What is the Cost of Betrayal?

“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.” Matthew 26:14-15

As I read through the passion week of our Lord, it struck me in a fresh way that our Lord was sold for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, gored by an ox. See Exodus 21:32. Now with money values constantly fluctuating, it is difficult to determine the exactness of this amount to today’s currency. However, the long and short of the amount still would have been a pitiful sum compared to the value of our Savior.

The greater tragedy was that the betrayer was “one of the twelve.” One cannot help thinking of Psalm 41:9, which says, “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate bread, has lifted his heel against me.” So allow me to ask you as a follower and disciple of Jesus, what are you willing to do in order to betray Jesus the Christ? To redirect the question, what temptation and act of sin has overcome you in such a way that you are willing to betray the relationship you profess with our Redeemer for a pitiful sum? Give it some thought! Honestly friend, when you think about it, it really does not require much to twist our heart to falling for sin instead of remaining faithful to Him who gave everything for us.

“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10) 

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the many times when I accepted Your love and grace so freely, but in the next moment turned my back to you and chased after my selfish desires. Today, I confess that I am a betrayer and my sins are before to You my Savior. Jesus I seek Your forgiveness.

A Good Man

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

Proverbs 13:22

It was a couple of weeks ago that I celebrated the life of a ninety-four year old man who had passed into the waiting of arms of Jesus Christ. Now typically when I celebrate the legacy of someone who has passed on at that age, the audience is often at minimal numbers because most of their friends have already preceded them to the other side, but not in this case. With this particular life I looked across a sanctuary that was clearly populated with family, friends, and the many acquaintances’ that were touched by his life.

Many may have come to remember and pay tribute to a man that proudly served his nation, was an engineer, inventor, farmer, along other life attributes. However, I believe they came because he reflected a genuine Jesus to the many who were blessed to cross his path. He loved, served, and never hesitated to proclaim the gospel of Jesus no matter where he was. And in preparing for his service it became so clear to me that Jesus was the foundational rock of which he stood and proclaimed. The inheritance that he left had nothing to do with the business aspect of life, but more so the spiritual maturity of Jesus who transformed his life during his thirties until the day he breathed his last on this side of heaven.

I guess it made me stop and pause, reflecting upon my own walk with God and asking how will I be remembered to my children’s children. What legacy will I leave when I enter my rest? Can I ask you, what legacy will you leave? What do your children, family, friends, and acquaintances’ say about your life? I can guarantee you that it will not be about how many meetings you attended. That’s temporal! No, the reality of your legacy will come down to how well you reflected the love of Jesus to others. That will be the reward that lasts into eternity.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.”

1 Peter 1:3-4

Walking in the Grey of Fog

It was a few weekends ago and I was walking my dog as I usually do every morning when I found the fog to be particularly heavy. 

What is it about fog? 

Fog is simply a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface that obscures or reduces visibility. So allow me to ask you how many moments when your life walk felt obscured and restricted? In honesty there have been those times in my life when physically, mentally, or spiritually, where I have felt I was walking in the fog and the reality of life was obscured.

When we find ourselves dwelling in darkness or walking in the grey of fog, life can become difficult. However, it's encouraging to know that our Savior declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Not only is Jesus the source of light, but His word also reminds us that His light is LIFE! Our Redeemer's light brings the transformation of renewed life because He always dissipates the darkness.

"In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." 

John 1:4-5

Friends, when we allow His light to pierce the shadows of darkness and fog, the darkness will be conquered! He never leaves your side and within the darkest valleys, the thickest fog, He resides and like the morning sunrise the darkness quickly fades and life is renewed.

My prayers for those of you who currently dwelling within the darkness and may His brightness of light, the very life of His tangible presence invade the darkness that surrounds you to reveal His everlasting love...

Peace

 "The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death on them a light has dawned." 

Matthew 4:16

"And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."

Revelation 22:5.

Witnessing the Church

Photo from Flickr

If you and I were sitting together around a table and enjoying our favorite coffee, and in the process of our dialogue the topic of church came up, how might you respond to the question, “where do you go to church?” It seems like a fairly simple answer, but be careful. You might look at me and say, “Well I attend _________ on __________street.” You can fill in the blanks.

The answer is actually that the Church, as the New Testament defines it, is not a religious institution or building, but rather a dynamic community of believers who participate in the way of Jesus and His work in the world for the glory of God. Defined another way, Church is you and I as an organic collective of believers, centered on Jesus and sent out into the world to serve others in His name for His glory and the growth of His kingdom. This theme is derived from the Greek word used to define the Church, which is Ecclesia. It literally means “the gathering of the called out ones.” It comes from two Greek words, “ek,” meaning “out,” and “kaleo,” meaning “to call.”

To provide an example, allow me to share this story. A few Saturdays ago three others and I had the privilege to visit a local care facility and be the reflection of Christ, His Church, to those who rarely have the opportunity to leave the facility in which they currently dwell. In the process we went from room to room praying with the residents and offering them the love and hope of Jesus. I can honestly tell you that I witnessed a total transformation of their hearts. Where there was loneliness, they felt comfort. Where there was brokenness, they found identity in Christ. Where there had been sadness, I witnessed happiness. Even though some may have begun the morning quiet and still; now I saw smiles and a willingness to share.

This is being the Church. It had nothing to do with my friends or me, but it was a gathering of believers, focused on Jesus and sent to serve Him! In the process we saw our Redeemer enter and alter the environment, bringing life.

So today, consider the times and spaces God places you, and ask yourself to whom or where can you be His reflection of love and hope to this broken world?

Greetings, O Favored One!

Luke 1:28

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

Friend, I would like to take this moment to welcome you into my blog site. My writings, which I fondly title as Shawn’s Scribbles, are my experiences of God sightings as I journey through life. Thank you for walking with me as together we seek to know and witness our redeeming God with every step.

This morning I sit here thinking about how crazy it is to have our God leave His heavenly throne to enter our time and space in order to sacrifice Himself for His creation. The thought of this is often beyond my simple comprehension. However, that is exactly what God chose to do because of His refusal to leave us sinking in the quicksand of life's sin. This is a crazy kind of love! So here you have it, God's angelic messenger Gabriel bringing news of our Savior's birth through a young girl named Mary, whose age was probably 12 to 14 years old. Nothing seems logical, but at the same time "nothing will be impossible with God.”

The other point of interest is the relevance of the verse I noted above from Luke 1:28. This message not only speaks to Mary, but it remains relevant to us as well!

Do you know what that word “favor” literally means? It’s the word for grace, undeserved favor, and unmerited love. This word describes the essence of how we are saved, loved, and embraced by God. Mary was saved by grace and chosen by God to be a recipient of grace and so are we! God has given you grace—he’s favored you. We don’t deserve it. Every true Christian stands alongside Mary as one who has been favored by God.

Despite the illness of sin and pain we may experience in and through this present life our Redeeming God sees in us a renewed beauty because He entered our world to bring the healing through His sacrifice of His own life, a debt that was ours to pay. By His death on the cross of shame He paid the price and through His rising from death's tomb He provided a living hope toward new life!

That's amazing news. Yes, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"

Take a moment today and simply thank God that he has chosen to favor you with his grace and love.

Yes, No and Later

It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear. But the angel reassured him, "Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John." Luke 1:8-13

The angel of God tells Zechariah, “Your prayer has been heard” (Luke 1:13). For decades, Zechariah and Elizabeth have been asking God for a child.

What have you stopped praying about? Friends, God always answers prayer with one of three responses: yes, no, and later.

Perhaps some people believed that God was ignoring Zechariah, but the man kept praying, loving, serving, worshiping God, and adoring his wife. God hadn’t answered “yes” just yet. God hadn’t answered “no” either. God kept answering “later” until finally the day arrived when the answer was “yes.” We learn from their example that we should keep praying even when it seems like it’s not working. God was just working out His providential plan in his preferred time for this child given to Zechariah and Elizabeth would be the forerunner to the world's Savior.

Where have you grown weary in prayer? Can you think of examples in your own life when God granted a request after years of answering “later”?

Prayer: Lord provide for us the patience and perseverance to press on in our prayers to You even when the answer is always later. For at such a time as You have determined may our prayer burst forth to be a response of Your glory and Kingdom growth. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Thanksgiving in Difficult Times

Credit: Flickr

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

I witness the evidence of bounty all around and yet, here before me on my desk are the prayers of many which do not necessarily reflect the meaning of a happy thanksgiving.  Life has a way of moving at its own seasons and not what we observe because of a date on a calendar.

One can easily become overwhelmed by the harshness, confusion, and sadness of life. So on this particularly day I entered the sanctuary and became dependent upon God my hope and strength.

With the darkness of night beginning to capture my space the only light I was drawn to was the only light within this holy place. The lights behind the cross that illuminated for me the very presence of Him who is the light of the world, for as the Gospel of John reads, “The light (the light of Jesus ~ read John 12:44-46) shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5 ESV).

While imprisoned in a Roman jail Paul declared, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5-7).

How can we even give such thanksgivings in the midst of such trials? Simply, because our God will always carry us through the storms!

My friends it is not always what we see that is real, but what we don’t see and believe! For I believe that my “help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2). I believe in a God who sits on a throne and declares to me, “when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the fire, you not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy one of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2-3).

Friends, I believe in a God who walks with me through the valley and tells me to be “strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6). I believe in a God who is my shield (Psalm 3:3) and chose to die in my place and take upon Himself the entire penalty of sin, which should have belonged to me. I believe in a God who says, “come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28) and when I am weak God makes me strong.

In those moments of doubt, I have the authority to announce to those around me with confidence that my God is always with me, remembering His very promise, “never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).This is our thanksgiving!

As we approach this holiday in just a few days with all its Christmas advertisements, football, fellowship, and food, PAUSE and reflect upon the real reason for thanksgiving and celebrate the God who sent to us His son Jesus, the Christ, in order to rescue us!

What greater outlandish love is there? Happy Thanksgiving to all in Christ!