November 20

Where is that debt counting clock, and why aren’t we updated on how much further in debt we will be at the hands of those who want to give our hard-earned money to officials who want to line their own pockets?

When Jesus left the wilderness, he came into his hometown, and on the Sabbath, he stood up in the temple and read the next scripture for that day. The temple in Nazareth was his home church, so there was nothing unusual about this except that the scripture he read summed up who he was, the Messiah, and who he was there to save. Everything was okay until he told them that he was fulfilling this very scripture. Then, they said to themselves, “isn’t this Joseph’s son?” They wanted him to do what he had done in Capernaum, but he refused by saying, “no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” If only Jesus had healed their sick and blind, then the town wouldn’t have to deal with them anymore; and there would be no more pouring out of money into the hands of the indigent, then they could line their own pockets with the taxes. However, the miracles he did in other towns were to heal their unbelief, and he knew they would only see him as Joseph’s son, and they wouldn’t believe in him anyway. Jesus could see their motives. Out of anger, they ran him out of town and tried to kill him! It was not yet his time, so he slipped away unscathed. 

Jesus didn’t miraculously cancel their debt. Don’t you wish that clock would disappear and stop counting? We shouldn’t expect that clock to slow down anytime soon; most of the country wouldn’t believe the miracle anyway and would still be responsible for paying taxes.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke 4:18-19

November 19

When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove. Being full of the Holy Spirit, he slipped away into the wilderness to spend time with the Father. It wasn’t until his time there was ending, after forty days, that the devil began tempting him. He had denied himself food, but God had been sustaining him throughout that entire time.

After his wilderness experience, he began his ministry. Did Jesus give us the steps to take when we start our ministry? I know that every time I spend time in the wilderness, even if it’s only a few hours with Jesus, I have an exceptional experience, and he opens my eyes to new things.

What was Jesus hearing from God during his time there? Was God equipping him for the things to come? Was the temptation Jesus faced a way to strengthen his self-denial to learn to rely on God solely? After his time away, Jesus began his ministry, but you will see that throughout the gospels, he would slip away into the wilderness to spend time with his Father. 

The point I’m trying to make is that you don’t just jump into ministry; there is work to be done first. There is a period of learning, some self-denial, and overcoming temptation. Anything worth having needs time to be cultivated. Don’t rush into ministry without being equipped for service; Jesus didn’t; he knew the scriptures, was anointed by the Holy Spirit and spent quality time with God. Follow these steps, and God will reward you with success.

One more thing, God’s idea of success and the American concept of success are two entirely different things. It’s about people, not finances.

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. Luke 4:1-2

November 18

Did you know that Jesus’s lineage is traced back through Mary? In that day, it was not acceptable to mention women in Jewish records of lineage, but Jesus’s record shows Heli as Joseph’s father, but he was Mary’s dad. My commentator believes that Heli may have adopted Joseph, and so the history traced it back through Mary because of that. 

Jesus was in his thirtieth year when he began his ministry. I think thirty may be the year that we as humans start to wake up from our stupor and venture into knowledge; at least, that’s been my own experience. 

I now have children in their thirties, one of whom we are celebrating today, a little late because he chose to take a trip on his birthday to commemorate the event. I have high expectations for this eldest son and hope that the stupor has worn off and that he will continue taking the path of his mom and dad to become an even brighter light for Jesus. Never stop praying for your children, because eventually they will remember their ancestry, which includes you, and will hopefully choose the best part of your path.

Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, Luke 3:23

November 17

Once again, I’m focused on my bird feeder. Yesterday, I noticed that there weren’t any birds coming to it, and the feeder appeared to be full. I’ve seen this happen before, and I knew why; the seed had spoiled from the rain. Last night I cleaned it out and let it dry, and this morning I filled it up with fresh seed. It will probably take a day or so before they come back. I never knew what an aggravation it was to draw birds to my yard, but they are so cute, and I enjoy seeing them. 

Has your seed spoiled? You know, the seeds you spread, so others know of the love of Jesus. Do you know how it becomes spoiled? Blatant sin! You can ruin your testimony by not living a clean life for all to see, and eventually, your private sin will rule you and spill over into your public life; people can sense if you are not sincere. There are preachers and evangelist whose public stance on issues have caused me to turn my back on them and no longer hold them in high esteem. If they were to repent and turn, I would respect that, but it would take some time before I ever followed them again. Those people have spoiled seeds, like in my bird feeder. The moral of the story is, don’t flaunt your sin and keep your bird feeder clean.

He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. Luke 2:7-8a

November 16

Years ago, before my grandmother passed away, she gave me a banana plant that produces regular sized bananas. Before we moved, I dug up a baby from it because it had become a prolific producer, and I wanted to preserve the gift. For years this plant has been growing in a pot with no signs of growth other than producing a few new leaves once in a while. Then last week, I noticed a bloom and a cluster of bananas. I thought that because it was in a pot, I would never see any fruit on it, but to my surprise, it bloomed and is now producing fruit.

After accepting Jesus as Savior, his Spirit begins growing in us unbeknownst to anyone around us. Then suddenly we start producing fruit. It’s like turning on a switch; we are no longer afraid to share Jesus. We get past our nerves and the thought of rejection and honor him by sharing the fruit of God’s Word. Don’t get in the way of the Spirit; allow him to use you to bring others to know Jesus. 

One specific way to get past your nerves is to immerse yourself in the scriptures so you have a handle on the truth. A few minutes a day is all it takes. Education is the key to success, even when it comes to spreading the gospel.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Luke 2:46

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." Luke 2:52

November 15

 

After my adventure of picking up and reviving living sea creatures, I found one I thought was empty, and it was; however, it still had a small amount of the remainder of its inhabitant that I couldn’t see; I didn’t realize it until a few minutes later when I began to smell something heinous. I had gotten it on my hands, and it had now dripped all over my bag. I immediately knew which one it was and removed it. I couldn’t look at that seashell anymore without wanting to vomit. I didn’t notice it, to begin with, because it was a perfectly beautiful shell, but once I had it in my possession, it showed its real intention, to mar me with its filth. Do you see where I’m going with this? The beautiful shell is a picture of us; we look perfect on the outside but are filled with the heinous rot of sin; the smell of death. Some of us try our best not to sin, but because we are human, it’s nearly impossible, and like the seashell, we have a tiny bit of rot inside that no one but God can see. Sin separates us from God, and he shuts us out because the sin makes us smell rotten, but Jesus is a powerful cleanser that can wash the smell of death off of us and make us clean and pristine. 

How can you live knowing you are a stench to God? Don’t you want him to find you clean? There is only one way for that to happen, and that is to accept Jesus as your Savior. It’s straightforward to do, but you have to commit to him, believe that he is the son of God, believe that he was born in perfection through a virgin birth, and believe that he died for your sin and was raised from the dead. These are all miracles that only God can do, but you must believe. It seems a little out there if you haven’t heard of these things, but if you are feeling the weight of the world, it might be time to allow Jesus to take that pressure off your shoulders. Accept his gift and clean the filth out of your soul.

Pray this prayer if you want to accept him today: Lord Jesus, come into my life. I believe that you are the son of God, that you were born to save me from my sin, that you died and were raised again to cleanse me. I commit to turning away from my sinful life and pursue you from today onward. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer today. Please message me. I would love to begin praying for you and give you some direction.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:16-18

November 14

I’m not going to deny it, I’m ready to decorate for Christmas. I’ve been holding back because we haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but with all that’s been happening this year, I feel that I need a little extra joy. What will it hurt to celebrate the birth of our Savior a bit early? We certainly don’t know the exact day he was born; we know the season, but not the day, so maybe it was November; my guess is as good as anyone else. I am certainly tired of thinking about the virus and the election; they’ve gotten me worn out! Should we start saying Merry Christmas? Probably not; I’m sure that most are not ready for it like I am. 

When Jesus made his appearance as a baby, the heavenly host rejoiced here on earth and promised peace to all in whom God was pleased (at least that’s what it says in the ESV.) Christmas is a Christian holiday; it is a celebration of Jesus. If the unsaved want to join us, so be it, but it means more to us than anyone else on earth. So, if you're feeling the desire to decorate now, and you want to usher in a bit of peace on earth, by all means, do it! Let’s make the devil cringe with all our Christmas cheer!

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:13-14

November 13

Look what day it is!! Friday, November 13, 2020. Don’t get caught up in the number today; it’s just the next number in a sequence. God created this day and didn’t give it a specific distinction more than any other day. To give this day an evil significance is mind control of the enemy, and he will use anything he can to take your mind off of God. If you are thinking about what doom will come on such a day as this, you aren’t thinking of God, and you have given in to the rule of Satan. 

I finally got past the first few verses of Luke. Let me tell you; I am encouraged! We are almost into the Christmas season, and what a great start! We need to stop dwelling on how bad 2020 is and start thinking about the positive things of the season. God is in each day, so let go of your superstitions and be prepared to meet with him no matter how you view this specific day. Be of good courage, and read Luke chapter one; it will brighten your day and help kick off this upcoming Christmas season with our minds set upon God.

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. Luke 1:49-50

November 12

The more I study God’s word, the more I realize that much of it has meaning hidden in plain sight. Some of It is narrative to give us the history and truth; some of it is discourse to provide us with ideas, concepts, doctrine, or facts; some poetry to express emotions, and some prophecy to reveal or uncover symbolism. All of this rolled into one book. But that’s not all! The closer you get to God, the more he tells you. It is unlike any other book. The Bible is the one book you read where you think you know how the story goes, but because of its divine nature, God will open your eyes to more each time you read it. 

I’ve just started the Book of Luke, and could barely get past the first paragraph because he begins by mentioning who he is writing to, Theophilus. Is Theophilus a real person, or could it be a term for those who are a friend of God -  which is what Theophilus means? It makes me wonder if we should call one another Theophilus rather than Christian! It would undoubtedly throw left-leaning people into a tizzy, wouldn’t it? My point today is for you to read your Bible, but not just once; read it often and repeat. The more you read with the Holy Spirit's assistance, the more you will learn about God, which is the point of studying it. Reveal God, and he will transform your life.

it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. Luke 1:3-4

November 11

Should we dare ask, could 2020 get any worse? Now Florida has a tropical storm barreling toward it and coming onshore near my location. Right now, it’s just a rainmaker, but as it draws closer, I expect that we will have some strong gusts. Will this storm be enough to blow away all the unrighteousness? I sincerely doubt it, but it will give us something else to think about besides the election. One benefit of living where I do is that we are near the hospital; the power company tries to keep it up and running, so our power rarely goes out. Can you guess who else, who’s full of power, is committed to those who are near him? Jesus! 

As we contemplate the happenings in the world today and fret over our current situation, Jesus will still ask, “Why do you fear?” We work ourselves into a frenzy over worldly matters, but he wants us to recognize him amid the storm. He’s like the power company taking care to keep the hospital running. What better comparison! We are like the hospital workers, benefiting from his power, and he needs us to keep working! People need to be near Jesus now more than ever; the end is coming quickly. ARMOR-UP! Stay in the fight to the end!

Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Psalms 118:5-6

and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. Ephesians 1:19

November 10

Don’t fall away; this is an excellent time to put your faith into practice. At this point, we don’t know what will happen in the courts or with the re-count; it could be a long and drawn-out process, especially since they haven’t even finished counting in some states. Our hope doesn’t lie in the hands of man; it lies in the hand of God. He alone decides the outcome and what is best for us and the rest of the world. He could be hastening Jesus’s return because of the pure evil that has overtaken the world. We don’t understand in full, only in part. How could our loving God hear the cries of the wicked over the cries of his people? He has a purpose for it, and remember, he can see the outcome of this disaster, so we must think beyond the here and now and ask ourselves what good could come from this. Is this a test of our faith? Guaranteed! I have people around me who have already given up hope; the results may not be what we want now, but God can use this to spur on an evangelical movement, but we must wait to see. Sit back and relax, don’t overthink, get your face out of the television and off social media, and stop believing everything you hear. Why do we have to live during this time in history where our freedom is at stake? We’ve had it easy for a lot of years; now it’s our turn to face an uncertain future, just as the pioneers did. Don’t lose heart; we have Jesus, and he has overcome the world!

For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. Psalms 37:28-29

November 9

Some things in my life complicate it, and I would like nothing more than to let those fall to the wayside. Although I can’t quit everything, there are some complications I could cut out that would lead to a simpler lifestyle with fewer distractions and responsibilities. I’ve already done this with my eating habits; I’ve cut sugar and grains because my body loathes them, and for that, I feel better. Though I didn’t grow up in an area with many homeowners associations, I now live in a townhouse with one that cares for my yard and keeps our community looking beautiful; no more yard work! Then, over the weekend, as part of my birthday gift, my husband installed keyless entries on our townhouse and condo; that’s what I’m talking about, ease of access! 

Most people do this as they get older, then add more carefree things to keep themselves occupied. I’m not trying to gain more time; I waste enough of that already, but with commitment comes responsibility. There is one commitment that I will not relinquish until God releases me, and that’s writing this daily devotional. I can’t even stop it. While on vacation, I took a break from posting, but I still wrote; I just didn’t post! 

We are all too busy, but we need to step back and see what we can do to simplify our lives. Jesus lived a simple life without a permanent home here on earth, but he committed to his teachings. I’m not saying that you should give up your home; I’m not. What gift did he give you? What can you do to downsize your life so you can do more of that? Assess your life and leave behind whatever you can; then pursue God’s calling on your life.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.  John 15:16

November 8

While I was on the beach yesterday, a man was casting his net for bait. I had been trying to capture a video message, but the wind was too strong, and all you could hear was it whipping past me, so I recorded again. What I captured before starting over was quite delightful. As this man emptied his net on the beach, a flock of seagulls and other birds began to gather. After he had gotten all he needed, he left the rest for the birds, and they ate their fill until there was no more. Jesus is like that fisherman; he has food for all of us. Eat and get your fill; time is short, and a day is coming when Jesus’s followers will be living and breathing the Word in his presence. Everything will make sense to us then. Until that day happens, live the best life you can; rejoice in the bits of food he gives to sustain us. We must be kingdom minded and leave the worries of this world to the worldly. Obey his command and do your best to bring others into the saving knowledge of Jesus.

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24

November 7

Church, we must STAY AWAKE and be ready! My little dogs haven’t figured out the time change yet, and are waking me up at 5 am to go out. Without the time change, I would typically be up and ready to get going because it’s 6 am, but like everyone else, I would like to take advantage of an extra hour. Once up, I can’t go back to sleep, so I meet with the LORD a little earlier. 

Now is not a good time to take your inheritance and run off like a prodigal son because the Father might not be there when you decide to come back home. Whatever sin issues you have, it would be best for you to give them up now and live as clean as you can. If you aren’t aware, the world is on track to become cashless by 2030! That’s just a little over nine years away! Does that mean Jesus will come before then? Only God knows. I guarantee you that they will have the microchip ready by then. It is uncertain whether or not the mark of the beast is an actual mark or whether it is an unholy trinity between the devil, the Antichrist, and the false prophet.

“The number 666 could well personify the imperfection of man, even implying in the triple number the unholy trinity of the dragon, antichrist, and the false prophet.” Gary T. Meadors.

You could be marked by God because of your worship of them; or it could be and actual mark. The point is, don’t get too caught up in the signs of the times, but worship God and God alone, and leave your sins at the foot of the cross, and don’t go back to get them. We are living in an uncertain time, so stick with who you know, and that is Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Leave worldly worries to the world; we are not of this world and are only ambassadors for Jesus. Keep this in mind when the world goes crazy. 

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. Mark 13:32-33

November 6

Did you know that Jesus cleaned the temple twice? For some reason, in my mind, I combined the occurrences. So, when I read the heading that said, “this is the second cleansing of the temple,” it sparked my curiosity. The first time he drove everyone out with whips, it’s only written about in John 2. I’m sure the officials weren’t happy about it the first time, but when he did it again, he started cutting into their profits, so they began to look for a way to get rid of him. The problem was that the people loved him and he spoke with such authority, that they were afraid of him and of what the people would do. 

I’ve mentioned this before, but I believe we are seeing a cleansing taking place, similar to separating the sheep from the goats. If this political season has done nothing else, it has exposed the goats and money changers. The money changers are those who are only there to profit from the people of faith and the goats are those who identify as a Christian but do not have salvation. May God give us the wisdom to figure out a way to help them take the blinders off without being so angry with them. I would hate for them to be cursed like the fig tree and wither away; they already know about Jesus, but haven’t committed their lives to him; if they don’t change and bare fruit, the way of the fig tree will be their demise. We need to pray fervently for these people. After all, they will be the hardest to convince because they believe they are already saved. Pray for the Holy Spirit to penetrate their hearts.

And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left... “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:33 and 41

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. Mark 11:15

November 5

I’m on fire today and plan to offend you! If your preacher did not teach their followers the appropriate candidate to vote for, the one that follows biblical principles, then they are guilty of a disservice to our Savior. The separation of church and state is not in our constitution, it’s a line in a letter from Thomas Jefferson, and in its context, it refers to the government keeping out of the business of religion, not the other way around. 

I saw a screenshot that made me angry; it said, “Pastors - please don’t try to convince people implicitly or explicitly that your preferred candidate is God’s candidate... ” What good is a preacher if he doesn’t help Christ-followers put their faith into action? What good is a preacher if he doesn’t help Christ-followers see the difference between a good candidate and an evil candidate? The suitable candidate is the one who is for Jesus, not against him! 

If your preacher happens to prefer the corrupt candidate, you need to leave that church; that preacher is like the flourishing fig tree that Jesus cursed! If your preacher was too afraid to point you in the right direction because of the fear of losing parishioners and their tithe, then he needs a new job; a preacher should offend and offend often! Jesus wasn’t afraid to offend! Now, here we are, fighting for our nation, because of unsaved “Christians.” I can understand why the unsaved follow and vote for evil, but not those who claim Christ; they are liars. Remember Jesus cleaning the temple? He’s doing it again!

And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. Mark 11:13-14

As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Mark 11:20-21

November 4

Blind Bartimaeus had his eyes opened by Jesus. Here we are 2000 years later begging for him to open the eyes of half our nation. I can’t believe how many people voted for a person with obvious health issues with a heart for revenge against the unborn over a person who has been forgiven of his sins and is our brother in Christ. What is wrong with our nation! The powers of darkness have almost overtaken it. However, it looks like a win for the light, but who knows how long we will have to fight for the revelation. 

Remember Elisha’s helper? We need to be him today. God opened his eyes so he could see the army of light surrounding them, yet Elisha had the enemy blinded. Elisha led them into Samaria before the king of Israel, and then opened their eyes! The king wanted to kill them, but Elisha wouldn’t let him. He had the king feed them and let them go. I feel that those who believe in the truth are Elisha’s helper, and our blind countrymen are the Syrian army. We must lead them to our King Jesus to open their eyes and then feed them. It’s only then that we will be truly free because it seems that with every election, we lose a little bit more of our freedom. We must bring our nation back to God and defeat the enemy of darkness for the good of our country and the sake of Jesus. If you need some encouragement, read 2 Kings 6:8-23. Don’t be afraid; those who are with us are more than those against us!

He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:16-17

November 3

I’m not sure what today will bring, but there is one thing you can be sure of, there is a division between good and evil. On one side, you have the minions of the enemy, and on the other side are those who stand on biblical principles. The Christians have been praying harder than ever, and you can bet that if today's vote goes to the party of death, they will destroy our country, and the end is near. The Father hears our cries, but if he is ready to bring about the end of the end times, nothing will stop him, not even our prayers. The only people who will fare well in this will be the Christ-followers; all others will face tormenting for rejecting Jesus. Don’t think we will be unscathed, by no means, but what can mere man do to us? Every disciple of Jesus was tortured or killed because of him, but they never wavered in their faith; they knew him and saw him in the flesh, and saw things we can only imagine. If the time comes and you are genuinely devoted to him, he will give you the strength to endure. However, those who’ve rejected him will face eternal torture in the pit of hell. Consider it an honor if you are mistreated because of Jesus; it’s a type of baptism, and if we hold on until the end, we will reign with him. Stand firm my friends! Whether we win this race or lose it, we are already a winner because we have Jesus. 

I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. Luke 12:50-52

November 2

Walking on the beach yesterday gave me some clarity and a little foresight into the coming days. You might think this is silly, but I hear God’s voice in odd ways; he knows that I will use what he gives me to glorify him, so he speaks to me in ways I understand. 

The first thing I found on the beach was a cone shell; they are not rare when you consider the vast ocean, but I don’t find them often, and I found several. I’m sure there were so many shells on the beach because of the hurricane that just passed our shores and stirred up the bottom, then revealed them with the low tide. With every hurricane, there are predictions, and if you live in a state that is subject to them, you will understand the cone of uncertainty. We are now living within that cone, and the hurricane is Jesus. He is certain, and the fate of those who don’t know him is inevitable and will be devastating.

There was another thing I found that is quite unusual, and it’s called an operculum. It is the door of a sea snail, probably from a whelk or a conch; it seals off the shell and protects them from predators. I found more of those than I’ve ever found at one time. The message is that the door of opportunity is closing, and the enemy will be left outside clamoring to get in. 

I know that if you are following my post, you are likely saved, but there are too many who aren’t, and their time to accept God’s free gift is slowly dwindling, and they will be left behind and tormented by the enemy during the tribulation. It’s time to gather everyone you know who doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus and do your best to convince them that he is their only way into the kingdom of Heaven. If you love them and don’t want them to suffer, tell them about Jesus. We are in the cone of uncertainty, and the operculum is closing to protect everyone on the inside; predators will eat those on the outside; those on the outside are the unsaved.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

November 1

 

The money given to Judas to betray Jesus was used to buy the potter’s field, a graveyard to bury the poor and unknown. Every person that rejects Jesus is poor and unknown and is as guilty as Judas; they will go to the grave in sorrow for rejecting the son of the Almighty. Their sins are exposed, and God cannot look at them; he is too pure to gaze upon their wretchedness. Don’t get too smug; our sins are too disgusting for God to look at also, but Jesus covered them with his blood, which cleanses us of all unrighteousness. What is the difference between Judas and us? We’ve accepted God’s mercy and forgiveness and do not wallow in the sorrow of our sin. Judas was so distraught that he couldn’t live with what he had done and hung himself. If he had sought forgiveness from Jesus and accepted it, we might see him in Heaven, but he wallowed in self-pity before ending his life, never accepting God’s mercy, or believing in Jesus’s forgiveness. He concluded that his sin was more significant than could be forgiven and threw himself at the mercy of the devil rather than face God. Do we know where Judas is? We can only guess; that’s information that only God knows. Don’t worry; you know where you will spend eternity because you have given your life over to Jesus, have turned away from sin, you don’t wallow in self-pity, and have accepted God’s forgiveness.

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:3-5