Betrayed

"But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? Luke 22:48

Have you ever been betrayed?

A dear friend in my Bible Study Group recently shared with me how God had sustained her through a betrayal. She did not go into detail, and she did not share who her betrayer was, only that after reading Psalm 55:22, "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved," that she realized how God had sustained her through the betrayal, that she had forgiven her betrayer, and that now she can actually pray for her betrayer.

Webster defines betrayed as, 'treacherously abandoned, deserted, or mistreated. 

Betrayal hurts!  Especially if it's by someone you trust.

Betrayal is a hard thing to get over and to forgive.  

Jesus was betrayed, and He already knew He would be betrayed, who would betray Him, when He would be betrayed and the why.

He knew Peter would deny Him during His darkest hour. Luke 22:54-62.  In fact, Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him.  "And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." Luke 22:34

Jesus also knew that Judas would betray Him.  A man He had called by name to follow Him, learn of Him and was loved by Him.  "And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me." Matthew 22:23

Jesus knew that a man He called friend, would betray Him.

"And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?" Matthew 26:50a

Jesus knew the exact moment of His betrayal: "Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." Matthew 26:46

And Jesus knew why: "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."

Mark 8:31

Jesus warned us, that we would also be betrayed by those who love us most. Mark 13:12

After listening to my friend tell me about her betrayal, and then reading about Jesus' betrayal, I began to wonder what would be worse? Knowing when I will be betrayed, or taken off guard?  Would the hurt of the betrayal be easier to bear if I saw it coming, knew who would betray me and to understand why, or is it just best to be surprised?

Jesus knew those who would betray Him, when and why, and yet He was kind towards them, loved them unconditionally, and even called them His friend.

What an example...

    What a Saviour...

        But that's just me!

"Reproaches from those who have been intimate with us, and trusted by us, cut us to the quick; and they are usually so well acquainted with our peculiar weaknesses that they know how to touch us where we are most sensitive, and to speak so as to do us most damage.  Let me be on my guard when the world puts on a loving face, for it will, if possible, betray me as it did my master, with a kiss." 

Charles Spurgeon

Tracy, A Servant of Jesus Christ

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,"

Romans 1:1

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God," 1 Corinthians 1:1

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God," 2 Corinthians 1:1

"Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)" Galatians 1:1a

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God," Ephesians 1:1a

"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ," Philippians 1:1a

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God," Colossians 1:1a

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus," 2 Timothy 1:1

"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ," Titus 1:1a

"Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ," Philemon 1a

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ," James 1:1a

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ," 1 Peter 1:1a

"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ," 2 Peter 1:1a

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ," Jude 1a

How do you introduce yourself to others?

Do you state your name and then tell that person where you live or where you work?  How about who you are related to?

Can you just imagine the conversation you would engage in, if you turned to the person standing next to you in line at the grocery store, extended your hand to shake theirs and say, 'Hi, I'm (name) and I'm a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Would they already know that you are a servant of the One True God by what you wear, what you say, and where you go and how you behave?  Or would you have to tell them that you are a servant of God?

Would you want them to know that you are a servant of God?

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Words of Paul, Romans 1:16

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Words of Jesus, Matthew 10:32-33

Don't wait for someone to ask you if you are a Christian...

    Go ahead and tell them...

        But that's just me!

CPAP

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7

"Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:" Isaiah 42:5

I snore.

I didn't know that I snored, until my husband lovingly told me that I snored; and then he lovingly compared my snoring to an Amtrak Train.

I often wake up multiple times during the night, but I always blamed it on the need to use the Water Closet.  I also have a deviated septum caused by an old metal Christmas Tree Stand that had fallen off the top shelf in the basement, which landed on the bridge of my nose while I was carelessly reaching for something else.

But since my husband was losing quality sleep over it, I decided it was time to mention it to my doctor, who then referred me for a Sleep Study.  Interestingly enough, the study showed that I stop breathing multiple times during the night, and it's not the need to use the Water Closet after all that wakes me up, but it's the fact that my body wakes up to take a breath.

In a previous Post, I mentioned being held hostage by metal brackets and wires in my mouth; I am now being held hostage by a mask and long hose that allows each breath I take to sound like Darth Vader.  Each night before I place this contraption over my face, my husband kisses me goodnight and rolls over for a good night's sleep.

Although this CPAP machine will help me breath during the night, my husband and I both know Who keeps me breathing.  Each breath I take in, each breath I breathe out, and each breath that is missed, is held in the hands of my Saviour.  

"The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever."

Psalm 37:18

I don't know when I will take my last breath...

    but I do know, my breath is in the hands of the LORD and not a machine...

        And until then I will live Psalm 150:6-"Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.                  Praise ye the LORD.

                 But that's just me!

"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."  

Psalm 4:8

My Hiding Place

"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

For the past three hours I have been listening to the thunder crash, watching the lightning flash, and hearing the rain splash.  (LOL) I find comfort in storms; if allowed, they would put me to sleep.  Not so for my four-year-old dog, Grace.  The sound of the thunder and the rain, and the flashes of lightning cause her to tremble.  She becomes restless, and then she seeks her hiding place: Me.  If I'm standing, Grace will place herself between my ankles and hide under my skirt.  I can only see her small face peeking out to see what is going on around her, and from time to time, she will look up at me just to make sure she is still in her safety zone.  If I'm in my chair, as I am right now, she is upon the head rest, safely tucked near my neck.  When she is close to me, her trembling ceases, and she can rest, even though the faint sounds of the storm linger.

God promises to be our hiding place when we find ourselves in trouble.  God promises to be our refuge and strength in trouble.  In fact, He promises His very Presence and His help when we are in trouble. I don't know about you, but I find comfort in that.  When the troubles of the world cause me to tremble, because of my Lord, I am unshakable.

Today is the first day of our Government Shut Down.  This affects my husband, my son and millions of other Federal Employees.  While politics toy with our livelihood, this one thing I do know-God is still in control.  He is ever present; He is my hiding place.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah" Psalm 62:5-8

You may face a storm yourself today...

    Make sure to take refuge in The Lord...

        You will find peace there...

            But that's just me!

Politically Correct

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89

We have been having incredibly beautiful weather this past month, unseasonably so in the Northland.  I mentioned to a woman just the other day how I loved Indian Summers.  She almost audibly gasped when I used that term.  I looked at her and said, "What?"  She replied, "You shouldn't use that term, it's Politically Incorrect."  I was stunned.

Not wanting to be offensive in any way, I came home and looked up where the term, Indian Summer originated.  This is what I found:

"The term, "Indian Summer" refers to a period of unseasonably warm weather in autumn.  Its origin is believed to stem from a French phrase "Lété sauvage," which translates to 'the wild Summer.'  The term may have been associated with Native Americans due to early settlers mistakenly attributing the warm weather to bonfires used by them in the fall.  Some theories suggest that the term reflects the hazy weather observed during this time."

I don't find anything offensive in this, do you?  I think it adds to its beauty.

When I further thought on what this woman told me, I couldn't help but think how Political Correctness changes on a day-to-day basis.  What was acceptable yesterday, is no longer acceptable today.

Why is that?

Because the opinions of people constantly change.

It makes me appreciate the unchanging Word of God all the more!

Political Correctness will continue to change, but God's Word never will!

And so, my Dear Readers...

    I'm going to close this Window...

        And go outside to enjoy another day in our Indian Summer...

            But that's just me!

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  Hebrews 13:8

More Precious Than Gold

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" 

1 Peter 1:7 

My friend and I are reading the bible together, one book at a time, and today we began 1 Peter.  We found something very interesting in chapter 1 verse 7: Our trials are MUCH MORE precious than gold.  

Let that sink in for a minute.

I meditated on some of my current trials right now, and they do not seem like they are worth more than gold.  

What seems to be beneficial for others seem to cause me more detriment.

When it seems like others walk in sunshine, I tend to jump over puddles in the rain.

When I make decisions to better my health, I end up causing more pain; and at this juncture in my life, who would have thought that for the next eighteen and a half months my teeth would be held hostage by metal wires and brackets?

Not me.

But that is all temporal, just like gold.

Our trials of faith produce eternal results causing every single thing that we endure bring praise, honour and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:6 says, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:"

Peter tells us that we should greatly rejoice in our trials, so why do we tend to be discouraged in the midst of them and why do we do everything humanly possible to avoid them at all costs?  

It's because we are not looking at what they produce, we are looking at the inconvenience, the pain, the heartache. We are focusing on the here and now instead of focusing on God's purpose for them.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "Indeed, it is the honor of faith to be tried. Shall any man say, 'I have faith, but I have never had to believe under difficulties?' Who knows whether thou hast any faith? Shall a man say, 'I have great faith in God, but I have never had to use it in anything more than the ordinary affairs of life, where I could probably have done without it as well as with it?' Dost thou think that such a faith as this will bring any great glory to God, or bring to thee any great reward? If so, thou are mightily mistaken."

It's easy to have faith when everything is going great in our little corner of the world...

     but when things get tough...

         God wants to see what our faith is really made of...

            But that's just me!

"The trials of our faith are more precious than gold. Gold is temporal but the trying of our faith brings about eternal results."  Kris Poling.

Rejoice in the Lord

Ron Hamilton 2002

Verse 1-God never moves without purpose or plan,

When trying His servant and molding a man.

Give thanks to the Lord though your testing seems long,

In darkness He giveth a song.

Verse 2-I could not see through the shadows ahead,

So I looked at the cross of my Saviour instead.

I bowed to the will of the Master that day,

Then peace came and tears fled away.

Verse 3- Now I can see testing comes from above,

God strengthens His children and purges in love.

My Father knows best, and I trust in His care,

Through purging more fruit I will bear.

Chorus: O, Rejoice in the Lord,

He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take, 

For when I am tried,

And purified,

I shall come forth as gold!

It Only Takes One Prayer

"In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me." Psalm 120:1

On Sunday morning, my sister's 13-month-old granddaughter unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord. She had been in the NICU Ward for her entire life, and the hospital had been the only home she had ever known, yet she was a very happy baby. Since the day of her birth, she had been lovingly cared for by doctors, nurses and her family. She developed a new infection, and this time, her tiny little body could no longer fight against it.  When I heard the news, I assured my sister that her precious granddaughter was now safe in the arms of Jesus and that I would request prayer for her and her family on our Church Prayer App.

But after three days, the request for prayer remains absent from our App.  Whether it had been lost in cyberspace, neglected, technical difficulties, or simply overlooked, I will never know, but as I continued to think about the missing prayer request, the Lord assured me of one precious promise: It only took one prayer to lift my sister and her family up to Him; it was mine, and He heard me.

Sometimes we think we need reinforcements, mighty prayer warriors, and multiple people praying on our behalf, when in fact, the Lord will simply hear the cry of one of His children.  He will hear us, comfort us and He will answer our prayer.

Only God will know what happened to the missing prayer request...

    But when I prayed, I know the Lord heard me...

        And He is enough...

            But that's just me.

There are those who believe you can lose your salvation, and religions that require multiple works and repeated prayers-Friend, let me tell you, When you turn to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, He will hear you the first time, and He will save you and He will never let you go!