So how do you then manage the behaviour of the two and a half year old?
Managing a two and a half year olds behaviour.
13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."
18With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."
23But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.24So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
It appears to me that Pilate was unwilling to crucify Jesus and that the crowd demanded His death. This does not release him from his responsibility for the death of Jesus, He gave the order, so was it him who crucified Jesus?
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Jesus had done nothing worthy of the punishment He was now receiving, and He was more than capable of ending the suffering He was now enduring!
There is a painting by Rembrandt "The Three Crosses", in which it shows the cross of Jesus and the crowd below. The crowd in the painting show various facial expressions and actions of their involvement in the crucifixion of the Son of God. Some show dismay, some hurling insults, some smiling. I was thinking which group would I have belonged too? I know the sins I have committed helped nail Jesus to the cross. Like the thief I see that He did nothing to deserve the death He bore. It is one thing to say that Jesus died for the sins of the world, its another to say He died for MY sins, to say that I am guilty of murder, to say that I play a part in His death is a shocking thought!
So who crucified Jesus? The answer is simple...... I did!
6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
I am in a battle one with my mind, hopes and dreams and the words of God.
I know I have so much to be thankful for. I know I am rich far beyond what I deserve! So why do I find myself always wanting more?? I hate it! I am never satisfied with what I have. I am selfish and ungrateful.
I wish I could pluck this out of my heart and just be content! Not by gaining worldly possessions or stuff I want but by just being content with what I have right NOW! Content in Jesus! I spend time reading His word and realise how far short I fall. Paul was so in love with Him and His people. He was passionate about the Gospel and sharing it with others. He was unafraid to stand up for Jesus even when it meant jail and beatings. I want that passion! I want to live for Jesus like that no matter the cost! Everything here on earth will fade away. Only Jesus and your eternal state with Him, will one day matter so why am I so attached to this world and it's stuff! It's not where I belong!
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
22 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
God know's what I need which is different to what I want! I need to trust Him He will provided what is required to do His work. I want to be useful and not stressed about things. I want a faith like a child who so unconditionally trusts their parent. Please give me Faith like that Lord.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
Chapter 7
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
