He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “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).

Next week is Holy Week. We celebrate Palm Sunday, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna, then all the subsequent events leading up to His crucifixion on Friday, and finally His resurrection which we celebrate on Easter Sunday.

These events were never a surprise to Jesus. Since his conception, he had been carrying out his Father’s will. In fact, just as Jesus was beginning his public ministry and encountered John the Baptist, John’s response on recognizing Jesus was, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This statement would have identified Jesus as the sacrificial lamb, who was born to die to make atonement for all our sin. This was the will of God for Jesus.

We know that Jesus suffered. In fact, some 700 years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah detailed the suffering Jesus would encounter (Isaiah 53:3-12). So how did Jesus live his earthly life with respect to his earthly destiny? And how should we follow His example?

Jesus was humble:

• “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8).
• And Paul admonishes us: “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus” (v.5).

Jesus was thankful:

• “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (Luke 10:21).
• And Paul tells us: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. “(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Jesus was compassionate toward the least of these:

• “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2).
• And Paul commands us: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ…Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:1,12).

Jesus desired and worked toward salvation for everyone:

• I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26).
• And Jesus commands and enables us to do the same by the power of the Holy Spirit: ^“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus desired to glorify his Father with His obedience and his life:

• Jesus prayed this prayer on his last night: “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent…Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.’” (John 17:1-3, 20).
• Paul and Peter tell us how we can glorify God in our life and our prayers: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). 
• “But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name” (1 Pet. 4:16).

In short, Jesus came to earth to experience all the same earthly experiences that we as humans have. He took all the good and bad of his earthly life as an assignment from God–not an interruption, not an irritant, not an excuse, not a bother, not something to be endured. Instead, he took every opportunity to live in obedience, to trust His Heavenly Father, and to lead others to experience the Kingdom of God. Let us seek to do the same—to live our lives, to walk our Christian walk, not in resisting the will of God, but in seeking his will and desiring obedience in all things; offering love and compassion to those we serve.

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10).

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

In Christ,

Judy

“Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:10-12).

When you google Jacob’s Ladder, you will see a plethora of examples of ladders for construction or home repair work, ladders as fitness equipment, and even a movie. It takes some digging to get to the original use of this term, which is from scripture (see the Scripture reference at the beginning). Some of you may remember the old song, Jacob’s Ladder. I remember singing it as a child; it was originally sung by enslaved people before and during the Civil War.

A ladder is a great picture of how we live our lives. We climb in every other area, why not spiritually? We need to realize that we cannot stay where we are and go where God wants us to go. Here are several things to ponder as we consider climbing this spiritual ladder:

1. When we are first saved, one might call that “fire insurance.” But as we step it up, our perspective changes. The higher we go, the greater our perspective. We see the bigger picture of God’s plans for us.
2. Even when we are far from God, He is near. We see in this passage from Genesis that Heaven touched earth via the stairway.
3. When Jacob awoke from his dream, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16). We must become aware of God in every situation. Every moment is sacred. Jacob changed, not God. God’s presence might not change our situation, but it changes our perspective. When our perspective changes, our actions change. Spiritual maturity is not what we know but what we perceive.
4. Stepping it up involves an investment. There is no ‘golden elevator’ to the top. Jesus came to earth, wrapped in flesh, and experienced the cross. He calls us to sacrificial service.

In John 1:51, when Jesus was in the process of calling Nathaniel as a disciple, He compared himself to this same ladder: “He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” What does he mean by this? He means that He is the one that connects earth with heaven. How appropriate is it, then, that later in John’s Gospel Jesus calls himself the gate (John 10:9)? Jesus opens up the way to God.

The beauty of this posture is that it is not ours to assume. We do not have to climb. We don’t have to build our own stairway to heaven like they did in the Tower of Babel. Jesus descended to earth to sit with us, to walk with us, to carry us. Jesus is the doorway to heaven. He knocks on the door. All we must do is open the door, and the journey begins.

Getting to God is not about building a big enough tower of good works and effort so that we can get to where He is. Getting to God starts with God getting to us. He comes down the ladder; By sending his Son, God left heaven to come to earth in order to give us access to himself.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8).

In Christ,

Judy

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him” (Mark 1:12-13).

Has it crossed anyone else’s mind the irony of the fact that the first day of Lent (Ash Wednesday) and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day in 2024? In fact, I struggled a bit at first, because if I were to give up a food for Lent, it probably should be chocolate. Not only is it my favorite food, but what signifies Valentine’s Day more, besides flowers, than chocolate? Clearly, I have chocolate on the brain. So this devotional is for me, and if you like, you can read along.

Background: Christians celebrate Easter and proclaim the resurrection of Christ. For the forty or so days before Easter, we may also celebrate a special time on the formal Church calendar called Lent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. By observing the forty days of Lent, Christians remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.

Lent is typically marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. Lent officially begins today, Ash Wednesday, and ends on Easter Sunday, March 31. In case you are doing the math, the forty days of Lent include all the days except for Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, we are celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and since Christians already celebrate resurrection every Sunday, Sundays are not included in Lent.

Why 40 days? Forty is a significant biblical number; there are many references to forty in the Bible. For example, it rained on the ark for forty days and forty nights. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, and the Israelites ate manna in the wilderness for forty years. And Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and praying and overcoming temptation from Satan. The number forty is figurative language representing a long period of trial, testing, or patience; so the forty days before Easter are set aside by many to prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter, the highlight of the Christian year, because Christ’s Resurrection means eternal life for all believers.

What is my plan for these forty days of Lent? I must remind myself that the object is not to glorify myself by completing an assignment such as the avoidance of a favorite food. The objective is to glorify our Lord and Savior. My understanding of fasting is that it is a private practice, and the goal of fasting would be to better utilize my time in prayer and Bible study.

• For example, rather than spending time on grocery shopping and meal preparation and the consumption of food, you would spend that time in prayer and Bible study. Or you could spend time in prayer and Bible study rather than a video game, Netflix movie, etc. Better utilization of time.
• Another thing to remember is that this change in habits will be uncomfortable. Even Jesus was famished at the end of his forty days of fasting.
• Also, fasting by definition is intended to be private. Don’t ask, or tell, what you are “giving up for Lent.” That defeats the purpose because it makes it about us rather than Jesus; about the sacrifice rather than the One being honored for His sacrifice.
• Also, it is a practice. We may not perfectly complete our fast, but it is our motivation and effort that matter. So if you mess up, just ask for forgiveness, and then begin again.

Will I be able to observe Lent and enjoy Valentine’s Day? You betcha. What am I giving up for Lent? Don’t ask. Just know that I will be making every effort to devote myself to prayer and Bible study. Do you have to observe Lent to do that? Of course not. Again, the point is cultivating our relationship with the Lord, however, you choose to do it, in preparation for a glorious celebration of Resurrection Sunday.

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).

In Christ,

Judy

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

To appreciate freedom, we must realize what it means to be enslaved. Slavery still exists—involuntary in servitude. For some, it is not difficult at all to relate to. Addiction, abuse, imprisonment, lack of choices–all would be forms of enslavement. To appreciate sight, we must realize what it means to be blind. Sometimes blindness is literally the physical inability to see. Sometimes blindness is because we failed to see the truth, we have been fooled or mislead.

Jesus makes this bold promise early in his ministry, right after his time in the wilderness. He is paraphrasing Isaiah, who was prophesying about the coming Messiah. During the time of Isaiah, the people of Judah were under threat of domination by Assyria and Babylonia. During the time of Jesus, the Jewish people lived under Roman rule. Not only that, but the Jewish people also lived under the covenant of works—believing that strict obedience to the Law would save them.

The truth of our situation is that ever since Adam and Eve chose to believe Satan rather than God, ever since they bought into the deception promoted by Satan–the Father of Lies–that they knew better than God, sin has dominated the earth and controlled our lives. We are enslaved by sin. And sin is death. It may look and feel good for a time, but sin ultimately dooms us to the eternal lake of fire. There is only one way out, only one way to be rescued, and that is by the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

During this time of Lent, we reflect on Jesus’ three years of ministry as well as his final week of Passion, his crucifixion, death and burial, and resurrection and ascension. Jesus did indeed proclaim the gospel; he did heal and perform many miracles. The Pharisees and other Jewish leaders were constantly challenging him about his claims to be the Messiah. In the passage above, he is preaching freedom for the prisoners and oppressed (those enslaved by sin) and recovery of sight for the blind (those unable to see the Truth for who He is). In other words, Jesus is preaching salvation, and he is promising to deliver us, to redeem us, to rescue us from our enslavement to sin.

And how is Jesus above to accomplish our rescue, our redemption? By personally paying the price for our freedom. Jesus was obedient when we failed to be obedient. He humbled himself “by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). With his death on the cross, he accomplished our freedom. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

All we need to do is to receive this marvelous gift is to believe.

“Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

In Christ,

Judy

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

This verse certainly sounds like a promise to me. It is conditional: if we confess, then Jesus forgives. But we need to get this positioned correctly. This is not a promise of salvation. In fact, John’s letter in which this promise is stated is written to believers, people who are already saved. So why do we need to confess? Because as Christians, we have a right desire to pursue a deeper and growing relationship with Jesus.

Part of coming a Christian is admitting that we are sinners. Then, in our salvation, we are new creations in Christ, no longer defined by our sinful nature. However, that does not mean that we stop sinning. Oh, we wish we could! Like Paul, we bemoan our propensity to sin. “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18b-19). Unfortunately, we will sin until we die. But the difference is that we have someone to go to. Someone who loves us and wants to forgive us when we ask. This is part of working out our salvation. As believers, we are justified in Christ. Our justification, or right standing with God, is the basis for our continued forgiveness when we confess our sins.

In the Chaplain’s Corner series on the fruits of the spirit, we learned that peace really means reconciliation. Jesus, as Prince of Peace, died on the cross in the great exchange to reconcile back to God those who receive this wonderful gift, as stated in John 3:16. This is what we remember during this Lenten season. Sin results in separation from God. Confession and forgiveness are how we are reconciled to God. Quoting from the June 15, 2022 Chaplain’s Corner, “It all starts with our personal relationship with God. We must be fully reconciled to God. That means we regularly confess our sins to Him, or in other words, agree with Him about our thoughts, words, and actions. It means that we regularly seek His forgiveness and strive to obey Him. It means that we receive His forgiveness and His love, and that we are always thankful. And the good news is that Jesus has already made peace with us. ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you’ (Isaiah 26:3).“

There is something more to know about forgiveness. Jesus is very clear that if we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven. This is also a promise.

• “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).
• “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them” (Luke 17:3-4).
• “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).
• “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22).
• The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

So, we must confess our sins regularly. And if we struggle with unforgiveness in our own hearts, we must also genuinely confess that as well and ask God through the power of the Holy Spirit to give us a spirit of forgiveness. If this is difficult for you, this article may help.

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).

In Christ,

Judy

“The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned” (Psalm 34:22).

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

What a promise! And this is no light or small thing.

• To condemn means “to pronounce to be guilty, to sentence to punishment, or to pass judgment against.”
• Wisdom tells us that it is our sin that condemns us. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
• And every single one of us is guilty. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
• And that condemnation results in death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

So, what is our hope, then? Our hope is in Jesus. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).

Notice the opening scripture in Romans; it begins with the word, “therefore.” Whenever we see that word, we must ask “what is it there for?” Typically, the preceding verses will tell us. In this case, Romans 7:21-25 gives us part of a discourse by Paul on our sinful nature: ^“So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful naturea slave to the law of sin.”

The fact is that we are born with a sin nature, and we live in a corrupt environment. We, in and of ourselves, have no power over the presence of sin in our lives. In other words, we have no hope in ourselves or anyone else to rescue us, other than the blood of Jesus, who died to save us from our sins. Jesus paid the price for our sins. All we must to is believe and receive this unbelievably valuable gift. I love that the word “rescue” is part of our mission. As the Mission, we do offer an earthly last resort to anyone who is broken, down, and out. However, ultimately, Jesus is our rescue, our savior. In the words of Paul in Romans 7:24-25:

“Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

In Christ,

Judy

“And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

We are in the season of Lent, 40 days of preparing our hearts to celebrate the resurrection of Christ the King. In studying the life of Christ, we reflect on the 40 days that he spent in the wilderness preparing for his earthly ministry. During this time in the wilderness, while fasting and praying, Jesus was approached by Satan who offered him a seemingly desirable way out of his hardship. Jesus, seeing Satan for who he was, engaged in spiritual warfare and so gave us a model for the “way out” of temptation. (Luke 4:1-13).

First, we should understand that God never tempts anyone. The source of temptation is Satan.

• And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1-2).
• James declares“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” (James 1:14).
• But if that is so, where do our evil desires come from? Paul explains in Romans 7:19-20 – “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

So, the source of temptation ultimately Satan, allowed into our world through the sin of Adam.

Secondly, understanding the source of our temptation along with the existence of it, we can deduce that God does allow us to be tempted. There are famous examples right out of the Bible of great men who were tempted, men like Job and Peter. We look to James again to help us to understand the purposes of our temptation: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

So, we see that God allows us to be tempted to help us to grow. These temptations we face—both small and large—can also be considered trials, tribulations, or tests. And they are opportunities for growth. How, you say? When you were in school and you knew you were going to have a test, hopefully you studied and learned what you needed to pass the test. If you were going out for a sport, you trained to get yourself in shape so that you could make the team. In the same way, if you are facing a trial, test, or temptation, with the help of the Holy Spirit use your will and your abilities and you will gain strength to overcome, mature, and grow.

Coming back to the promise: what is the way out that God has provided when we are tempted? How can we truly overcome the temptations of sin?

Before:

• Pray in advance. “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13).
• Set boundaries, erect hedges. Try to anticipate tempting circumstances, bad news, etc.; and plan how to avoid or control them. My favorite personal example is when I go to a party with a buffet table. I decide in advance not to hover around the table, otherwise I will graze the entire time. If I do not anticipate this situation and get my mind right, I will find myself eating way too much.

During:

• Flee. Do not think you can remain in an evil environment and not succumb. The devil will influence you to minimize the risk, make it look desirable, give you all kinds of rationalization. You must run away from temptation. Many times, the Bible tells us to flee!
• Reframe the situation (following the example of Jesus in the wilderness), aligning the temptations with scripture. The Word of God is quick and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). It is our best defense. “Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (Ephesians 6:14).
• Pray without ceasing. “If anyone of you are facing trouble of any kind, let then pray” (James 5:13). Note that this is written in the continual sense, not past tense or future tense, but present.

After:

• Daily evaluate the events that have transpired. Where did you succeed and where did you fail? How should you have responded to that unkindness? Should you have shared that confidential or hurtful information? Is God pleased with your bitter and jealous thoughts? Should you have been more cheerful when asked for help? This evaluation should lead to conviction. “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40).
• Once we are convicted of our sin and failure, then ask Jesus for forgiveness, and repent.  “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19).
• Use your experience to help someone else. Remember what Jesus told Peter during the Last Supper: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32).

Ultimately, our way out is Jesus himself. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

In Christ,

Judy