“STAY AWAKE”
OUR DAILY BREAD READING (Published Daily by Our Daily Bread Ministries)
READ: Matthew 26 (Focus vs. 36–46)
MEMORY VERSE
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
BACKGROUND
A German bank employee was in the middle of transferring 62.40 euros from a customer’s bank account when he accidentally took a power nap at his desk.
He dozed off while his finger was on the “2” key, resulting in a 222 million euro (300 million dollar) transfer into the customer’s account. The fallout from the mistake included the firing of the employee’s colleague who verified the transfer.
Although the mistake was caught and corrected, because he hadn’t been watchful, the sleepy employee’s lapse almost became a nightmare for the bank.
Jesus warned His disciples that if they didn’t remain alert, they too would make a costly mistake. He took them to a place called Gethsemane to spend some time in prayer.
As He prayed, Jesus experienced a grief and sadness such as He’d never known in His earthly life. He asked Peter, James, and John to stay awake to pray and “keep watch” with Him (Matthew 26:38), but they fell asleep (vv. 40–41).
Their failure to watch and pray would leave them defenseless when the real temptation of denying Him came calling. In the hour of Christ’s greatest need, the disciples lacked spiritual vigilance.
May we heed Jesus’ words to remain spiritually awake by being more devoted to spending time with Him in prayer. As we do, He’ll strengthen us to resist all kinds of temptations and avoid the costly mistake of denying Jesus.
By: Marvin Williams
INSIGHT
Jesus’ final prayers before His arrest and crucifixion took place in Gethsemane, which means “oil press,” a garden area among the olive groves on the Mount of Olives. Like an olive in a press, Jesus faced extreme pressure.
According to Baker’s Encyclopedia of the Bible, the Mount of Olives is the “prominent north-south ridge in the Judean mountains lying due east of Jerusalem and the Kidron Valley.” This mountain features three summits and two intervening valleys.
The central hill is the traditional Mount of Olives (2,684 feet). Its western face collects rainfall from the Mediterranean that along with the decomposed limestone makes for fertile orchards.
By: Alyson Kieda
APPLICATION
What part of your prayer life needs to be more devoted and disciplined? How can you intentionally spend more time alone with God this week?
PR’s (PASTOR RICHARD) TAKE
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in the faith…” 1 Peter 5:8-9
Stay Prayed up so you will not be Preyed on – pr
PR’s RE-EMPHASIS (My Re-Emphasis from Post)
“May we heed Jesus’ words to remain spiritually awake by being more devoted to spending time with Him in prayer…”
PRAYER
“Jesus, because I’ve been spiritually sleeping, I haven’t been praying. And because I haven’t been praying, I haven’t depended on You. I’m sorry. Please help me to spend more time with You.”
*YOUR TAKE? 
TODAY’s HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL
“STAY PRAYED UP” Kandi Burruss
That’s what I kept on saying not too long ago
It seems like I was living in the darkest hole
My sadness and my anger start to take control
I had a lot of stuff weighing on me y’all
I shed a lot of tears that you didn’t see, no
But I couldn’t let grief consume me
Cause I got a little girl depending on me
It can’t rain forever
The sun’s got to shine again
I remember that old saying
So I kept praying…
you should do the same my friend
I stay prayed up, that gets me by
That’s how I made it through my darkest times
Yeah I’m a sinner and that’s no lie
Thank God my prayers are heard cause He knows I try
Yeah I stay prayed up, yes I stay prayed up
See the only way I made it through my pain
is through God’s favor
Why me Lord
How am I supposed to raise these kids alone
I do the best I can to keep a happy home
It’s hard to do it now, my better half is gone
Got a lot of eyes looking at me y’all
Judging every move that I’m making y’all
I’m just trying to do the best that I can
But it’s hard cause I’m just an ordinary man
It can’t rain forever
The sun’s gonna shine again…
I remember the old saying
So I just keep praying and
you should do the same my friend…
… I stay prayed up…
… I stay prayed up…
That’s how I made it
through my darkest times
I stay prayed up,
Yes I stay prayed up
Oh I made it through
because of God’s favor
READING THROUGH THE BIBLE THIS YEAR (THIS WEEK)
PSALMS 1-7
THE BOOK OF JUDGES 1-7