But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! AMEN! 2 Peter 3:18 NIV

I can't make decisions or goals for your family, but, through God's blessing, I can with this family of mine. In 2010 I want my family to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

As I

But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same. Matthew 26:35 NIV

Remember these words of Peter! As we begin another Mustard Seed series, those words will remain important.

When was the last time you made a commitment you couldn't keep; or didn't keep? Have you broken

Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." Matthew 26:36 NIV

After Peter and the other disciples said they would never desert Jesus, Jesus took them to a place called Gethsemane. I think they had possibly been there before. Later we read that one of the

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Matthew 26:37 NIV

Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, had been with Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration, where they witness the transfiguration of Christ in to His glorious state, and they had seen Moses and Elijah with Christ.

Then He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me." Matthew 26:38 NIV

If Jesus got "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death", how much more will you and I?

I have shared this with readers in the past, but it bears mentioning again. The old saying "God will not put more on

Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:39 NIV

I don't know about you, but I can't fully comprehend this verse. Jesus, God's Son, the Maker of man, One of the Trinity, the One for whom I always change the

Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?" He asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:40-41 NIV

Jesus wanted His disciples to sit with Him. He wasn't asking for them to take His place. He

He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." An angel from Heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:41-44 NIV

I

Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes My betrayer!" Matthew 26:45-46 NIV

Jesus had wrestled with His sorrow. He had triumphed over His normal anxieties. He had prayed victoriously. He

He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. Deuteronomy 8:16 NIV

God knew what He was doing. He gave the Israelites manna to eat every morning, not because He was big fan of Frosted Flakes (manna was thin flakes, like frost, that tasted

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:14-16 NIV

We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all. Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT

These verses are talking about those of us who have been born again, by

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. Psalms 42:1 NIV

For several years I traveled about an hour from my home every Sunday to pastor a church. The drive took me through some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. As dangerous as it could be, one of the more pleasant experiences was seeing the deer

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalms 42:2 NIV

The last year has been a real challenge for me, as many previous years have been. I have often been overwhelmed at the responsibilities before me, more than time will permit me to do. I have often found myself praying something like this: "Oh, God, I

My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Psalms 42:3 NIV

We learn several things about the Psalmist here. First, the Psalmist is enduring a trial of some kind. These are not tears of joy, these are tears of pain. Second, the Psalmist has made the appeal to God before. This has been a

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Psalms 42:4 NIV

It hadn't always been like this. There had been times of real contentment; real joy. In fact, there were times when the Psalmist lead the

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalms 42:5-6a NIV

Have you ever been having a really bad day and somewhere in the middle of it you stop and think, "why am I allowing myself to feel this way"?

Those days for me are usually called Mondays.

My God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar. Psalms 42:6 NIV

We begin this week where we left off last week. When you are struggling through a time of depression or heartache, the answer out is a proper recognition of who God is.

The Psalmist was in

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalms 42:7 NIV

The imagery the Psalmist uses here is that of water. The thought of one drop of rain reminds him of many drops of water. Soon he is thinking about running water, then a waterfall, then maybe an ocean body of water. One drop leads to

By day the LORD directs His love, at night His song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life. Psalms 42:8 NIV

The Psalmist has a secret. It's not as earth shattering as you and I might think it is. The secret is not found in a self-help book or in the horoscope. You won't find it on Oprah and most people think it sounds a little too easy. The

I say to God my Rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" Psalms 42:9 NIV

God can take it. He can take your honest heart. God needs to be approached with fear and reverence, but God is a big God, and He already knows your true heart, so why not share with Him how you feel? Don't hold anything back