You know something needs to be said when you think it, write it down, share it with no one else, and then, you hear a person who you know is in tune with the Holy Spirit speak on it. That is exactly what happened with this blog. I wrote the concept early this week after having read the Scriptures about Judas several times. I thought about what must have been going through this disciple’s heart and mind when he decided to rat out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. I was blessed with some insight about Judas to which I had never really paid attention.

Let’s start with the end of Judas. He killed himself. He realized what an awful thing he had done or he realized that he had been caught and he could not bear the shame, so he ended his life and he will burn eternally in hell; not because he committed suicide (not a debate I am going to get into today), but for the reason others go to hell. As my pastor explained, Judas never accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; he was not saved by faith or any other means.

This revelation was shocking to me because Judas walked with Christ and they were friends; he was a disciple, a follower of Christ. Then, I began to think of all the people who come to church, but are not saved. They are around Jesus and His Holy Word, but they do so because of a ritual, or what they can get from Jesus, not because of a loving relationship with the one, true, living God. I admit this is something that I was taught, but having studied the Scriptures, I see no reason not to believe, as my pastor explained, that Judas hung out with Jesus because he thought Jesus would overthrow the Roman government and he wanted to be on the right side on earth. His thoughts were not about eternity. His suicide was an act of remorse, not repentance. Just thought I would share that with you; hope my pastor does not mind. So, what about the beginning of the betrayal?

In the Bible, it says that Judas allowed Satan to use him. We should not be shocked by this. Each and every day, I allow Satan to use me in some way; whether it is too watch television instead of studying God’s Word or to fall asleep instead of communicating heartily with God. If we truly examine our lives, we will all find places in our lives where Satan knows he can enter in and distract us. The sad part is that those distractions are usually wrapped up in doing something with good intentions, especially for those of us who Satan knows will not say ‘yes’ to  pure, unadulterated evil. He is a tricky fellow.

So, after Judas allowed Satan to use him, he went to the Pharisees and offered to give up Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. In Exodus 21:32, it says that if a servant is accidentally killed by an ox, the owner of the ox should stone the ox and pay the owner of the slave thirty shekels of silver. So, basically, Judas felt that Jesus was worth no more than a slave! Let that sink in for a moment. (SN: I learned this from my pastor, too. The man has a wealth of knowledge. If you are in the Jacksonville area and searching for a church home, come check us out at New Friendship)

Okay, now before we get all high and mighty about what Judas should or should not have done, let’s take a look in our spiritual mirrors and ask ourselves, “What’s Your Price?” Really be honest. We condemn Judas all the time, but sell Jesus out each and every day of our loves. Instead of cheerful giving to our local church, we buy more “things.” Instead of listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit, God’s gift to us, we choose to do things “our way” (because that always works out well -- insert sarcasm).

We may not literally be handing Jesus over to Pharisees, but we might as well be, every, single time we choose the people, things and issues of this world over him. So, what is your price to betray Jesus? Might I suggest that we all work on that price being so high that no one can pay it? Can you picture the nail-scarred hands and feet of Jesus Christ and imagine what it cost Him to save you? That’s how high our price should be. Ms. EV

The devil doesn’t fight fair. And, he is good at what he does. No matter how far you have come or how much you have grown, the devil seems to always know when to bring up your past. All the wrong choices you’ve made, all the mistakes you’d rather forget are his choicest weapons. The past creeps into your mind and you don’t know where the thoughts come from or what to do with them. Next thing you know, you are feeling defeated and running from God. How could He possibly love you? Why didn’t He keep you from the situations in the first place? Who are you to be used by Him? Believe me, these torturous contemplations are of the devil because God has forgiven you and forgotten the past (if you asked Him to). If the devil can get you to dwell on these thoughts and to believe that you are not worth God’s time, then he wins.

So, how do we fight back? We most definitely can’t do it on our own. Spiritual warfare is serious and just when you are about to reach your breakthrough is when the devil commissions his most elite special operatives. Their tactics are so cunning that most people would find themselves curled in the fetal position begging for mercy. But, even if the devil’s first blow comes unexpectedly, get back up, stand firm in God and fight the destructive thoughts that Satan plants. You are God’s royal child. You might have messed up, but He loves with an unfathomable love. God has your back (and your front and your sides). Psalm 18:34 says He shows [us] how to fight, so let Him help you win, not just the overall war, but every battle in between. Because rest assured, if you beat the devil once, he’s not giving up, so you must be ready to fight again tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. 

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Ephesians 6:13 (MSG) 

I love rain. Well, I love rain if I am inside of a building and I don’t have outside plans. A good steady rain is like the perfect sleep symphony. You hear the raindrops tapping against the windows in a perfect rhythm that could only be God’s design. The sky darkens to a grayish shade. I am hard-pressed to stay awake in an overcast setting with that melodic sound. While rain, in actuality, feels harmless, and maybe even relaxing, again when you are inside, a storm brings up a whole other set of feelings. When you add thunder and lightning, tornado warnings, and power outages to the rain, it is not so great anymore.

When I looked at the weather this morning, it described Tropical Storm Debby as a stalled storm. The meteorologists are not sure how long this storm will hover over our area. All they know is that it is unpredictable and slow-moving. When I read that, I thought, “That sounds like some of the storms in my life: unpredictable and slow-moving.” When the rain first started yesterday, we were inside, so it was the perfect soundtrack to a nap. Before most storms, it seems like everything is alright. During the periods in our lives where the rain is still peaceful, we should take the opportunities that God gives us to rest. I am not saying sleep all day; however tempting that might be, but rest in Him. We should read His Word, listen to His voice and meditate on what God has for us, so that when the storm comes, and it will come, we are prepared for it. Being well-rested is key to surviving a storm because you never know how long it will take to ride through the storm.

After the peaceful rain came the lightning and thunder. Have you ever watched lightning? I think lightning is beautiful…from faraway of course. It just seems to form these cracks in the sky and then there is a bright light through the darkness that exposes everything around for a brief second. In our spiritual storms, when the lightning comes, we start to crack open and be exposed. Those insecurities and indiscretions in our lives are exposed, even if only for a brief moment. There is enough of this amazing light to show the parts of us that we did not even realize were hidden. The lightning reveals enough to trigger the thunder. Sometimes it sounds like loud shouting and sometimes like quiet rumblings. In either case, it is like all of the voices that vie for our attention. Some are louder than others. Can we drown out the negative long enough to hear the positive? Can we silence the know-it-alls long enough to listen to the One who knows it all?

Following the lightning and thunder, we were subject to a tornado warning. If only we would heed the tornado warnings in our spiritual storms. You know, that feeling in the pit of your belly that tells you that everything is about to spin completely out of control. There are actions we can take during the warning to protect ourselves from the harmful effects of a tornado, but once we get caught up in a whirlwind of disobedience or deception or despicable behavior, it is too late to minimize the damage and destruction. Usually in these storms, where it is heavy rain, tornado or hurricane, there is a power outage. I cannot stand a power outage. It is during those times that you realize just how much you rely on being plugged into a power source. Sure many items can run on batteries, but if the battery runs out before the power comes back on, those items are useless. The same thing happens in a spiritual storm. Perhaps, we feel plugged in to God’s power until we are tossed around a bit. Then, like Job, we are wondering where God has gone. He has not gone anywhere, and the good news is that we can plug into Him anytime we want to, even in the midst of a storm. He is waiting for us to reach out to Him.

We know that in life there will be storms. There will be tests and trials that come to make us stronger and more prepared to face the next challenge. Nonetheless, the storms in our lives maybe unpredictable and slow-moving like this tropical storm we are experiencing right now. Coach and I broke up almost four years ago. At the time, I thought we would get back together when we had a chance to calm down. We did not, and I have not been on a date since our last date (some of which has to do with my elevated values, but I do not get asked a lot). Four years ago, I did not think that I would still be very single and not even close to having a family of my own. Four years ago, if I had known where I would be right now, I probably would have broken down even more than I did. So, thank God, I did not know because that version of me would not have been able to handle the news that I would not be married and have a baby by 35. However, over four years, my relationship with Christ, through this stalled storm, has grown closer than ever. I have come to understand that God truly knows what is best for me and He will keep me in the midst of the storm.

Though it may not feel like it, all storms can bring a blessing, even when they are stalled storms. Just hold on to faith, rest in God, explore what He exposes, listen to His voice, heed His warnings, and plug in to His power. Your stalled storm has nothing on your Savior. Ms. EV