Week 5 ~ Day 2

GROWING THROUGH PRAYER (A 'LOVING GOD GREATLY' BIBLE STUDY)

February 9, 2016

Week 5 ~ Day 2

Read:  Matthew 26:40-41

SOAP: Matthew 26:41

S:

“Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

O&A:

Word break-down:

Watch: to have been roused from sleep, in this case.  Means to be vigilant, give strict attention to.  This one really stands out, and is specific to this verse: to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one à or lest one be led to forsake Messiah, or fall into sin

Temptation: of a condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from faith and holiness

Wow-ee.  Who can say they’ve never been tempted?  Even Yeshua was tempted!  But He did what we struggle with, or at least if I speak for myself,  I struggle with.  Don’t we all have areas of weakness?  “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  There is a war raging against the Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit) that is in me, and the flesh that I am contained in.  It is a daily battle, and some days I am a hardened warrior for YHVH, and others, I am whimpering and crying out to the King of War because I feel like I am being beaten!  It is no wonder that we are told to put on our armor of YHVH.  But all armor has areas that are not as covered.  Even with a majestic breastplate, when we lift our arms, our pits are revealed.  When we bend our knee to step forward, the soft under part of our knee becomes vulnerable.  Our Abba, our awesome King covers these, and all of our body, with His Son’s precious blood, yet to us we still consider the uncovered parts.

 

Back to the verse, though, since I tend to rabbit-trail (sorry!), and am having a hard time not going deeper into today’s verses.  If we are vigilant and give strict attention, then we will not “fall” into sin, nor lapse from faith and holiness.  More importantly, we will not be led to forsake Messiah.  I have heard of people who, although they had once professed their belief in Yeshua as Messiah, reached a point where they have denied Him as their savior.  Before Yeshua went to be alone to pray, He said to the talmidim/disciples "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me."  In a time of struggle, our Messiah was asking them to help keep watch while He prayed – same word used for watch, and he turned to Abba 3 times with the same petition (persistent in prayer!).

P:

Abba, You know my weaknesses better than I.  Help me to listen for Your voice over my own thoughts, and to better obey Your commands.  Help me to be like Yeshua, who called out to You saying, “My Father, if this cup can't pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.”  He gave his all to You, and left it in Your hands.  Let me be always ready to do Your will, regardless of what my flesh says, even though sometimes it speaks so loud!  Let me hear Your voice louder, and more often, than my own wishes and desires.  I wasn’t diligent in my prayer times yesterday, or even today, and I can tell it!  Let me always remember to watch and pray, so that I won’t enter into temptation.  In Yeshua’s name, Amein.

#‎LoveGodGreatly‬