Wed, Feb 27th - 6:09AM

Lord Jesus Christ showed Judas Iscariot, the kingdom of God. All Judas Iscariot wanted was for Jesus to show him the money.  Jesus allowed Judas Iscariot to be the treasurer of all the money given in support of Jesus’ ministry. Judas Iscariot regularly thieved a portion of it for his own selfish use.

Jesus Christ offered Judas Iscariot the bread and cup of communion along with the other apostles. Jesus Christ washed Judas Iscariot’s feet, along with the other apostles. Unlike the other apostles who were clean, no amount of outward washing could absolve the evil heart of Judas Iscariot.

Like a horse that kicks its owner no matter how well it is treated, Judas Iscariot immediately repays the Lord by going to the religious hierarchy to get men and weapons to seize Lord Jesus, to carry out the betrayal. Lord Jesus says of His betrayer:

 ¹⁸ "I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.'

John 13:18 (NASB77)

Interestingly the Bible gives us no philosophical discussion here about God not violating a person’s free will. All such arguments are from a meaningless humanistic and unbiblical point of view. The plain truth is that God will not excuse anyone who chooses to reject His Son thus violating the sovereign will of God. One can self-willfully choose to reject Jesus Christ, but God will not allow him to evade the consequences of his choice.

²⁴ 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 (KJV)

The consequences to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus would be so severe and horrendous that it would be better for him that he would never have been born.

Love

Serola

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Sat, Feb 23rd - 2:39AM

No doubt, brothers and sisters, Judas Iscariot repels many. Yet it is necessary to examine him. For it is in doing so God causes us to understand with the utmost clarity what makes the heart of Judas Iscariot.

He was chosen by Jesus Christ to be an apostle:   ¹² And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³ And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; ¹⁴ Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, ¹⁶ And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Luke 6:12-16 (KJV)

Jesus Christ gave Judas Iscariot the thorough exposition of Salvation right along with the other apostles: ¹⁰ And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. ¹¹ And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables

Mark 4:10-11 (KJV)

³⁴ But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Mark 4:34 (KJV)

Judas Iscariot along with all the other apostles was given specific types of power by Lord Jesus:

¹⁴ And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, ¹⁵ And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: ¹⁶ And Simon he surnamed Peter; ¹⁷ And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: ¹⁸ And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, ¹⁹ And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

Mark 3:14-19 (KJV)

 ¹ Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. ² And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Luke 9:1-2 (KJV)

Lord Jesus Christ knowing what Judas Iscariot was treated him no differently from the other apostles.  I have to ask the question how in the world could anybody walk with Jesus, be chosen as an apostle, receive power against sickness and the devil, preach the Gospel, and wind up with a heart filled with the devil and selling out the Lord for chump change?

The answer might seem complicated, but truly it is not. There is also here a warning that it takes more than hanging around with godly people, or even being able to put on a display of certain types of power to be a child of God. We will continue to look at Judas Iscariot to fully understand that despite all he had, he was never a Christian never a child of God.

Love

serola

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Wed, Feb 20th - 9:58AM

As we look at the biblical incidents of satan taken possession of a person, it was always quite obvious. The possessed person would always have a tale tell sign that demonic involvement had caused something to be radically wrong with them. Many of the possessed lost mental stability, and/or would suffer horrible incurable diseases or disabilities.  Judas Iscariot, the scriptures notes:

2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;4He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. John 13: 2-4 (KJV)

Judas Iscariot, with satan in his heart in the midst of the disciples and Lord Jesus displayed none of the symptoms associated with demonic possession. One might be tempted to say, since the devil made Judas Iscariot betray Lord Jesus, it is unfair to blame him.

 But the Bible tells us that Judas Iscariot had already made up his mind to betray Lord Jesus because of the incident at Simon the leper’s house. (See Mt. 26:6-16) 

Satan has the power to tempt a person to sin, but he has no power to force a person to do it. Therefore Judas Iscariot is responsible for the evil choice that he made to betray Lord Jesus. Therefore the devil entered the heart of one in harmony with him, thinking to kill the heir and take the kingdom. Nevertheless, in God’s plan through death, Jesus Christ would conquer sin and destroy the devil, all the power of the devil forever, and consign Judas Iscariot to the condemnation he so richly deserved.

Love

Serola        

⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh

Luke 6:45 (KJV)

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Fri, Feb 15th - 2:46AM

Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. ²² And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? ²³ And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. ²⁴  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. ²⁵ Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

Matt 26:21-25 (KJV)

 We have to note the virulent and relentless deception of Judas Iscariot. The heart of Judas Iscariot was so depraved and wicked, he had nerve to ask Lord Jesus if he was the one who would betray him,  this after he had already done so.

There is nothing in the Bible to remotely suggest that all of the apostles had the same potential as Judas Iscariot, to betray the Lord. Some try to use Judas Iscariot as an example of a Christian falling away, this is a lie wrapped in a lie, as true Christians are indwelt and kept by the power of God see (1peter 1:5).

Judas Iscariot was amongst the apostles, but never with them, never truly one of them. While people can be fooled by outward appearances, God looks on the heart. Judas was an apostle outwardly, but never in his heart where the true nature, beliefs and character resides. Judas could fool the apostles, but he could never fool Lord Jesus, in fact no one can. If there is a picture of evil, if there is a prototype of true wickedness, if there is a typology on the heart of utter darkness, we see it in Judas Iscariot. Jesus reminds us that Judas Iscariot was a devil to the fullest extent possible.

Love

Serola

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Thu, Feb 7th - 9:31AM

Perhaps one could argue that even though Judas Iscariot knew that Lord Jesus would be put to death after betrayal, he (Judas Iscariot) still did not know that he  himself would be the betrayer. Perhaps one could even argue that  because of his ignorance, Judas Iscariot never had the chance to change his mind.  Anyone thinking this would be completely wrong. Here is what the scriptures states:

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, ¹⁵ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

¹⁶ And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Matt 26:14-16 (KJV)

We must note that the woman who anointed Lord Jesus’s feet understood that He was the true pearl of great price, more worthy than all earthly treasure. All the treasures of the earth are mere trinkets in comparison to Jesus Christ. But Judas Iscariot saw this world’s trinkets of more value than the Son of God.

This was right after Lord Jesus rebuked Judas for condemnation of Mary the woman who had anointed Jesus’s feet with her costly spikenard.  Judas Iscariot knew he would be the one to betray Lord Jesus, as well as what would happen upon this act. In Judas Iscariot, God gives us an unflinching look into the nature and heart of evil. 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Matt 12:30 (KJV)

There is absolutely NO neutrality with God. He accepts No excuses.

love

serola

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Sat, Feb 2nd - 6:32AM

Judas Iscariot hung around Lord Jesus to use Him to gain money. We also note some hung around Lord Jesus because He fed them. Even today, brethren, amongst God's people are  wicked persons who sneak into the church  unawares, to steal money and gain financial wealth.

 Matt 20:17-19 (KJV)

Did Judas Iscariot know that those to whom he would betray Lord Jesus would put Lord Jesus to death?  Judas knew the cost of his betrayal to Jesus. All of the apostles were made well aware of this, including who the perpetrators would be. Judas Iscariot had watched the Lord perform many miracles, healing the sick, feeding the poor, raising the dead, casting out the devil that cruelly possessed and tormented adults and even children. It meant nothing to Judas Iscariot, all that mattered to him was getting his hands on as much money as possible, even if it resulted in the death of Lord Jesus Christ.

Even so, Judas Iscariot so perversely evil, without any compassion would betray the Lord God of glory. Day by day, Judas Iscariot ate Lord Jesus’s food, stole his money, and hated Him.

love

serola

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