Know What’s Right, But Choose To Do Wrong….

Pontius Pilate was a crude man, much like today’s politicians. He knew Jesus was innocent. He was even warned by his wife to leave Him alone. He thought for sure the Jews would release Him, for it was in his power to release one prisoner during this time of year. And even though Pilate was surprised that the Jews chose Barabbas (a documented murderer) to be released instead of Jesus, Pilate’s lack of integrity, and his spineless mentality, went on ahead and had Jesus crucified. Knowing Jesus was innocent, he still went ahead and sentenced Him to death. Does this sound like a modern day politician? They seem to know what’s right but choose to do wrong in order to remain popular and in power, and fatten their wallets. When we know the right thing to do, and fail to do it for any reason, but especially for being politically correct, look out, God’s hand of discipline or judgement is coming for us. He will discipline those who are saved, and condemn those who aren’t saved. Our politicians may spend their entire political careers gaining wealth and power, but what they don’t realize, in the end, is the price they ultimately pay won’t compare to what they compromised their soul for. For what shall a man profit, it he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul in the process? We must hold our politicians accountable, in hope of God rescuing them from themselves. The same applies to us, when we put being PC ahead of doing what we know to be right, we can’t expect a bed of roses. It just doesn’t work that way. Integrity has no holiday.

11 Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are You the king of the Jews?” the governor asked Him.Jesus replied, “You have said it.” ”12 But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against Him, Jesus remained silent. 13 “Don’t You hear all these charges they are bringing against You?” Pilate demanded. 14 But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd–anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you–Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about Him last night.”20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”They shouted back, “Crucify Him!”23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has He committed?”But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify Him!”24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for His death–we and our children!”26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned Him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. Matthew 27:11-26

Your Today’s Last Day….

Imagine how many people are like Judas. He betrayed Jesus. Felt guilty. Realized his guilt. And then committed suicide. All because he was either too prideful to confess and be forgiven, or he was so distraught, caught up in his overwhelming emotions, that he acted on them and ended his life. Either way, Judas was not saved. His delay in repentance and rejuvenation left him Hell-bound. How many people out there tell themselves, “I just need more evidence in order to believe”. Or “when God calls I’ll answer”. Or “I want to have fun, I’ll seek God later on in my life”. All these excuses reveal the condition of the heart, unsaved. The longer you put off the call of God, the closer you come to Judas’ outcome. Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near. Don’t put off what you have been given the opportunity to do today. For your tomorrow may be your today’s last day.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed Him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, “They took the thirty pieces of silver–the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,10 and purchased the potter’s field,as the Lord directed.” Matthew 27:3-10

Used The Same Saliva He Used….

For those of you out there hurting, feeling like there’s no one on earth that knows what you’re experiencing, there is a Person Who does understand. His name is Jesus. When Jesus was arrested, He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. He was deserted by all of His disciples. He was denied by one of His three closest friends. He was abused and beaten by His leaders. And if that’s not enough, He was cursed, spit upon in His face, mocked, and crucified by the very people He chose to reveal Himself to the world. To think His very creation (the very people He made from the dust of the earth) stood right in His face and used the same saliva He used to heal a man from his blindness, to spit in His face and mock Him. Jesus gets it. He gets your situation. He understands what you’re going through. And most importantly, He wants to take your burden from you, because He’s big enough to handle it. Instead of running away from Him, run towards Him. He’s waiting with open arms, ready to give you the peace, the healing, the forgiveness, and the empathy you’re desperately needing. Jesus understands, because He’s experienced it Himself. He’s willing to help you, give Him a chance to prove it. Jesus is and will always be the One and only Person Who gets us (not the commercial), and is always there for us.

63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I demand in the name of the living God–tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God.”64 Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”65 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard His blasphemy. 66 What is your verdict?”“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”67 Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat Him with their fists. And some slapped Him, 68 jeering, “Prophesy to us, You Messiah! Who hit You that time?” Matthew 26:63-68

Those Who Truly Search For God….

Those who truly search for God, will find Him. God reveals Himself to those who’s hearts are fully committed to Him. Wisdom and discernment are the rewards of knowing Him. Good judgement and common sense are the side effects. No wonder common sense is no longer common. These days few truly seek God. The reason why America is imploding, is because the absence of God in one’s heart has left an empty space with no structure to support it. When we, as a collective society, create that vast void in our hearts, it’s only a matter of time before it collapses. Decide in your heart the desire to know God, then He will fill it with His Holy Spirit. And even the gates of hell will not be able to destroy it. The wisdom that comes from knowing God is priceless.

17 “I love all who love me.Those who search will surely find me.18 I have riches and honor,as well as enduring wealth and justice.19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,my wages better than sterling silver! Proverbs 8:17-19

This Is Boring And Irrelevant….

Can you imagine the value of the Tabernacle and all of its contents cost to make in today’s dollars? I added it up, $45.3 million. Wow. God doesn’t stop at any expense to have His dwelling place here on earth be glorious, does He? It’s not about the money, rather it’s about the value. In order to please God we have to give our best, we have to give what matters most to us, to show ourselves how much we truly value God. Just think the Israelites were slaves. They had nothing while in Egypt. Yet after the 10 plagues, the Egyptians were giving them jewelry, fine utensils, and other things of high value just to get them to leave Egypt. Then, God asked them, the ones that had grateful hearts, to donate these valuable things in order to build the Tabernacle and all of its contents. God brought the Israelites from suffering slavery to donating $45.3 million to build His Dwelling place all in a relatively short time period. This only goes to show us that What God asks us to do, He also provides for us to do it. When you read through these Old Testament books it’s easy to slip into “this is boring and irrelevant to me” thinking, but when you truly read with the goal of knowing God more intimately, you truly find the treasure in which God will use to further His kingdom. No study, no reading, and no scripture is ever wasted. Never forget this.

21 This is an inventory of the materials used in building the Tabernacle of the Covenant. The Levites compiled the figures, as Moses directed, and Ithamar son of Aaron the priest served as recorder. 22 Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 23 He was assisted by Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman expert at engraving, designing, and embroidering with blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth.24 The people brought special offerings of gold totaling 2 ,193 pounds, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. This gold was used throughout the Tabernacle.25 The whole community of Israel gave 7 ,545 pounds of silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. 26 This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax is one beka, which is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday. Exodus 38:21-26

Connection With Other People….

Man was never meant to live alone. God spoke these very words in Genesis, and Jesus exemplified this truth in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was in great distress and agony over what was about to happen to Him. His scourging and crucifixion were less than 24 hours away. He specifically took His three closest disciples with Him to pray, Peter, James, and John. When He found them sleeping, He let them know how disappointed He was. This just goes to show us that man was never meant to be an island. Man was never meant to isolate himself, away from society, and live to himself. We need others in our lives to help carry our burdens. We need others in our lives to help celebrate the successes. We need others in our lives to fully live. If our ultimate goal is to glorify God, it is possible to honor Him by the way we live our lives, but it’s impossible to show and tell others about Him, and all the things He’s done for us, if there’s no else around to share it with. We live in a world that’s connected through social media, but disconnected outside the cyber environment. Fakebook posts are only there to make ourselves look better than we really are, only superficial. This pseudo-sense of security and connection will never satisfy the thirst of our God-centered, people-relating spirit God has placed inside of every single human being to ever to walk on this earth. Connection with other people is vital. We can’t live this life alone and expect to be fulfilled. It doesn’t work that way. “JOY SHARED IS DOUBLE JOY, SORROW SHARED IS HALF SORROW”.

36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and He said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and He became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”39 He went on a little farther and bowed with His face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”40 Then He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with Me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 When He returned to them again, He found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.44 So He went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look–the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, My betrayer is here!” Matthew 26:36-46

Nothing You Desire Can Compare With It…

Every man has a decision to make. When he is born he doesn’t have a choice in who his parents are, or what they teach him. But as he ages, he is confronted with the utmost decision he will ever make. “Do I follow the world or do I follow God?” Or in easier terms, “do I pursue money, fame, power, vanity, etc... or do I pursue wisdom, knowledge, good judgement, etc....?” The world or God? In the end, the magnitude of your wealth will be crystal clear. It will be material riches, or spiritual and relational riches. One can be measured, while the other cannot, because it continues to give eternally. Evidence of the choice we make will be obvious. It will be seen in how we treat others, in our everyday attitudes, and ultimately where we end up upon death. The Bible says “choose instruction.... and knowledge (wisdom).... for they are more valuable, nothing you desire can compare with it”. If that comes from the pen of the wisest man who ever lived, it’s because he got it from God Himself. Fame, riches, power, only last a short while. Living a life pursuing God, grants us wisdom and discernment. These last forever, because truth doesn’t change or ever die. Choosing a life that seeks wisdom may not be glamorous, but it certainly brings life, every single day and is eternal.

6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.Everything I say is right,7 for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.8 My advice is wholesome.There is nothing devious or crooked in it.9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,clear to those with knowledge.10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,and knowledge rather than pure gold.11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies.Nothing you desire can compare with it. Proverbs 8:6-11