Silver Girl: Book Review

Elin Hilderbrand has been one of my favorite authors for about a year now.  Her stories are often set at on Nantucket beach and her characters are always relatable and interesting.  In fact, Hilderbrand is one of the only fiction authors I have ever found interest in.  Last summer when I was working at a used book store I ran across her novel Summer People.  I shocked myself by selecting a fiction, but quickly fell head over heels for the book.  I wouldn't put it down until it was finished.

Hilderbrand's stories are perfect for warmer weather.  In fact they are responsible for a lot of my beachy daydreams.  I always feel like I'm on vacation when I am reading about the lives of her coastal characters.

Two weeks ago I found "Silver Girl" on the shelf at my local library.   Because I love Hilderbrand I knew it would be good.  Indeed I was right, it was another read I could not put down.

Silver Girl is the story of two women who have been best friends since birth, essentially.  The story starts when they are both in their fifties and encountering some very rough times.  Through scandal, death, separation and humility, the two women lean on one another and support each other's weaknesses.

Meredith and Connie go through so much throughout the book.  The novel depicts a true picture of love, forgiveness and friendship.  Though men may come and go, the friendship between women has power to stick forever.

It took me a while to understand the meaning of the title, but once I did the story was that much deeper.  There were so many hidden themes and messages that I wish I had someone to sit with me and pull these things out.

Though much of the story is wrapped in devastation and disappointment, it is hope that keeps the characters alive and joyful.  Sometimes we need to read about other people's lives so we can better appreciate and understand our own.

 Although this is a spoiler alert, I am going to bring up the tiny detail that Meredith had a wonderful relationship with her father.  His love for her gave her confidence to conquer life head-on.  As I found myself mesmerized with the story of her father, I couldn't help but be deeply reminded of the love of my own father and how I often times take that for granted.  This of course, I believe was a bigger picture of the father's love for us.  Even in our lowest hours, he is always there with us and he never leaves.

There is also a pressing importance on healing and finding strength within yourself.  At the very end of the book we see tough and strong Meredith break down into sweet vulnerability with herself.  She spent enough alone time with herself that she finally felt confident in letting down her pride and fully feeling the emotions she had experienced.

Alone time is such an important part of the self-growth process.  I feel that when I am home alone or living by myself I seem to grow twice as fast.  I challenge myself with activities I wouldn't do around others, and I am always finding new ways to entertain myself without depending on others.  The reflection and meditation one finds inside themselves is full of restoration qualities, plus the more a person fills themselves up with the presence of God alone, the more easily they can pour out love and affection towards others.  It's a win-win cycle.

Overall I learned a few lessons from Silver Girl,  and I felt many emotions that caused me to see things more clearly in my own life.

I highly recommend this book as a relaxing summer read to bring you sympathy, joy and forgiveness.

Unity starts with "U"

“I plead with Eudia and I plead with Syntche to agree with each other in the Lord.”

Philippians 1:2

In the Bible, Paul reminds us over and over again to have unity in the body of Christ.  This verse is one example of his heart on the issue.  He pleads with two women who are arguing.  He begs them to stop so that peace may fill the body again. 

This is just one tiny little fight, yet Paul (and GOD) made it a point to include it in the Holy Word of God for our instruction.  If this small issue was such a concern to the Lord, then what must he think of the fighting in the body that goes on now?  Church of Christ and Baptists can’t worship together.  Catholics and Pentecostals refuse to break bread together.  Everyone stick with your denomination and don’t wonder into anything else or you will be shunned.

Hmm…this doesn’t seem right to me.  Aren’t we supposed to all be in search of TRUTH that comes from the Word of God?  Ephesians 4:4-6 says, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

ONE.

Not several, not two, not hundreds. 

We are to be all one body of believers who function, act, and worship together in oneness.  Unity.

So you probably agree with me up to this point, right?  Well, what are you going to do about it?  How does this concern you personally?

“If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

Romans 12:18

As far as it concerns YOU.  Be at peace with all men.

Who do you judge for going to a different church?

Why is it a competition to see how many people we can fit in our pews versus how many are in the pews across the street??

That’s not love.  That’s not unity.  That’s business and numbers, jealousy and dissention.  Satan wins when we fight over numbers and people rather than fighting for each other and working toward the common goal of complete fellowship with God and ALL his people.

You have been brainwashed by society, and now you need to let the Word of God wash over your mind and cleanse it (Romans 12:2.)

Perhaps you don’t go to church because you are fed up with the fighting, the hypocrisy, and the judgment (much like my last few posts.)  Well in that case you need to know something very important.

There is no perfect church.

There are no perfect people.  No perfect worship service, nor pastor, nor doctrine.

We’re all broken and we’re all doing our best, yet we fall desperately short, including me.  Hebrews 10:25 tells us to not give up meeting together with other believers.  The book of Acts displays what the church should look like, and that is a body of people meeting together regularly to lift each other up closer to the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to encourage one another daily.  That means we all need a TIGHT group of close Christians to lift up and to lift us up.  Note: the verse says “daily.” 

Yes, that means it is a lifestyle.  Not a once a week social event.  Do you realize how much happens in a week?  What if Sunday you see Sally and she’s on top of the world in love with Jesus, but Wednesday she finds out her husband is having an affair and her kids are failing classes in school. 

Is she supposed to wait until Sunday to ask for prayer and encouragement?  Are you supposed to wait until the Sunday meeting to hold her hand as she cries and walk her through the situation at hand?

NO.  O course not, because by the next Sunday she will have done what we all seem to do oh so terribly well: stuff in down deep, smile, and keep going.  By doing that she gets no healing, no encouragement, and no help.  Satan wins again and the church keeps a squeaky clean image.  Everything’s fine.

Yet on the inside our hearts are breaking and our pews are slowly murdering us. 

We weren’t meant to live this way.  We were meant to live in community with other believers…despite the well known fact that THEY TO ARE HUMAN, and they too will hurt us and disappoint us, leaving us bruised and broken at times.  But they will also pick us up when we need it too.

How do we start this revolution?

One person at a time.  Be the Christian you want others to be.

Help people the way you want to be helped.

FORGIVE EACH OTHER!! 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32

Do not hold others to impossibly high standards and you won’t be held to the same judgment.  (Matthew 7:2.)

Love in spite of everything.  Love cancels out fears. (1 John 4:18.)  Love never fails.  Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13)

Have you been loving your neighbor lately?

Functioning as a Body

Christians don't know how to help Christians.

This is my new soap box topic.  I have talked to a few different friends about this lately.  They all agree.  These are strong, solid, God-seeking Christians I'm talking about.  They admit that they don't feel comfortable opening up at their churches and asking for support or forgiveness for sins...yet this is what the Bible asks of us.

Why do they feel this way?

Because an open moment with church family often turns into a gossip scandal or a hateful glare down the end of someone else's nose.

Then there are those who think they are helping when they offer advice from their own pocket book. "It's a shame you got caught up in that mess.  You know what the Bible teaches about those kinds of sins..I'll pray for God to help you."

But that isn't really helpful at all.  It's actually a nice way of judging and throwing the person off as someone else's problem, namely, God's.  However, the Bible teaches over and over again that we are to be the BODY of Christ.  His hands, his feet, his love.  The power to heal, raise up, forgive and anoint lies within us.  Jesus gave us that power when he sent us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In fact, he said it is BETTER that we have the Holy Spirit because of all the power it bestows upon us.

So when people come in a vulnerable moment asking for prayer and help...there is a whole heck of a lot more we can and should be doing besides just throwing a verse at 'em and saying "I'll pray for you."  

No, we are called to walk them through the healing process.  Connect on their level.  Get to the root of the problem.  Why do you act this way?  What led you into that sin?  Where did the pain start?  What do you need to heal from?  How can I walk with you towards the comforting arms of Christ?

The book Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands really takes this idea and breaks it down into detailed steps.  I recommend reading it if you want to be a Christian that truly helps others.

It's more than just listening.  It's understanding.

It's moving closer to that person not only in spite of their sin, but in order to help walk them through it.  Ephesians 4:16, Romans 12:4, and Colossians 2:19 all speak of the role of the BODY.  We go through stuff together..not as individuals.

Ephesians 4:16

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

"Builds itself up in love."  In love.  

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

Love does not envy.

Love does not boast.

Love is not proud.

Love is not rude.

Love is not self-seeking.

Love is not easily angered.

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil.

Love rejoices in truth.

Love ALWAYS PROTECTS.

LOVE ALWAYS TRUSTS.

LOVE ALWAYS HOPES.

LOVE ALWAYS PERSEVERES.

Love never fails.  Love never gives up.

Where would you be if God gave up on you?  Where would you be if you were surrounded by a body of believers who walked with you through the sickness of your soul as well as the joy of your deliverance.

Forgive us world, for we aren't perfect, and we haven't done our job.  Forgive us church, for we aren't moving and breathing as we ought.  Lord, give us a second chance.

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Addiction Example 2

Attention from the opposite sex.

Another example of this addiction is found more commonly in twenty-somethings.  Your young but your adult, your finished with school, out on your own, and it's just time to get married.  After years of singlehood, there's no way you'd ever fall for a bum!  ...or is there?

I've seen this happen to far too many young women.  They spend a period of time waiting for Mr. Right, promising themselves nothing and no one will get in there way when it comes to marrying tall, dark, godly, and handsome.  

But suddenly Mr. Average Joe comes along!  Joe is nothing special.  He has an old car, no job, and a crustache.  Ew.  On first look almost any woman would turn him down without a second glance, but then you have Desperate Darla over there still waiting for Mr. Right.  At 27 years old, Darla isn't giving anyone the buzzer instantly.  So she decides to give Joe a small, long-shot chance.  They go on one mediocre ice-cream date and exchange numbers for future reference.

Little does Darla know how starved for male attention she is.  After a few weeks of chit-chat texting, Darla is starting to think Joe looks pretty good.  What was once a jobless, creepy, weird man is now the sender of text messages that make Darla's heart flutter.  Although Darla knows deep down that this man is going nowhere with his life, she admits to herself that she likes the idea of having someone check up on her every now and again, okay so maybe every night...but who's it hurting?  All her best friends have husbands to talk to daily, why can't she have someone to text throughout the boring parts of the day?

And so before you know it Darla and Joe are married and hating every minute of it.  She is fed up with his laziness and he can't deal with her high demands.  Why in the world did she get herself into this mess anyways?

Think back a little bit and you will see that the relationship started purely because Darla liked the attention of a male caller, (or should I say texter.)  Once again I tell you that the desire for male attention is not a bad thing in and of itself.  It becomes a sin when we let it control us, and when we go to it for comfort, protection, and fulfillment rather than going to God.  

The correct thing for Darla to do would have been to pray about the first meeting of Joe, asking God for a clear  yes or no.  If the feelings remained she should have taken each heart fluttering to God for a holy check-up to ensure if the feelings were purely rational or emotional.

Do you think you've been trapped by the feeling of attention rather than the choice of love?  Is there someone you're with right now solely for the sake of being with someone?  Are you afraid of being on your own?  Perhaps you should let God take a look at your heart and decide what you need for once. :) 

The Addiction

(Continued from What is the #1 Addiction?)

Attention from the opposite sex.

That's the number one tactic Satan uses against young single women.  Actually he starts using it when we are young and single, but depending on our reaction it could last a lifetime.  If you think this sounds like a natural, normal desire, you're right.  It is 100% normal to want attention from the opposite sex, in fact I would be worried if you didn't want some sort of attention from them.  However, as with most things, the desire becomes sin when it is placed above your desire for God, and from my study and experience as a teenage girl, I know that this can become quite an idol for most of us.

Let's start small.  Think of that innocent 6th grade girl you know.  She's very cute, kind of shy, but oh so boy crazy!  She may not talk much at school, but around her friends and family all she can mention is the cute boys at school.  The family giggles and thinks it's adorable, and her friends encourage her to pursue these young men.  In fact, from the girl's point of view you would learn to think that liking several different guys at once was a wonderful thing!  Everyone thinks it's adorable, so why try and control it?

Then one day two of these men she has been secretly infatuated with, begin to flirt with her.  Her heart flutters, her mind spins, and she does all she knows to do, she flirts back.  She begins to text these two boys "innocently," playing silly flirting games that teenagers do at that age.  Her family and friends are now very impressed at the sudden interest of TWO young males.  Again, no one does anything to discourage her from this behavior, so she carries on, doing what feels "right" to her 6th grade emotions.

A few months go by and her family starts to get concerned.  "Sweetie, you can't date both of them.  You should either pick one or the other," says her Dad.  Her friends seem to be getting a little jealous lately, and she's noticed they don't come around near as often.  Confused, emotional, and a little stressed, she continues doing what she has always been told was right.  She follows her feelings.

Uh-oh.  What happens when she still has feelings for both guys?  On top of that, there are still a few other nice guys in the background she wonders about too.  Perhaps if she could keep these two she could try out a few others as well?  After all, everyone thought her 6th grade crushes were adorable!  So by the 8th grade she is juggling 3 or 4 different guys, without seriously dating any of them.  Because her friends have left her and parents don't approve, she keeps things secret.

Months and months of texting, Facebooking, and writing notes to these "little flings" of hers, and her heart has had more damage than a carton of eggs at the bottom of a grocery basket.  You see, what started out as innocent fun and games has led to an addiction of attention, affection, and admiration.  With each flirtatious text she sends out a little piece of her special feminine beauty, letting another man in on her secrets.  Not only is she giving away parts of her heart to men who will never be called her husband, but she is feeding her desire for male attention.

By the time she is in high school she has no idea how to behave as a single woman.  Why?  Because for the past 3 years of her life she has ALWAYS had several guys texting her phone, calling her house, and telling her how beautiful she is.  Even if it wasn't always positive attention, it was attention.  

One day as she sat alone in her room, she picks up her phone to realize it's broken.  She goes to the computer only to realize the internet is down.  Frustrated, she sits in the floor and for the first time in years, looks up to her first love, the one who gave her life.  An exhale of chaos leaves her lungs as she closes her eyes and says, "Lord, how have I strayed so far from you?  What do I need to do to come back into your presence?"  It was at that point she realized the addiction she had been feeding.  At that point she realized these men would never really satisfy her soul, and it was at that point she submitted her desperate need for a God much bigger than all of this worldly stuff.  

Perhaps you know a young woman like this.  Will you stand with the rest of the world and let this happen?  How can you lovingly show her a better way?

Or maybe this young girl is you currently and you're beginning to become aware of an addiction in the making.  What do you need to do keep your heart and mind focused on Christ?

And finally, perhaps you are an older woman, and you are now seeing a lifelong pattern that needs to be changed.  You too were fooled by the world, but you too can come clean and refreshed through the love of Jesus.

Matthew 11:28

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

God first. Others second. Matthew 22:37-39

Everything You Need

I love you Lord,

Even if you're all I ever have.

The sweetest moment of my life was the first time I looked at this phrase and meant it with all my heart.  I had reached a total dependence on the God of my salvation.  How beautiful it is when we realize that this is all our hearts need.  Nothing else will do, nothing else will satisfy or last because Jesus and Jesus only satisfies our every hunger.  

In John 6:35 Jesus explains it this way:

"I am the bread of life.

He who comes to me will never go hungry,

and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

How wonderful it is to know that God created Jesus to fulfill our every hunger and desire.  He is the ultimate satisfaction despite what Satan tells you.  Many a young college student is tricked into believing that marriage is the ultimate fulfillment in life.  High School students fall for the lie that sex is what satisfies, and married couples sometimes hear Satan tell them they are missing out on a different life. 

Whatever your walk in life is, you can be sure of one thing.  Jesus Christ is all you will ever need to find joy, peace, and contentment for a lifetime and then some.  So turn to him for every weakness, every desire, every pain, hurt, and fear.  He promises he will be right there (John 6:37) and he will never turn you away.  

The more we depend on God the more fulfilled we will be.  This is the opposite of human nature, because human nature is to control.  But the Bible tells us the more we lay down at the feet of Jesus, the more he picks up and carries for us.  (1 Peter 5:7, Luke 9:23, Matthew 10:39, John 12:25)

The great apostle Paul put it this way:

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing

greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have

lost all things."

                                                        Philippians 3:7-8

So what can you give to God today?  What have you been holding on to so tightly that the satisfaction of Jesus can't get past?  Why are you afraid of laying it down, has Jesus' promises not been made clear to you?  What are you going to do today as a first step to laying down that burden in order to pick up Christ?

Secrets and Regrets

Your secrets and regrets

Are keeping you from going very far

And you can't let all this get you down

And keep you living in the dark

I don't know if any of you have heard this song by Pillar, but it has so much truth to it. You can apply this to so many different areas in life--the lesson here is transparency. God has been teaching me about this all semester--it just keeps coming up. I feel like Christians have lost the raw truth of Christ and are stuck in the rut of trying to master a holy outward appearance while neglecting the inside.

James 5:16 says "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Colossians 3:13 says "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

1 Thessalonians 5:11-"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are

doing."

1 Peter 1:22- "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."

How can we expect to find healing, true friendship love, and encouragement when we never share the truth with anyone. Sisters that's what best friends are for. We are all weak. We all sin (Romans 3:23.) We all need help, truth, and encouragement. But if you don't open up you will never find that freedom and peace.

Be careful to understand that I am not advocating sharing your deepest secrets with all of Times Square. I am however recommending that you have at least one or two strong Christian women in your life whom you can pour into and receive godly wisdom from.

Do you have a dark past? One of pain, guilt, and shame? Does that thing you did way back when haunt you every day of your life? Does the devil play mind games with you over this sin still? Perhaps it's your family life. Maybe it's a sickness you are embarrassed about. Or maybe it is sexual sin that you are too ashamed to share with other Christians.

Whatever it is, you need to find a confidant and share that with them. But why would you go through this humility?

1. Because it's biblical! The list of verses above should have already pointed that out to you. We are social creatures created to interact and love one another (Gen 2:18.) By being fake who are your friends and family actually loving? A nobody? True friends and true family are going to love you know matter what you have done. So come clean and confess your secrets to them.
2. Prayer changes things! The power of prayer is obvious, amazing, and supernatural. Prayer can heal! When my friends pray over me and for me I can instantly feel a peace come over my soul. God wants us to pray for one another! This is one of the ways he works! But girl, how can you receive the awesome blessings of heartfelt prayer from other people if you don't tell them what's going on?
3. Encouragement. When my friends come to me with a problem I immediately try to offer them some encouragement, a relevant bible verse, and prayer. Often times when I am doing my quiet time in the following week I will find other verses that apply to their situation. When I send these to my friends, more often than not, it is exactly what they needed to hear from God. I say this because if my friends didn't open up to me I couldn't encourage them and give them the messages from God they needed to hear.

I know it's super hard and super humiliating to open up and share dissapointments, pain, and failures with the people you love. But you must defeat these lies from the devil and hold tightly to God's promises of freedom, courage, and healing. By doing this you will also see your relationships become stronger and deeper between you and your friends.

Love you and praying for you,

Haley Marie

Erasing Soul Ties Part 2

After you have confessed your sins to God specificaly and asked him to restore your spirit, heart, and body, the next step is to believe that it is done. Again, 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Therefore he has already forgiven you immediately after you repent. This is God's promise to us so we know that it is true and never changing.

Pslams 103:12 says, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." This verse can reassure that after you confess once, your sins are erased and forgotten completely. These verses should give us complete confidence in our cleansed heart and the renewal of our pure spirit, however because we are human, the hardest part is often forgiving ourselves. For some reason we cannot comprehend why a loving and just God would choose to cover our sins with the blood of his son and accept our faults with open arms. However, it is true.

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son SO THAT whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Romans 5:8

"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

God sent his son to die for you SO THAT he can forgive you and restore your life to the fullest! (John 10:10) So trust him in spite of your doubts. Claim one of these verses as your own and quote it over and over again until it becomes real to you. When you doubt, listen to the promises of God. He wants you to live in freedom, not bondage forever! (Galatians 5:13)

Perhaps this song could help you too. When I have trouble understanding God's forgiveness I play this on repeat over and over again until my heart believes. The lyrics are shown true in scripture, so this is God's promise to you. Be set free my dear sister.

Erasing Soul Ties

This blog talks a lot about saving yourself for your husband, waiting for him, and holding on to purity. While this is the ultimate goal, what happens if you have already lost your purity? What if you lived in recklessness before you turned to God? Will he forgive you? Will you still enjoy your wedding night?

The answer is yes.

God has the power to do anything. He can restore the prostitute to a new virgin, he can take away the guilt of premarital sex, he can take away the grief and pain of rape. All we have to do is wholeheartedly ask for it, and believe he will answer us. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

When two people have sex the bible says that "the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh." (Mark 10:8) Therefore, any person you have previously slept with has a piece of your heart, flesh, and spirit. This can cause extreme pain, guilt, and insecurity, not only now but also in a marriage later on. The only way to truly be healed and set free is to admit your sins to God specifically, admit the hurt, confess everything, and ask for forgiveness. Then trust God to keep his promise and restore your spirit.

Here is a prayer my friend recently showed me. It is called the "Soul Ties Prayer" because it is meant to break the soul ties between to sexual partners who were not married. I am sharing it with you below:

Lord I confess I have practiced (fornication, adultery or homosexuality). I choose to repent for my sinful

practices and ask that you break this sin with the power of your cross and cover my sin with Your Blood.

I confess all my ungodly spirit, soul, and body ties as sin. I thank you for forgiving me and cleansing me!

In Jesus name, I ask you to loose me from all soulish ties in past sex partners and ungodly relationships.

Lord, I pray that You take the Sword of Truth and separate my spirit from _________(name) so that I can be free

to be wholly given and presented to my mate. Return my spirit to me, and ________’s(name) spirit to them.

In Jesus name, please uproot all the tentacles of sexual bondage, of emotional longings and dependencies,

and enslaving thoughts. I bind, renounce, and resist any evil spirits that have reinforced those soul ties or

may have been transferred between me through evil associations.

I direct my personal spirit in the name of Jesus to forget this union and remember it no longer.

Lord, I confess that I have feelings of guilt and shame, I take my feelings of guilt and shame arising from

this relationship to your cross. In Jesus name I break these feelings off me.

Lord, I pray blessings over __________. (Pray blessings as the Holy Spirit directs you)

Please cleanse my soul and help me to forget all illicit unions so that I am free to give my soul to you and

to my mate. Father, I receive your forgiveness. I believe I am totally forgiven.

Pray this over each person you have messed around with/had sex with. It is really helpful and freeing! Trust the holy spirit to do his work with this.

Betraying Jesus Part 3..Easter Sunday

The last 2 posts were leading up to Easter and the wonder of what Christ did for us. This song finishes off the serious with what matters most, the love and forgiveness Jesus gave us. Please listen to the lyrics of this song and soak in the joy and freedom of Christ's rising from the tomb.

"Yes, and I am Judas' kiss but you love me anyway."

Betraying Jesus

Matthew 26:14-16

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus ¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Jesus spent his whole life loving and caring and helping and serving. He loved his disciples especially, they were his closest friends, the one’s he spent extra time with, the one’s he told his secrets too. These were his friends he poured into more than anyone else while he was on earth.

Jesus’ message was love and repentance. He wanted all people to come know his father. He wanted everyone to discover their purpose in this live and use it for his father’s glory. Jesus cared about the prostitutes and forgave them. He cradled the sinners in his arms and healed them. He laid down his life for these very people.

Despite all of this, being one of Jesus’ chosen few, being loved and cared for, being set free from a life of bondage and sin—Judas still betrayed him.

All it took was 30 pieces of silver, and Judas was willing to lead people to the Jesus they wanted to crucify. 30 pieces of silver. What would it take for you to sell out Jesus? What would it take for you to sell out on your best friend?

Look back at Matthew 6:1-13 where the woman broke her alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, she did this to honor Jesus. She gave away her most valued possessions, and laid it at the feet of Jesus to honor him. This woman had her heart in the right spot. She realized that there was nothing more valuable than Jesus Christ himself. What’s the most important thing to you? Having a boyfriend? Knowing your life plans? Obeying your parents? Friends? Your cell phone?—Would you be willing to give up your most prized possession for Jesus? Or would you crucify him for a small sum?

Matthew 26:36-50

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be

sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” ^{… 45} Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings,

Rabbi!” and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”

Jesus was overwhelmed, troubled, and sorrowed. He knew his best friend was going to betray him. He knew everyone he loved was going to turn on him and send him to the cross. Yet even knowing this, he took the time to seek his father and pray. He prayed that God’s will would be done and not his.

Jesus had committed to do this a long time ago. He wasn’t backing out, he knew he was going to suffer a gruesome death and he knew that his closest friends would betray him long before this point. YET he still chose to come down to earth, live among us, suffer, be spit on, mocked, betrayed, and hurt, because he knew that by doing this all men would have a chance to know God. He knew that this was the father’s plan of love for all creation, and it had to be done. I think this is the epitome of John 15:13.

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

Jesus could have easily saved himself from letting this happen. He could have easily let the disciples who were with him cut Judas to pieces right then. Yet he said no, don’t fight. He still loved Judas, and he knew it was part of his father’s plan. Wow, what a friend. This is proof that Jesus was fully God and fully man. I don’t know anyone else on earth who could respond the way he did.

Does it hurt your heart to think that it was people like us that betrayed Jesus so badly? Jesus spent his life loving and healing and saving people back then, but he did that to benefit us here and now too. He died so we could live and have eternal life, yet we still betray him and spit in his face. We claim we don’t need his salvation, or if we’re Christians, we claim we don’t need his forgiveness or his loving relationship because we’ve already bought the “fire insurance.”

You know, we like to look down on Judas, we say he was a horrible person for what he did. We have a very negative connotation with his name that we only use for the worst of betrayers. Yet when you stop and think…how many times have you betrayed Jesus with your own sin? After all, aren’t you the very person who drove him to the cross in the first place?

(Matthew 27:1-10) The guilt and remorse Judas felt is not so distant of a feeling for us. We are not that much higher than Judas…in fact, we are on his level.

We’re all sinners. We all put him to death. Most of us mock him daily without even realizing it.

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

For the full story you can read Matthew, chapters 26-28. Or you can watch The Passion of The Christ movie by Mel Gibson. http://www.thepassionofchrist.com/splash.htm

Come Awake

Galatians 5:13 "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame."

I know some of you reading this have dealt with addiction, struggles, brokenness, pain--some of this you brought on yourself out of rebellion, for others of you it was due to circumstances beyond your control. Despite what causes your grief and shame, God has a plan for you. He loves you even if this cold world hasn't showed you that. Even if you have been running from him--he still cares. He still loves you. He never left you, you left him. So turn around and reach up for him, so he can assure you he never left.

Pour your heart out to him and he will pour his heart out to you. So often we as girls turn to guys to fill the void in our hearts. We think a man can be our savior and so we give ourselves to our boyfriends and our husbands, and in the end they let us down, we let ourselves down, and we let God down. Put your hope, your trust, your love, your life--into something eternal, something that will never let you down. Something that will give you everlasting joy.

It doesn't matter what you've done or what you've been through. Christ died to give you a greater purpose for your life.

Romans 8:28 "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

...and when the oceans rage I don't have to be afraid, because your love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:8