As Jesus enters His time of ministry, the pace of the Gospel message seems to kick into high gear.

Miracles, teachings, deep discussions with His disciples, and special encounters with all sorts of broken people fill the last three years of Jesus' life with intensity and purpose.

Reading about this time in His life from the perspective of one who knows what is about to happen on the cross, you can almost hear the swelling of music as each page turns.

This morning, I read about His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His weeping over their lack of understanding of who He truly is.

Jesus knew so much more than the people knew about what was coming next, and yet He moved steadily forward, knowing that with every step He not only neared His death.....He neared His resurrection.

It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine of life on this planet and forget what happened years ago in a tiny town in a far-away country that changed mankind forever.

There's something about reading the Gospels that reminds me that everything I do here on Earth has no real meaning unless it's tucked inside a greater purpose.

There's something about understanding that Jesus willingly did for you and for me exactly what needed to be done in order to cover the cost of all our sins and shortcomings.

I'm thankful that excitement grew as Jesus neared His time on Calvary.

Even though it's difficult to imagine how a crowd went from cheering Him into town while waving palm branches to screaming, "Crucify Him!" just a few days later, I'm thankful it's all recorded for us to read today.

Reading it reminds me of how fickle human beings can be.

Reading it reminds me of how easy it is to flip from being a friend to a foe.

Reading it reminds me of how much I love Him, because I see Him on the donkey in my mind and I want to run and hug Him.

I want to step out into the crowd of mockers and shout, "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU THINKING?"

At the same time, I am struck with how often I have that chance and do nothing.

I realize how quickly I flip from being passionate for Him to preoccupied with worldly concerns.

I see in me the very things I don't understand about the crowds in Jerusalem, and I understand why Jesus wept.

We live in an intense time in history.

While we can't see the future, there's a lot of reasons to believe that Jesus will surely come back soon.

Just as we have no idea when that day will be, neither does the devil.

And I have to wonder if he is a little panicked lately.

It's almost as if everywhere you turn, the devil is trying desperately to steal, kill, and destroy as much as he can as quickly as he can.......

before his time runs out.

I don't want to be one of those people in the crowd who sways back and forth depending on where I am or who I'm with at the time.

I want to be a sold-out, 100% follower of Jesus.

I want to keep my palm branch waving.

I want to shout, "Hosanna in the highest!" no matter how beaten down Christianity may look in the world's eyes.

The Gospel message is intense.

So is life today.

Don't get so caught up in the happenings around you that you forget who rode into town on a donkey years ago for you...........

Knowing that as He entered this chapter of life, He was entering a season of rejection, pain, and earthly death.

He saw the cross, but He also saw the resurrection.

Today, if you face things that are hard, if you face things that are confusing, if you face things that make you want to quit,

remember Jesus did too.

But He kept pressing forward knowing victory was on the other side of all of it.

It's on the other side for you too!

Have a wonderful Tuesday and know you are loved deeply!