Mercy and Truth

 PSALM 85 KJV

Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.

I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

+++

Betrayal

"Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took him."

                                                                                   (Mark 14:42-46 KJV)

It was time to wake up and face reality. Jesus' betrayer was at hand and he wanted those who were with him to actually be with him when he faced his betrayer. Jesus did not run and hide from his betrayer. He did not hide from those who would take him to his death. He faced them. He went willingly to his death for the sake of the world.

In the Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke we hear Jesus warn us that he would be put to death and that those who would be his disciples; those who would receive eternal life in the presence of God, must also be willing to follow him even to death.

"And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." 

                                                                                   (Mark 8:31-35)

Do not fear what man might do to you. Face the betrayers. Face those who would  befriend you and kiss you on the cheek in order to betray you. Rather, trust that the Lord will work all things for the good of those who believe and trust in him.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Betrayed

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. (Matt 26:47-50 KJV)

A follower; a friend, betrayed him. He betrayed him with a kiss. It takes so little sometimes to turn a friend into an enemy. You don't even have to do anything  out of your norm and you could find yourself in the courts because a friend or even a family member has turned you in to protect themselves and what they desire no matter how trivial that desire might be. 

Those charges against Jesus were charges contrived of false accusations because of such things as fear, jealousy, and even disappointment as in Judas' case when he realized that Jesus did not have the same goals in mind that Judas had. 

It is a sad thing when someone you love turns against you to protect and preserve their future. But, it happens and it happens way to much. There are those who will throw their own children under the bus to keep from being hit themselves.

But, that is not the way with Jesus. He knew that Judas would betray him. Yet, he willingly threw himself under the bus to save us. He willingly bore our sins. He was executed for our sins. He did not turn his back on us. 

Judas betrayed the innocent Jesus with a kiss. May God help us to be faithful to the one who would not betray us. Let our love for the Lord be genuine.

God's Peace - Pr. J