brokenhearted, and new eyes for the blind, and to preach to prisoners, ‘You are set free!’ I have come to share the message of Jubilee, for the time of God’s great acceptance has begun.”

After he read this he rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the minister, and sat down. Everyone stared at Jesus, wondering what he was about to say. Then he added, “These Scriptures came true today in front of you.”

Everyone was impressed by how well Jesus spoke, in awe of the beautiful words of grace that came from his lips. But they were surprised at his presumption to speak as a prophet, so they said among themselves, “Who does he think he is? This is Joseph’s son, who grew up here in Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I suppose you’ll quote me the proverb, ‘Doctor, go and heal yourself before you try to heal others.’ And you’ll say, ‘Work the miracles here in your hometown that we heard you did in Capernaum.’ But let me tell you, no prophet is welcomed or honored in his own hometown.

“Isn’t it true that there were many widows in the land of Israel during the days of the prophet Elijah when he locked up the heavens for three and a half years and brought a devastating famine over all the land? But he wasn’t sent to any of the widows living in that region. Instead, he was sent to a foreign place, to a widow in Zarephath of Sidon. Or have you not considered that the prophet Elisha healed only Naaman, the Syrian, rather than one of the many Jewish lepers living in the land?”

When everyone present heard those words, they erupted with furious rage. They mobbed Jesus and threw him out of the city, dragging him to the edge of the cliff on the hill on which the city had been built, ready to hurl him off. But he walked right through the crowd, leaving them all stunned. - Luke 4:4-29 (TPT)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

As you went up to read, you were already famous, beloved, and glorified by people throughout the region. What did you feel as you searched the scrolls … making the decision that you would read of the Messiah … and take ownership of that identity?

What was it like to know that you were about to say something that would change every relationship you had ever had? Were you prepared for the rejection and rage of your childhood neighbors who held you in such high favor only minutes before?

Did you hope most would have open hearts or were you expecting murderous rage from the crowd? Were there any in the mob that you thought would protect you or believe in you…only to see their eyes filled with hate and murder? Were there any mentors who felt like fathers who now wanted you dead…or whom you saw shrink back to stay safe? Did you have to fight back tears of rage and pain? Did you have to watch your mother and your friends suffer as your life was threatened? As you were dragged on the rocky ground? Did you have to fight a desire for revenge as you walked through the crowd away from the cliff. Were you able to forgive them quickly? Or did this scene make your journey harder and more lonely? How did you return to joy?

I cannot imagine how alone you felt. So many people betrayed you that day. You were so willing to take your stand and bear the pain.

I’m sorry that happened to you Jesus. I am so sorry that they didn’t understand who you were. I’m sorry that they turned on you so quickly. I’m so sorry that our world today doesn’t understand who you are. Jesus, my brother, I’m sorry that even I, in parts of myself, do not understand or receive who you are.

Thank you for being willing to hold our betrayals, misunderstandings, and desire to control who you are and what you are. Let me join with you in your sufferings and be your friend. Give me the strength to be the loyal friend you are to me.

PRAYER

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The fact that you did this for me, that you counted all things loss for my sake inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. That you struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my “righteousness” is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ - the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. - Philippians 3 7-14 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase)

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went through for us - what he endured, what he sacrificed for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. - Luke 4:1-2 (NIV)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus, this scene is hard for me to imagine. It is hard for me to comprehend. I ask you to help me understand. Help me to see you suffering for us.

You, the King of Kings … alone, in the desert … hungry, cold, hot, lonely … for us. Did anyone know or understand what you were doing?

Did those close to you know why you left for 40 days? Did they feel abandoned? Did you feel abandoned? Did you have to hold the tension of your friends and family “not getting it”? Was there anyone you could share your experience with after you returned?

For 40 days you were tempted by the devil. You must have been so weak after so many days of his persistent seduction and mockery and hatred. And yet you found strength through it all. Could you feel the Father and the Holy Spirit’s nearness…or was part of the test feeling the depth of the separation?

I can only ponder what you may have felt but I draw close to your struggle. Thank you for fighting through those 40 days and towards the fullness of your purpose.

Precious Jesus … you are not a pristine priest who is out of touch with our reality. You’ve been through weakness and testing. You understand humanity. For as a Man, You, our magnificent King-Priest, were tempted in every way just as we are, and you conquered sin. You emerged victorious, without failing God … without failing us. You fought for us in the wilderness when no one even knew to thank you.

And now here you are ready to give mercy.

- Hebrews 4:15 (MSG, TPT, The Voice, ESV) (Paraphrase)

RESPONSE

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The fact that you did this for me, that you counted all things loss for my sake inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. That you struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my righteousness is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ - the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. - Philippians 3 7-14 (paraphrase)