Today’s Reading: Mark 14:41-46 Today’s Reference: Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
It was the most spectacular sin in history, betraying the Messiah to a cruel death. As we saw yesterday, Judas responded with worldly sorrow that led to death, both physical and everlasting. But could he have been forgiven if he’d taken his guilt to Jesus instead of to men? Yes.
Today’s Reading: Matthew 27:3-10 Today’s Reference: 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
Judas knew he’d done wrong—we always do, don’t we? So he brought the silver back to the chief priests and elders out of guilt. Notice that these men, who were so friendly when he could be of use to them, now said, “What’s that to us?” and sent him away still full of remorse.
Judas responded to his sorrow in the wrong way. If all we do with our sin is grieve about it and …
Today’s Reading: Matthew 26:6-16 Today’s Reference: Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the others, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Why did Judas betray Jesus? For three years he was a full-fledged disciple, doing miracles, preaching to the people. He appeared to love Jesus. He probably even thought he loved Jesus. But he loved money more, and when “crunch time” came, he chose his greater love…thirty pieces of silver. What a worthless exchange for any life, still …
Today’s Reading: Mark 14:35-36 Today's Reference: 1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
Humanly speaking, Jesus didn’t want to die on the Cross. Despite His fears, He still said to His Father, “Not what I will, but what You will.”
Sometimes we have to do the will of God whether we like it or not. We live in a society where “feeling bad” is a sin we must avoid at all costs. But Jesus shows us that’s not God’s way. Being filled with the …
Beginning March 7, join us for a series of 30 devotionals: For Us—Meditations at the Foot of the Cross.
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins… If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”—1 Corinthians 15:17,19
That’s right, he said pitied. If Christ did not die on the Cross and rise again, we as Christians are in the sad position of being aware of the severity of our sin… and having no remedy for it. Pitiful!
If you have ever climbed a high mountain, you remember that you started in the shadow of trees at the base, where there was little or no outlook. You could see a few hundred yards around you; but after a while you rose above the tops of the trees and looked out upon a beautiful landscape. As you climbed higher, the fields and the running streams appeared, but you could see only one-half of the horizon, the other half was shut off by the mountain. But when you reached the top, you found yourself in a great circular room, bounded …
There is great danger that the good may exclude the best. If Satan can keep us so busy doing good that we neglect to pray, he is satisfied. He can counteract our good works, but he cannot counteract our prayers, for God works in answer to prayer. If a prayer meeting is filled with talk, though it be good talk, Satan is pleased. His birds of the air are ready to pick up the good seed and much of it falls on stony ground or among thorns to be choked, but when the hour is filled with genuine prayer, Satan …
The time for open air work has come. Are you ready for it? The Bible you love is an open air book. The great revival under Ezra began in the open air, as from his pulpit of wood he read the Scriptures and expounded their meaning. The angels gave a snatch of heaven’s music and announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the open air. Christ preached His greatest sermon in the open air and proclaimed the gospel to the woman by Jacob’s well in the open air. Most of His miracles and teaching took place in the …
