Jewels from Jesus: Protecting our Crown

There are steps we should take to protect our crowns. Taking care of our crowns should be proactive and not reactive. Jesus took a proactive approach to defend our crown, which are some jewels we can learn.

Jewel 1: Rest

Rest is essential for being fit for the assignment that he has called you to. Rest is rejuvenation; when I rest, I have clarity, and my work is more accurate. I'm more patient with myself and others, and I love better.

Jesus also modeled physical rest. He fell asleep in a boat with the disciples amid a raging storm (Mark 4:35-41)

The Wind Ran Out of Breath

35-38 Late that day, he said to them, "Let's go across to the other side." They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A massive storm came up. Waves poured into the ship, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, "Teacher, is it nothing to you that we're going down?"

39-40 Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you, such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?"

41 They were in absolute awe, staggered. "Who is this, anyway?" they asked. "Wind and sea at his beck and call!"

Jewel 2: Fast

. Fasting is deliberate abstinence from physical gratification—usually without food for some time—to achieve a greater spiritual goal. Fasting is intentionally denying the flesh to gain a response from the Spirit. When fasting, you say "no" to yourself and "yes" to God.

I typically fast for three reasons:

  • The closeness I gain on a fast propels me to learn the depths of God

  • Clarity on what God wants me to do in this season or my next

  • Confidence to execute what he told me to do

Fasting brings a sense of calmness to my life, which I appreciate, and increases my endurance level through trials and triumphs.

Matthew 4:1-3

Test

4 1-3 Next, Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting for forty days and forty nights. That left him in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first Test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.

Jewel 3: Service-Filled Life

Jesus was a carpenter and the Messiah; he came to do what we didn't do and can't do. Die on the cross for our sins; he was the one who had no sin, died for my sins. He was about his Fathers business; his father's business included but was not limited to teaching, feeding, blessing, and healing.

Matthew 14-17-21-The Message

17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.

18 "Bring them here to me," he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Healing

Luke 8:43-48-The Message

43-45 In the crowd that day, there was a woman who, for twelve years, had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors, but no one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus' robe. At that very moment, her hemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, "Who touched me?"

When no one stepped forward, Peter said, "But Master, we've got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you."

46 Jesus insisted, "Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me."

47 When the woman realized she couldn't remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched him and how at that exact moment, she was healed.

48 Jesus said, "Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!"

Jewel 4: Join The Journey of the Jewels with Others

Bring others on the journey with you. This is why mentorship and discipleship are essential. When Jesus ascended, he gave us the Holy Spirit, the helper and third member of the Trinity. By the time Jesus' ascension happened, his training program of 12 was already established. The one Jesus trains 12 is over 2,000 years later, and we are still talking about Jesus. I'm not saying choose 12; I am saying choose thrower to help advance God's kingdom agenda.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles: Luke 6:12-16- The Message

12 One day soon afterward, Jesus went up to a mountain to pray to God all night. 13 At daybreak, he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:

  • 14 Simon (whom he named Peter)

  • Andrew (Peter's brother)

  • James

  • John

  • Philip,

  • Bartholomew

  • 15 Matthew

  • Thomas

  • James (son of Alphaeus)

  • Simon (who was called the zealot)

  • 16 Judas (son of James)

  • Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)

Comments:

Keonna Shaw: Me reading this blog was so timely. I started off my week with the exact same scriptures in Jewel 1. Thank you for writing! They are all essential. 👑

TEdra KnoxComment