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Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Also Be Thankful For Judas
I know that being thankful for Judas sounds like an oxymoron. Thankful and Judas don't sound like two words that should ever be used in the same sentence. I understand the feeling and yet I would like you to come with me today and explore some possibilities.
Judas was one of the twelve disciples. He was hand picked by Jesus to walk with him and experience Jesus ministry first hand. He was with the other disciples when Jesus gave them power against unclean spirits so that they could cast them out as well as the power to heal all manner of sickness and disease. However, Judas Iscariot was a thief and the one who carried the money bag which according to John 12:6 he often was stealing from.
Judas's problem was clearly that he was greedy, he loved money more than Jesus. He was there when Jesus spoke and taught that no man can serve two masters. He was there as Jesus explained the two masters as being God and money. Money sometimes being defined as avarice and avarice being greed. Though he walked with Jesus and saw all he did he did not let Jesus change his heart. He stayed true to his greed to the point that the scripture says in Luke 22:3 that Satan entered the heart of Judas. He then goes on to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. All of this leads us to have a horrible view of Judas as the betrayer.
However, Judas was only walking out the prophecies that had been given. His betrayal of Jesus was in God's sovereign plan. Does that mean that Judas was not responsible for what he did? No, God didn't make him do anything. It was already in his heart. His greed overshadowed everything. He walked with God almighty in the flesh and still chose to not have his heart changed. But what if Judas had allowed his heart to be changed? What if he had never betrayed him? What if he had never sold Jesus out? Then what? You see, in the grand scheme of things... Judas had a very important part to play. His betrayal didn't knock Jesus off the path that had been laid out before the foundation of the world. No, Judas's betrayal propelled Jesus down the path towards his destiny...even Jesus knew this. While sitting at the last supper Jesus told Judas "What you are about to do-do it quickly." Jesus sent him on his way knowing that Judas HAD to betray him into the hands of the chief priests. Jesus was destined to be falsely accused. He was destined to be crucified. Am I trying to say that we should celebrate what Judas did? No, but maybe he shouldn't be held out as a man to be thought of more vile than any other. Judas was a man held in the gripe of destiny. Destined by his own greed to betray the Son of Man into the hands of those who would make sure he was crucified.
Judas wasn't a man any worse than any man or woman that has ever walked this earth. He wasn't worse than any of us. Given the right circumstances and the right temptations -- we have likely ourselves already been Judas in someone else's life. God wasn't surprised by what Judas did. And he's not been surprised by what has happened in your life. God is sovereign He is in control. When "Judas" comes into your life...forgive him just like you want to be forgiven. Then, do this one thing, thank God for your Judas .... because he may just keep you on the right path... the path towards God's plan in your life.
Judas was one of the twelve disciples. He was hand picked by Jesus to walk with him and experience Jesus ministry first hand. He was with the other disciples when Jesus gave them power against unclean spirits so that they could cast them out as well as the power to heal all manner of sickness and disease. However, Judas Iscariot was a thief and the one who carried the money bag which according to John 12:6 he often was stealing from.
Judas's problem was clearly that he was greedy, he loved money more than Jesus. He was there when Jesus spoke and taught that no man can serve two masters. He was there as Jesus explained the two masters as being God and money. Money sometimes being defined as avarice and avarice being greed. Though he walked with Jesus and saw all he did he did not let Jesus change his heart. He stayed true to his greed to the point that the scripture says in Luke 22:3 that Satan entered the heart of Judas. He then goes on to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. All of this leads us to have a horrible view of Judas as the betrayer.
However, Judas was only walking out the prophecies that had been given. His betrayal of Jesus was in God's sovereign plan. Does that mean that Judas was not responsible for what he did? No, God didn't make him do anything. It was already in his heart. His greed overshadowed everything. He walked with God almighty in the flesh and still chose to not have his heart changed. But what if Judas had allowed his heart to be changed? What if he had never betrayed him? What if he had never sold Jesus out? Then what? You see, in the grand scheme of things... Judas had a very important part to play. His betrayal didn't knock Jesus off the path that had been laid out before the foundation of the world. No, Judas's betrayal propelled Jesus down the path towards his destiny...even Jesus knew this. While sitting at the last supper Jesus told Judas "What you are about to do-do it quickly." Jesus sent him on his way knowing that Judas HAD to betray him into the hands of the chief priests. Jesus was destined to be falsely accused. He was destined to be crucified. Am I trying to say that we should celebrate what Judas did? No, but maybe he shouldn't be held out as a man to be thought of more vile than any other. Judas was a man held in the gripe of destiny. Destined by his own greed to betray the Son of Man into the hands of those who would make sure he was crucified.
Judas wasn't a man any worse than any man or woman that has ever walked this earth. He wasn't worse than any of us. Given the right circumstances and the right temptations -- we have likely ourselves already been Judas in someone else's life. God wasn't surprised by what Judas did. And he's not been surprised by what has happened in your life. God is sovereign He is in control. When "Judas" comes into your life...forgive him just like you want to be forgiven. Then, do this one thing, thank God for your Judas .... because he may just keep you on the right path... the path towards God's plan in your life.
Your Judas may just propel YOU into YOUR destiny.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Do You Have A Tarnished Crown?
A good wife is a crown to her husband...
Proverbs 12:4(a)
This scripture verse ends with ..."but a shameful wife is like cancer." The usual focus of this scripture when referenced is women. In many sermons and articles this scripture is preached to speak to women about their role in marriage. It IS important that this be done. We DO need to understand that how we carry ourselves does not only affect us but it affects everyone in our families especially our husbands. Our actions, the woman that we are, should not be such that it destroys others, especially our husbands, like a cancer eating away at a persons body.
But I'm not going to be speaking to this today... instead I would like to focus on the beginning of this scripture...
A good wife is a crown to her husband...
Photo courtesy of Kozzi Inc / Kozzi.com
... And I'd like to focus on husbands today.
What is a crown and what does crowning someone symbolize?
What is a crown and what does crowning someone symbolize?
A crown is a circular ornamental headdress worn as a symbol of authority. It is usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels. To crown someone is to bestow on them a title, power, authority, and a certain level of dignity, respect and honor. Men, if you have found a wife then you know according to Proverbs 18:22 that you have found a good thing. A good and Godly wife will bestow on her husband a title, power, authority and a certain level of dignity, respect and honor. His title is Head of the Household and spiritual head of the family. The power she gives him is the power to lead her. She also gives him the authority to make decisions for her. He can hold his head high in public because she gives him dignity, respect and honor.
Women, all I will say to you is Are you truly being this kind of woman? But as I said before.... I'd like to focus on husbands today. So lets consider, Are you a Godly husband? Do you "carry" your crown well or do you have a tarnished crown?
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
What Kind of Wife Do You Want to Be?
I am currently attending women's marriage classes at my church. I have to tell you that these meetings and the topics have made me really have to think. We've had questions like :
What is it like to be married to you?
and
In 30 years, if your husband was speaking at your funeral... what would he say about you?
and
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| Photo courtesy of Kozzi Inc / Kozzi.com |
To be honest, questions like these have shaken me. They've made me question what kind of wife I REALLY am... not just the wife I think I am. I've had to open up some closets that I had stuffed and shut years ago. These two questions by themselves are powerful and they should make you take a look at yourself... maybe a look in the mirror you don't want to take right now. Now there is no condemnation or guilt here. We have to remember that God's not finished with any of us yet. This is just an honest look to see if anything needs to be changed.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Come Join In : A Post For Pure Fun
OK.... so..... CELEBRATION ! !!! !! !!!
I just recently passed the mark of having over 5,000 views of my blog since I started it.
( as of the date of this post it's now over 5,200)
So I thought I'd put something together just for the fun of it. Below I'm going to list all the states (within the U.S) and all the countries that I know I've been seen from. I would love to have each of you (when you see this post) no matter where you come from (or how long after it's posted) leave me a comment stating ...
- Where you're from (country name is great... if inside U.S. please give the state)
- Whether you're on the list or whether you're adding a new country or state name to it
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
It's Not My JOB !
Over the last 10 to 12 years that I've been raising my children and making them do chores, one of the most annoying things that my kids could ever say to me is...
It's not my job!
It has driven me crazy! This shirking of any responsibility unless it has been specifically written and detailed out. And you see, with 5 kids to raise... I did specifically write it out. They could go to where the chore cards were and figure out what was expected of them on any given day but I never expected them to think this was ALL that was expected of them. NO... this was the least! As a participating part of the team, the team we call our family, everyone needs to pull some weight. Everyone needs to share in taking care of the needs of the family. This teaches them more than responsibility, it teaches them to not expect everyone else to do for them and prepares them for life on their own... when everything WILL be their responsibility. Understand, I love my children but when they leave the nest... I don't really want them coming back asking me to do their laundry because they still don't know how. Nor do I want them to think mom is going to come to their home or apartment and cook and clean for them. So, after having spent all the time I've spent working on them being responsible for the chores on their cards... I'm now having to re-teach them... or at least that's how it feels. Teaching them that they need to go above that card, above what is written.
I mean....it's just crazy.... how can you see a mess or something that needs to be done and just walk around it expecting someone else to do it? And yet, the kids aren't the only ones that do it, are they? No, they aren't! They learn this very well from us. How many times do we see something that needs to be done but we leave it to someone else to do because...
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| Image courtesy of Kozzi Inc. / Kozzi.com |
It's not my job!
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