“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Matthew 26:41 NLT
Watch and Pray 2021
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Matthew 26:41 NLT
thedailylily.com 
The photo of the two beautiful look-alike dogs seems to perfectly illustrate your scripture, Sara. They are sitting up so straight; look so alert, watchful, vigilant, attentive, serious, and focused. The two sitting side by side remind me of when Jesus sent them out “two by two”.
Serious warning in this scripture.
The footnotes for Matthew 26: 40,41, from the NIV says: “ Jesus used peters drowsiness to warn him about the kinds of temptation he would sound face. The way to overcome temptation is to keep watch and pray. Watching means being aware of the possibilities of temptation, sensitive to the subtleties, and spiritually equipped to fight it. Because temptation strikes where we are most vulnerable, we can’t resist it alone. Prayer is essential because God‘s strength can shore up our defenses and defeat Satan‘s power“. I want to reiterate the footnotes….”Because temptation strikes where we are most vulnerable, we can’t resist it alone. Prayer is essential because God’s strength can shore up our defenses and defeat Satan‘s power.” 🤔
Debi has pointed out in her comment how alert these two beautiful dogs are, in the picture above. In 1 Peter 5:8 it says:
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
“Because temptation strikes where we are most vulnerable, we can’t resist it alone.” Tammy’s footnotes
“We can’t resist it alone,”it seems most, if not all, of us have a story or stories of times we have met face to face with temptation and joined in matrimony with the temp. Maybe we have a list of whys? Here are a few I’ve heard often, 1) everybody’s doing it 2) it’s family 3) fear of results 4)I just want to, I deserve it….
Then the mind says I don’t want to bother others I will just handle it myself. It’s not any of their business. They won’t keep my secrets. And, it might be a common knockout, unbelief?
Don’t resist it alone. Don’t you love how our doggies, Lucy and Livy are partners in their wait?
“Don’t resist it alone. Don’t you love how our doggies, Lucy and Livy are partners in their wait?”
Yes, I do. God can sure teach us a lot through His creatures and creation if we can pay attention and learn it. Sara, you give us some good practical advice on how to resist the temptation that Tammy’s footnotes tell us about.
And looking more into your statement/question, Sara, “And, it might be a common knockout, unbelief?”, I thought these two scriptures were helpful illustrations.
“The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.” Luke 8:13
I have noticed while working with plants how essential a deep root system is and that a plant will fall over and not be able to stand up unless anchored into its soil “partner” or intertwined with other surrounding plants and their roots that help support.
“You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.” I Cor 10:13
If lack of trust goes hand-in hand with unbelief, then I can see how Sara’s list of “whys” have that “common knockout”.
I love seeing the doggies peering out the door together. Perhaps having prayed and they are waiting to see what God will do.
I love the scripture “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak! Jesus who is strong song “Jesus Loves Me”
With the words spoken by Jesus during the Passover, Jesus knew His time had come. After communion He went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James, and John.. The events that had occurred that day were Jesus’s washing the disciples feet, feasting with Jesus, Mary anointed Jesus with precious perfume in readiness for His crucifixion. Judas left to betray Jesus, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper following the Passover meal. In Mathew 26: 26-30 NIV While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it. And gave it his disciples, saying it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “ Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he gave thanks, he had given thanks , he gave it to them, saying, “ Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant , which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Passover meal time ended and communion time began.
Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to pray the night before His crucifixion. Mathew 26: 36. Jesus said to them, “ Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” Vs 38 then he said “ my soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”vs 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “ My Father, if it be possible, let ‘this cup pass from me; ‘nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Vs 40-41. After an hour Jesus came back to the disciples and asked, “ could you not watch with me one hour?” Jesus then said, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
In my research:
What does stand still’ mean- have a relationship with Jesus
Why might the three disciples might have slept.
1. Drowsiness as the time was midnight.
2. Fatigue
3. Luke 22: 45. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief….”
4. Lack of stamina
5. Make excuses for not praying
Do I or you use one of these as why we don’t pray.
.
Watch means of period of time originally 4 hours and there were four watches in the night second watch at nine, the third at 12, 4th at 3 in the morning.
Watch was a period of time in which one person or set of persons stand as sentinels or guards are kept. ( remember what watch means spiritually)
Temptation means the trial of coming danger and persecution
Heard this morning that if you let down your faith gate Satan is right there to enter in so stay in relationship with Jesus , stay in the Word, and encourage each other in what God is
doing in your life, pray for the Lord’s protection as you journey here as pray.
Looking at other scriptures like Matthew 26: 41, I found
1 Peter 5: 8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion for someone to devour. So watch!
I feel this is the most important definition of watch. Know how to be a prayer warrior. Jesus will strengthen you to enable you to use the sword, the Word of God,win one battle after another for Jesus!
🎼Yes, Jesus loves me…🎼 Our photo, Lucy and Livy shows just how content we can be when we look unto the love given us by Jesus.
When I hear the words from “Jesus Loves me” and Rena talks about prayer and intercession I am reminded St Paul taught us how to pray for the beloved family of God, “ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3:18
Be blessed 2021!
I think it is so encouraging that if we desire to pray and as Rena wrote, “Know how to be a prayer warrior” that Sara provides the wisdom lesson and scripture on how to achieve this:
“I am reminded St Paul taught us how to pray for the beloved family of God, “ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3:18”
As I read on in Ephesians 3, looks like St Paul’s instructions were linked to God’s powerful results.