Deceptive "Followers" of Christ

Early Morning, August 2, 2012

     God put this on my heart this morning, and I thought "God, do you really want me to put this out there for others to read?" Within minutes, a complete stranger used the exact phrase that God had given me earlier that morning, so I must obey God. God brought Judas to my mind this morning as I sat alone in my living room while my family slept. I find myself weeping and being so burdened for the state of this world. I feel such sadness when people who profess to be Christians are distorting the Word of God. It's God's Word - not mine, not yours - it's HIS. It's sacred. The Bible is the book above all books. It is Holy. It is to be revered. Every word in that Book is perfect. There is no flaw to a single word. It cannot be changed to suit the changing world. When all else burns, The Word will stand. It is because I LOVE EVERY MAN and EVERY WOMAN that I cannot hide or distort the TRUTH of the BIBLE. This is not a game to me. I'm not attempting to upset people. I'm not seeking to "one up" someone else's ideas. No, never. However, I cannot stand before God one day with someone else's blood on my hands (Ezekiel 33:1-11). 

      Judas was one of the twelve disciples. He followed with the others and listened to Jesus. He was with that small group the night Jesus spoke of the bread being His body and the fruit of the vine being His blood. It was a HOLY supper. It was not to be defiled. My eyes brim with tears when I think of the beauty in those moments. However, Jesus would soon be taken, beaten, and crucified. It would be a bloody death. A death filled with agony. The murder of a perfect, sinless man - the perfect lamb.
But it is JUDAS who God asked me to write about. It is Judas who did the unthinkable. Judas had walked with Jesus - listened to Him - and professed to be WITH JESUS. At one point, Judas even states to others that ointment should be given to the poor instead of being used on Jesus' feet (John 12: 4-5). One, not discerning the truth, might look at Judas and think, "Oh, he is concerned for the poor." "Oh, he seems like a 'good' person." Judas' story does not end here.
It is Judas who betrays Christ. Judas, the one who expressed concern for his fellow man - for the poor, betrays the great Saviour in the process. It is Judas, who moments before HIS betrayal of JESUS, sat at the table, ate the bread, and drank the fruit of the vine WITH JESUS.
      It is Judas who loved THIS WORLD more than JESUS -- all the while, traveling with Christ. All the while listening to Jesus' sermons - and perhaps even nodding in agreement on occasion.
Moments before Jesus is taken, the Bible tells us:
"And while he (Jesus) yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called JUDAS, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to KISS him. But Jesus said unto him,' Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?' " (Luke 22: 47 - 48).
In Matthew 26: 49-50 we are told, "And forthwith he (Judas) came to Jesus, and said, 'Hail, master'; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?"
So many, sadly, are betraying Jesus with a kiss. In one breath, they say, "Hail Master", and in the next they are spewing forth the lies of this world - yet all the while, professing to be WITH JESUS.
 

    We should periodically look in the mirror and ask, "Am I Judas?" If we answer that question ourselves, then we have FAILED. If we ask our friends, "Do you think I am Judas?", we have failed. If we ask our preacher, "Do you think I am Judas?", we have failed. It is God who we MUST ask; His answer matters. It can't be the god you have created in your mind who has been molded into the god you believe he should be. And if, by chance, He tells us "Yes, you are Judas", we shouldn't allow our pride or our fear of offending our friends or of offending this world stop us from falling to our knees and pleading for His forgiveness and His help. He WILL be FAITHFUL to forgive and to change hearts.
 

     Does God love man? Yes, Yes, YES! He loves us so much. He loves us so much that He became flesh and walked among us. Man was floundering in his sinfulness, and God became man to HELP us. What a magnificent love! While Jesus walked the earth, He lived a perfect, sinless life. He taught the truth and lived the truth. He was brutally killed because of OUR SIN. We, each one of us, deserve to die that kind of death, but only He could. A perfect, pure lamb was needed in order to atone for the sins of man. If we believe in Him, we FOLLOW Him. We serve Him. His Holy Spirit will dwell in us and teach us everyday His truth. His Word will be written in our hearts. "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put MY LAWS into THEIR HEARTS, and in THEIR MINDS will I write them" (Hebrews 10:15-16).
 

     God also spoke to me this morning this scripture:
Jesus said, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is DAY: the NIGHT cometh, when no man can work" (John 9: 4).
It's getting darker those of you who are true Saints of God, but there is still time to work.
God help all of us to be steadfast and not waiver when we STAND on the Word of God - not the word of man - for my hope is that all will come to the knowledge of the truth. We can overcome SIN if we allow the Spirit to teach us.

I say these things because I love every human being - so much - that I want God's Truth to save them.