Only Jesus Knew

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Matthew 26:24.
The disciples knew nothing of the purpose of Judas. Jesus alone could read his secret. Yet He did not expose him. Jesus hungered for his soul…. His heart was crying, How can I give thee up? The constraining power of that love was felt by Judas. When the Saviour’s hands were bathing those soiled feet, and wiping them with the towel, the heart of Judas thrilled through and through with the impulse then and there to confess his sin. But he would not humble himself. He hardened his heart against repentance; and the old impulses, for the moment put aside, again controlled him. Judas was now offended at Christ’s act in washing the feet of His disciples. If Jesus could so humble Himself, he thought, He could not be Israel’s king. All hope of worldly honor in a temporal kingdom was destroyed. Judas was satisfied that there was nothing to be gained by following Christ…. He was possessed by a demon, and he resolved to complete the work he had agreed to do in betraying his Lord.
Judas the betrayer was present at the sacramental service. He received from Jesus the emblems of His broken body and His spilled blood. He heard the words, “This do in remembrance of Me.” And sitting there in the very presence of the Lamb of God, the betrayer brooded upon his own dark purposes, and cherished his sullen, revengeful thoughts.
At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor’s purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer’s work.
Until this step was taken, Judas had not passed beyond the possibility of repentance. But when he left the presence of his Lord and his fellow disciples, the final decision had been made. He had passed the boundary line.
How many today are, like Judas, betraying their Lord?
Conflict and Courage p. 319
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for a friend who has a very important interview. Rose
—– I need prayer for work to keep my current full time job and favor with Bonnie and Sandra to keep my current job until I can get another one better paying job. Thanks Ann
—–Please pray for travel mercies for my sister and niece as they come for Andy’s funeral this weekend. Please pray for my niece Brooke, her dad’s family has placed much responsibility on her. Danette
—–Need prayers myself–got edema in kegs and feet. Lorraine
—–I need prayer for my daughter and son-in-law. She has just recently come back to the Lord and church and her new husband of not even two years, is against her beliefs and has a serious drinking problem. She is very disheartened and in need of prayer support. They have a young baby (she is not allowed to bring to church). I know there is power in prayer, so please prayer warriors, join me in interceding for this family. My daughter Jess also has a six year old from a previous relationship and he is in the middle of the battle ground as well. Shari
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When Eileen was two, we lived in Pennsylvania where Ron had a job selling religious books door to door. He made very little money and we were in great need. It was very cold that winter and we had no heat except a wood burning stove. Since we had no money for wood, I went daily to a place where a lamp factory dumped their scrap lumber. It was out in the woods. I followed the tracks left by the truck that dumped those scraps and filled the trunk of the car with them.
One day, when I was ready to go home, my car would not start. I cried tears of despair: so did Eileen who was cold and miserable. Then I began to notice the sound of men working. I took my little one by the hand and we walked in the snow toward the sound of their voices. We had no boots and no gloves and we felt like we were frozen by the time we reached those men. They looked surprised to see a woman and her child come walking out of the woods along the trail. I explained my problem and several men drove us back to my car.
They opened the hood and immediately knew the cause of my trouble. We had seen an advertisement for a device that was supposed to make our car run better and get better gas mileage. We had used what little money we had to buy that tiny device anticipating saving money in the long run. We had had it only a few days. The man removed it, and the car started with no problem. How thankful we were for his kindness! How thankful we were that he knew what to do! I am sure God has repaid him many times over for his kindness to us.
How often we listen to the devil’s “advertisements” and “buy” his devises just like we had listened to that ad. We think that they will benefit us, but we are sadly mistaken. Within a short time, we feel discontented and disillusioned. We realize that we have listened to his cunningly devised fables and fallen into a snare of the evil one.
These snares come in various “packages.” Sometimes they are the whispered suggestions with which the enemy of souls bombards us throughout the day and even as we wait for sleep to overtake us at night. Indeed, Solomon sums it up thus, “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Prov 6:16-19
Sometimes the devil’s “packages” are decorated with tinsel and beautiful wrappings. We are allured by the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in. These choke the Word and we soon realize that we have fallen into a trap of materialism. Our Dear Saviour says, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt 6:24
The evil one’s devisings are tailor-made for each one of us. Therefore we must “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [ Putting] on the whole armour of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph 6:10-13 We must “be sober, be vigilant; because [our] adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:8,9
How much we need our Great Redeemer’s strength to resist! How much we need His guidance and watchcare! Praise God ! It is ours for the asking! Let us pray as did David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.” Ps 51:10-14 “Let us… be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thes 5:6 Let us so live that we can declare as did Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim 4:7,8
Rose