Craig’s Journal
Week 16 (March 22-27)
Day 1
Luke 22:7-38
Praying Over Me
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have all of you, to sift you like wheat. But I have pleaded for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32
Oh, Jesus – Satan had asked for the lives of these twelve disciples. Satan’s desire was to sift them – test them, destroy them – yet you pleaded on their behalf. Jesus, you pleaded that their faith (confidence, complete reliance on you) would not fail. Oh, Jesus – your word tells me that today you are also pleading for me! “…because he (Jesus) always lives to intercede for them (believers).” Hebrews 7:25 “…the Spirit himself intercedes for us…” Romans 8:26
Oh, Jesus – just as you prayed for Simon, today you are praying for me! You know me, cover me, and are pleading protection over me today! Selah.
Day 2
Luke 22:39-46
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” Luke 22:42
Oh, Jesus – in the garden you were fighting a battle. This was the point of no return. And you struggled with this decision – so much that you sweat great drops of blood and an angel attended to you! Why the battle? Were you afraid of dying or suffering? No - you were afraid of being “cut off” from your Father! The cup you wanted to avoid was the cup of wrath poured out on all sin.
“Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord, the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes men stagger.” Isaiah 51:17
“This is what the sovereign Lord says: You will drink your sister’s cup, a cup large and deep; it will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.” Ezekiel 23:32
“The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.” Habakkuk 2:16
“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding people reeling.” Zechariah 12:2
This was the cup of justice against sin. This was the cup of wrath. This was the cup of righteous fury against a rebellious and guilty people.
Jesus, you took that cup for me! You drank all of it to the dregs so I could escape the wrath of God! Selah.
And on the cross you were cut off – separated from your Father! You absorbed hell’s fury in my place! On the cross, you cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46
But it was the Father’s will that you suffered and were forsaken, so that sin’s penalty could be paid and sinners like me could be forgiven! Thank you, Jesus!
Day 3
Luke 22:47-53
"But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns." Luke 22:53
Jesus, that night all the forces of evil converged on you. I Peter 5:8 "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Certainly that night, Satan was on the prowl! He was in Judas (Lk 22:3). Satan had already asked for the lives of Peter and the others (Lk 22:31). And now in the garden, Satan was at work even through the lives of the high priests, temple guards and religious leaders. This was Satan's time - a time of darkness. A time when evil had its way. Lord, I'm reminded today that there is a real spiritual battle happening all around me! Ephesians 6:12 "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms." Lord Jesus, thank you that when I am under spiritual attack, when the enemy comes in like a flood in my life, when I am powerless to fight against the flaming arrows of evil thoughts, temptations, discouragement - you have provided me a safe place! You are my shield, Jesus. You are my covering! You have drawn a line that Satan cannot cross in my life, you have placed a hedge of protection around me, you have not allowed any temptation to come against me that I can't handle in your strength and power! Thank you, Jesus, that on that night you faced down the powers of evil. And on the cross you disarmed the powers of evil. And today, you are greater than he that is in the world. And one day you will remove me from evil altogether! Thank you Jesus! Selah
Day 4
Luke 22:54-62
Jesus, I can see Peter now, huddled over the fire. Afraid. Confused. A servant girl noticed him. "You are one of Jesus' followers." Then another recognized him as a follower of yours, then another. Each time, Peter denied you. Then when the cock crowed, Peter's eyes locked with yours. It had happened as you said it would. This same Peter who promised to fight for you, die for you, was now denying he even knew you. Jesus, there is so much of Peter in me. There is the real potential that I will not stand up and be named as one of your followers, especially if the crowd is violent or hostile. Peter didn't mind being your follower - in the inner circle when everyone was praising you. He didn't mind being your follower when you were in the temple and the people hung on every word. But now, it was a different crowd. A hostile crowd. A Christ-hating crowd. And in that crowd, Peter denied you. Oh, Jesus. Don't let me deny you! Yes, it's easy to stand up and be accounted for as one of your men in church, at the Christian conference, in the places where you are praised. But in the hostile environments - hold me fast. Empower me to be like Stephen, who would not renounce his love for you, even at the cost of his own life! Fill me today, to stand for you, no matter the environment I'm in! Selah!
Day 5
Luke 22:63-71
"Then you claim you are the Son of God?" And he replied, "You are right in saying that I am." Luke 22:70
Jesus, I see how they mistreated you. They beat you with an evil pleasure. They blindfolded you and hit you in the face, your blood left on their knuckles. They made fun of you. Laughed at you. Mocked you. Insulted you. But this was only the beginning of your suffering! At that moment, you could have simply been silent. You could have denied any claim to be the Son of God. You could have put on a defense. You could have called ten thousand angels to protect and defend you! You could have done anything but declare who you are. But that is exactly what you did! In that moment, when evil men sat in judgment over you, you spoke of the day when you would sit in judgment over evil men. "The time is soon coming," you said, "when I, the Son of Man, will be sitting at God's right hand in the place of power." (v69) And in that moment, you spoke truth. You uncovered what had to this point been hidden from their eyes. You openly declared that you were the "Son of God." The Christ. The Messiah. The Chosen One. God in the flesh. And those words- those precious words - nailed you to the cross. Oh Jesus, today I sit in wonder of your courage and your unfailing love for me. I sit in amazement that you declared who you were, knowing that you would bear the cross and it's shame on my behalf! Surely every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that you are Lord! I long for that day! Even so Lord, come quickly!
Day 6
Luke 23:1-12
Jesus, Herod was an evil man. His father who ruled before him was evil as well- to the point of trying to kill you in Bethlehem and slaughtering hundreds of innocent lives in the process. And yet you were brought before him. He was eager to see you. He had heard so much about your miracles and feats of power. Possibly he could get you to do a "trick for him" to save your life. He questioned you. But you remained silent. He had a robe put on your shoulders -a mocking gesture - and quickly dismissed you from his presence because you were no longer entertaining. Jesus, so many today are hostile toward you. On the exterior, they look interested in you. They may even say good things about you. But internally, they simply want you to "produce a trick" for them, give them something good or, at the very least, entertain them. And when they get neither, they are quick to dismiss you - sending you away with some mocking statement of ridicule. But Jesus you are more than a magician - you are the Messiah! You are not dismissed, you are declared from the lips of every person to be Lord! Today, Jesus - I don't want to know you because of what you might do for me. I don't want to follow you for the entertainment value. Jesus, I choose today to follow you because of who you are and what you have done in my life! Jesus, have your way in me. Shape me into your image. Turn my heart toward you today! Today, I'm worshipping you! Selah
