Author’s note: If you are new to my blog and are interested in reading the 23.xx series, please first read the 23.01 through 23.09 in order to best get the idea of what I am attempting to communicate. They are built like chapters in a book, one building on the previous one. Consider the points made in each article to help you understand where I am coming from in hopes I can make a connection with you on your spiritual journey.
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I was thinking about this phenomena known as the “Prosperity Gospel” how it is probably well past its peak now that I’ve decided to write about it. Nevertheless, there plenty of those who would think that they would never throw Jesus under the proverbial bus for 30 pieces of silver.
Here’s the problem, if you think God is about the business to give you everything you ever could imagine that is from this world, you don’t understand the God of the Bible and you do not understand the purpose of God sending His Son to earth.
God’s focus and satisfaction is through His only begotten Son, and if you desire anything from God it needs to be from the basis of Jesus Christ’s work on the Cross. So you need to understand why the substitutionary death of the Lord of Righteousness was necessary.
God’s purpose is not so that you can ruminate and worship the personal possessions, the estate, the jet, the prestige of the world or the adulation of others.
It is not inspired to seek becoming the new age version of the covetous, self-righteous, idolatrous Pharisees.
I am not saying blessings from God do not come in the form of material things and of course, the people in your life (whether you get along with them or not); however, who or what is it that you place higher than all else?
Consider Judas. He was one of the 12 disciples closest to Jesus during His earthly ministry, and yet, when He realized that Jesus was not kidding about how His earthly reign was to end in a worldly disaster, our man Judas sought to sell himself out for 30 pieces of silver.
Afterall, 30 pieces of silver became the spiritual equivalent of the car, the estate and the jet, to add to that list, the worldly prestige and acknowledgment and honor of other men. He was selling out, covering his losses, much as a person may sell his losing stock before it turned his worldly investment to zero.
There’s good advice and bad news with Judas’ sin. He betrayed his Master. Like us we all have denied the Son by not following His will for our lives. The Good news is God will forgive us our error, our sin, if we turn away from sin and trust in Jesus Christ’s protective work on the Cross as if our lives depend on it (because it does).
Judas realized he made a mistake but died in remorse, remorse for the loss of all that he valued because all that he valued, the things and power of this world, would not sustain him. Remorse cannot save your eternal soul and Judas died in his remorse when he hung himself.
Judas’ life remains a strong exhortation for us not to die in our sin. That’s the good advice.
What are you raising up and worshipping as your answer to the problems of this life?
CKY
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