Mark 14

Are you trying to do too much or are you doing what you can? Sometimes we try too hard and too much when we should simply be doing what we can.

So why did those friends of Jesus fall asleep on him? Lois Tverberg shares from her blog on the Jewishness of Jesus and about why the disciples fell asleep on the night of Jesus' betrayal.

"[To prepare for the Passover meal,] Jesus sent two of [his disciples] into Jerusalem with these instructions: "As you go into the city, a man carrying..."

Regardless of our reasons in the past, let’s make sure we honor the Lord’s wishes in this circumstance and others like it. Phil Ware continues his series of messages of how Jesus values women, focusing this week on the loving and extravagant gift of the unnamed woman who broke her alabaster jar and anointed Jesus with expensive perfume.

How clear is your thinking? Mike Barres reminds us that we often confuse our muddled thinking, our inability to decide what to do, not because the decision is difficult, but because we don't want to obey.

Let's move beyond remembering her story; let's also commit to being like her in these four ways. Phil Ware continues his reflections in the Gospels as he seeks to call us to continue pursuing Jesus so that we can be JesuShaped.

What do these words mean and whose words do we trust? Phil Ware weaves in the 7 sayings of Jesus on the cross with the sense of forgiveness and mission that should be ours in the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

Can we really be honest with God and reverent, too? Phil Ware continues his shift series with a message on prayer and about being real before God.

"But Peter denied [being with Jesus] again. A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, "You must be one of them,..."

"Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony [against Jesus]: "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in..."

"And [Jesus] said to [the Twelve], "This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many...."

"The traitor, Judas, had given [the armed men] a prearranged signal: "You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take..."

"Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Well, aren't you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for..."

"Dear Friend, Can you remember your Christmas gifts from last year? ... five years ago? ... ten years ago? You probably don't remember most of your..."

"Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter — this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." ...."

"When [Jesus] returned to [the disciples] the third time, he said, "Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no — the time has come. The Son of Man is....."

"[Jesus and the disciples] went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I go and pray." He took Peter, James, and John..."

"One young man following behind [when Jesus was arrested] was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, he slipped out of his..."

"Then [Jesus] returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch....."

"Inside [the high priest's home], the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to...."

"Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Well, aren't you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for..."

"When the servant girl saw [Peter] standing [outside while Jesus was being abused by the guards], she began telling the others, "This man is definitely..."

"In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. As they were at the table eating [the Passover meal], Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, one of you..."

"[After people said the money for the expensive perfume the woman poured on Jesus' head should have gone to the poor, he said,] "You will always have....."

"It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for..."

"Some of those at the table were indignant [that the woman poured the perfume over Jesus' head]. "Why waste such expensive perfume?" they asked. "It..."

"And [Jesus] took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to [the Twelve], and they all drank from it. And he said to them, "This is my..."

"Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted when they heard...."

"[When Jesus said, "I Am,"] the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his..."

"[The soldiers and Temple guards who arrested Jesus, took him] to the high priest's home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of..."

"[When the guards took Jesus away], Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter..."

What do you do about those iceberg dates on your calendar that seem to sink you? Phil Ware comes in right after Valentine's Day and reminds us about iceberg dates on our calendar that tend to sink us and overwhelm us with feelings of being alone, being failures, and being abandoned but that we can overcome them by crying out to Jesus

"[After the high council said that Jesus deserved to die,] some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists......"

"On the way, Jesus told [the Twelve], "All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be..."

"Jesus asked [the armed crowd], "Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?""

"Greatly distressed [when Jesus said one of the Twelve would betray him], each one asked in turn, "Am I the one?""

"On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go to..."

"Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While [Jesus] was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful..."

"Then [Jesus] returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?""

"[Jesus said,] "But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.""

"[Jesus] went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by."

"And immediately, even as Jesus said [to Peter, James, and John that his betrayer had arrived], Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a..."

"[When Jesus was arrested,] all his disciples deserted him and ran away."

"As [Jesus and the Twelve] were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take..."

"But Peter denied [having been with Jesus]. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster...."

"Peter said to [Jesus], "Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.""

"[Jesus] replied, "[The one who will betray me] is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me.""

"Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter — this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.""

"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

"[After Judas betrayed Jesus to the mob,] one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest's slave, slashing off his ear."

"[After Jesus found Peter, James, and John sleeping rather than praying, he] left them again and prayed the same prayer as before."

"It has been thought by some that as long as Peter lived, the fountain of his tears began to flow whenever he remembered his denying his Lord. It is..."

"Jerusalem at the time of the passover was one great inn; each householder had invited his own friends, but no one had invited the Saviour, and he had...."

"[Jesus] told [Peter, James, and John], "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.""

"[Jesus continued,] "For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It..."

"It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for..."

"When [Jesus] returned to [the disciples] again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn't keep their eyes open. And they didn't know what to say."

"[After the woman had poured expensive perfume on Jesus' head, he said,] "I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the..."

"[To the armed mob that came to arrest him, Jesus said,] "Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these....."

"But Jesus replied, "Leave [the woman who poured perfume on my head] alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me?""

""Abba, Father," [Jesus] cried out, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done,....."

Will I run in faith to follow the Jesus of the empty tomb even if it means I have to follow him to a cross of my own? James Nored and Phil Ware share in video, words, and images some of the many reasons Christians have to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and is Lord, Christ, Jesus, and Son of God!

Why would God lead us into temptation? Doesn't God want us victorious over temptation? Phil Ware and Andy Johnson help us look at our prayer for deliverance from temptation and the evil one.

How can these grave clothes speak of a better hope? Phil Ware continues his series that parallels The Story and he brings us to the resurrection of Jesus through the humiliation of his disciples and himself and tying his message to the garments of Jesus.

How dare we address God in this way? Phil Ware continues his series on the Holy Spirit by talking about God being Abba Father.

Since God so carefully created our world with splendor, how much more will he not also care for us as his beloved children? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to glorify God for making us his children and promising to never leave us.

Communion is a reminder of why we belong at the Father's Table of grace. Phil Ware reminds us that the cross was personal to Jesus and to us and because of it, we come to God as our 'Abba Father.'

What's true about the NCAA Basketball Tourney and life? Phi Ware reminds us that while the one and done principle is true in much of life, Jesus changed it for us in regard to sin.

While we can get frustrated by our lack of choices about some things in life, the most important choice of all is ours because of Jesus! Max Lucado reminds us about our freedom to choose Jesus and eternal life or not.

Mary yielded her life completely to the LORD's call, discipline, and purpose for her. Will I? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to say thank you to our moms and call us to surrender to the discipline and transformation God is working in our lives.

Will I run in faith to follow the Jesus of the empty tomb even if it means I have to follow him to a cross of my own? James Nored and Phil Ware share in video, words, and images some of the many reasons Christians have to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and is Lord, Christ, Jesus, and Son of God, and how his love defined the way of Jesus through the cross to

As Jesus journeyed into Jerusalem that last time, he had reached the point where he was going to gamble everything on the cross. Phil Ware continues his series of insights on living the CRUCIFORMED life Jesus calls all disciples to live on his way to the cross.

Prayer that the Father hears is directed to him in faith with an unselfish attitude, seeking to bless and honor God's will because of our love for the Father. Bill Sherrill reminds us about the importance of prayer and how we should pray to honor God.

What do you really know about prayer? Rubel Shelly helps us think about the mystery of prayer.

How do you solve the unsolvable and not remain anxious? Rob Woodfin ponders the imponderable and seeks answers to our greatest question, how do I not let anxiety control me, and reminds us of God's grace.

Do you know where you will splash down? Phil Ware concludes his series on the 7 sayings of Jesus from the Cross, this one about "into your hands I commit my spirit" and comparing it to a child learning to jump off the edge of a pool toward his or her parent.

How remarkable that Jesus felt such fear. But how kind that he told us about it. Max Lucado reminds us that Jesus made all sorts of faces as he lived life much as we do, and because he has been where we are, even in the darkest of times, we can turn to him and find grace to help us in our times of need.

This is no joking matter when you are in the bear's woods! Phil Ware talks about bear attacks in Alaska and also how Satan attacks us and reminds us that Jesus is our assurance that we are never alone when we are attacked and he has worked to defend us.

What have you broken open for the Lord? The woman anointed Jesus with perfume and Jesus made sure no one would ever forget it.

Who does Jesus value most? We will be judged by how we cared for the least, the left out, and the lonely.

How can this happen? Phil Ware takes a weird note in his inbox and uses Johnny Cash and his comebacks to remind us that Jesus gives us the ultimate comeback, he forgives, purifies, and heals.

Why would the sinless Son give himself, surrender his life and his dignity, to save those who were ungodly, helpless, sinners, and enemies of God? James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that Jesus gave his life for us because of his love for us and his unwillingness to leave us in sin and how his love defined

They all abandoned Jesus except for this one group! Phil Ware continues his series of reflections on the importance of women in the Bible, to Jesus, to Paul, and to the early church.

How do we combine both reverence and familiarity, respect and intimacy? Phil Ware and Doug Peters remind us what it means to pray to God as our Abba Father and then give us some pratical ways that we can experience God as Abba in our prayer life.

Many of us have experienced the goodness of God through the life of a woman of faith who helped shape us and mold us in our personal walk with Jesus. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to give thanks for the godly women of faith in our lives.

Can we really learn to serve and bless each other? Joe Beam answers questions about a husband's desire and the need for lovemaking in marriage for the wife.

When we choose our way, when we think we must be true to what we feel rather than what Jesus said, we find ourselves opposing the work of Christ. Phil Ware reminds us that authentic ministry involves listening for the will of God in time in God's presence, genuine compassionate and personal care for those who are broken, and obedience to Jesus as our Lord.

Prayer changes something much more important than our circumstances! Phil Ware continues his series on building a culture of honor focusing this week on prayer, especially prayer as a redemptive tool of offering forgiveness and blessing to those who are our enemies and who mistreat us.

What have you done for Jesus lately? How well do we care for the least of these -- the poor, the hungry, the tired, the faitn.

Why is it so important that God be called Father? Phil Ware continues his series on the Prodigal Son called the Journey Home about the God we all need to be our Father.

Jesus' trials focused on his true identity. James Nored and Phil Ware share in word and video the meaning of Jesus' trials before Pilate, Herod, and the Jewish Ruling Council.

How can we follow in the same pattern doing the same ol' thing yet it appear on the surface as something very different? Phil Ware continues his series on the prodigal son called the journey home, this message is about how both sons wanted the same thing and both loved the father's stuff more than they loved the father.

Jesus' trials focused on his true identity. James Nored and Phil Ware share in word and video the meaning of Jesus' trials before Pilate, Herod, and the Jewish Ruling Council.