Series: Devotion

Hatred; gossip; pride; back-biting; cheating just a little, here and there; resentment; self-centeredness—all the ordinary sins that add up to have such a life-destroying effect.

So a dream that leads us to do something wrong is definitely not from God. If we think we might really have a message from God, the best thing we can do is pray and consult with fellow Christians—especially the wise and experienced ones.

Who is this King of the Jews? Isaiah gives us the answer: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer … I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to Me, for I have redeemed you'”

So he put Jesus under oath: “Tell us if You are the Christ.” And Jesus answered “yes” in the polite phrase of the time, “You have said so.” But He added: “From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

When bad things happen, we look to Him in trust and obedience, asking what He wants us to do. Because Jesus is the Messiah—and He lay down His life for all of us, friends and enemies alike.

So many marriages, so many friendships, even the relationship between parent and child—our love is tinted with betrayal. We break faith, we tell lies, or we just turn cold to the people who depend on us. And we can’t seem to stop it.

Jesus took three friends with Him when He was waiting for His arrest: Peter, James, and John. He asked them to pray with Him. And He went a little further—but not too far—to do His own praying. It’s a pity they let Him down.

John 12 tells us that he had been stealing money from the donations people gave to keep Jesus’ ministry going. And yet, this is a man who had been a preacher and healer. He got started down a bad road, and then one final thing tipped him into disaster.

And what was Jesus thinking of, when He allowed His life to be poured out on the altar of the cross? How much He loved the Father, who had sent Him. How much He loved us, the ones He was saving. His death and resurrection were a gift of love that would save us all. The shame didn’t matter.