“And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.”

 “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.”  Luke 22:42 Even the Son of God, being part immortal needed angelic help. What makes us think that we can go it alone? That we can get through the day without prayer or without angelic help. Well, yes, we can and often do, but that help is there for us if we will but access it. We came to earth to be tested and tried and angelic help does not mean the experience will be removed any more than the cup was removed from Christ.

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

No mortal could have endured such agony, but being immortal Christ could not die. He willingly gave up his life. On the cross when he had finished all that needed to be done he said, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And having said thus he gave up the ghost or his mortal spirit and left this physical world. Luke 22:46

Christ did for us what we being totally mortal could not do for ourselves. Thus Jesus said unto Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”   (John 14:6)

Not my will, but thine be done

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus pled “Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.”  Luke 22:42 Think for a moment of the Son of God who had never sinned, never given into temptations, taking upon him the all the sins of the world. Oh, he was tempted by the devils as we all are. The devil said unto him after he had fasted for forty days, “If thou be the Son of God command these stones be made bread.” Luke 4:3 - 13

I cannot imagine fasting for forty days. When Edward was sick I fasted for many days until it made me sick with a kidney infection and I was forced to get nourishment into me. But the devil was not just asking him to break his fast. He was asking him to use his priesthood power unrighteously – for his own gain, but Christ, understanding who he was refused. And then the devil tempted him with power, which had been Lucifer’s downfall, but Christ being humble, knowing that he was only sent to do the will of the Father. Had he given in to that temptation he would have been no better than the devil that tempted him. The third temptation was to test his power that should he cast himself down the angels would save him. Again using his priesthood unrighteously

Interesting question here, did the devil have power to give to Christ? Yes. It is not as great as the power that Christ already had, but yes, priest craft or witchcraft is real. It works. We likewise have great power given to us as inhabitants of the world which we are free to use. See then that you use it wisely less you be cut off from the higher power. I don’t think most of us realize ( I know I didn’t)  that when we are angry with someone and we think bad thoughts about them it is the same as if we cast a curse or spell on them. “Whosoever shall say, thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire.” Matthew 5:22 – 26. In essence we are drawing upon the power of the devil when we allow ourselves to think these thoughts. Anger was given to us to help us discern between good and evil, but we need to be careful and not allow it to consume us.  

“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will.” And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

How it must have grieved the Lord that the apostles had walked and been taught by him for three years and yet they did not understand. “The Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat. (Luke 22:31)” Peter said, Oh, no, Lord I am willing to go with thee to prison or even death. Then the Lord said, before the cock crows three times you will deny me.

After they had eaten they went out into the Gethsemane. His disciples followed him. He said, “Sit here while I go and pray yonder.” He took Peter, James and John with him and became very sorrowful and heavy. He said, “My soul is very sorrowful even unto death, tarry ye here, and watch with me.” And he went a little further and fell on his face praying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will.” And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. Isn’t it wonderful that even our Lord, who was perfect in every way, could have help from above? How much more need have we then who are unworthy? Angels are standing by to help us, but we have to ask.

When the Lord finished praying, Judas came and betrayed him with a kiss. They took him away to be crucified, and Peter did indeed deny he knew him three times before the cock crowed.  I understand Peter’s agony for I too often think that I am stronger than I am.  

Do we know who we are?

After my twenty- eight year-old son died I had gone back to my hometown for a visit. As I visited with Aunt Virginia still grieving and being sad, she asked me what she could do to comfort me I then asked her to read Matthew 14 to me. I love the book of John and this chapter which begins “Let not your hearts be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me,” gave me comfort. Chapter 17 – the great intercessory prayer is another. Verse three reads  “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.”     

As I read the scriptures, as I attend my meetings I hear many things that servants of the Lord are abolished to do. Of all the things I could do, the thing I must do is to do the work God gave me to do. I know that the Lord knows my name and that before I left my Heavenly home I promised that I would do certain things. I think I have completed some of them. I think that finding the gospel, marrying Edward, giving birth to three children, praying over them in their times of discouragement and helping them find their way home to Heavenly Father has been part of it. In those glorious days when Edward and I were first married I thought I could have married anyone and it would have worked, but as the children grew up and left home Edward sank into depression.

I could have left him and no one would have blamed me, but after the trial, after he died, I came to realize that staying with him was one of those things I was sent here to do. I realized that maybe, just maybe in my pre- existence I knew what would happen and I loved him enough that I said send me. I will stand by his side and hold him up on the darks days. I will endure and love him to the end. I think I also saw the problems my children would face and I said I will be there for them. I will pray for them I will love them to the end.

I think of certain people who have likewise come into my life to strengthen me and to be an example to me. Among those are my Dad and his mother, my grandmother Stearns. I am so grateful for the wisdom and example they were to me. I am most grateful for my Lord and savior Jesus Christ who atoned for my sins on that old rugged cross. Without that atonement none of us could return home to Heavenly Father who loves us.  

Lord is it I?

When the hour was nigh Jesus sat at the table with his disciples. He had taught them and tried to prepare them for the time of his death.Luke records that after the bread and cup were passed that Christ said, "But behold the hand of him that betrayed me is with me on the table ... And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them should do this thing. Matthew records that (26:22) they were sorrowful, and began to say unto him, Lord is it I?"  A good question for us even today. Lord is it I that has betrayed your love, your trust?  But he atoned for each of us even Judas, but it is important that we recognize our failings, that we ask ourselves Lord is it I and then don't carry it and nurse and nurture that failing. Give it away. Acknowledge, honestly repent, and move on with your good works. 

Christ said "Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them" but they did not understand

Matthew 17:9- 13 Jesus charged them, saying tell no man the vision (Christ was transfigured before, Peter, James and John on the mount) And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things, but I say unto you that Elias has come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

We are told that the word elias means forerunner. Elias the prophet (and many others) had prophesized of Christ’s birth. You may remember that when the angle Gabriel came to Mary with the news that she would bear the Son of God he also told her that her cousin Elisabeth was in the sixth month with a son. Remember how Mary went to visit her cousin and when Elizabeth heard Mary’s salutation, the babe, who was to be named John, leap for joy in her womb.  So John was on the earth at the same time period as Christ and was the forerunner or, prepared the way for Christ ministry.

Christ is trying in the experience on the mount to prepare Peter, James and John for his pending atonement, death and resurrection. To prepare these three for their role in continuing His church, but they do not understand the time frame here. They did not understand that the restoration would not happen in their dispensation – that there would be an apostasy – a falling away first. Do we? Do we understand that before Christ comes the second time there must be a restoration and an elias? Do we understand that that gathering has already begun? That Christ lives? That his church is now upon the earth?