A Patient Salvation

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,"

(2Peter 3:3-10, 14-15 NAS95S)

Observation:  How do we look at the world?  How do we choose to interpret the comings and goings around us?  What is our take on they delay of Christ's coming?  We are told to regard it as the patience of God, and to regard the patience of God as salvation.  

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance... regard the patience of our Lord as salvation (2 Peter 3:9, 15).

When was the last time you thought of the delay of Christ's coming as salvation?  But what if you aren't ready right now?  Then it just might be your salvation.  What if I'm not ready?  His delay might just be my salvation also.  What if your children aren't ready?  It might be their salvation.  What if your enemy is not ready?  Are you willing for Jesus to delay that it might be his/her salvation?  After all, Christ told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  Are we willing to wait for the answer to these prayers for those who bring hardship in our lives.  Christ was and He still is... And even if we are not praying and waiting for our enemies, Jesus has already prayed, continues to pray, and waits with eager longing and expectation for the day when they might surrender and receive his salvation.

A big part of the problem is perspective.  In church circles we often quote the text "without a vision the people perish!"  But I'd like to suggest that with the wrong vision the people perish.  Too often, we view the world from our perspective when God is calling us to view it from His.  We interpret the continuation of this old world as the delay of Christ's coming, but He interprets as the salvation of more souls.  We say it has been a long time since he promised to return, but He calls us to see through His eyes... With the Lord a thousand years is a day.  It's been less then a week since He ascended into heaven.  And from that perspective I think it's fair to say that we may only be hours or minutes away from His coming.

Application:  "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."  (Romans 13:8-14 NAS95S)

Prayer:  Lord Jesus show me the world this week from Your perspective.  Take my eyes off of self Lord.  Take my thoughts off of me and turn them heaven-ward and earth-ward.  Let me think what You are thinking.  Let me see what You are seeing Jesus.  Let what breaks Your heart break mine.  Jesus, I need you today.  I need the power that only You can bring.  I need the peace only You can bring.  

O Jesus forgive me for my lack of compassion and my indifference.  Forgive me for being so consumed with all the things I must do.  O Jesus I surrender this ministry to You.  I surrender the worship ministry to You and the visitation ministry.  

Jesus I need Your power, Your grace, Your leading, Your wisdom and insight.  I am nothing Jesus.  I need You desperately.  I need You to act through and for me.  Lord Jesus I'm asking for the anointing of Your Holy Spirit this morning.  Bring Your power Holy Spirit.  Bring Your perspective.  Bring Your leadership.  Make me ready to do whatever You call me to do.  I surrender my life to Your Leading Holy Spirit. Come lead me now.

The Rational of Relationship

"For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. But one has testified somewhere, saying, "What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? "You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise." And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again, "Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me." 

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted."

(Hebrews 2:5-18 NAS95S)

Observation:  Son of God.  Son of Man.  Divine.  Human.  The everlasting one stepping into time.  The Father of Creation becoming the Son of creation.  How can it be?  How could he who made us become subject to us and still be our Sovereign?  And yet He was, He is, and always will be.  He to whom all things are subject, subjected Himself to a lowly state... to the existence of a slave and servant.  He was at the mercy of His mother, His father, His brothers and sisters, even His enemies.  He let us raise him, praise him, persecute and kill Him.   He choose to be totally at our mercy that we might be totally at His.  Yes, in making Himself subject to the mercy and whims of sinful man, He made it possible for us to be subject to the mercy and wisdom of all knowing, all loving, and always faithful Father in Heaven.

Application:  I cannot understand this Christ child... I cannot comprehend this mysterious and powerful plan of salvation.  But I accept it.  I wonder at it.  I want to fall on my knees and cry Holy.  Holy is the Lamb, Worthy is He who was slain for my sin, for my selfishness, for my pride and greed.  Worthy is He to receive all glory, honor, power, and dominion; now and forevermore.  

Even as I say I cannot understand, I realize I really can.  For the word understand is a conjunction of two words... under meaning not the typical beneath, but instead between or among, and the word stand meaning to exist or be present.  

So basically understanding can mean to be with.  And that is how we understand God... Not by explanation... But by association.  Not by clever words but by the word incarnate; the word made flesh; the word who dwelt among us that we might behold the glory of our Father.  We know him through relationship not through rationality... At least the rationality of this world which says I must quantify, clarify, and formulate.  

No, we know God through the rational of relationship.  A rational of the heart.  A rational that comes from experiencing His faithfulness, His goodness, His grace, and His provision in our lives.  We understand when He stands with us.  We come to know as we see that we are known by Him.

Prayer:  O Lord Jesus...

"Let my cry come before You, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Your word."

(Psalms 119:169 NAS95S) 

Understanding comes as You stand with me.  As Your presence permeates my being.  Dwell in me Jesus.  Be with me.  Let Your Spirit Rest upon me.  This is my prayer.

Overtones

"The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come." Rev. 22:17. Everyone who hears is to repeat the invitation. Whatever one's calling in life, his first interest should be to win souls for Christ. He may not be able to speak to congregations, but he can work for individuals. To them he can communicate the instruction received from his Lord. Ministry does not consist alone in preaching. Those minister who relieve the sick and suffering, helping the needy, speaking words of comfort to the desponding and those of little faith. Nigh and afar off are souls weighed down by a sense of guilt. It is not hardship, toil, or poverty that degrades humanity. It is guilt, wrongdoing. This brings unrest and dissatisfaction. Christ would have His servants minister to sin-sick souls.

The disciples were to begin their work where they were. The hardest and most unpromising field was not to be passed by. So every one of Christ's workers is to begin where he is. In our own families may be souls hungry for sympathy, starving for the bread of life. There may be children to be trained for Christ. There are heathen at our very doors. Let us do faithfully the work that is nearest. Then let our efforts be extended as far as God's hand may lead the way. The work of many may appear to be restricted by circumstances; but, wherever it is, if performed with faith and diligence it will be felt to the uttermost parts of the earth. Christ's work when upon earth appeared to be confined to a narrow field, but multitudes from all lands heard His message. God often uses the simplest means to accomplish the greatest results. It is His plan that every part of His work shall depend on every other part, as a wheel within a wheel, all acting in harmony. The Desire of Ages, p. 822, 823.

Observation: Recently I went to see the movie August Rush, about a boy who grew up as a ward of the state of New York and at the age of 12 sets out to find his parents who are both musicians. The movie's basic theme is that their is a grand symphony of music that we hear with our hearts... And if we follow the music it will lead us to those who we love. Its a nice thought, and has some merit in Christian circles. Rob Bell has a powerful teaching on this idea in His nooma video called Rhythm. It addition, Ellen White makes this powerful observation in The Desire of Ages:

The humblest worker, moved by the Holy Spirit, will touch invisible chords, whose vibrations will ring to the ends of the earth, and make melody through eternal ages. The Desire of Ages, p. 822, 823.

In this grand symphony, Christ is the conductor, The Holy Spirit is the Musician, and God the Father is the audience. We are the instruments. As we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit, He will play a melody so beautiful, so glorious, so stirring, that it will lead others to the foot of the cross. He will use our lives to create sympathetic overtones in the lives of those around us.

A sympathetic overtone is when you strike one note on a guitar, say the high E string and it causes another string to ring. You can do the same thing on the piano if you hold down middle C and give a staccato strike to the C key two octaves lower while continuing to hold down middle C. Even though you didn't strike middle C, you will hear it ring because the C note two octaves lower created a sympathetic overtone in middle C.

When we allow the Spirit of God to strike our lives, when we give him the freedom to move in us, to play out His melody of grace in our lives those around us will resonate. People who we thought were beyond God's grace, who we deemed unreachable, will begin to harmonize with the work of God in our lives. The key to this is remembering that we are not the musician, but the instrument. Remembering that we can't change anybody... That people change as the Holy Spirit changes us; as He makes melody with our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to hand over the strings of my heart this morning. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that He might play a melody beautiful and sweet. A melody in harmony with Your will and desire for those who need to resonate with the song You have given me to sing. A song of Your salvation, a song of Your transformation. And Father, as I sing may they find themselves ready and willing to join the choir of praise to Your glorious name, may they find their hearts resonating with Your Amazing Grace. Amen!

Spirit, Water, Blood

Blood and water are elements of the Almighty. And, as The Desire of Ages states, these are evidences of a broken heart:

But it was not the spear thrust, it was not the pain of the cross, that caused the death of Jesus. That cry, uttered "with a loud voice" (Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46), at the moment of death, the stream of blood and water that flowed from His side, declared that He died of a broken heart. His heart was broken by mental anguish. He was slain by the sin of the world. The Desire of Ages, p. 772

In addition to blood and water, The Spirit is a third evidence of the Almighty:

Luke 23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last.

Before the water flowed from His side, before Christ's blood came spilling forth, He yielded His Spirit. Blood and water are the signs of a surrendered Spirit. Flowing freely, they bore witness with Christ's Spirit of a life given in sacrifice to the glory of His Father:

7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 1 John 5:7-12.

Hallelujah, we may have life through the Son. We become beneficiaries of the Almighty through the Spirit, the water, and the blood. When we accept Christ our Lord and Savior, His Father gives us the Spirit, thereby making His children:

God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:6-7.

And with the Spirit comes the cleansing water of baptism, the rite of the towel, and the fellowship of the cup; the cup of Christ's blood. With the Spirit comes the life of the Spirit: A life free from condemnation, a life free from the law of sin and death (see Romans 8:1-4).

Yes, in giving up His Spirit Christ gave up His life. And in giving up His life, He gave me life. Yes, Jesus gave His Spirit to His Father that in turn He might give it to all who would believe in Him. That which He surrendered to His Father was given back to Him that He might give it to His followers.

Application: I need the power of Christ's Spirit, I need the washing of His word, I need new life through His blood. Bottom line: I need Jesus, all of Him; Spirit, Water, Blood. Christ the one born of a virgin. Jesus, He who passed through the waters of baptism to fulfill all righteousness. The Lamb of God who was slain for my sins, who poured out His blood in my behalf: this is the one I need.

My mind is to small to comprehend His grace... my pride feels to big to surrender. Like Peter I find myself saying: "You will never wash my feet!" But if I am not washed by Him, I will not be saved by Him. If I'm not served by Him, it is impossible to serve Him. My heart is humbled. It is broken. Broken by Him who died of a broken heart; a heart broken by my sin.

Prayer: O Blessed Broken One... Broken for me. You yielded Your Spirit, You poured out your life: water and blood. I thank You. I praise You. You alone Jesus are worthy of all glory, honor, power, and praise. You alone are my Savior. You alone are God. I can't find words to give You the honor You deserve. But tears well up in my eyes and love wells up in my heart. O let me not forget the sacrifice You've made. Let me not forget the Spirit, the water, and the blood. For by these you came and went.

By the Spirit You were conceived, and You entered life through the same watery, bloody birth as I. And in yielding up Your Spirit, Your water, and Your blood, You left this life; resting in the grave on the seventh-day Sabbath. Yes, resting that I might rise, sleeping in death that I might awake to eternal life. O thank You Jesus! Thank You for Your Spirit, the water, and the blood. Fill me, wash me, cleanse me. I give you my spirit, my watery eyes, and my very life blood. Take all of me... my spirit, my water, my blood...

A Child Again...

God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power. The Desire of Ages, p. 759.  

Observation:  Love is the most difficult truth to apply.  Living by patience and letting love seize the day is a slow process.  We must be willing to wait; willing to stop and pray; willing to think and willing to listen.  Love builds trust, and building trust takes time.  Coercion and force are quick but also quenching... The quench the flames of trust.  They destroy the heart of faith...

Application:  What do I want to build in my home?  Trust or fear?  Loyalty or Love?  To build trust I must take the time to love, and listen, and learn.  I must treasure my children... I must seek to enter their world and see through their eyes.  As a parent I must have an incarnational heart.  I must celebrate the simple and rejoice in the known... I must come to know in new ways... I must come to know through the heart of a child.  

Often I have thought: "I wish I could be a child again."  Through my kids I can!

Prayer:  Lord I lift to you this prayer from Glenn Kaiser; asking that You would let your word come to pass in my life.  Let me be as a child.  Teach me to love my kids and learn from them.  Show me truth through their eyes.  Restore to me the trust of my youth; the joy of Thy Salvation!

Like A Little Child

Copyright 1993 Glenn Kaiser Band

Lord Jesus, take me by the hand

Make me like a little child again

Lord Jesus, help me understand

What it means to have You as a friend

Just like a windin' stream

My life goes flowin' by

But when I look up in the sky

I know You're near me

I used to feel so old

But now I've found that pot of gold

Before-giveness

Men may exercise power over His human body. They may pierce the holy temples with the crown of thorns. They may strip from Him His raiment, and quarrel over its division. But they cannot rob Him of His power to forgive sins. In dying He bears testimony to His own divinity and to the glory of the Father. His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither His arm shortened that it cannot save. It is His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him. The Desire of Ages, p. 751.

"The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin;" Exodus 34:6-7.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5.

Look up forgive at Dictionary.com

O.E. forgiefan "give, grant, allow," also "to give up" and "to give in marriage;" from for- "completely" + giefan "give" (see give). The modern sense of "to give up desire or power to punish" is from use of the compound as a Gmc. loan-translation of L. perdonare (cf. Du. vergeven, Ger. vergeben; see pardon).

Observation: To forgive means to give up my right for revenge. This gives new meaning to the passage:

Rom. 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.

Not only does vengeance belong to God in the sense that He will avenge us of our enemies, but in the sense that He has taken the vengeance that we deserved. He gave up His right for revenge through the cross. He said: "I will bear Your abuse, I will take Your punishment, I will forgive!"

The group Switchfoot captured this idea in their song Revenge:

I'm the failure

I'm everyone's fool

And I'm losing my cool at the end

I'm the loser

My numbers come up

I've been hung up with thoughts of Revenge

Revenge

Revenge

Oh!!!!

I've been watching you with my terminal view

As you struggle to rise to your end

I laughed hard at the insults we throw

As the weight of the world found revenge

Revenge

Revenge

Oh!

Have hatred and Gravity won?

Oh!

Oh!

The world hung upsidedown

I drew first blood [2x]

With my hateful recrown

I drew first blood [2x]

Revenge

I watched heaven dying today

and I'm gonna die here tonight

I'm the villian and I deserve to be dead

I've been hung up for recking my life

Revenge [2x]

Oh!

So I stopped for a moment

to look at the sun

dying today

That's when the irony hit me

That this was revenge

That love had decended and stolen our pain

Away.

We consumed heaven's Son

And I drew first blood [2x]

And my hate was undone

And I drew first blood [2x]

Revenge

Here's a story

How thief had been robbed

How murder had stolen my rage

Think of me Lord

I'm a few breaths away

As my lungs finally rip from the cage

Revenge.

OH!!!!!!!!

God's forgiveness is not only giving up His right for revenge, but also giving in advance. I like to call it before-giveness. At the cross provision was made. And now He is simply waiting for us to accept His provision. This is what pass over was about... giving in advance. Blessing before the actual blessing. Delivering before the actual deliverance. Yes Israel was delivered from Egypt, but ultimately they would be delivered from sin. Before the lamb of the cross was the lamb of the alter. And before the Christ of the cloud is the Christ of the cross.

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8-10.

This is forgiveness... It is there before I ask but it isn't mine until I ask. Forgiveness is a package waiting to be picked up at the post office. It is a letter waiting to be opened. It is a email waiting for a response. It is there for us; there for the taking. What will we do with the before-giveness of Christ? You see: "God "chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us." Ephesians 1:4-8.

Yes we were forgiven before we ever sinned. By this I mean the provision was in place. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8). Before I breathed my first breath, He had considered death. Before life was mine, death was on His mind; a divine plan before the fall of man. For He was not willing to give life, if He did not have a plan to forgive. It was a complete giving on God's part. It was a design for creation and redemption. The two are a part of the whole. For God does not create without a plan to recreate. He doesn't give without a plan to forgive.

Prayer: Lord Jesus I accept your before-giveness. I thank You purchasing my life... both at birth and at conversion. Because of the cross I'm twice yours. Once because You made me and twice because You saved me. Both times are the purchase of the cross. For You wouldn't give me life if you could not forgive my life. Thank You for dying for me. Thank You for living for me. Thank You for promising to come for me. I await your return. And in the mean time, I will embrace Your forgiveness. I accept the provision of the cross. Thank You for saving me!

Judas Don't You Come to Close

The history of Judas presents the sad ending of a life that might have been honored of God. Had Judas died before his last journey to Jerusalem he would have been regarded as a man worthy of a place among the twelve, and one who would be greatly missed. The abhorrence which has followed him through the centuries would not have existed but for the attributes revealed at the close of his history. But it was for a purpose that his character was laid open to the world. It was to be a warning to all who, like him, should betray sacred trusts. 

A little before the Passover, Judas had renewed his contract with the priests to deliver Jesus into their hands. Then it was arranged that the Saviour should be taken at one of His resorts for meditation and prayer. Since the feast at the house of Simon, Judas had had opportunity to reflect upon the deed which he had covenanted to perform, but his purpose was unchanged. For thirty pieces of silver--the price of a slave--he sold the Lord of glory to ignominy and death.

Judas had naturally a strong love for money; but he had not always been corrupt enough to do such a deed as this. He had fostered the evil spirit of avarice until it had become the ruling motive of his life. The love of mammon overbalanced his love for Christ. Through becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan, to be driven to any lengths in sin...

Judas did not, however, believe that Christ would permit Himself to be arrested. In betraying Him, it was his purpose to teach Him a lesson. He intended to play a part that would make the Saviour careful thenceforth to treat him with due respect. But Judas knew not that he was giving Christ up to death. How often, as the Saviour taught in parables, the scribes and Pharisees had been carried away with His striking illustrations! How often they had pronounced judgment against themselves! Often when the truth was brought home to their hearts, they had been filled with rage, and had taken up stones to cast at Him; but again and again He had made His escape. Since He had escaped so many snares, thought Judas, He certainly would not now allow Himself to be taken.

Judas decided to put the matter to the test. If Jesus really was the Messiah, the people, for whom He had done so much, would rally about Him, and would proclaim Him king. This would forever settle many minds that were now in uncertainty. Judas would have the credit of having placed the king on David's throne. And this act would secure to him the first position, next to Christ, in the new kingdom.  The Desire of Ages, p. 716, 720-721.  

Observation:  How sick is the mind of evil.  The Scripture gives a somber warning to all who would yield to it:  

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;

Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

And clever in their own sight! 

22 Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine

And valiant men in mixing strong drink, 

23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe,

And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right! 

24    Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble

And dry grass collapses into the flame,

So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust;

For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts

And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 

25 On this account the anger of the LORD has burned against His people,

And He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down.

Isaiah 5:20-25

Judas was a man who yielded to the mind of evil.  He allowed its thoughts and jealousies to take root in his heart and they bore the fruit of rebellion and betrayal.  Judas' life is a microcosm of the great controversy; an example of all who choose the way of criticism, judgmentalism, and slander.  His life teaches us that private betrayal happens long before a public betrayal.  We betray ourselves and our conscience long before we betray our family, friends, or colleagues.  Every betrayer betrays self before  betraying another.  How sad.  How tragic.  How true.  This is the path of betrayal; it's end is the abyss.

There is another sad and tragic reality of those who entertain thoughts of evil, and it is this: Their ultimate goal become self-preservation.  But this goal is blinding.  What they fail to realize is that self-preservation always leads to self-destruction.  As Jesus said:  

Matt. 16:25 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 

This became Judas's reality.  When he discovered that his plans for self-preservation and self-exaltation where not going to pan out, He thought their was no other alternative than self-destruction.  He saw no other way but suicide.  Surrender was no longer an option.  Pride would not allow it.  He would rather die than deny himself.  He would rather hang than admit his wrong:

Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel. Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world.

A murmur of surprise ran through the assembly. With amazement they beheld the forbearance of Christ toward His betrayer. Again there swept over them the conviction that this Man was more than mortal. But if He was the Son of God, they questioned, why did He not free Himself from His bonds and triumph over His accusers?

Judas saw that his entreaties were in vain, and he rushed from the hall exclaiming, It is too late! It is too late! He felt that he could not live to see Jesus crucified, and in despair went out and hanged himself. DA 722

Application:  I thinking of Judas I can't help but think of myself.  I see too much of the betrayer in me.  Through my judgmentalism, through my words of criticism, through my pride.  And my heart cries out... "Lord have mercy on me a sinner!  Save me from myself before I consume myself; before I self-destruct."

The words of Michael Card strike so close to home:  

Traitor's Look

Michael Card

How did it feel to take the place

Of honor at the meal

To take the sup from His own hand

A prophesy to seal

Was it because He washed your feet

That you sold Him as a slave

The Son of Man, the Lamb of God

Who'd only come to save

The silver that they paid to you

From out their precious till

Was meant to buy a spotless lamb

A sacrifice to kill

How heavy was the money bag

That couldn't set you free

It became a heavy millstone

As you fell into the sea

Now Judas don't you come to close

I fear that I might see

That traitor's look upon your face

Might look too much like me

Cause just like you I've sold the Lord

And often for much less

And like a wretched traitor

I betrayed Him with a kiss

Prayer:  O Lord Jesus forgive me for those who I have spoken sweetly to and then stabbed behind their backs.  For in betraying them I have betrayed You my Lord.  O Jesus I would yield my life to You this morning.  Take me Jesus, shake me, remake me.  Let this heart be Yours before it swells and bursts with pride.  Take it before it takes me.  Kill me Jesus before I kill myself.  Let me be crucified with You that I might be raised with You.  

You alone have the power to teach me a life of selflessness.  You alone can turn pride to humility and arrogance to self-distrust.  You alone can melt a heart of stone and soften a calloused conscience.  O Jesus, break me like You broke Peter... Turn my betrayal to a blessing and my unbelief to faith.  

Come dear Jesus.  I confess I am a sinner and You are my Savior.  By faith I receive You now... help Thou my unbelief.