relationship – Resounding Shophar Ministries

30 Shekels of Silver

I recently found myself thinking of Judas Iscariot. You know the man. He’s the one that betrayed Jesus for 30 shekels of silver. Who was this man, and why did he betray Jesus? Is there something in him that we can not only learn from, but also identify within ourselves? So, let’s take a look at this man.

We first hear of Judas in Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16. In these passages we find out how it was that he became an apostle of Jesus. In Mark 3:7-12, we see that a great multitude of people were following Jesus because of all the things they had heard He was doing. They saw Him do signs and wonders. It is from this same group of people that Jesus specifically calls out the ones He wanted to be His 12 apostles; those who would be with Him, those who would be sent out to preach, and those who would be given power to heal the sick and cast out demons. And named among these 12 men was Judas Iscariot. Judas was following Jesus before Jesus called him out. Why he was following Jesus, we can only speculate. Perhaps it was only because of the signs and wonders, but maybe there was more? Maybe it was because of the notoriety he would gain being associated with such a man like Jesus? Or, was it only because he sincerely believed in Jesus and wanted to follow after Him? We may never know why he specifically was following Jesus, but we do know that as a result of his following Jesus he was selected to be one of the 12 Jesus would call out to be with Him as an apostle.

In John 12:1-8, we read of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointing the feet of Jesus with a costly oil, and of Judas being critical of what she did. Judas tried to make an argument for selling the oil and giving the proceeds to the poor, but John tells us that this was not the true heart motivation of Judas. John gives us a glimpse of the heart of Judas, someone called to be a disciple of Jesus sent out to preach and do signs and wonders, by telling us that Judas was more concerned about the money because he would take money out of the money box he kept for Jesus. When did money become an issue for Judas? We can be fairly confident that money wasn’t the reason he was following Jesus, but when did he start looking to the money? Some people have said that money is the root of all evil, but that is not true. In 1 Timothy 6:10, we read that it is the “love of money” that is the root of all evil, and it is for this same reason that Paul tells us some have strayed from the faith in their greediness. We can look just about anywhere and see people whose love of money will cause them to do just about anything to either obtain more, or to keep what they have. They will walk over anyone that is in the way of them getting more money, break whatever law is in their way, compromise any standards hindering their progress, or ignore or discard any trace of moral ethics that stands in the way of their greed. In essence, people who love money will go to great lengths and depths to acquire more, and then to keep it, all the while tossing away integrity and moral character as obstacles in their way. Apparently, Judas loved money more than he did Jesus, stealing from Jesus what was His. Being specifically chosen by Jesus to be an apostle sent out to represent Him in preaching and signs and wonders, money became more important to him than Jesus.

The next time we hear of Judas is in Matthew 26:14-16. It is here that we read of Judas approaching the chief priests seeking to betray Jesus. In their search for the messiah, the Jews were looking for someone that would free them from the rule and reign of the Romans, and to establish an earthly kingdom. This wasn’t happening with Jesus, though some expected Him to do so, and some have argued that this was the reason Judas approached the chief priests. It is speculated by some that he was hoping Jesus would be pushed into taking action to establish His earthly kingdom if he betrayed Him and had Him arrested, but I’m not convinced this was the case. If this was the real reason for Judas betraying Jesus, then why would he be interested in what the chief priests would give him to do so? Judas has been profiting at Jesus’ expense for some time, how long we don’t know, taking what was Jesus’ and keeping it for himself. Perhaps he saw the money coming to Jesus beginning to decrease, or maybe felt that Jesus’ ministry was coming to a close, or maybe his love of money had grown to such an extent that he sought one last opportunity to throw caution to the wind and get one last windfall of money? Even though we may never truly know his motivation to betray Jesus, one thing we do know for certain is that he was a thief and loved money more than he did Jesus. Perhaps Judas was on his mind when the Apostle Paul wrote about those who love money in 1 Timothy 6:10, but if not we can see Paul’s words to be true when we look at Judas. In his greediness Judas fell from the place of apostleship and anointing, and even in relationship with Christ. Judas experienced firsthand the love of Jesus, the signs and wonders Jesus did, and the power and anointing Jesus gave him to preach the good news and do the miraculous, yet at the end it was his love of money that was greater than his relationship with Jesus.

While the life and death of Judas appears to be centered around his love of money, what can we glean from him? Some have argued that anyone that experiences the love of Jesus will voluntarily surrender their life and be obedient to Him, arguing that no one can resist or choose to walk away from the love of Jesus once they’ve experienced it. What we see in Judas, a man that Jesus didn’t just love but chose to invest Himself into for the Kingdom, is a man who began to love something more than Jesus despite all that he had experienced or seen firsthand. That something doesn’t have to be money, but anything or anyone that we love more than Jesus. It could be argued that Judas didn’t initially follow Jesus because of His money, especially since we know that Jesus didn’t even have a place to lay His head, but sometime during those three in a half years of being with Jesus 24/7, he began to love the money. I’m sure you’ve known people who started out on the right track with Jesus, eager to follow Him, but somewhere down the road their love of something or someone became greater than their love of Him. Oh, they might still love Jesus, but they no longer love Him more than anything or anyone else, and in that they forfeit their relationship with Him as Paul tells us.

In Mark 14:43-46, we read of how Judas’ betrayal took place. It’s ironic that it wasn’t enough for Judas to simply indicate who Jesus was, but instead he used deception and hypocrisy to betray Jesus. He wanted to appear as though he was a close friend of Jesus to all those there, and as such approached Jesus as though there was nothing wrong or amiss in his relationship with Jesus by greeting Him with a kiss. Sometimes we hide where our heart truly is by presenting ourselves as loyal friends of Jesus to those around us, but Jesus knows our heart and will not be fooled. Sadly, many a church pew is used by some to make people think they are living right with God, all the while there is someone or something else on the throne in their life. Christians have often times been accused of hypocrisy, making themselves appear as followers of Christ when they are in church or in the midst of other Christians, but all the while they are living a life contrary to the ways and will of God, ways that dishonor or displease Him. They are living a life of deception and hypocrisy, fooling themselves that all is okay when in actuality things are not okay.

For whatever reason Judas decided to betray Jesus. More than likely things with Jesus wasn’t going in the direction he thought they should be, and it is then that we see where his heart truly is. So, in essence Judas tried to profit once again at the expense of Christ, but this time without reservations because his love of money was greater. When things in life are not going in the direction we think it should, especially as followers of Jesus, we’re faced with the decision to surrender and submit to what and where God is leading us, or to put our relationship with Him on the chopping block in an effort to hang onto whatever it is we value more than Him. For some it is money like it was for Judas, but for others it could be career, education, recreation and entertainment, hobbies, relationships, power and control, and any other thing you can think of. In either case, what are we going to do when we’re pushed into a corner where the loyalties of our heart are tested and subsequently exposed for what they truly are? It’s a decision we will all face one time or another, and usually it is more than once or twice that we will face it.

One last thing about Judas. In Matthew 27:3-10, we read that Judas regretted the decision he made to betray Jesus. When he tried to reverse the results of his betrayal, which was unsuccessful, he then went and hanged himself. One can argue whether or not Judas would have been granted forgiveness from God if he sought it, but the fact remains that while he greatly regretted what he had done he instead chose to hang himself. At what point does a person begin to regret the decisions they made at Christ’s expense, or at the expense of their relationship with Christ? That point is different for each person, and some will not reach that point until after they enter into eternity. If a person does reach that point and place on this side of eternity, they need to run to God with repentance and submission seeking His forgiveness and restored relationship. Are you that person, where you’ve sold out your relationship with Christ for 30 shekels of silver, figuratively speaking? Has someone or something other than Jesus been on the throne in your life? Are you ready and willing to make the necessary changes to regain right relationship with Him? If so, let there be no delay in doing so, and take care of it speedily!

John Johansson

What’s Keeping You From Jesus?

For years many would argue that this isn’t the case, especially here in the USA, but each day we are seeing more and more hostility towards Jesus and the Christian faith. While there are some who would still argue the point, there is a growing number of people who are seeing this as a reality that can’t be ignored. Whether it is in the halls of government or in the school house, the neighbor down the street or one in our home, there is a growing consensus that Jesus and those who truly follow Him have no place in our lives, and that anything remotely connected to them must be passively ignored or less passively removed. The underlining idea behind much of it is that Jesus and His followers are standing in the way of global peace and unity among all mankind, and it is only when the influence of Jesus and His followers disintegrates into nothing or they have been removed that their aspirations of global peace and unity will be fulfilled.

So, why is it that people are so headstrong against Jesus and His followers? What is there about Jesus that triggers in some cases such violent behavior in its many different forms? We live in a world that tries to view things in a logical and educated way, but when it comes to Jesus and following after Him no place is given for pure logic and reason. I realize that there have been many, and I mean many, who have said and done many things in the name of Jesus for which Jesus had nothing to do with, so in looking at what keeps people from Jesus let’s look specifically at Jesus.

The way some look at Jesus and what Christianity represents, it would make one think that Jesus was a hardened criminal who held little regard for others, or even a master con-artist who was nothing like who He wanted to portray Himself to be. What was the message Jesus tried to convey to us? Was it a message of pain and hopelessness, or one that told us we were of no value and dispensable? No, not hardly. While we can say that Jesus was perfect and had no sin, which is true, there is nothing recorded to indicate He had said or done anything to warrant a capital offense or punishment in any way. What we do find is someone who cared enough about people to heal their sicknesses and disease, to raise them from the dead, to restore function of senses and bodily organs and functions. We see someone who encouraged people to love and forgive not just those who were dear to them, but also their enemies and those who despise or take advantage of them. We see someone in Jesus that wanted to even heal the emotionally broken and give them encouragement and hope, a reason to believe and to live. Everything about Jesus and what He said and did while here was out of love for each and every one of us, wanting to love, forgive, and heal us all. Jesus wanted to give us life, and not just life but life more abundantly that will last for all eternity. Yes, there were times that Jesus had to be firm and blunt with people, but it was because of His love for all of us and how He saw those people hurting and taking advantage of others that propelled Him to speak and to act as He did. When we simply look at Jesus we find love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, healing, freedom, hope and blessings eternal, so why would someone not want to embrace Him and pursue Him with all that they have? It would only seem logical and sound for someone to give their lives to Jesus, but for one reason or another people reject Him and His message for each and every one of us. That seems illogical and definitely not a smart thing to do, to reject Jesus.

There are many who cite hypocrites as their reason for not coming to Jesus. They say that if Jesus is anything like the people they see around them then they don’t want anything to do with Him, but that doesn’t make sense. I realize there are hypocrites that call themselves Christians but live different lives depending on who they are with or where they are at, but often time’s people are labeled as hypocrites simply because they aren’t perfect and living up to a standard the accuser thinks they should. The accuser somehow believes that if someone is a Christian then they will automatically live perfect and at a high standard almost right after conversion, but that line of thought is unrealistic and unreasonable. Jesus said He did not come for those who were well, referring to those spiritually healthy, but for those who were lost, dying or hurting spiritually. If that is the case then many will follow Him that are having to learn what it means to follow Him, and that can sometimes get “messy” and out of sorts. We don’t denounce the world’s top neuro-surgeon because some of those who love and embrace him continue to have problems in their life from before they had surgery, do we? Or what about the National Football League’s all-time best quarterback when those still in high school or college, those who look to him as their example and mentor, don’t live and play at the same level he does or by the standards he promotes? So, why do we do that with Jesus???

Some believe that choosing to not forgive someone that has wronged them in some way, even violently and without remorse, is more important than giving their lives to Jesus. They may argue that they can still be a Christian, but Jesus made it very clear that if we choose, and it is a choice, not to forgive someone after He’s forgiven us, then He won’t forgive us either. It doesn’t make sense for someone to forfeit a saving relationship with Jesus just because they don’t want to forgive someone else. For others, they are unwilling to change the purpose, the goals, the dreams of life and what is important to them to reflect a life centered on Jesus and all that He has for them. Some desire to live the way that they want to, no matter what the consequences are, and to embrace Jesus and what He has to offer them would interfere with their way of life and thinking, so they reject Him to pursue their own way of living. We could come up with other reasons why people won’t come to Jesus and give Him their lives, but the point is that whatever the reason one may have just doesn’t make logical sense.

In the attempt to keep Jesus at a distance in one’s life, many search for and embrace the teachings of those who work to discount Jesus and the God of the Christian and Judeo faith through “scientific” or “educated” means. Many don’t realize that that is what they are actually doing, but it is. They insist on using logic, archeology and other various scientific means to make their point, but in the process they themselves will either embrace those who share the same common ways of thinking or be quick to discount anything in the sciences that would indicate a conclusion other than what they want. What it comes down to is simply this, people will listen to whomever they choose to listen to, and they will believe whatever they choose to believe, regardless of whether or not it is true or false. Christians and Jews base their belief of what is true on the Bible, and they are finding that archeology and the sciences are validating the truth of the Bible more and more.

To sum it all up, what is keeping you from Jesus? What is keeping you from accepting Him and His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and hope of life eternal? Can you really qualify you’re reasons as logical and sound, or do you need to take another look at them? When it’s all said and done, it isn’t how others have misled you, hurt or offended you, or anything else for that matter, the determination of where you will spend eternity will hinge squarely on what you did with Jesus in your life. No matter the excuse, one thing is sure is that excuses won’t be allowed in that courtroom.

What is keeping you from Jesus?

John Johansson

The Point of No Return

The other day I was approaching a traffic light that was green. I knew it was going to turn yellow soon but didn’t know when so I approached it with caution. There came a point when approaching it that I knew even if the light turned yellow I was going to have to keep going. It was what is commonly referred to as “the point of no return”. Ever been faced with such a situation?

The other night my wife and I were with some friends and we were talking about different cultures reaching their “point of no return” regarding the direction they were going. We talked about how America is speedily reaching its point of no return as it is racing as far from God and the Judeo-Christian values it was founded and built upon. Some may argue that there is no such point for a culture, a country, a family, or even an individual. We like to hold out hope that the God of the impossible, the Judea-Christian God, can always reach and restore those who are far from Him, and He’s more than able to do so. But the problem with this line of thought is that while they believe God is sovereign and there is nothing He can’t do, they forget that He’s given humanity a free will to choose whether or not to serve Him, and with that free will He will respect each person’s decision.

While there have been some who many thought would never change or give their lives to following and serving Jesus were reached, a testament of His abilities to reach people especially when prayer is involved, there are many more that won’t be reached because they’ve passed the point of no return. At some point in their life they made a conscious decision to have nothing to do with God, or to even allow Him to be a part of their lives, and God has honored that decision. Does that mean we don’t need to pray for those who seem to be unreachable with the Gospel? Absolutely not! We need to keep praying for them because we don’t know what is ahead, and it could be Gods response to our prayers that afford them more time in this life to change their mind.

Only God, and I want to emphasize only God, knows when a person has gone past the “point of no return” and that they will not have any more opportunities to accept and follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. With that in mind, we need to keep reaching out to and praying for people, especially loved ones that don’t truly have a saving relationship with Jesus, that God will in some way be able to capture their hearts for salvation. Time is short and eternity lies in the balance. Eternity in Hell is an eternity no one really wants, but sadly enough many won’t believe that statement until they are there and it’s too late.

There are people that are so adamant against the God of the Judeo-Christian faith that they will not hear the Gospel, and in some cases will even fervently oppose Him and anyone who represents Jesus one way or another. Some will even go so far as to keep their eyes out for any possible discrepancy in a Christian’s life, or to twist and misrepresent things spoken by them, thereby giving them more of an excuse to reject Jesus. But, when it’s all said and done, when they stand before the God of all creation, the only thing they will be judged for is what they did with Jesus, and any excuses they have to offer now will not be allowed then. God can reach these people, but we need to keep them in prayer and hope they haven’t gone past the point of no return, the point that ONLY God knows.

Let’s keep these people in prayer, asking God that they have an encounter with the risen Savior, Jesus.

John Johansson

Committed to Not Commit

I was saddened the other day as I thought of all the people I’ve known over the years who chose to live with someone instead of getting married, even those who did in fact marry each other at a later time. I couldn’t help but think how God feels when people make such a decision, and even worse when they profess to be Christians and seek to find a way to justify it as being acceptable in Gods sight. While there may have always been some who have done this in the past, it seems as though it is becoming rampant in America and the world we now live in as never before. What is this world coming to?

One of the reasons some choose to live with someone before getting married is to see if they can even live together before making an official commitment to each other. They view it as a “try before you buy” transaction with the option to walk away if they find it doesn’t suit them. Another reason some give for this is that they don’t need a paper to show their committed to each other, and that outside of a piece of paper their relationships are no different. Some say they do it because it is more cost effective than it is to be married, and others are just flat out against getting married. Finally, and possibly the most ludicrous reason of all, comes from professing Christians who try to say that God views living together with someone the same as being married.

There are a number of reasons why people embrace the above mindsets to justify a life style of living with someone without marrying them. It could be that they’ve had bad experiences in previous marriages and don’t want to go through that again. It could be that they’ve seen bad marriages and feel the best way to avoid the pitfalls of marriage is to not get married, or at least try living together first for a period of time before making such a commitment. For some, it could be that money speaks louder to them than a committed relationship, or perhaps they just don’t want to feel ‘weighted down’ by a commitment that they view as restrictive or as a form of bondage.

What it comes down to is that these individuals are just “committed to not commit”. Have you ever heard someone, perhaps yourself, adamantly say that there is no such thing as absolutes? Well, they are saying that they are absolute in thinking that there are no absolutes, so in essence they are discounting their own statements. The same is true when people are determined to avoid making a marriage commitment by just living with someone. They are basically saying that they are committed to not commit themselves to another in a marriage relationship.

When it comes to professing Christians that take the position there is no difference in Gods eyes between living with someone and being married, they are grasping for a way to rationalize such behavior as okay. These individuals seem to think that if they are living with and having ongoing sexual relations with someone then God views that as marriage, but is that true? If that were true then at what point does fornication become adultery? By definition, the primary difference between fornication and adultery is whether or not it involves at least one individual that is married. If at least one individual is married then it is considered adultery, otherwise this same behavior is considered fornication. I should add at this point that even if a couple is separated but still legally married, sexual relations with someone other than their spouse is considered as adultery. I talked with a professing Christian several years ago who was living with someone and trying to convince me that it was the same as being married in Gods eyes. They seemed to think a piece of paper was a mere technicality that really held no real significance. As I pondered this I came to a conclusion that in one way a piece of paper is not the key, though at the same time it is. In our American culture one of the steps required for two people to become married includes this piece of paper we call a “Marriage License”, but this is not required in other cultures. While it may be true this piece of paper is not required in other cultures, my understanding is that each culture still has a process, if I can call it such, by which two people become officially “joined” together that friends and family observe and recognize as binding. So, while on one hand it isn’t the piece of paper that makes the difference in Gods eyes, it is the culturally recognized, accepted, and legal means through which people are known as married to each other, and therefore it is what God looks at. So, to say that God views the two lifestyles as the same is merely a twisting of things to help themselves feel justified in their behavior, basically deceiving themselves into believing one of many lies the enemy of our souls is selling to any who will buy them.

When we talk of being “committed to not commit” in regards to these relationships, I find it interesting that this is often true in regards to many people’s relationship with Jesus. Just as many want the benefits of marriage without the marriage commitment, and they will find every excuse they can to justify it, the same is true regarding our relationships with Jesus. Many want the benefits of being a follower of Jesus, but they don’t want to make the commitment Jesus requires of all who follow after Him. They will find some reason, some excuse, as to why they won’t commit to following Jesus on His terms, but oh how they want all the benefits and blessings of such a relationship. Just as some don’t want to commit to another in marriage because they want to keep parts of their life to themselves, many do the same with Jesus when they ‘compartmentalize’ what parts of their life they will or will not give and surrender to Him. Just as a person choosing to live with someone without marrying them is actually demonstrating a lack of commitment to them, even so a person who chooses to follow Jesus without the commitment and terms He requires is telling Him they are not really committed to Him.

So, there are two simple questions to ask ourselves. The first question to be asked is for those who are living with someone they are not married to, “Are you truly committed to them for the rest of your life?” If you are truly committed to that person for life, then you need to stop living with and having sexual relations with the other individual until after you’re married to them, whether or not they want to get married to you. If you’re not truly committed to that person, or they are not committed to you, you still need to stop living and having sexual relations with them. That is the right thing to do in the sight of God. The second question to ask is, “Are you truly committed to following Jesus with your life no matter what?” If so, then you need to be committed to Jesus wholly and completely no matter what. To live any other way is to only be a fan of Jesus and not a true follower. If this is you, then you need to renew your commitment to Him, and to begin making the necessary changes in your life that reflect that commitment. It’s not a one-time decision you make, but it’s a daily decision to make, and for some a moment by moment decision. Will you make that decision to commit, or are you “committed to not commit”?

Ever ask yourself, “What is going on????”

Okay. Here in America we’ve seen Obamacare survive the examination of the United States Supreme Court. We’re also seeing very out of the ordinary weather and various types of natural disasters throughout the country.

In the world we’re seeing things heat up in the middle east as countries try to find a away to stop Syria’s internal war which involves killing civilians. Countries are hurriedly positioning significant amounts of troops and military equipment into key positions preparing for war. We also have Iran pursuing nuclear weapons with the determination to use those same weapons on both Israel and the United States.

And then there is both the European and United States economies which are both on the brink of collapse. The United States is teetering on the edge of an economic cliff, and it’s trying through counterproductive measures to avoid that. The European economy is crumbling and one wrong move in an attempt to reverse this could spell its quick demise.

Oh, and let us not forget about the recent deal between Saudi Arabia and China, a deal that guarantees China an unlimited supply of oil through 2035, no matter what happens on the world scene, in exchange for supplying Saudi Arabia with both nuclear weapons and the construction of military nuclear sites within Saudi Arabia that both countries will protect with their militaries. The interesting thing about this is that it gives China a very strong interest in the middle east, an interest that would give them all the incentive they need to send 200 million troops into the middle east to protect. Isn’t that prophesied in the Bible?

These are just a sample of the things going on in the world today, both within the United States and abroad. There is no question that things seem to be heating up in all areas of life, politically, economically, militarily, socially, technologically, and spiritually, just to name a few. The world is bracing for some pretty significant solar flares that could really mess things up for electronically dependent societies, and Israel is working hard to protect it’s right to exist as a people and as a soverign state.

What does all this mean? More specifically, what does this mean for you? It would be one thing if Christians were alone in making these observations, but that is not the case. People throughout the world, non-Christians, see clearly and comment about what is happening and have significant concerns regarding what is in store for all of us in the very near future, some even experiencing fear from them. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, and please note I did not say ‘Christians’ as many call themselves but do not truly follow Jesus, it is a time to be looking to the sky with excitement as we know our redemption draws near. The trumpet will sound and those who are followers of Jesus, both among the living and the dead, will be called away to join Jesus to forever live with Him. For those who are not followers of Christ, this is a time to be very concerned about your future and eternal destination and to enter into a saving relationship with Christ on His terms. For those who are not followers of Christ this is a time that will be filled with great fear and/or great deception of better times ahead. The great people of ‘spin’ will do their best to add their ‘spin’ to what is happening in order to get people to buy the lies they are ‘selling’ and perhaps believing themselves.

If you are one of those who are concerned about what is happening in the world, I strongly encourage you to surrender your lives to Jesus. That is your only hope in light of what is ‘coming down the pipes’ as we watch the evening news. This is not the time to be playing Russian Roulette with your eternity and gamble that the Bible is wrong and that true, pure Christianity is just a fantasy of imaginations.

John Johansson – www.resoundingshophar.com