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Tag Archives: Matthew

Emails to God – Serious Repentance (Matthew 26:69-75)

08 May

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Dear God, when is the last time I actually felt shame for a sin I committed and repented at this level? I know that Peter was in an extreme situation and his emotions were high, but I am still touched by his regret for the sin he swore to himself he would never commit.

Do I take my sin this seriously? Sure, Peter was in an exceptional situation and I can see where his actions would drive him to weep bitterly, but still, when I commit a sin, do I allow the gravity of its consequences to penetrate my soul and call me to a deep repentance?

Father, too many people read this prayer for me to enumerate my sins here, but you know the ones that are on my heart. You know the thoughts that are running through my head right now as I type this. Frankly, it all comes back to selfishness. So I confess these things to you and I ask that you will forgive me. Thank you that Peter is an example of not only zeal for you, but of failure and repentance as well. I am grateful for what he did and was recorded for me to see.

 
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Posted by on May 8, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Caiaphas’ Passover (Matthew 26:57-68)

04 May

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Dear God, I wonder if they had to wake Caiaphas up when they brought Jesus in, or if he was sitting and waiting for them to come. After all, it was late, and in a society with no electricity, bed time was a little earlier than it might be now. I’m betting it was the latter. I would imagine that he knew the guards had followed Judas out to find Jesus, and he was sitting there waiting for Jesus to arrive.

I also wonder what this Passover was like for Caiaphas. I don’t know when he would have celebrated the Passover meal (I don’t know if Jesus did it early to accommodate his crucifixion, or if he did it with his disciples on the normal night), but I wonder what was going through his mind as he celebrated with his family and friends. Was his heart heavy? Was he apprehensive? Was he just flat out mad? Was he a victim of a mob mentality, or was he the creator of the mob mentality? Did you put a check in his spirit that made him wonder if Jesus might, in fact, be who he said he was? Did he rest easy in the thought that he had defended you against a heretic?

The truth is, there are no answers to these questions. Thanks to your grace, I will probably get a chance to talk to him about it one day in heaven. Either way, I am sure he now knows about the mistakes he made that week, but I also wonder how much you would hold an earnest heart against him (if that’s what he had) since it was part of your plan to begin with.

Father, I can see that there might be a difference between Judas and Caiaphas. I’m not saying there was one, but I can see where there would be one. Where Judas simply allowed his anger toward Jesus to become murder (see the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus saying that one was as bad as the other), Caiaphas might have been protecting himself, but he also might have been, legitimately, protecting you. So my prayer is, when (not if) I make mistakes, let them be the kind that are out of pure motive. Help me to discern between my own agenda and your agenda. Minimize my mistakes as much as possible and be glorified in my life.

 
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Posted by on May 4, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Venial and Mortal Sins (Matthew 26:47-56)

03 May

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Dear God, I looked up several translations and all of them used the word “friend” in verse 50, so I assume that that is a good word for whatever the original text reads—“friend”. It would have been one thing if Jesus had said, “Do what you came for, Judas.” He could have called him any other name, frankly, but “friend” would had to have made a huge impact on Judas as Jesus said the word. I can only imagine the pain in Jesus’ eyes and voice when he said it. I can only imagine how Judas must have felt at that moment.

I heard a story yesterday about a politician who committed a little sin (Catholics would call it a venial sin), but then as things began to unravel he ended up committing some major sins, including lying to the FBI during their investigation and getting others to lie for him (we’ll call this the mortal sin). When it was all over he spent a year in federal prison.

My problem with dilineating between the two types of sin and not saying they are of equal offense to you is that the little sin that we justify to ourselves can, and will, often lead to the much larger sin, and, before we know it, things are out of control. Jesus addressed this in the sermon on the mount. He addressed it by saying that the lustful eye is as good as committing adultery. He said that hate is as equal to murder. Allowing the little sin into our heart will simply give the sin a place to grow. In Judas’ case, he allowed his frustration with Jesus to grow into a hatred for Jesus. Then his hatred combined with his greed and he ended up selling his allegiance and betraying the God of the universe who had called him “friend”.

Father, help me to live a pure life. The last week or so I have been walking around with this little check in my spirit, and I can’t figure out where it is coming from. I keep examining my life to see if there is something I am doing, or not doing, that is bothering my conscience. I can’t think of what it is, but there is something there. Please reveal whatever is haunting me to my conscious self so that I might deal with it, repent of it, if necessary, and move on in a right relationship with you. I don’t want to allow anything to grow in me that isn’t of you.

 
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Posted by on May 3, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – When God was Afraid (Matthew 26:36-46)

01 May

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Dear God, thank you that Jesus was fully human. Thank you that, through his earthly life, you understand fear. You understand the sorrow of a suffering parent. You understand being on the receiving end of injustice. You understand being let down by your friends in your own time of need. You understand betrayal when you are vulnerable. Without the sacrifice of Jesus spending 33 years on earth and then being killed in such a terrible way, then we would have a God who doesn’t really know us. You could sympathize, but could you empathize.

I know that Jesus’ death and resurrection was essential to salvation (especially for Gentiles like me), but what made it the perfect plan was that you brought yourself into the world, not to condemn it, but to save it. You came to tell people like me that it is okay. You love me. You support me. You understand me in a way that only an empathetic creator can.

Father, this is a hard scene to read. It is hard to see Jesus afraid. It is hard to see him reluctant and scared. But then I’m sure it is hard for you to see us afraid. I know that a piece of you hurts when we suffer. I know that I hurt the worst for my own children when they experience a pain in their childhood that I experienced in mine, so I am sure the same is true for you. Thank you again for coming down to my level and experiencing all of this. It could have played out differently to accomplish your goals, but your plan’s perfection included your ability to empathize with me.

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Good Intentions, Disappointing Results (Matthew 26:31-35)

30 Apr

31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Dear God, there are so many times when my intentions are great, and my expectations of myself are really high, and then I end up falling way short of both. It plays into my relationships with those around me. It shows up in my relationship with you and the time I intend to spend with you, studying your Word and experiencing you in prayer. It even shows up in how much I intend to exercise during a given period. I expect to do great things, but I often fall short.

While some may see this story as a story of Peter’s hubris and overconfidence, Matthew is careful to tell us two things about this exchange:

  1. Jesus knew that Peter would fail and it was okay.
  2. The other disciples were just as overconfident (or at least overconfident in their words) as Peter.

Father, I know I am overconfident and that I often fail. I understand that I need your power and redemption over my failings. But I am also grateful that you know my weaknesses and you allow for them. You don’t like them, and you want me to do better, but you know they lay of the land and what is going on with me. You know my heart and its love for you. You also know the laziness of my heart and how I sometimes just give up. Please forgive me for my weaknesses and help me to reflect you to others.

 
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Posted by on April 30, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – The Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30)

28 Apr

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Dear God, this is a tough scene to watch. We know what’s coming, but the disciples don’t. Jesus is trying to prepare them for what is about to happen, but there is no real way to do it.

I am curious that he took the opportunity to call out Judas. I wonder if he just couldn’t take it anymore. The anguish must have been tremendous. Sitting there at the table with Judas, watching him try to tact normal, but exhibit signs of guilt. The other disciples were probably so confused that they didn’t notice, but Jesus knew. I wonder how the other disciples responded to his exchange with Judas. I don’t think any of the other Gospels give us an insight into their reaction. They only tell us that all of them were only thinking of themselves and whether or not it could be them that would do it.

Father, I don’t so much have any real revelations for myself in this passage. My thoughts are mainly about trying to get in the heads of each person in the story and empathize with them in some way. I don’t have nearly as much judgment in my heart for Judas as I did when I was young because I can see the wickedness in my own heart that isn’t all that different from his. I also don’t judge the other disciples as much either. Perhaps that is the point of most of these stories—that eventually we grow to the point where we see ourselves in their weaknesses and strive to improve ourselves rather than judge them. Maybe we can do the same with those around us in our everyday lives too.

 
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Posted by on April 28, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Making the Big Mistake (Matthew 26:14-16)

26 Apr

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Dear God, Matthew does a really nice job of letting this narrative flow together. Because we rarely read these passages as a whole we don’t usually see how one story leads to another. In the run-up to this betrayal Jesus had spent a couple of chapters insulting the Pharisees and chief priests and told the disciples that he was about to be crucified. Then Matthew wants to let us know that after the incident with the woman with the perfume Judas had had enough and was ready to betray Jesus. He probably thought, If he wants to be crucified I can help make that happen.

Of course, Judas had so much regret for his actions later that he killed himself. He was an angry guy who made a really bad, impulsive decision that he couldn’t take back.

Right now, I have some friends whose daughter is in a difficult spot. The girl lives with her mother in another town, and is about to graduate high school next month. I don’t know what happened, but the mother kicked her out of the house, so this friend is going to his daughter to figure out how best to take care of her. I have seen something like this happen before, and I know how anger can drive a parent to do something foolish. Then the moment of regret comes, but they have gone too far down the road. Pride, principle, or both gets in the way. Now, much like Judas, the parent and everyone else involved is left to deal with the fallout from a bad decision.

Father, I first want to pray for my friend who is going to his daughter. Be with each of them. Love them and encourage them. Be with his wife. Be with the girl’s mother and step-father. Reveal yourself to them and use this awful circumstance as an opportunity to draw them each closer to you. I also want to pray for myself. There are times when I make impulsive decisions that need to be more prayed through. I have a situation at work right now that I am facing. I don’t know how to respond, and I can see where my decision will knock over a lot of dominos in a lot of people’s lives so I need to tread carefully. Help me to do that so that your wisdom, love and mercy might completely show through this place and your glory might be magnified in ever life that comes to us.

 
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Posted by on April 26, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – The Interconnectedness of our Lives (Matthew 26:6-13)

24 Apr

6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Dear God, I wonder how much of the disciples’ response was indignation and how much was them responding out of the stress they were feeling over what Jesus had just told them about being crucified and all of the conflict He was stirring up with the Pharisees. That’s the interesting thing about reading this stories in order. I start to get a context for each one, and this story takes on a different view when I see that it comes immediately after Jesus tells them about being crucified.

The things going on in my life often impact other areas. Troubles with parenting can bleed over into work. Trouble at work can bleed over into my home life. I have a coworker whose husband is sick. They were supposed to hear yesterday about his prognosis. I am sure that whatever she learned yesterday will have an impact on her day today. How can it not?

Father, help me to be at peace, and help me to administer your peace to those around me. I am especially thinking about my coworkers who are facing personal trials. Love and encourage them. Give them your peace. Help everyone at work to rise up around them and be your hands and feet to them. Show us how you would have us serve them.

 
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Posted by on April 24, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Missing the Big Picture (Matthew 26:1-5)

23 Apr

1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Dear God, I never caught the subtlety of all of this before, but Matthew is pretty clear in how he lays this out—Jesus said what he did in chapters 24 and 25 in order to set up verse two here. He knew it had to happen. He knew he needed to be crucified. He knew that I needed him to be crucified.

I wonder what the disciples were thinking while all of this was going on. They had to have been uncomfortable while Jesus was sitting there and saying such provocative things. Then it had to have really disturbed them when he so plainly told them, in essence, “I know they are mad, and now they are going to crucify me.” At that point they must have been confused and scared. They couldn’t see the big picture that Jesus could see. They couldn’t understand the plan.

Father, I know that, as I look around my life, I can’t see the big picture. I have no idea what your plan is. The trick is to come to terms with that and live in peace regardless of what is happening around me. So help me to do that. Help me to be your example in the lives of those around me. Draw others to yourself through me. Help me to decrease as you increase. Be glorified through me so that others might be drawn to you.

 
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Posted by on April 23, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Being Found Unfaithful (Matthew 25)

21 Apr

1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Dear God, I must confess that I have not felt very motivated to pray this week. I decided to do all of chapter 25 here (even though it is 46 verses) because the three stories here (bridegroom and virgins, the three servants, and the sheep and the goats) are all linked by the theme of your return. They talk about faithfulness, and, for whatever reason, I haven’t felt very faithful to you this week.

I wonder why there are times when I just can’t bring myself to stop and spend time in prayer. It’s almost like I am avoiding you, but I don’t understand it. I can’t think of anything about which I was feeling guilty or ashamed. Maybe I was just tired. Frankly, I had a hard time motivating myself to do much of anything this week. I wasn’t excited about work. I didn’t really exercise. I didn’t eat particularly well and lost a little ground on my efforts to get back in better shape. It was just a week where I kind of went off the rails a little.

I mention this in relation to these passages because they all seem to talk about you finding us faithful, and, while I normally think of myself as being faithful and working as unto you, I can say that if you had come back this week you would not have found me faithful. I think (and hope) I would have still made the sheep group, but it was certainly not a week where I lived in your victory or joy.

Father, it’s early on a Saturday morning and I pledge myself to you today. I pledge myself to your glory. I pledge myself to your plan and purposes. I pledge myself to praying for my friends who I neglected this week. I pledge myself to praying for and serving my wife and children. I pledge myself to denying myself for your glory’s sake. Find me faithful.

 
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Posted by on April 21, 2012 in Matthew

 

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