The characters of the Bible fit many people, but why do we single out Judas.  I believe it is because he is much like us.

What will you sacrifice Christ for?

Is it fame/fortune/or power, those can be good goals unless you add the element of greed. 

We all have a need to provide!!!  But what is the motive? 

Are you selling your investment short; is it for quick profit?  Dust to dust and everything nothing, but nothing is everything. 

Did we disagree with someone who had a different point of view because someone told us? 

Are we asking the right questions of those who lead us secularly and spiritually? 

Is it that you have needs that aren’t met?  At what price would you ransom Christ and eternity? 

Do you love what you do not have, but despise what you do have? 

Do you sing Hosanna in the most high, yet call for a crucifixion? 

Do you withhold yourself or your possessions from Christ?  You will gain what you give away, but loose that which you hold dear. 

Do you require yet more miracles like Herod? 

Heal me and I will believe or relieve the problems in my life and I will believe.  Look at what has been given.  Are you the result of your thoughts that turned into action?  Are you crying for help, when you are capable of helping yourself?  Look deep for the answer, because blind calls for help are as bad as those that the need is a want. 

Do you pray for what Christ can do, or what you can do for Christ? 

What is Truth and how do we know it.  We know it by what happens in the aftermath.  Was it that of building or that of destroying?  Did we help where we could?  Sometimes the littlest gesture is that of great JOY!  Sometimes a thought can cause a shake that moves mountains in to the ocean. 

It is not how much we give, but how much of us we give.  The Crusaders were alleged to hold their swords above the water when being baptized.  I heard a pastor once ask, are we holding our wallets above baptism? 

Some have plenty and some have none, it is not HOW MUCH YOU GIVE, IT IS HOW MUCH OF YOU YOU GIVE!!! 

What is Caesar’s and what is God’s: 

Caesar has nothing that he has dominion over that God has not given him.  By practice of law or abomination thereof, Caesar has control of that which is worldly.  He owns your home through taxation/Insurance/and Interest/he holds power to give and take your job from you/how you should be cared for if you can’t benefit Rome or the world anymore/and he owns the banks that take your money and give you a pittance, but reward themselves handsomely.  Caesar through the proxy of Satin has as much influence over your life as you allow.  Resistance may seem futile, but the reward awaits. 

What does God own? 

Well that depends on how you see God (As for me, it is everything that Caesar doesn’t [I don’t pay Caesar one talon more than he is allowed by God]). 

What do I mean by that, because it sounds pretty obscure?  I will not sacrifice Christ for Rome.  He accepted a REAL problem child upon adoption.  I was very disobedient and threw temper tantrums when he tried to correct me.  I lived in the world and sought that which is of the world.  I denied Him over and over, but He took me back.  I am about as flawed as a human can get, but His Love is Unconditional.  Caesar can never possess that which is God’s; your and my soul.  He and his secret ally can receive it if we give it to them, but as I see it, it is mine and God’s to do with it as I choose.  I choose to wait for the Bridegroom...  It has been a long wait, but like many times in the past, the time seems to be at hand, will you be ready? 

I know as I reflect from my military service I would lay down for my life for my comrades or Rome in a minute; however, that was never called of me.  My petty jesters of insight may be seen as without substance.  But I ask how you measure God?  Is He someone that fits into our mind and we can comprehend, I think not.  If I could define God, give statistics in favor of His existence or otherwise fit Him in to a neat box; I would know, I don’t know a thing.  How does one describe infinity, Absolute Good, or the positions of master and servant?  What does my feeble natural instinct of being a flawed human give me, at most I would believe an incomplete picture and a knowledge that more will be revealed.  This has been true before, and I hold it is true of my insights, so bear with me; but, accept yourself, by who you think and see yourself; you can be assured if you are not of what God wants, He will provide adequate instruction if you are willing to be shown… Again, the choice is yours! 

I think it is God’s intention that no exact proof of His existence can be found.  He gave us free will, but if we knew positively of His existence then we would be limited by a free will to love Him.  He doesn’t want your belief, He wants your Faith.  And Faith without action is much of what James said, they said they had no place to stay or food to eat and you said have a good night sleep and be well fed, but did nothing to help with their situation.  Anyone, including Demons has a belief in God, but we show by our actions that we are of God.  We know them by their fruits. 

Don’t hold your pride above the Baptism.  Relinquish what you have and you will have more.  Hold tightly to the worldly processions and you will have nothing. 

Our time here is but a fleeting moment, but we are playing with eternity.  What you own on Earth will not matter at the end; don’t invest in the world, but in God.  Don’t gamble, because it is a loss that you might not want to bear.  When it comes to Salvation, there is no derivative, no credit default swap; you pay for your life on Earth with Eternal consequences. 

What are you withholding in your life from Baptism?  Build or destroy, the free will option is yours. 

Do you want to seek instant gratification from the world or by its possessions, which will place a deficit investment in eternity? 

The choice is yours.  Make the choice and the decision wisely. 

Glory is to God and thanks be given to His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ [Who paid the ransom for your Sins and mine in full], it is complete and only needs your intent to bind you in the contract.  Salvation may be of Grace, but service is devotion. 

Where will you sign? Jim

Copyright 2010 Jim Long

All rights reserved. Do not publish, in whole or in part, unless you are given my expressed written permission... Jim Long