Category: Prayer Starters

Posted in Abide, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

The Necessity of Pruning

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based on the LGG Study, Abiding in Jesus/w1d2

Read and SOAP: John 15:2

He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

John 15:2

Whether we are women who devote a lot of time to hair and make-up and great detail to the clothes we put on, or we’re a jeans and t-shirt and just the basics kind of woman – I would venture to say that most of us at least look in the mirror before we leave the house. Bells and whistles or just the basics may not matter, but a poor reflection of who we are should. My parents raised me to remember that what I said and did, where I went, and how I behaved and talked mattered and were a reflection on the family I belonged to.

And whatever you do and say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:17

As I grew in my faith, I learned the same was true, and even more so, in the family of God. While God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance of man, what we do and say in this world should be a reflection of Jesus Christ and not the world. This may seem overwhelming at times, even impossible. However, just as my parents provided for me and taught me right from wrong, God has given me everything I need for living a godly life. He did so with the purpose that every follower of Jesus would bear Christ-like fruit and attract others to Him.

Today’s verse is a reminder that we don’t have to do this alone. Actually, as the branches in this allegory, we can’t. For, as the branches, we are dependent both on the vine (Jesus), who gives us new life, and the gardener (God), who shapes us and trains us in the way we should go. When I made a mistake as a child, my parents would correct me, training me and pointing me in a better direction. Today’s passage is a reminder that God does the same thing through his work of pruning, not to hurt us but to help us live full and vibrant lives in Christ “so that we will bear more fruit.” As we will see in the coming days of our journey, when a believer bears “fruit” they are a reflection of Christ to the world around them.

Our lives and the fruit we bear are meant to glorify Him and bless others. That’s why our Heavenly Father will not leave us the way we are. Being disciplined or pruned may hurt us, but it will never harm us. God is always after our good, and we can always trust Him,” even in the pruning.

Abiding In Jesus, Bearing Fruit that Lasts/p45

I love most fruits, so when I see them in a store or market, they attract my attention. However, the ones that really catch my eye and land in my shopping basket are the vibrant, healthy ones. Discolored bananas? No thanks. Mushy or moldy strawberries? No way! Bright oranges are absolutely going in the basket, but never the faded ones. I can’t help but think this is how it is for ‘church shoppers,’ non-believers, or skeptics of Christianity when they see or hear a believer in their neighborhood, office place, a sporting venue, school, or anywhere in the world. We need to ask ourselves: Do they see vibrant, healthy, appealing fruit, or are they turned away by the discoloration of the world, still noticeable in our language, attitudes, and/or behavior? Oh, that we might faithfully abide in the Vine and yield to the Gardener’s care and pruning so that we might bear more fruit that glorifies God and blesses others.

The More We Know
Trusting the Gardener’s Pruning: by LGG

Posted in Abide, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

A Healthy and Beautiful Garden

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based on the LGG Study, Abiding In Jesus, Bearing Fruit that Lasts, w1d1

Read and SOAP: John 15:1

“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.”

John 15:1

I love this verse and the lesson that follows, from Jesus to His disciples! Jesus declares that He is the vine1 and that His Father, God, is the gardener2. What better sources and hope for life could we have?

Jesus, the source of eternal life, a vine that will never die or wither away, is the One who gives us life. We have been made new through Him (2 Cor 5:17). Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are connected to the Father, filled with the Holy Spirit, and interconnected to other believers through Him. It is through Christ that we grow and mature spiritually, becoming more like Him and less like the world around us.

I grew up in a family of gardeners, but trust me when I say – I did not inherit their gift for producing the fresh corn, beans, and other vegetables that we enjoyed throughout the year. I did, however, learn to appreciate their gift of gardening, as well as their love and willingness to invest so much time and effort into their gardens throughout the years. While I didn’t realize it until much later in life, from planting to harvesting and everything in between, it was a labor of time, accompanied by body aches, and I’m certain tears and fears in the times of drought or damaging storms.

These thoughts came rushing through my mind this morning as I read Jesus’ declaration, “My Father is the gardener.” The love and labor of time that God, the Gardener, has spent on me boggles my mind. The grief and concerns I have caused Him through the years make my heart ache. And when I consider the fruit that His tender hand and patient heart have been able to yield from this branch, it leaves me in awe and wonder at His grace and compassion. The fact and evidence that He allows me to stay attached to Jesus, the true vine, is a testament to God’s truth and faithfulness, and something for which I will forever be grateful.

The role of a gardener ranges from creating, cultivating, and maintaining the garden. This includes, but is not limited to, planting, weeding, pruning, and pest control, while also ensuring the attractiveness and health of the plants.

Friends, there are many things and people that vie for our attention and allegiance in this life. They promise everything from a better life, greater wealth, happiness, and more. Don’t be fooled! Only Jesus, the “True Vine,” (and there is only one), can give you life. Only through Him is there true and abundant life, a life of rich joy, a life where all of your needs are supplied from His glorious riches. Only Jesus can take away all your sins and deliver you from death into eternal life. – I encourage to cling to the true and living vine, Jesus, and to let your Father, our Gardener, shield you from the “pests” of this world vying for your attention. In doing so we will be a healthy, beautiful garden filled with light that attracts the world to Him.

The More We Know

The necessity of a good/true vine includes: Healthy growth, life, and renewal. Its ability to grow and spread is a powerful metaphor for spiritual development, and the continual process of becoming represents the vine’s potential for a rich and fruitful life. Specifically, in this context, it is used to symbolize the relationship between believers and God. Staying connected to the Vine (Jesus) is essential for bearing fruit and experiencing spiritual abundance.3

For more insight into today’s journey, click the button below

the LGG Blog

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

A Fairy Tale Ending

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From the pages of, For Such a Time as This, by Love God Greatly

Read: Esther 9:23-10:3/SOAP: 10:3

 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. He worked enthusiastically for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of all his descendants.

Esther 10:3

The Book of Esther is far from a fairy tale, but boy, does it read and end like one. Esther, a Jewish maiden, through a series of events that led to the previous queen being ousted, becomes Queen of Persia. She not only became the queen, but God used Esther, “for such a time as this,” to rescue her people from a murderous plot to annihilate them. I have thoroughly enjoyed retracing the details of this story, bit by bit, and have been blessed by the example of Esther’s faith and commitment to God in action. I hope you have too.

I pray you’ve enjoy our time with Esther and Mordecai and seeing the fingerprints of God’s sovereignty in and for the lives of His beloved people. If you have enjoyed it, I invite you to leave a comment. Today’s LGG Journal entry is a wonderful closure for this sessions journey – You won’t want to miss it.

The More We Know

Want to know even more about Esther? Check out this wonder summary by Gotquestions.org

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Celebration

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From the Journal, For Such A Time As This, p185/by Love God Greatly

Read: Esther 9:11-22 and SOAP: Psalm 71:24

All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,
for those who want to harm me will be embarrassed and ashamed.

Psalm 71:24

From the time I was a little girl, I have treasured the extended family gatherings. The food was wonderful, but the stories were the best part. Tales of those long gone, stories that brought both laughter and tears, and sometimes discussions about which way it really happened kept me drawn like a moth to a flame. Many of the stories remain etched in my mind, but the story of my dad’s leg getting infected with gangrene when he was a young boy is one of the top ten. It happened after a bike accident and became serious very quickly. While I don’t recall all of the details, I do remember this: someone in the family started a prayer chain for my father, and his leg, the doctor thought would have to come off, began to heal during the night, and eventually, except for the scar, recovered fully.

My grandmother’s story always included how they all celebrated then, and I can tell you that every time the story was told in my presence, there was testifying and rejoicing over God’s goodness and the power of prayer. I realize that the celebration of the Jews was on a much larger scale, namely their miraculous deliverance from the decreed annihilation, and the power they were given over their enemies, but the purpose of a yearly celebration brought about a time to tell the story again and again so that generation after generation would know the goodness and faithfulness of God. Oh, friends, may we daily look for the fingerprints of God in and around our lives and the lives of others, and may we be faithful to remember and quick to tell others what God has done.

Enjoy today’s journal entry by Love God Greatly –

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Against All Odds

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from the Love God Greatly Journal, For Such A Time As This, p1811

Read: Esther 9:1-10 and SOAP: Psalm 71:13

Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.
    Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me.

Psalm 71:13 NLT

I love the “BUT GOD” moments of everyday life and consider them nuggets of gold when I find them in His Word. I’ve even been compiling a list of them from my own life for years. I especially love today’s moment where it is written, “In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies (Esther 9:1).

Haman’s edict to kill all of the Jews was scheduled for this day. But God, through His sovereign power, intervened, and the Jews were not only spared, but they also put to death their enemies, including the sons of Haman (Esther 9:1, 5-10). With this in mind, when I read Psalm 71:13, I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Esther or Mordecai, or any number of the other Jews who prayed and fasted in those three days before Esther approached the King, prayed a prayer similar to David’s prayer. Did they ask God for Haman and the others rising up against them to be humiliated and defeated? Did they pray for those who wanted to harm them to be covered with scorn and disgrace? From the outcome of death and shame that came to Haman, his family, and the others who rose up against the Jews, it seems very possible, or at least quite plausible, to think this is exactly how they prayed.

May we not lose heart in our battles. May we remember that contrary to expectations, the Jews who were supposed to die at the hands of wicked men, instead, (surely by Your hands), gained power over their enemies and lived to celebrate the triumph and deliverance You gave to them. May our eyes be open to see Your fingerprints and all the ‘but God moments’ of our own lives – and may we be quick to celebrate and rejoice – giving God all the glory.

Today’s devotional by Love God Greatly is below (I apologize for marking it up so much but it is exceptionally good and inspiring). Soak it in, then ask God to remind you of a but God moment in your life and share it in the comment section. 💕

The More We Know

A question that came to my mind as I thought about this prayer was, how should we pray for those who rise up or plot against us today? A couple of verses came to mind as I considered this question, the first being Matthew 5:44, where Jesus taught that we are not only to love our enemies but pray for them. The second verse that came to mind was Romans 12:19, where Paul used a quote from Deuteronomy to remind the people that vengeance belongs to God. – May God guide us in our battles with the enemy/enemies of our lives. May our prayers be based on love and the knowledge that vengeance belongs to the Lord. May we trust God to stand with us and fight for us and deal with the enemy as He sees fit.

But I say love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:44

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 12:19
  1. Journal entry by Love God Greatly; embellishments/notes by me ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Delivered by Grace

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p177/w6d2

Read: Esther 8:1-17 and SOAP: Proverbs 28:20

A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings,
but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 28:20

What an appropriate picture Proverbs 28:20 gives us of Esther’s story. Esther and Mordecai acted faithfully even in the face of certain death and the annihilation of their people. Haman, however, sought the riches of fame and fortune at all costs. I can’t help but pray this prayer found on page 174 of this session’s journal: “Give me the courage to live for You and invest my life for Your glory not mine.”

Let’s recap our story thus far and trace the fingerprints of God: Queen Vashti was dethroned in a fit of the King’s anger … A search was set in motion throughout all the kingdom’s provinces for a new queen … Esther. a Jew lived within the radius of the search and fit all of the specifications, and won the favor of the King … Mordecai, Esther’s relative who raised her, sat in the King’s gate and overheard not only a threat against the King’s life but word of the edict to annihilate the Jews … Mordecai sent word through Esther of the threat against the King. The King’s life was spared and Mordecai was eventually honored for this … Mordecai also made Esther aware of the edict which led to a time of prayer and fasting by the Jews and courage for Esther to approach the King and seek his help for her people … Esther’s courage and wisdom are testimonies to God’s guidance, and clearly answers to the prayer and fasting.

The deliverance we read about in today’s portion of the story could only come from the hand of God! The wicked Haman, who sought wealth and fame through his conniving ways with the King and a treacherous plot against Mordecai and the Jews, was rightfully put to death; and now his estate was handed over to Esther, and the King’s signet ring, once given to Haman for the edict against the Jews, was now given to Mordecai. So while the edict could not be rescinded, the King pointed out that they could write a decree according to what they believed to be right for the Jews. Oh, the creative plans and power of our God. While His name is not on the pages we’ve read, surely His fingerprints are everywhere in Esther’s story.

I was caught up in the miraculous deliverance of the Jews, and in the story of their rejoicing and celebrations, I couldn’t help but think of our own cause for rejoicing and celebration. From the beginning of time, in the garden, the cost of our sin has been death.1 This decree was not rescinded, for Paul wrote in Romans 6:23 that “wages of sin is death…2” Yet, just as God did for the Jews in Esther’s story, He made a way for us where there seemed to be no way. John’s declaration that God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life is a testament of that Way3. For, as John went on to explain, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17). Paul later attests to this in his letter to the Church in Rome, when he wrote, “There is now no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). – To which my heart resounds with the chorus … “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!“

Father, thank You – that as Your people rejoiced in the day of Esther for Your miraculous deliverance from death to life, we, too, can rejoice. For Your marvelous, matchless grace has been poured upon our lives! We celebrate Your loving kindness that has come to us because of Jesus Christ! Oh, what a joy to know Your grace! – May we demonstrate this in all we do and say. In the name of Jesus – Amen!

The More We Know

From today’s journal entry by LGG, p177

Mordecai’s story is a beautiful example of faithfulness. He didn’t seek honor or wealth for himself. Yet, God raised him to a position of great influence and entrusted him with the responsibility to save his people. .. In contrast, Haman’s pursuit of wealth, status, and honor led to his downfall. …Proverbs 28:20 reminds us that while society often praises the rich and powerful, God values faithfulness above all. The rewards of faithfulness may not always be immediate or visible. Still, they are eternal and far greater than any earthly wealth.

In a world that often pushes us to chase after success, recognition, and material wealth, we are called to something different. Instead of striving for more, let’s strive to be faithful – faithful to God, faithful to the calling He has placed on our lives, and faithful to the people He has placed around us.

Sweet friend, are you feeling overlooked or tempted to measure your worth by the world’s standards? Take heart – God sees your faithfulness, even in the small, unseen moments. And in His perfect time, He will bless you in ways that far exceed anything this world can offer.

  1. Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 ↩︎
  2. For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 ↩︎
  3. Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ↩︎

Posted in Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Trust God’s Timing

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From the journal, For Such a Time As This, by Love God Greatly, p145/w5d1

Read: Esther 6:10-11 and SOAP: Proverbs 25:6-7

Don’t demand an audience with the king
    or push for a place among the great.
7 It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table
    than to be sent away in public disgrace.

Just because you’ve seen something,

Proverbs 25:6-7

Have you ever watched a contest and at the end, just as the announcer says, “the winner is…” the loser, certain that she has won, begins to step forward – only to hear some other name announced? As I read today’s portion of Esther’s story, this scenario filled my mind. I can’t help but imagine Haman, who was so certain that the King meant to honor him that he gave details of all he hoped to receive from King Xerxes, never dreaming the rewards and honor would go to his arch nemesis. I can only imagine the shock and displeasure/anger at hearing Mordecai’s name instead of his own. However, the humility and anger he must have felt having to clothe Mordecai in the royal garments worn by the king and lead him around on a horse the king had ridden – all the while shouting out a statement of the king’s wish to honor Mordecai. All of this was a far cry from the death he had planned for Mordecai and ‘his people.’

Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Today’s journal entry from the LGG journal, p 145, is a wonderful commentary and correlation between today’s portion of Esther’s story, the SOAP passage from Proverbs, and Proverbs 16:18, where we are given a warning about the dangers of pride. May it be a rich blessing and an encouragement to lay down any pride or self-seeking attitude we might be battling.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Truth & Love Go Hand-in-Hand

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From the Journal of: For Such A Time As This / w4d4, p131

READ: Esther 6:1-6 and SOAP: Proverbs 16:13

The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
    he loves those who speak honestly.

Proverbs 16:13
The More We Know

What does it mean to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Easter, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Passion Week, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

GOOD FRIDAY

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Now that Jesus had been arrested, the religious leaders wanted to try Him for His crimes. Jesus was tried six different times: the first three trials were before Jewish leadership, and the second three trials were before Roman officials. All six trials were expedited because the religious establishment wanted to arrive at the death sentence before the news of Jesus’ arrest got out among the people. Also, they needed the death sentence to be carried out before the Sabbath Day, which started Friday evening. The sixth and final trial takes place before Pilate. He renders his decision on the basis of expediency rather than truth or justice; he firmly believes Jesus to be an innocent man, but he also fears a riot and wants to satisfy the crowds who are yelling, “crucify Him!” In just a few hours, Jesus is tried six times and sentenced to death by crucifixion.

It’s almost 9 am as Jesus begins His journey to Golgotha by carrying His cross. At some point along the way, Roman soldiers force a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus’ cross because He is too weak. The site of Jesus’ crucifixion was outside of the city in keeping with the Jewish law requirement for executions (Heb.13:12). None of the Gospel authors provide any details concerning the actual crucifixion; they simply note the fact that it happened. Jesus was crucified at the third hour of the day (Mark 15:25), which is 9 am. Even on the cross, Jesus’ enemies continue to mock Him to the very end, “…He saved others, but He cannot save Himself…” (Luke 23:35-38). The irony is that if Jesus had come down from the cross, He would have saved Himself but not others. At noon, darkness descends on the land (Mark 15:33), lasting for three hours. At 3 pm, Jesus died for the sins of humanity (Luke 23:46). Immediately, the earth shook, and the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom, signifying that God’s people will now have direct access to God because of Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus was taken off the cross before sundown and placed in a tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea (Nicodemus assisted with the burial of the body). Two women, Mary Magdalene, and Mary (the mother of Joses) (Mark 15:47) observe Jesus’ burial location. They believe His body has not been sufficiently prepared because of the hasty nature of His burial; they plan to return after the Sabbath with additional spices and ointments.1

… Before we rush to Resurrection Sunday, let’s sit with the weight of Jesus’ sacrifice today. Let us sit with the pain of the Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), who endured the wrath of God at the cross. Let us ponder the injustice of the spotless Lamb of God punished for our sins. Let us marvel at the astounding death of the Creator of life. Let us worship the King of glory who let go of the splendor of heaven to become flesh and blood, to humble Himself, to hunger and thirst, to suffer and hurt, to be betrayed and rejected, mocked and humiliated — all for love.

For the Good Friday Devo, please click the button below – you won’t want to miss it!

Today’s Devo from P31
  1. EXCERPT FROM THE PASSION, BY DR JEREMY SHAFFER, CHILDREN AND FAMILY PASTOR AT LEWIS MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH  ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Easter, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Passion Week, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

MAUNDY THURSDAY

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Jesus had already made initial contact with some of His followers in Jerusalem to secure a place in which the group would share in the Passover meal. Some scholars believe that Jesus’ arrangement of the meal location was made secretly so as to prevent Judas’ betrayal plot from interrupting the meal. Sometime during the meal, Jesus gets up and washes the disciples’ feet, even the feet of Judas. Jesus knew that Judas had already planned to betray Him (Jn.13:11), but He still proceeded to wash his feet anyway – that is the epitome of love. After the foot washing, Jesus makes a public declaration that there is a traitor at the table; the disciples are a bit confused about what Jesus meant, but Judas understands and promptly leaves the group to commence his actions of betrayal. As Jesus and His disciples continued the Passover meal, Jesus abruptly introduced a completely new explanation of the symbolism of bread and wine. These two elements now become part of our present-day observance of the Lord’s Supper (communion) as we remember His body and blood that were given in sacrifice for all humanity.

As the evening continues on, Jesus gives His followers some additional instructions because He knows that the time of His death is quickly approaching. These instructions are collected into a body of material that we often call the Upper Room Discourse. We can thank the Apostle John, as he is the only Gospel writer who includes this material (John 14-17). Toward the end of this discourse, Jesus offers up a prayer for His disciples (Jn.17:6-19) because He knows that these same disciples who are sitting at the table will fail in the face of persecution that very night. Specifically, He singles out Peter, saying that before the rooster crows, Peter will have denied Jesus three times. Of course, Peter vehemently denies that this would ever happen, assuring the Lord that he would follow Him to prison, even to death.

The night is late, and Jesus and His disciples head to the Garden of Gethsemane. The time for teaching and instruction is over, and the time for sorrow and distress is here. Jesus instructs the disciples to sit in a certain location while He takes Peter, James, and John with Him a little further to pray. Jesus pours out His heart to the Father, asking Him if there is any other way in which redemption can happen that would not include the cross. He knows He is about to bear God’s judgment as a sin sacrifice for all the world. Nevertheless, He knows that the Father’s will is by way of the cross, and He willingly submits Himself to the Father’s plan. Taking a break from His time of prayer with the Father, Jesus finds His disciples fast asleep. The only source of human support and help during the hardest moment of His life was sleeping away. Yet even in this shocking moment of the disciples’ carelessness, Jesus is more concerned for their welfare than His own – He knows that they, too, must pray so that they can be equipped to face the difficulties that lie ahead (Matt.26:41).

Judas, who left the scene earlier, now returns with a group of chief priests, Pharisees, and some Roman soldiers. Jesus steps forward and asks the group who they are here for, and when they answer, “Jesus of Nazareth,” Jesus replies, “I am HE.” When Jesus spoke these words (reminiscent of the phrase “I AM” in Exodus 3:14), the power behind those words caused the soldiers to retreat back and fall to the ground! Jesus permits the soldiers to arrest Him so long as they don’t arrest His followers. However, Peter does briefly resist by cutting off the right ear of the high priest’s servant; Jesus miraculously heals the ear and tells Peter that He must follow the Father’s plan. At this point, all the disciples flee the scene, leaving Jesus deserted and alone.

Events that happened this day: • The Passover meal: Mt.26:17-29; Mk.14:12-23; Lk.22:7-30; Jn.13:1-17:26 • Jesus predicts Peter’s betrayals: Mt.26:31-35; Mk.14:27-31; Lk.22:31-34 • The Garden of Gethsemane: Mt.26:36-46; Mk.14:32-42; Lk.22:40-46 • Jesus is betrayed: Mt.26:47-56; Mk.14:43-52; Lk.22:47-53; Jn.18:2-121

For Maunday Thursday Devo, please click the button below – you won’t want to miss it!

Today’s Devo from P31

  1. EXCERPT FROM THE PASSION, BY DR JEREMY SHAFFER, CHILDREN AND FAMILY PASTOR AT LEWIS MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH ↩︎