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. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Matthew 26: 14-16

We read about Judas and cringe at the thought of His betrayal. But often we too disobey. We neglect to trust the One who saves, lose sight of why we NEED HIM and allow ourselves to move in the wrong direction. We ALL sin, fall short of the glory of God and need to be reminded of the LOVE of Christ. 

“Judas had flaws and we need to learn from them.” We mustn’t turn our backs on Jesus or excuse what is leading us away from the Father. If we guard our hearts and minds against the forces of greed, He will help us recognize the NEED for mercy and grace. God will help us understand none of us are perfect, but we are perfectly loved.    

As we come to Jesus in this season to experience the power of LOVE and renew our hearts with humility, He will draw us closer to the Father as we witness the beauty of surrender and discover how it feels to breathe with gratitude.   

Freedom from release will help us welcome what's been missing and ready us to find STRENGTH. The steps we take to move closer to God will bless us as we remain faithful, walk in the heart of truth, step in FAITH and pray. 

Everything will change when we ask for forgiveness, turn from our selfish ways and follow Christ! He is deserving of the time it takes to examine our hearts and discover what's missing. God will take care of us and those we love. “Our souls are worth more than thirty pieces of whatever Satan is trying to sell us.”

Dear God, thank you for Jesus! Help us never forget His loving sacrifice for EVERY one of us. Forgive us when we drift away, ashamed to admit we are weak. Thank you for taking the sadness of shame and helping us welcome PEACE. Help us examine our hearts as we pray to be restored and recognize what Jesus has done to help us find JOY. Thank you for Your LOVE and the opportunity to draw closer to YOU as we follow Christ and live with FAITH. Thank you, Lord! You are deserving of holding our hearts. We will give You our PRAISE as we honor You with gratitude ALL the days of our lives. Amen