Acts 1:15-20 – “And at this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 “For he was counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry.” 18(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no man dwell in it’; and, ‘His office let another man take.’”  NASB

Almost immediately upon hearing the name Judas Iscariot or Benedict Arnold, the word traitor, comes to mind.  Judas is easily seen as a villain as we are reminded that he sold our LORD to the chief priest for 30 pieces of silver.  He is, but it would serve us well to remember how he began.

In our own American history, there was a general in 1776 who led a regiment into Canada.  It is reported that by the time they arrived they were barely alive and still they fought bravely at the Battle of Saratoga.  This general was placed in command of the fort at West Point.  The British forces in New York seemed to be in peril but suddenly their fortunes turned when this general sent a secret message offering to sell West Point for 20,000 pounds.

Imagine that! A man that had saved the America cause at Saratoga, now willing to sell out the country he had risked his life for.  Benedict Arnold died a traitor even though he began so well.  What was the root of is fall into disgrace?  It is reported that he was extremely dissatisfied with the American patriots.  He married a loyalist and her influence was immeasurable.  He was deeply in debt and had been reprimanded at a court-martial for misappropriation of government property.  He began well but allowed the little foxes to spoil his promising vine.

JUDAS HAD WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED…

He was a man greatly favored.  I say that without reservation because he was handpicked by Jesus as one of the twelve apostles.  He was given the responsibility of handling the team’s money.  He was apparently respected and trusted by the group.  It appears that he was intelligent and capable.  In fact, he was not even suspected by the others when Jesus announced that one would betray our Lord.

Judas had intimate fellowship and a close association with Jesus.  He had exercised, along with the others, power over the forces of darkness, healed the sick and cast out devils.  I can state that as a fact because of Matthew 10:1 – “And having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”  Judas had experienced the power of God in his life.  Before anyone insists that he was a tool of the devil from the beginning we must remember the words of Jesus in Mark 3:23 – “How can Satan cast out Satan?”

This will be a sticking point for some but Luke 10:20 indicates that his name was written in heaven.  Luke 10:17-20 – “And the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. 20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” 

Judas did not fall overnight and become the traitor he became.  It was little by little and the Bible calls him a thief.  Money was certainly a factor. Envy may have been as well.  Possibly, he thought Jesus was moving too slow in establishing his kingdom and Judas’ thirst for power and prominence prevailed. Whatever caused him to turn back from his devotion to Jesus resulted in his destruction.  His plight should be a warning to all that we need to ‘guard our hearts’ carefully and give no place to the devil.

I want to address this a little further and will address this more fully in the next devotional.

God bless you and may you have a fantastic day in Jesus!

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God….”  NKJV

Every journey begins with a first step.  Every race has a starting point as well as a finish line.  Every theory has a first principle.  Every life has a point of conception.  There is a beginning to everything that we encounter and that beginning point is GOD!  Let me rephrase that, the beginning point in our lives SHOULD BE GOD! 

Our God is a “speaking God”.  He still speaks to hearts today.  Let me illustrate something from this Book of the Bible which I believe is the “seed book” of the Bible the Book of Genesis.  Consider how the following verses begin and what took place:

Genesis 1:3-5 – “Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” NKJV

Genesis 1:6-8 – “Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.“ NKJV

Genesis 1:9-10 – “Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” NKJV

Genesis 1:11-13 – “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.” NKJV

Genesis 1:14-19 – “Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” NKJV

Genesis 1:20-23 – “Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” NKJV

Genesis 1:24-25 – “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.“ NKJV

Genesis 1:26-28 – “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJV

Genesis 1:29-31 – “And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” NKJV

Each day of creation began with GOD SAID.  God spoke everything into existence.  The disciples, on one occasion, were astonished that even the winds and waves obeyed the command of Jesus as they were in the boat during a storm.  Like the old song, “When Jesus says it’s enough it’ll be enough.  When He speaks peace to my situation all my troubles have to flee….”

Sadly, too many either do not believe that God speaks today or do not stop long enough for Him to speak to them.  If there is anything more important than “hearing God” in our lives, I don’t know what it is.  It should be the continual prayer of our hearts to “hear Him” and “know” His desire and direction for our lives “in every situation”. 

God begins this whole process we call life by “speaking” and came to the Garden daily to “talk” with Adam & Eve.  He continues His desire to communicate with us in this present world.  So, I encourage you to ask the Lord to speak to your heart.  It is His desire to guide your steps and lead you in the paths of righteousness.

Jesus said, “My sheep know My voice.”  So my prayer for you and for me is that we learn, even more than we presently do, to recognize His voice speaking to your heart.  That we rest in the comfort that His voice brings and the peace that comes with knowing that we know the mind of God in any particular matter. 

May God Bless you richly is my prayer and guide you through every day of your life.  Blessings!

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  NASB

Now, the question to ask on this New Year’s Day – “What Are You Living For?”  That may sound strange when connected to the text I have chosen for this topic, but if you will permit, I believe you will understand.  I want to address the last words of that sentence, “to those who are called according to His purpose.”  The focus is His Purpose and that begs the question of each of us, “What Are We Living For?”

I heard a preacher reveal his technique for sharing his faith in witnessing using two very simple questions.  He would first ask, “What do you do for a living?”  The responses are always the typical, Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, etc.  We all do something or aspire to do something in life as a vocation.  That opens the door and then he asks, “What are you living for?”  That is a completely different world and there is usually silence because most do not truly have a picture in their minds of what they are truly living for. 

We are all living for something even if we do not know what it is or how to articulate it. The question is What?  Some people invest their entire lives pursuing wealth, some fame, some approval, some seeking love and to be loved.  The question is valid, “What are you living for?”  What is your purpose in life?  What is that which keeps you moving from day to day, project to project, and venture to venture? 

You are investing your life in something the question is what?  The additional question is will it be of eternal value or temporal?  Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do men say that I am? What are people saying about me?”  They gave a list of what they were hearing and then He asked the pointed question, “But what about you?  What do you believe about Me?”  Peter gave the timeless answer of eternal value, “You are the Christ!”

That recognition of that reality allowed Jesus to direct their thinking and lay before them His Purposes and the various paths they could choose.  In a very real sense, He was saying, “Now that you know who I am, are you ready and willing to take up your cross and follow me?”  He cautioned that the world would never understand what or why they were doing what they were going to do.  He reminded them that they could turn to this world, it was an option.  It was not a good one and would prove fatal, but they had the option.

I heard a powerful sermon about Jesus’ life and the list given would make Him a failure by this world’s standards. He was born in obscurity, never went to college, never owned property, never held public office, never wrote a book, did not have a wife or children, he made powerful enemies, and was crucified as a common criminal on a cruel cross.  That is not a picture of the pathway to success in the eyes of the world and much of the church.

If you are pursuing a career, your reward is that career.  However, if your life is the pursuit of a mission, you are laying up eternal treasures.  Someone said, “A career is something you choose for yourself, but a mission is chosen for you by another.”  The life pursuit called for in the Bible is never about careers but missions.  The Bible is not opposed to careers, thank God there are those who have invested themselves in various occupations.  The Bible is not against wealth, thank God for those who have amassed fortunes and invest it in people and God’s kingdom.

If we make our lives a Mission, we do not waste time as we do if we are only pursuing a career.  Benjamin E. Mays offered some valuable insight:  He wrote, “I have just one minute only sixty seconds in it.  Forced upon me – can’t refuse it, didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it, but it’s up to me to use it.  I must suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it.  Just a tiny minute – but eternity is in it.”

C.T. Studd eloquently declared: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, Only, what’s done for Christ will last.”  On this New Year’s Day, you may or may not make Resolutions, but I ask that you consider the eternal question – “What Am I Living For?”  I also pray that your response will become – “For the Purposes of God.”  I also pray that your declaration will be more than an offering of piousness without purpose, but that you will become a Matthew 6:33 person and you will ‘seek first, Him and His purposes.’

I pray that 2020 will be the greatest year you have ever lived, and you will see more accomplished than your wildest dreams, hopes, and aspirations.  Remember, “Only one life to live, ‘twill soon be past, Only, what’s done for Christ will last.”

Have a fantastic day and a fantastic year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Isaiah 48:17-19 – “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.  18 “If only you had paid attention to My commandments!  Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 “Your descendants would have been like the sand, And your offspring like its grains; Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.”  NASB

I know this was something that God said to Israel but as a child of God, I receive it unto myself as a promise to All Who Believe! Consider what He says here:

1. He Identifies Himself.

He is the LORD our God.  He is I AM THAT I AM.  This is coming from the Redeemer, the Bright Morning Star, the Alpha and Omega, and our Provider.  This is not just anyone speaking, IT IS GOD!

• He Teaches Us to Profit.

Our financial and economic well-being is in His hands, not the government, not our position, not our intellect, not our beauty, and not in the arm of flesh.  Our source is God and He “teaches us to profit.”

• He Leads Us in The Way We Should Go.

His Word is a light to our pathway and a lamp to our feet.  We have the inner voice of the Holy Spirit that whispers softly and gently, “this is the way walk in it.”  We have His assurance that He will go before us and make the pathway straight.

• He Gives A Stern Warning That Carries a Promise.

Look at verse 18 – “If only you had paid attention to My Commandments” THEN…

1. Your well-being would have been like a river.  It still can be if we turn our hearts to Him and seek Him first above all else.
2. Your Righteousness would have been like the waves of the sea. There is still hope if we “repent” and “return” to Him in total commitment.
3. Your descendants would have been like the sand with the offspring as numerous as the grains of sand.  Our posterity can be a living legacy of God’s mercy, grace, and goodness.
4. Your name would never be cut off or destroyed from God’s presence.  I will dwell in the House of the Lord FOREVER!

God does not make idle promises or idle threats.  He seeks our best and desires to bring us into fellowship with Him in order to enable us to walk in the Fullness of His Promises.

The sad reality is that too many fall prey to the gloom and doom that is prevalent in today’s society. They look at what man can and is doing rather than what God can and is doing.  It’s not by might or power but by God’s Grace that we make it through.  That does not mean we do not stay active and engaged in what is happening around us, it simply means that we Never allow “fear” to overcome us.  We are people who Have Hope because of our God!  There are enemies who would destroy us and everything that we hold dear, but we are More than Conquerors through our LORD!

Therefore, as you face this day and the days that follow “reject” fear and “receive” the Promises of our LORD!  Take them to heart and rest in them.  Then when you stand against the onslaught of the wicked you do so with Complete Confidence knowing that God is backing you up!  If God is for us, what difference does it make who is against us? 

May God be with you as you go through this day and bring great peace and make your way prosperous as you seek Him and His Kingdom!  Blessings!

Deuteronomy 7:9-11 – “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. 11 “Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them.” NASU

1 Corinthians 1:9 – “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” NASU

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. “  NASU

2 Timothy 2:13 – “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” NKJV

I cannot count the number of times I’ve had somebody ask me, “Why did God let this happen?”  At other times, I’ve been asked, “Why didn’t God do this or that for me?”  I had a preacher tell me once that there was a time in his life that he became so disillusioned and angry with the Lord over what he perceived to be a series of unanswered prayers in which he saw his father, his son, and a close friend die within a short span. He had reached is lowest point.

As he wallowed in his fear, doubt, and disappointment he found himself yelling at God. One day he became so angry that he took his Bible and threw it across the room. It was at that moment the Holy Spirit whispered to his heart, “Go ahead, let it all out, I still love you!”  Instantly he realized that although he could not explain why he suffered the loss he knew that each of them was safe in the Arms of God in Heaven and in a far better world than he was and as he repented a new joy flooded his heart.

I am fully confident that God will NEVER leave me nor will He FORSAKE me and will keep that which I have committed to Him for eternity.  I am confident that Jesus’ promise to Come Again was not idle words and that He truly is before the Throne making Intercession for you and me as I write.  I am confident that in His Father’s House are many Mansions, Rooms, or Dwelling Places (whichever you prefer) and that we can spend eternity with Him there.  I am confident that God is a Covenant Keeping God who NEVER goes back on His word and NEVER misses an appointment!

I have failed others and God in my life and each time it broke my heart.  I always tell people, don’t get your eyes on me because I am human and subject to let you down.  It won’t be intentional but still, I’m a flawed vessel and subject to failure.  I may disappoint you so, please never look to me always look to Him!  I can only see the outward appearance He sees the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  I can only see the beginning from the end but He can see the end from the beginning!  I am finite He is infinite!  I am weak but He is strong! 

As you go through the remaining days of 2019, I encourage you to take stock of your life over the past year and ask the Lord to reveal any areas in which you can or need to make a renewed commitment to Him in.  I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to do a work of transformation in your heart that will cause you to walk more in tune with His desires and purposes in all areas of your life.  I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions but I do take stock of my life and consider the obvious kinks in my armor and the flaws in my walk and ask the Lord to help me walk in the Light of His Love more and more every day!

It is my desire and prayer that the Lord grant, you Perfect Peace as your mind is fixed on Him!  I love you with the Love of the Lord and He loved you enough to die for you!

May God bless you as you go through your day!