I am sitting here thinking about Judas.

Yes, Judas.

Do you ever wonder what Judas was thinking? What could cause him to do what he is famously known to have done?

Our human eyes have never beheld the Savior. We weren’t there when He healed the sick and walked on water. We never shared a meal with Him.

But Judas did. He was so very close.

Yet, Judas betrayed Jesus.
His name is forever linked with betrayal.

He sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, and we’ve all shaken our heads that he could betray the Son of God for so very little.

So
Very
Little.

While I know Jesus was completely in control, came to die, and could have called down a legion of angels to His defense; I’ve wondered what could have caused Judas to play the role he played in betraying Jesus.

Have you?

What could have caused Judas to be ripe for the evil one to use? (Luke 22:3)
He was as close as any human being has ever been to the God-man.

Why did he do what he did?

Many theologians believe Judas felt betrayed because Jesus hadn’t turned out to be the kind of Savior/King he had hoped for, and in his disillusionment, Judas betrayed Jesus.

And many today have Judas hearts.

Think about this, as in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matt 13:24-30) many will try Christianity for a while—

*but when they come up against something they don’t like in the Word,

*or when God asks them to follow Him over their feelings or the culture,

*or when they don’t get what they were hoping for when they think they should get it,

*or when God does something they just don’t like,

they go their own way and betray Jesus too.

A Judas heart wants their way over God’s way as He defines it in His Bible.

And when another “savior” comes along, those with ‘Judas hearts will sell Jesus for “cheap” too.

Judas hearts do things like walk away from His ways so others will like them in our culture.

Judas hearts choose the ways of the world and sin over the ways of God for temporary comfort or what they perceive as gain.

Judas hearts do this because their hearts are not fully surrendered to the Savior. He does not reign there.

They are still on the throne of their lives following their ways over Gods’ ways so they will lie, cheat, steal, enter into that unholy relationship, whatever, in order to try to make themselves happy.

Judas hearts are easy prey for the evil one who has come to rob, kill and destroy.

But all of us, even those who call Jesus, “Lord”, need to guard our hearts with all diligence (Prov 4:23). (we ALL do!)

We are to sanctify Christ in our hearts and regard Him as Holy. (See 1Pet 3:15)

On their own, our hearts will do what “feels”right to us and are wicked above all things (Jer 17:9).

But as we trust in the Lord, not in ourselves, as we trust Him with all our hearts and refuse to lean on our own understanding, He will make our paths straight! (Prov 3:5-6)

We can test and approve what is good and be pure and blameless for the day of Christ (Phil 1:10) (we really can know).

It is there that we will have hearts adorned for our King! Our first love!

Oh may the Bride of Christ be prepared!

For there is real hope, unspeakable joy and lasting peace to be found for those who fully surrender their hearts to Christ the Lord!

There is NO ROCK like our God!

ReadTheWord

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If you wish to receive these devotionals in your email inbox, go to https://kimjaggers.com/blog-2/ and click follow. And I’d so appreciate your prayers as I study and write. ❤️ I’ll be sharing thoughts on the Holy Week leading up to Easter, but plan to be back in Genesis after that.