Yesterday was one of those days of evaluation. As my wife headed to a 3 day conference, I took the time to meet with the Lord. And He seems to keep drawing me to the place of servanthood and what it truly means to Him(not what it means to me!).

And as Easter fast approaches (Praise God-40 days nearly over of a fast that has brought to light many areas the Lord desires to work with and a few He desires to remove!)my heart has been aware of Jesus and His last week here on earth.

From palms and clothing decorating the street for His comfort, to no one to bear His pain.

I have listened recently to a man's testimony of his extravagant lifestyle where God told him to give it all up. All his millions that had been illegally gotten, to a month and half later, nothing, working for someone else. He now has a ministry that is world reknown. A recent letter to try and bring him here was met with the response that he is solidly booked until the year 2001!!! From the "top" to the bottom, God is looking for foundational people who stand in integrity, with no wavering. Can you imagine turning the Empire State Building upside down? It wouldn't stand long! God is allowing our world to be shaken.

Nice cars(though I would like one that doesn't have 216,000 miles on it and the mechanic says "run it til it dies-no sense in putting money into it!), beautiful homes and lots of toys-they all rust and decay and don't last. Where so we go? Jesus was denied by His closest friends, but His treasure was stored in heaven. Undeniable to Him, in His account. At the same "bank" we have accounts with. What does yours and mine look like? Have we made wise investments-into the poor, the orphaned, the needy? Or have we unwisely taken our "money" (time) and taken it to another "bank". A bank with lower returns and unethical management. The scandalous kind-the kind that goes out of business benefitting a few and denying the majority?

From king to spit on. Torn apart and denied by you and I. Jesus and His last week on earth by the world's standards was a major failure. And yet to those of us who understand Him and His heart, we see that there was no other way. We may desire the success of man, but the way to the Kingdom often is not paved with palms and clothing, but with the sweat and the blood of One who loved us.