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And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “ Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

How often do you pray the Bible? Jesus, as He was hanging on the cross, dying for the sins of the whole world, he quotes Psalm 22 “My God, my God…” It’s a way of acknowledging that He felt abandoned… however just like Psalm 22, the result is the salvation of the world! “they shall come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” When you are struggling how to pray, pray the Bible. Pray God’s promises. Pray the Psalms. Pray the Gospels. Pray Jesus’ words. Pray the Epistles. His word will not return void.

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man ‘s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!

The crowd was caught-up in the moment. They weren’t thinking about what they were saying, and yet they were responsible nonetheless. Pilot was the one with authority, yet he wasn’t one of God’s People. He should have known better, yet he tried to do the right thing, to free an innocent man. The crowd wouldn’t allow him. Don’t ever get so caught-up in the moment that you neglect what is right. Don’t simply support the thing that the crowd (the “mob”) is for in the moment, you might just be selling your soul.

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Jesus prayed for you. He has given us the word (the Bible) that we might be able to know the truth and be made clean, sanctified, consecrated for the mission ahead. Just like Jesus was sent into the world to save people, those people who are saved are then sent into the world to save others. If you’re a believer, your task is to give the world the word of truth, the gospel, just like Jesus did for you! Jesus does not want us to be removed from difficulty, to be taken out of a world that hates us because we love Jesus. NO! His desire is that we overcome the Devil. Be about the mission. Share God’s word in the world, you’ll be glad you did!

I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

We’ve all seen the images of Christians in orange jumpsuits on the beach being beheaded. Those who are killing them will cry out “Allah Akbar” (Allah is [the] greatest.” In the face of such evil, don’t give up your faith. Life is temporary, Eternal Life lasts forever. Even if you lose your life, you will gain Heaven. Jesus gives us these words to encourage us. Stay true.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus is the source of our ability to follow Him. Don’t feel like you have to “dig down deep” to find the strength to “be a better person,” actually, you can’t be. It’s only when you tap-in to Jesus that you’re able to do anything worth doing. It’s not about trying harder, it’s about connecting to the right source. If you remain (abide) in Jesus, you’ll produce results (fruit), if you don’t, then you’re not in Him and He’s not in you. To put it another way, if you’re feeling like you just can’t live the Christian life, you aren’t relying on Jesus as your source, turn to Him, He’s there for you.