Lean In To Jesus

Jesus didn’t just die for you; He wants to live with you.

Discipleship is the process of following Jesus to become more like Him. Spend time with Him. Watch Him closely. Lean in. Spend your life getting to know the King.

Jesus’ disciples are willing to follow him anywhere with joy. But that’s the challenge isn’t it? Deciding to follow Jesus is one thing. But how do you keep walking with Him when it’s hard, when it hurts, when it doesn’t feel like God’s plan at all? How do you stay close to Jesus when the circumstances just make you want to run away and hide?

When you commit, anytime, anywhere, at any cost, to do anything, you don’t just end up with the promise of the kingdom, you end up with the King. He didn’t just die for you; He wants to live with you. When it feels scary and uncertain, when you’re not sure where Jesus is leading you, get closer to Him. 

Jesus is always for you; he’s always leading you, always loving you. He is there to guide and correct, to encourage and empower you. If it feels like God is condemning you, take a closer look at that voice. God does correct us, but He always offers us a way forward. Sometimes it's hard to recognize which voice is God's. 

“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:14)

When you don’t have the strength, the energy, the grace or the love to do what He’s asking you to do, rely on the Holy Spirit. Invite Him into your circumstances. Discipleship is the process of following Jesus to become more like Him. Spend time with Him. Watch Him closely. Lean in. Spend your life getting to know the king. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

 

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." (John 15:16)

Whatever you ask the Father — in Christ’s name — it will be given unto you.

This is the method by which God supports Jesus’ disciples. 

Christ gives more specifics in Matthew 6:26-33:

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:26-33)

Within these verses, we find three powerful truths:

1. God is powerful to provide – He provides for the fowls of the air. Surely he can provide for us. He shares his beauty with the lilies. Surely he can give us that. He clothes the grass. Surely he can clothe us.

2.We are dependent on God – As the verse says, we cannot ‘think’ and automatically add ‘one cubit unto’ our stature. We have to work using our God given energy, breath and bodies to do anything significant. Therefore, even if we think we are independent, we still borrow our breath, bodies and capacity for movement from God. We are wholly dependent on him for just these gifts!

As we begin to recognize our dependence on God, will become teachable, obedient and forgiving. We recognize this easier when we feel vulnerable. Wealth and security–however–can give a false impression of independence.  If we start to feel independent, let us remember this one fact: We still come from dust, and that is where our bodies will eventually go. We are nothing without God.

3.He will bless his servants – As we learn to be dependent on Him, we pray more. We may even plead with God. Then, we feel the spirit more. We follow his counsel through the second comforter, the Holy Ghost. We are blessed with humility to follow God’s will. Our faith increases bit by bit, as a mustard seed grows.

These are some of the fruits talked about in John 15:16. As we go about his service, we can ask for anything and fully expect to receive. This is because our motives are aligned with God’s motives. This came about by yielding our hearts to him in part because we recognize our dependence on him.

Lastly, we must be careful not to ask in selfishness as warned in: 

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:3) 


As Christians, we are to reflect Christ, and one of the things that God emphasizes about Himself more than anything is that He is a God who keeps His promises. And don’t think that it was easy for Christ to keep His promise because He knew what it would cost Him. 

Remember the drops of blood in the garden? Remember that carrying through in a commitment that had unforeseen challenges in it demonstrates your trust in God seeing you through these challenges. There are times to apologize and admit your failure when you committed to something unhealthy or damaging in some way. 

However, we need to consider the beauty of Christ’s faithfulness in keeping His promises, what it would have meant for us if He backed out because it became too hard, and seek to follow in His footsteps.

After all, isn’t that what a disciple does?

The Lord is calling you to begin a deeper relationship with Him.

Today's Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being 100% faithful in all of Your promises, so that we can trust all Your breathtaking promises for the future. Please help us to image You in our commitments to each other, whether big or small. Lord, I want to be a true disciple. Help me live with You every day. Amen.

Hope for the Broken

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. (Psalm 71:20)

The Psalmist here conveys the one feeling that keeps believers going even when they face bitter troubles in their earthly sojourn - HOPE. 

The world is filled with broken people. Every one of us tries to avoid the things that involve pain, suffering, and sorrow. Some of us are better at hiding it than others, but if we’re honest, we all have shame. We’ve all been damaged in one way or another. 

Millions of people all over the world are searching for a ray of hope. 

I recently heard a desperate person say that in the midst of her suffering and pain, the only thread of hope she could find was to repeat over and over the name, JESUS.

Thankfully, our God is a God of restoration.

So, poor hurting soul, I offer to you the handiwork of Our Lord Jesus Christ. His message is alive and well in the hearts of countless numbers of His followers around the globe. His voice is demonstrated with every helping hand reached out to the desperate all around us. 
His message is seen in every soup kitchen, homeless shelter, and act of Christian charity. His life can be seen in the kind eyes and generous hearts of His devoted followers. 

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise  him, my Savior and my God”  (Psalm 42:5 NIV).

Isaiah spoke about Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus' birth. Isaiah put it this way,

 "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Isaiah 42:3).

Jesus came to bring hope to the world. Hope is so often in short supply in our world. Fear and negativity can cloud our vision of the future. Jesus has come for those whose hope is failing.

Matthew quoted him,...
 "He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with his final victory. And his name will be the hope of all the world" 
(Matthew 12:20-21).

His name is not only the hope of the world at large. He is the hope for the weakest and smallest person. He is the hope for us all. He takes us, weak as we are, and builds on the smallest glimmer of hope.

No matter what we face today, Jesus is our HOPE. Even if we're weak and our hope is small, He has come to give us a bright picture of tomorrow. We can rest in that.

So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
(Romans 15:13)

We as believers in Jesus Christ can continually hope that God who has called us into fellowship with him through his son will surely deliver us, though we see troubles, many and bitter in our lives too.

We followers of Christ can offer HOPE  because of one man, one God, one Lord. 
- Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus desires to enter into our brokenness and bring wholeness to all areas of life. He wants to restore the places where our sin has brought pain or lessened our joy. 

When Jesus walked the earth, He was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1). 

He fulfilled His Father’s purpose to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and heal the brokenhearted.

Without God, there can be no hope, no joy, no peace, and no true love. Without God, the world is bankrupt. And without His perfect love, the broken pieces of our lives will never be put back together.

You're not the only one who feels alone in your brokenness. Invite God to enter into your brokenness; He promise to bring peace and healing.

So invite Him into your brokenness. He wants to make you whole again.

Today's Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,
I invite You to come into the area of my life that has been completely shattered. Heal me, restore me, and give me the joy and peace that only You can bring. Amen.

Choose to Follow the Truth

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. (Luke 20:19)

The teachers of the law were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus! The truth of his words cut to their hearts and they needed to not only be rid of his message, but his entire being! This sentiment is reiterated several times by Luke:

Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words. (Luke 19:47-48)

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. (Luke 22:1-2)

Have you ever noticed that one simply cannot get rid of Jesus when confronted by the truth of Him? No matter how hard one tries–pretending He doesn’t exist, or ignoring Him, or closing our ears and hearts, or seeking any other way to silence Him–it does not negate the fact that He is truth, and that He presents us with a choice of whether or not to follow Him.

We see this “choice” throughout all of Scripture: People are clearly given the choice between following the world and following God. God simply does not want us to do a limping dance between the two options–a divided mind and heart will never stand.

For example, we find in 1 Kings the confrontation between the prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel:

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." (1 Kings 18:21)

Joshua also presented the people of Israel with a clear choice:

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)

In the New Testament, we see Peter and John faced with this same choice … and then turning that choice back to their accusers:

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:13-20)

Take It to Heart

Jesus came as the light of the world and He has left us here to shine forth His light through our words and our deeds. We are to be Jesus! And just like Peter and John, we must be bold in professing to others what we have seen and what we have heard! Jesus tells us:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

“We are holding a light … Though it may seem but a twinkling candle in a world of blackness, it is our business to let it shine. We are blowing a trumpet … We must keep sounding the alarm to those who are in spiritual danger … We are kindling a fire. In this cold world full of hatred and selfishness our little blaze may seem to be unavailing, but we must keep our fire burning. A light, a trumpet, a fire … they seem so little … But ‘with God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26), and He will bless our efforts to bring the good news of Jesus to a weary and strife-torn world.” (Billy Graham)

Wisdom and Favor

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)

Oh, the great economy of words in Scripture! Wouldn’t you like to know more about the childhood of Jesus than simply what this one verse tells us? Why on earth did God not tell us more? Unless, of course, this was sufficient? Scripture tells us that we are to walk as Jesus did:

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.(1John 2:6)

Since God does everything perfectly, maybe we should examine this verse a bit deeper.

At first blush, these words appear to let us know that Jesus grew up. While it is perfectly normal and predictable for a child to grow physically, it is neither human nature nor predictable for a child to grow in wisdom and favor with God and men! Jesus, being both totally God and totally man, possessed in his precious infant body the “fullness of the God-head” (Colossians 1:19).

Just as his body was in the infant stage, so was His wisdom and favor. It was perfection for that stage. As He grew in stature, He also grew in wisdom and favor to perfection for each stage. While we will never reach perfection on this side of heaven, we are still called to pursue wisdom and favor. 

The Bible is filled with verses to this end:

Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding. (Proverbs 2:2)

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. (Proverbs 2:6-8)

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. (Proverbs 3:13-18)

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)

We are told in Scripture that in Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). 

As we grow up in Christ, we grow up in wisdom, and with this we find favor with God and men. Have you ever noticed in Scripture how many years God takes in readying or growing up His vessels for use? Abraham waited twenty-five years for Isaac, the promised child of covenant; Joseph spent thirteen years in preparation before becoming a leader in Egypt; Moses was forty years tending sheep for his father-in-law; David, Paul, and many more all waited for the “time to fully come.” Even Jesus prepared for thirty years for His three year ministry. Just as building muscles takes time, growing in wisdom and holiness takes time.

Since we are commanded in Scripture to grow in wisdom and holiness. 

How do we go about making it happen? Here are a few suggestions:

* We must be in God’s Word daily. Even if it is just a verse, it is profitable.

* We must apply God’s truth to our life. What we learn by being in His word, we should apply. All the head knowledge in the world will not help us grow until it is actually fleshed out. We live what we believe to be true. And we grow or go backwards, whichever the case may be, as we live our lives. We must hide God’s Word in our hearts. This keeps us from sinning, strengthens our prayer life, and allows us to live a life that glorifies Him.

* We must pray, pray, pray.


The promise of Scripture is this:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14)

Take It to Heart

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus, being both totally God and totally man, possessed in his precious infant body the “fullness of the God-head” (Colossians 1:19).

As Jesus grew in stature, He also grew in wisdom and favor to perfection for each stage.

While we will never reach perfection on this side of heaven, we are still called to pursue wisdom and favor.

As we grow up in Christ, we grow up in wisdom, and with this we find favor with God and men.

Following God's Plan

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:13-22)

It’s not too difficult to discern one of the reasons why Joseph was picked to be the earthly father of our Lord Jesus: obedience. In the second of his four dreams, Joseph was told to get up and flee to Egypt because Jesus’ life was in danger. Joseph was neither aware of the specific danger nor how to avert it, and yet God directs him in precisely what to do. God even supplied the means by way of the gifts of the Magi. Everything was covered.

The safest place to be is always in the center of God’s will. Nothing ever takes God by surprise. To Joseph’s credit, when the angel of the Lord speaks to him in dreams, we discover him moving and moving quickly. So often we rebel against obedience by ignoring, delaying, questioning, dismissing, or fleeing from God’s directives. Seriously, when are we going to learn that God always has our best interest at heart? His way is often not the easiest way, but it is always the best way. It really boils down to trust.

The journey for Joseph and his young family to Egypt would be both inconvenient and perilous, yet Joseph remained steadfast to the heavenly vision he had received. He made no objection nor did he dawdle, but immediately got up and set out during the night making quick work of obedience.

Bit by bit the story continues to unfold for Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. Certainly God, who makes known the end from the beginning, could have given Joseph all of His instructions at once. Yet, as He most often chooses to do, God makes His way known gradually–revealing His mind and way in increments. He does this in order for us to be reminded of His faithfulness in leading and also to teach us to continue to listen for His still, small voice–waiting upon His instructions and trusting in His ways as best for our lives.

God always goes before us. Waiting upon His leading teaches us a myriad of things, not the least of which is patience and obedience. It never comes easy to wait–it is far easier to take matters in our own hands and run ahead. But we get usually find ourselves in trouble when we pursue the devices of our own imaginations.

God sent Joseph and his young family into Egypt and then he brought them out. We can be sure there is always purpose in His plans. He is leading even when we cannot readily discern it.

Take It to Heart
“God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.” (Elisabeth Elliot)

“In our walk with God we are told explicitly by Christ Himself that it would be His Spirit who would be sent to 'guide us and to lead us into all truth' (John 16:13). This same gracious Spirit takes the truth of God, the Word of God, and makes it plain to our hearts and minds and spiritual understanding. It is He who gently, tenderly, but persistently says to us, ‘This is the way–walk in it.’ And as we comply and cooperate with His gentle promptings a sense of safety, comfort and well-being envelops us.” (Phillip Keller)

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The safest place to be is always in the center of God’s will. Nothing ever takes God by surprise.

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Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.  (Psalm 27:11)

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God is good at being faithful!  - (James Bruce Evans)

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Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24)

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He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.  (Deuteronomy 32:4)

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I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.  (Psalm 27:13-14)

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“We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which He leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true they may not be smooth paths–they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead to the ‘city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God' … All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. Let’s put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, His purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy … His dear love will make us far more blessed than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the world’s fire.”  - (Charles Spurgeon)

God with Us

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel–which means, “God with us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:22-25)

We discover in our verses for today fulfilled prophecy. The Savior would be born of a virgin. God will fulfill His every Word! Jesus gives us a solemn declaration regarding this same principle later in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)

Since Matthew was writing primarily to a Jewish audience, the fulfillment of prophecy is consistently brought to the forefront. In the second chapter alone, we discover no less than four occurrences of prophecy being fulfilled through the life of Jesus. Matthew was ever pointing his audience to the fact that Jesus was indeed their long awaited Messiah!

In our verses today, Matthew cites the prophecy from the pen of Isaiah–almost word for word:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

The Savior of the world did not come from an empress or a queen. He did not appear with outward pomp or splendor. Rather, leaving His glory behind, He arrives in the womb of a poor young virgin, a reflection of spiritual purity. The highest and holiest entered this world through the most humble of doors.

The name “Immanuel” assures the people of God’s continued presence. To be sure, He is a “with us” God! Isn’t that wonderful news? The writer of Hebrews affirms this:
"God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'” (Hebrew 13:5-6)

God’s encouraging Word through the Prophet Isaiah comes to mind: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

We see the faithfulness of Joseph as he is obedient to God’s commands. He did not let his earthly concerns distract him from the eternal matter of obedience to the will of God. There was no delay in his actions. God was his strength and God’s presence was Joseph’s comfort and consolation.

We will always discover the sufficiency of our Lord Jesus when we follow His way and rely upon His strength and wisdom. With Him, nothing lacks value--even though at first blush, as in the case of Joseph, it seems difficult, confusing, and scary. God’s ways are not the ways of man.

Christ left His glory in heaven and entered the earth through humble doors and he lived out His earthly life in perfect obedience to the Father. He was despised and rejected, and yet, in the end, He was exalted: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

Take It to Heart

“Tarry not for a convenient time. The movings of the Spirit are never convenient to the interests of the flesh, and I shall engineer your circumstances to conform to My plan and My will. You will glorify Me; for My plan for you excels all other ways, and in the center of My will is a perpetual fountain of glory. Do not doubt or hesitate, for I the Lord your God go before you.

You already have My promise that the work I begin I am able to carry through to completion. Yes, there is already laid up an exceeding weight of glory for those who go through with Me and determine to seize the prize. For I have wealth beyond your fondest dreams to bestow upon those who have left all to follow Me. All the glittering enticements of this transient life are as chaff in comparison, for God’s gifts and calling never waver, and My giving is restricted only by the will and choice of the recipient.” (Frances J. Roberts)

Betrayed

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
(Luke 22:47-51)

In these verses we see the angry crowd led by one of Jesus’ own disciples–Judas. Judas, one of Jesus’ closest friends, betrays Him with a kiss. How ironic! To us, a kiss is generally a sweet sign of love, and in Bible times it was an act of friendship. Yet Judas desecrates and abuses it. Hmmm … I wonder how often we desecrate and abuse what is sweet and good?

“Man sees your actions, but God, your motives.”  (Thomas a Kempis)

“Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.”
(Charles Spurgeon)

God is looking for obedient behavior from His children stemming from proper motives! I am reminded of David’s words to his son Solomon regarding the building of the temple:

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work. (1 Chronicles 28:9-10)

Have you ever noticed that there are simply no secrets hidden from Jesus? Knowing full well who was to betray Him, Jesus was aware of Judas’ “secret” sign which would show the crowd accompanying him exactly who they were looking for to arrest.

I am reminded of God’s words in Jeremiah:

Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:24)

Nothing is outside the realm of God’s omniscience–nothing!

I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7)

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: 

My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. (Isaiah 46:10)

Betrayals
If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend. (Psalm 55:12-13)

"You will always be attacked in the place of your inheritance," said the man sitting across the breakfast table. "God has called you to bring people together and to impact other people's lives as a result of this anointing in your life. You must make sure that you seek to maintain righteousness in all of your relationships." Those words came from someone who had the wisdom and authority to speak them to me.

I have had a number of close relationships that ended in betrayal. I am very loyal to my friends and those with whom I have covenant relationships. Yet there are times that no matter how righteous you are, when someone means to betray you, he will do it. Loving those who betray you is "graduate-level Christianity." The religious community and one of His closest friends betrayed Jesus. Those who were closest to David betrayed him. Joseph's own family betrayed him. Loving our enemies cannot be accomplished by mustering it up. It can only happen when we have come to a death in ourselves so that Christ can love through us. It is truly one of those acts of identifying with the cross.


If you are a leader, you can be sure God will allow you to experience betrayal. It is one of those courses in the Kingdom that may not be required until God has seen that you have successfully passed other tests. It is the most difficult and most gut-wrenching of all tests. A godly response goes against all that is in us. Our natural response is to protect, retaliate, and retain unforgiveness and bitterness. Our natural response is satan's most powerful weapon; to overcome it requires much grace from God. Ask God to build His nature in you now so that when such attacks come, you will be aware that it is a test and you will respond in righteousness.

Take It to Heart

“Jesus is the One who shows us the paradoxical route to meaning in a chaotic and hostile world. It’s the paradox of the gospel: Strength is found in weakness. Control is found in dependency. Power is found in surrender … God uses the frustrations of this life and the hurt of relationships to compel us to look beyond what we can control to the God who controls all things in order to woo us to himself. As we move from control to surrender, we move from chasing the wind under the sun to embracing God above it.”

(Dan Allender, Breaking the Idols of You)

Don't Fall Asleep!

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”  (Matthew 26:40-45)

Ever been depressed over circumstances differing greatly from what was hoped or perhaps even prayed for? If so, you are in good company. These disciples, exhausted from sorrow, were experiencing such despair. Much more than just mere followers of Jesus, these guys were Jesus most trusted friends. But they were tired!

Oftentimes, we too are so discouraged over a situation that we choose to retreat in sleep, under the comfort of the comforter, when in reality our comfort must come from the Comforter!

Jesus cries out to us: “Why are you sleeping?”

“He speaks as one amazed to see them so stupid. How small a thing it was that he expected from them–only to keep watch with him. If he had bid them do some great thing, or die with him, they thought they could have done it; and yet they could not do it, when he desired them to keep watch with him … Yet, He considered their frame, and did not chide them, for he remembered that they were but flesh.” (Matthew Henry)

Friend, this is our hour! Jesus admonishes us to watch and pray, emphasizing the weakness of the flesh even though our spirits are so well-intentioned!

Paul warns:

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

He adds in the book of Ephesians:

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to always be praying and alert, not only when the enemy attacks, but on all occasions.

“Labor to get a deep sense of the majesty of God, and of his mercy, upon thy mind, that thy prayers may be fervent and earnest; and God will bless thee.” (C.H. Bogatzky)


Take It to Heart

Let all of our trials lead us to earnest prayer. May we pray from the heart! As we call upon the Lord, He will hear us and He will help us.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:12-13)