The blessing of betrayal

 

During my first four years in Ireland,  I endured a lot of betrayal.  Now I see, all things truly do work together for our good, even the betrayal of close, trusted friends.  See, we all must have our very own Judas (some of us need 3 or 4 lol). 

Jesus could not have fulfilled his destiny if it had not been for Judas. Because of Judas's betrayal,  someone he loved and trusted, someone he brought into his inner circle,  our Lord was sent to the Cross, where he died on our behalf.  He was murdered by their hate, his blood flowed, his flesh died.

And so too, must we die to the affections and lusts found in us, that is, in our flesh - that Jesus died for. We too must endure our own personal Cross and we too need our Judas to do it. We must crucify pride - pride in self above all,  and having someone dear to us, that we let down our guard around and wholly trusted, someone we love, when they betray our love and trust, the pain can be a wound from which we never recover, or it can be a tool in God's hands to crucify self, till we're able to love them in return for their hate, till we're able to forgive them and love them while they're betraying us, as Jesus did to the very ones crucifying him "FATHER FORGIVE THEM".  The next level to our maturity in Christ is to not only forgive those who persecute and despitefully use us and betray us -  but to ask the Father to forgive them too. This is truly not thinking of self but thinking of others. I'll admit, there have been times in my past when I've forgiven someone thinking " Now the Lord can heap coals of fire on their head", but maturity says " Father forgive them for what they've done to me" - actually caring about their welfare and their future.

We need betrayal because we simply cannot crucify ourselves,  by ourselves.  So remember this the next time you're betrayed - Jesus knew ahead of time, well in advance,  that Judas would betray him - yet he chose to let him into his life anyway.  He may have even known when he chose him - or rather, when the Father picked him to be one of the twelve. Jesus said "FATHER, THESE WHOM YOU GAVE ME" - so, betrayal can be sent to us by our Father - out of love for us, amen.

The Father of your soul

 loves you  - or didn't you know?

So    why

                                   hide

  from Him?

He came to earth and gave His life

 so you could have eternal life, 

So    why

                                      hide

     from Him?

He knows your every thought

 He knows your every deed

Yet still He loves you faithfully, 

So    why

                                            hide?

Turn to Him, not away,

give Him your heart, today.

You'll not regret a single minute 

as long as He is in it. 

 If I breathe, may it be for the glory of my Lord...

If I die, may it be impaled upon Your Word.

If I stand, may it be to face my enemy....

If I fall, may it be to fall upon my knees

wilfully,  in worship of Thee.....

For in You, my Christ,

is my living and my dying

Therefore You alone

will my soul be magnifying 

For in you alone do I have my being,

my knowing, my hearing,  my seeing!

In You does my heart daily delight!

You are my Joy of Joys, my risen Christ!

Such love has this man

never known but in Your

tender, nail-scarred hands

Hearing the revelation is just the first step - Digesting it - then letting it change us from the inside till we live it out is step two.

We must take both steps or we'll end up practicing a religion - that has a form of godliness but no power:  Revelation must go from our minds to our hearts or we'll never bear fruit.

Many are called to go deeper but few choose to. 

Few are holdin' to the narrow path of Life - 

The path where they become "living Christ's" -

Living epistles 

Living examples of flesh filled with His Spirit, 

led by Him, walking in Him,

Now hear it -

We are to walk this earth exactly as Jesus did, 

revealing our Father -

no longer hid

but a bright light

shining in this dark world 

Unearthing God's pearls

Restoring souls

shipwrecked on the shoals

of a world that's hardened 

to God's love and mercies

We are to open blind eyes

till they can clearly see

We are to loose the captives 

and set them free

And heal their broken hearts

till they too take the keys

to death, hell and the grave

and go out and reach and save

souls trapped in hell

and make them victorious,  whole and well....

 God is not a mute

 never has been   never will be.

Now, He may not choose to some to speak -

 (which is the worst place anyone can ever be)

But for most he wants to speak - 

 but too many wallow in unbelief 

Too many simply do not seek

 to hear His voice

They make the choice

 to turn a deaf ear

This is the church's worst tragedy

 throughout the years -

 REFUSING TO HEAR!

Choosing man's words over our Father's 

has caused them to stumble and falter.

Like lambs they've been led to the slaughter 

and like the Laodicean church

 they think they're fine

 yet all the while they're deaf and blind...

 Lord,

 please help us to prove

 the words we sing are true.

Help us to start living

 the words we're giving

 whenever we're singing

 our songs of praise...

Let them be a testimony 

 of Your miraculous grace

 that our living faith

 is witness to -

A life of Divine appointments 

 not disappointments 

Where we see daily

 our awesome God working miracles

 proving His reality

May we somehow cease to see

 the majority

 stand and sing songs that are pure fantasy

 yet they call it "faith"

 to sing about a miracle working God

 that they've never seen perform a single miracle - 

 how odd!

 Churches have made it easy to be a Christian  - when the truth is, there's nothing easy about being a CHRISTian. It's not a comfortable life. You're required to sacrifice, you'll labor, you'll sweat - you'll spend your time, your money, your very life on behalf of those God leads you to - BUT  - in most churches all that's required is that you show up at their services endlessly  - week after week after week - you don't ever go forth and come back rejoicing,  reporting to the Lord like the disciples did - they don't even send you out so that you can build an a book of amazing testimonies of your own, no, all they require is that you show up, sit down and listen, mostly. Some offer works of service,  which, of course, is good but most of these "works" don't require any real sacrifice  and if you really want to serve Christ and become HIS disciple, not man's,  you're gonna suffer - a lot.

 I've found that i mend

 when the pavement ends

 and the dirt roads begin

Yes, this is when

 my soul finds peace

 I am released

 wherever the things of man        cease

 and I'm surrounded by 

 all that is of the Most High 

Oh how I

love the sight

 of a dirt road drawing nigh!

My heart releases a contented sigh

I love the woods

 or salty sea cliffs

Anywhere in Nature is good

It all brings bliss

The air is sweeter 

My soul takes flight

when nothing of man

is within my sight

Just give me

an ATV

with 4 wheel drive

so i

  can go deep into the wilderness 

  well off the beaten path 

 to feel fully alive

 You may not see me again 

  but i pray you too

  find your Shalom,  my friend 

  The harvest is ripe 

  but the labourers  are few.

 Jesus laments this plight

  but what about you?

 Is your heart pierced

  through and through, too?

 Over the fact that precious souls

  are dieing and going to Hell

 because they haven't heard 

         the Good News? 

(Or seen it demonstrated with actions)

 Does this thought

  cause everything within you

 to want to

  GO! 

  Go into the harvest field

  and plant and water as many seeds as you can?

 Is your heart breaking over the plight of your fellow man?

 Do you weep?

 Do you cry out?

  Oh God!

  Use me!

   Now!

 On New Year's Eve, I asked the Word to speak to me regarding 2026. This is what He said -

"Next year there will be a shaking unlike any you have seen in this generation.  My people will emerge from that which is dead into newness of life, like a snake shedding it's old skin. Many will not understand what is happening and will believe this is not of Me but from the enemy because many do not recognize Me or their enemy - but I have positioned Vanguards in strategic locations to lift high My banner for My people to see and rally to."

"Then many young ones will say to their elders "know you not that i must be about my Father's business "? 

"And these young ones will display wisdom their elders have not known. They will not be a stubborn generation like their fathers - rather they shall know ME and My ways - they will not wield My Word selfishly or for gain but will give it freely to all who hunger and thirst and they shall reap a harvest, saith The Lord".

"And My Caleb's will rejoice to see it and we shall fellowship together on Mt. Zion as the enemy falls into the trap he set for the lame, the blind and the halt. Rejoice with Me, saith The Lord! Rejoice and be glad! Pay no attention to the deeds done in darkness  - stay focused on My Kingdom of Light and Truth, saith your God and your Father".    Selah