Familiar Friend
Good Morning,
Our Lord was “…in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” This is one of the things I wonder about. Jesus could have died for us without sleeping in the hills or being lied about, at least it seems He could have. Consider all that our Saviour tolerated in those thirty-three years. I think the reason he chose to face those situations was so you and I might know that He understands. He also faced injustices and hurts, and through it all, He stayed true to God.
Betrayal by someone we love is one of the hardest situations to bear, yet the prophecy and reality of Judas is clear.
Psalm 41:9 “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Judas ate with the Saviour, traveled with Him, shared meals and places to sleep, as did the other apostles. Betrayal from someone you love and have a deep relationship with is difficult to even describe. That is why divorce or any serious family trouble is so painful.
David faced betrayal from his sons Absalom, Amnon, and Adonijah. David’s wife also mocked him. The leader of his army, Joab, betrayed him; also the high priest. His own men sought to kill him at Ziglag.
Another example is Joseph, who faced betrayal from his brothers and his employer.
You are not alone when someone you love dearly turns to harm you. This is also a sign of the end of this world as we know it. As the great tribulation begins, or at some point in the seven years, Satan shall turn men against each other as no other time in history. Make no mistake – the betrayal and hatred between those who love one another is also satanic today and should be shunned as witchcraft or murder.
Matthew 10:21 “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.”
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another
The point is that Jesus knows your sorrow, and He understands your pain. He faced those same feelings – to the extreme.
I hear stories of betrayal off and on, but honestly, I am never sure exactly where the fault lies, except that Satan sows discord and God hates it. (Proverbs 6)
You can do with the Bible what you like, but as for me, I will seek to implement Its truths into my life in every way possible. Consider the famous passage in 1 Corinthians 13:
vs. 4 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”
vs. 5 "Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;”
vs. 6 “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;”
vs. 7 “ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
These are the Christian’s marching orders.
If we add the writings of Paul on the fruit of the spirit to these thoughts, you will read the perfect biography of the child of God.
Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”
vs. 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
We will never control the actions of those who seek us harm, but we can control our response.
Pastor