Yet Not as I will, But as You Will |
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| Editor's note: Today is Good Friday, the day that our Lord Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice so that we could be saved. What obedience! Enjoy this excerpt from His Mighty Strength today and share with a friend! * Perhaps no event in the life of Jesus more powerfully demonstrates the radical nature of His dependence on God and His obedience to God's will than the prayer He offered up in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion. Jesus, like everyone else living during the Roman Empire, knew full well the brutality that was execution by crucifixion. The drawn-out process would be utterly humiliating and excruciating. Jesus knew that He would feel, as any human being would, the full force of degradation and pain, trauma and betrayal, injustice and hopelessness. As a human, He was anxious. He told His disciples before He entered the interior of the garden, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. — Matthew 26:38 Once Jesus was by Himself, He fell face to the ground and prayed: My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine. — Matthew 26:39 NLT He prayed this prayer not just once, but three times. - Jesus pleaded for a stay of execution.
Could anyone blame Him? Surely, by this time He knew there was no other way for salvation to be made available to the entire human race. He was the spotless lamb, the Messiah about whom the Old Testament prophets wrote. He was the sinless Son of God. He had not cratered to any temptation. This was the only possible solution. If not Jesus, then who? If not Jesus, then humanity would be without hope. Yet Jesus petitioned the Father to see if there might be another way. |
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My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine. — Matthew 26:39 NLT |
My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine. — Matthew 26:39 NLT |
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Jesus finished all three prayers with a declaration that had been true throughout His entire thirty-three years walking this earth. He surrendered himself to his Father: Yet not as I will, but as You will. This is the climax, the crescendo of Jesus' life purpose. The gospel texts don't record the Father's answer, but Jesus' actions make it clear that He understood the Father's will. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer! — Matthew 26:45–46 You can sense the resolve in Jesus' voice. He had received a clear answer. It was the Father's will for Jesus to face the cross for the love of humankind. "Rise," He said. "Let us go!" Jesus was saying, "I know without a doubt what I am to do. There is no turning back. Let's get this done!" That is a picture of total surrender to the will of the Father. Of course, we all know how this story turned out. Three days later, Jesus was alive again and the path had been laid for all people to come into an eternal relationship with God. |
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Jesus showed His utter dependence upon God the Father. That is the dependence that we need to walk in, as well. We are desperate for His will in our lives! How better to honor the sacrifice of the Savior than to walk with Him? ~ Devotionals Daily |
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When we embrace God's offering, our lives will never be the same |
His Mighty Strength: Walk Daily in the Same Power That Raised Jesus from the Dead |
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+ FREE shipping on all orders $35 and more | With warmth and biblical insight, Frazee shows us how to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit just as Jesus did; respond to God's voice in decisions big and small; raise our expectations for how God's power can work through us; and break free of addictions, habits, and destructive thoughts that hold us back. The Bible promises us more than inspiration. More than influence. The Bible promises us access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. So what keeps us from drawing on that incredible resurrection power in our daily lives? In His Mighty Strength, popular pastor and author Randy Frazee explores Jesus' time on earth to uncover the amazing source of his strength. Jesus continually sought direction from the Father and found the power to live the Father's will through the Holy Spirit. He said yes to God every day of his earthly life—and we can too. |
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His Mighty Strength reminds us that Jesus' resurrection power is not wishful thinking or a poetic metaphor. It's a real source of strength that we have access to right now. And when we embrace God's offering, our lives will never be the same. "This is not a watered-down self-help book—this is a powerful Gospel-centered guide to walking in the fullness of Christ. I challenge you to read this amazing book and accept the glorious gift of strength from Christ that enables us to live the abundant life God has promised us!" —Francesca Battistelli, Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter |
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Believe Student Edition: Living the Story of the Bible to Become Like Jesus |
It's one thing to know the story of the Bible. It's another thing to live it. Believe: Student Edition teaches you the core beliefs, practices, and virtues of Jesus-followers so that you can understand how to live out God's story in your own life today. The Bible is more than just a book of stories. It's a blueprint for living. Let the words of God change you as you learn how to think, act, and become more like Jesus. |
| Believe Kids' Edition: Think, Act, Be Like Jesus |
As you walk through the three big categories—beliefs, practices, and virtues—you'll begin a journey that will take you closer to the heart of Jesus and deeper into the words of Scripture. You'll learn what the Bible has to say about everything from the nature of God and the identity of Jesus, to prayer, worship, and the fruit of the Spirit. Each big category is divided into ten topics to give you an up-close look at the important things God wants you to know. |
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Luke: Gut-Level Compassion Online Bible Study |
Luke: Gut-Level Compassion Online Bible Study |
"The great news woven throughout the Gospel according to Luke is that perfection is not a prerequisite for a deep and personal relationship with Jesus." - Lisa Harper Join Lisa Harper for the Luke: Gut-Level Compassion Online Bible Study and discover how the Gospel of Luke is a literary masterpiece that doesn't celebrate the elite, but embraces the outliers, outcasts, and overlooked! |
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this devotion with someone who needs it today |
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