Matthew 26:36-46 NKJV

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

39He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

44So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

We live in a day and time in the world where the world is very unsettled, and where Christians are being persecuted and killed for their walks of faith in Jesus Christ. Even in the USA where I live, although we don’t yet have Christian persecution to the point of beatings, imprisonments, and putting them to death for their faith, as a general rule and practice, those who are faithful to God in service and in sharing the truth of the gospel that Jesus taught are being persecuted, lied about, ignored, mocked, and rejected.

And what is being put to death is the truth of the gospel. And it is largely being replaced with an altered half-truth (lie) which leaves the “believers” still dead in their sins, still without hope of salvation from sin, still wandering in their sin aimlessly and not obeying God and his commands in practice. And they call this “grace.” And they claim this is what Jesus died for, just to forgive us our sins so when we die we get to go to heaven and not hell. But Jesus died to deliver us out of bondage to sin so we will obey his commands.

And the world as we know it is crumbling. Nations are falling one by one and are being brought into subjection to a one world government which is not of the people or for the people but which is being controlled by a certain number of people who are very rich and powerful who are the ones truly running the world. The economy in my nation appears to be crashing while the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. And our form of government appears to be crumbling, as well, leading us to this one world government.

Wickedness is all over the place, in the world and in the gatherings of what are called “churches,” too. Lies and liars abound in and out of “the church,” as do manipulators, con artists, hypocrites, thieves, and crooks. “Wolves in sheep’s clothing” are posing as “pastors” of “churches,” and they are leading the masses to believe the lie and to reject the truth of what it means to believe in Jesus and to be saved from our sins and to have eternal life with God. Most do not teach death to sin and obedience to God as faith in Christ.

What we are seeing is what the Scriptures warned us about that would take place near the time of our Lord’s return. This is a lot like the days of Noah where people are eating and drinking and partying like today is just another day, and as though tomorrow will always come, and as though we will always have what we have now, and as though our government is not crooked, and as though God is not going to judge the people of this world, and as though we don’t need to get the gospel to the people of the world.

But, as Jesus was facing the reality of his death to come, and of the betrayal of one of his 12 disciples, which was going to bring about his death, and what he knew it was going to cost him, and how painful it was going to be – but not just the beatings and the death on the cross, but him taking upon himself the sins of the entire world – he knew that he must get down on his knees and pray to God the Father. He knew he must ask for the support of his disciples, too, that they would watch with him and pray to God.

And knowing what he was up against, and how horrible this all would be, there was that part of him which was human which cried out to God that he would not have to endure this suffering. And yet he prayed every time, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” But it wasn’t just what was coming that was grieving him. It was that his disciples, in the weakness of their flesh, could not watch with him, but they kept falling asleep. So he again let them know the seriousness of what was soon to become a reality.

And this really represents where we are today. Jesus and his gospel message are being put to death, and they are being replaced with a “friendlier” version of both in order to pacify human flesh. And all this is going on while the world is being obliterated and people are dying at the hands of their enemies and while people who give the appearance of goodness are betraying the people of our nations in order to bring us all into the order of the Beast, where we will be forced to bow to the beast or to suffer for it.

And even though so much of this is happening right in front of our eyes to where we can’t miss it, so many professers of faith in Jesus Christ are still spiritually sleeping, still doing whatever pleases them and what makes them happy, even while our world is crashing and burning all around us and so many people are dying and going to hell because they did not believe in Jesus and by faith in him die to sin and obey his commands, in practice. So all of us need to have our eyes opened and live like tomorrow will not come.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Tick Tock

An Original Work / May 1, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Tick tock, tick tock, time is a passing.
The time on the clock keeps ticking
While the church is fast a-sleeping.
Satan’s on a rampage
‘Cause his time is running out.
Will you worship God the Father,
God the Son and Holy Spirit?
Will you obey all of His
Commands for you today?
Jesus died to pay your ransom,
So that you could be forgiven.
Won’t you come to Him in truth
And penitently pray to Him?

Tick tock, tick tock, time is a wasting.
The cross of our Lord awaits you.
Won’t you come and share His table,
Drink the cup and eat the bread
In memory of Him?
Take a heart examination,
And accept our God’s salvation.
Humbly bow in adoration
And proclaim His name.
He wants for you to believe in
Him who interceded for you
When He died for your sins
And He rose from death in victory.

Tick tock, tick tock, time’s end is nearing.
How He longs to take and keep you,
In His arms He wants to hold you,
If you will but come to Him
And call on Him today.
His desire is that you please Him
In all of your life’s ambitions;
Be a living sacrifice
And be transformed today.
Let Christ’s love and grace sustain you,
And His promises prepare you
For His soon return to earth
To gather all His saints to Him.

“Are You Still Sleeping and Resting?”
An Original Work / May 6, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love