* (from Jesus Wants You-8/10/09) "WE often forget that Jesus loved Judas ...the story is always used as a story of betrayal....but we should be looking at this betrayal that continued in love. I had an ouch moment when reading that Jesus called Judas friend despite knowing full well what he was going to do and always knowing what he was going to do. He continued to love all his disciples who all fled and denied him. Praise God for the LOVE of Jesus and that his love covers all of us. I pray that we all come in to the perfecting love of Jesus Christ so that we can love one another better as well as ourselves."
This was good and right on time for today's message! Thank you for sharing!
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Prayer: Heavenly Father, show each one of us how to love each other, how to respect each other, how to treat one another how we wish to be treated; show us dear LORD how to be a friend to one another. Only through this can unity be created. There is power in those who stand in agreement under Christ. Move Your people to see themselves and others as You see them. Stir forgiveness in our hearts LORD. Implement loving and clear communication between us. People need people. Isolation delivers no growth. Thank You LORD for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let fences be mended, confusion replaced with sound judgment. For I ask the Holy Spirit to lead and control our emotions. And that we don't allow our emotions to lead us in the wrong direction of damaging reactions. I pray we each bind our minds to the Holy mind of Christ in order to be motivated by Your Will in everything we do, specifically towards one another. In the mighty name of Jesus! Amen.
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www.biblegateway.com
DEATH & RESURRECTION OF JESUS, THE KING
Matthew 26
Jesus Arrested *part 3*
v. 56
Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
I am a repeat offender of treating people as they treat me. People have HURT me! So to protect myself; You ignore me, I cut you out.
You're late all the time; don't respect my time- I usually and gradually stop hanging with you. You annoy me enough, and in time I will remove myself. Your communication style lacks, then I stop considering you. You flake, I "flake" you out. You only care about the position/company that I'm with- you're not slick-it's revealed itself & my box of favors gets closed. And the list can go on. Yes, I'm letting you know my secrets. Ha! But the reason I reveal this is because we all do it, and it is NOT of God. We act out of emotion and not out of a heart of mercy and grace. We remove ourselves from people who potentially might need us- or we just might need them. We prevent God from working in those relationships. We possibly remove ourselves from a relationship that can mature us in ways we wouldn't mature without them, and vice versa. We just might be deserting them in their greatest time of need. Have you ever thought about that? Or is it just about you? We're not only called to love those who treat us good. God says to love- and that doesn't exclude anyone. How can we do this when we're busy separating ourselves?
I commit today to NOT stoop to such a level ever again. It's time to let this burden go! We fool ourselves in thinking we're creating freedom- when we're only creating animosity. The truth is people will ALWAYS disappoint us. In some way we are not going to live up to one another's expectations. Jesus couldn't even get His 12 closest friends (the disciples) to stand with Him in his deepest time of need. A few hours earlier, this band of men had said they would rather die than desert their LORD. And what did they do? They deserted Him, they fled- leaving Jesus to deal with the religious leaders alone.
Let's be honest, even before the cross, these guys were consistent disappointments. But Jesus loved them anyway. He showed them what the love of God really was. He never left them, He was always honest with them, He fed them spiritually, He served them; Praise God, Jesus didn't allow hurt emotions to rule over Himself, and He committed to giving His life for them (and us).
For all His life, Jesus consistently showed Himself friendly, was a friend and cared. People were full of sin and came to Him- even better He went to them (women at the well) and Jesus loved them.
How did Jesus do this? By making His relationship with God the most important. When and where the disciples lacked, God was sufficient. As He is for us as well. Sufficient in all ways. And God is that one friend who can really vindicate situations for us. Not according to our wisdom or power. But by His infinite and all-knowing wisdom and power. When we trust Him, we can place people in a loving place. Instead we look to people to provide, what only God can provide. You will only be complete in God, and when we're complete- we can do so much more for one another. We can allow offenses to slide right off our backs, and continue in the same manner Jesus did to those He called friends. This doesn't mean to be best friends with everyone. Everyone Jesus helped, taught, and cared for, didn't become part of His intimate 12. But that didn't stop Him from loving them as friends.
So I'm making a public commitment that when people want to ignore me, be mean to me, can't even remember my birthday, not speak to me, nor hang with me, put me last, desert me and talk behind my back, that it won't be my issue. No one has the power to use me or tear me down, when I choose to be a giver of all that God has placed in my hands; regardless of the circumstances. I trust God will judge every person's motives and heart, even my own. That's for Him to take care of. I will continue to show myself as someone by which you can depend on,turn to in time of need, laugh with, hang with, talk to, get the truth from with love & compassion- not judgment or condemnation. I won't change over night by any means. But it is my goal to mature in this area and to step onto this journey. I am making a public confession in order to stay accountable to it. We need to stop reacting and proactively start walking as Jesus tells us to walk every day through the Holy Spirit.
How about you? Are you ready to truly show yourself friendly. Just to be friendly and good, without looking for anything in return? Not keeping that relationship because you think they can provide you a job in the future. Not keeping that relationship because of their access to everything exclusive. Not keeping that relationship to use the person, but keeping the relationship to show compassion to one another.
It doesn't matter who is a friend to us, we are called to be a friend to them! We do this not to be above anyone else, but to continue to show that we care for one another, no matter what. WE CARE! And through that, they will see that our Father cares.
Love one another is a command not an option.
DON'T YOU WANT TO BE BETTER TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER?
-forgive and love.
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"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach the Good News to the poor." Isaiah 61:1
Scripture & Prayer from NIV Women's Devotional Bible-Classic Edition. Notes from The Study Application Bible.
www.thegoodnews4yourlife.blogspot.com "Providing you with what you already have access to in the most convenient way. So that we all can continue to grow in wisdom & understanding of God." LT
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