Two Gardens 4-13-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord and I need You, Lord. Come fill my mind with Your thoughts; come fill my heart with Your desires; come fill my soul with Your Spirit. Continue to give me the grace to follow Your steps throughout this Holy Week. ... " 'Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet, not My will but Yours be done.' Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and gave Him strength. In His anguish He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground" (Luke 22:42-44). If there was no cross, there would be no empty tomb. And if there was no Garden of Gethsemane, there would be no cross. Though You were the Son of God, You were also the Son of Man as You walked this earth. You set aside the glory of heaven to humble Yourself to come into this world to be "born in human likeness" (Philippians 2:5-8). You are the One who was born to die, "obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross" (verse 2:8). Yet, even knowing Your calling, Your identity, and Your purpose, in the moment of trial, even You wrestled with Your will and the Father's will. "Because He himself was tested by what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18). The test of the Garden of Gethsemane called for the most significant choice ever made in the history of the sons of men -- "nevertheless, not My will, but Thine, be done" (Luke 22:44, KJV). Before that moment in the Garden, the most significant choice of the sons of men took place in another Garden long ago (Genesis 3:1-7). But the choice of the Garden of Gethsemane was to forever redeem the choice of the Garden of Eden. Adam chose disobedience because he did not fully trust plan and purpose of the Father; but You chose obedience because You completely trusted the plan and purpose of the Father. And You made the hard choice of obedience in submission to the will of the Father, You were strengthened from heaven to pray even "more earnestly." With each choice of obedience in submission to Your will, we are strengthened by grace and empowered in prayer to press through the anguish and the suffering we fear. As we trust You and obey You, every cross of crisis becomes an empty tomb of triumph! Lord, give me courage in the Gardens of Gethsemane to choice well, to choose Your will. Strengthen me with Your grace from heaven; empower me to earnestly wrestle in prayer as You conform my will to Your will. Keep the joy of resurrection ever before me as I choose each cross of death to my self-will apart from Your perfect will. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's for spiritual transformation through inner healing and deliverance, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, Kentucky 40502.On the Web: http://www.messiah-ministries.orgCome to The Fountain the 3rd Friday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: http://morningbymorning.injesus.com