Judas or Jesus

As I was installing carpet in the Raws building today, a verse of scripture came to mind and a whole series of thoughts and questions began to run through my head.

It was the evening before Jesus crucifixion and the Twelve were gathered around the table breaking bread with Jesus. At some point, Jesus said, “one of you will betray Me.” They were astonished and grieved and yet each one had to ask Jesus, “is it I Lord?”

Is it I? Are you kidding me? Think about this for a minute. Twelve men who had been with Jesus for three years, had sat at His feet and heard His teachings, had heard the voice of God in the flesh, had looked right into His eyes!! And yet not one of them could say with 100% certainty in his heart that he was absolutely not the one who would betray Jesus. How can that be?!?! And even worse—what about me? How do I know I won’t betray Him?

The answer is, I will betray Him. And more than once.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)  The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

I am a sinner saved by grace—but I will turn my back on my Savior at times.  Twelve men who had the most intimate relationship any man on earth has ever had with Jesus and not one of them could be sure he was not the weak link—the “sinner” who would turn traitor to the living God.

Mark 9:24  “Yes I believe, help my unbelief.”

How is it I become “the traitor”? For me, it’s not that I ever stop believing that Jesus is Lord and all powerful God. It’s when I question if He is really going to do things when I want and how I want. I stop waiting on the Lord and take matters into my own hands, I stop believing His plan is better—I become a traitor—just like Judas. And, sadly, I usually pay a price for not exercising my faith the way I should.

By Gods grace and through Christ’s blood, I am forgiven.

Lord, forgive me when I take matters into my own hands and become a Judas—help my unbelief.  Amen – Steve Schmidt is a regular Freedom Fighter Blogger, a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and served full-time at America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 12-13; 1 John 3

Quote of the day: Love is kindled in a flame, and ardency is its life. Flame is the air which true Christian experience breathes. It feeds on fire; it can withstand anything rather than a feeble flame; but when the surrounding atmosphere is frigid or lukewarm, it dies, chilled and starved to its vitals. True prayer must be aflame. (E. M.) Bounds

Verse to Memorize:  The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more. Psalm 121:7-8