MY FRIENDS, WILL WE EVER SWEAT DROPS OF BLOOD?

Nov. 2 2016

MY FRIENDS, WILL WE EVER SWEAT DROPS OF BLOOD?

The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome.

Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. (E.G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 324) My friends, the sense of urgency permeates everything we do. because we are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. We are living “at that time Michael, the great prince who protects our people, will [soon]arise.

And a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people, everyone whose name is found written in the book–will be delivered.” Danial 12:1 (NIV) So as a church and as individuals How are we preparing? How did Christ prepare for Calvary the one who gave it all for our salvation? That was his time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until He rose on Sunday morning?

So how did He prepare to go through such a time, was it business as usual? “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:44 (NKJV) My friends, how hard does one have to pray before their sweat is like drops of blood? And in reality how hard does one have to pray before they even begin to sweat period?

“Hematohidrosis is a very rare condition in which an individual sweats blood. Fear and intense mental contemplation are the most frequent causes of sweating blood.“ Clearly, our Savior was in “intense spiritual agony.” The Son of God, the weight of your sins the weight of my sins and of course the weight of the world on one human’s shoulders.

He knew He would be spat upon, slapped, scourge, dragged through the streets like a common criminal carrying a cross that we should have been carrying. Remember this is humanity that would feel everything as excruciating and painful as we would feel under the same conditions. The cross my friends that’s what His drops of blood was all about “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself.

[set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. Luke 9:23-24 (AMP)

And my friends, “if you have ever tasted and seen the sweetest of love Where our heart becomes free And our shame is undone,” then daily we cry out Lord, fill the atmosphere in my life with your Spirit and glory, because the alternative is separation from your presence.