Those Who Believe

Pastor Martin of Holy Assembly, preached recently on being a “Believer vs. being a Disciple”, On this most special night, Jesus, The Son of God is in the Garden of Gethsemane and had been praying to His Father about what He knew was about to happen to Him. Jesus did not want to have to go through all that He was and was going to continue to endure, yet He made the choice to suffer a horrible death, so that we could live free. Someone who was a part of His life and Ministry, Judas, came to the Garden guiding an assembly of soldiers and officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. 

This group came with Judas carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing what they had come to do, steps forward and asked Who they were looking for and they tell Him. Jesus responds and says I AM HE! Then The Bible tells us that they all fell back onto the ground! Their bodies could not handle the Power of God just when Jesus spoke Who He was and is, and they ALL fell to the ground, including Judas!

Just SOME of the names of Jesus are Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15), The Chief Corner Stone (Ephesians 2:20), The Savior of the world (John 4:42), Redeemer or Defender (Job 19:25), The Anointed One (Psalm 2:2), The Provider (Genesis 22:14), The Son of God (John 1:34), The Beloved (Ephesians 1:6), The Counselor, The Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-47), The Maker and Builder, The Advocate (1John 2:1), The Resurrection and The Life (John 11:25), The Nazarene, Living Water (John 4:10),The Alpha and Omega, The First and The Last, The Beginning and The End (Revelation 22:13), Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and The Lamb of God (John 1:29)!

New Hope, Judas was standing right there and heard Jesus say I AM HE and felt The Power of God go through him to the point that he fell backwards to the ground! Yet he still went on with what he wanted and what he willed to do. Judas walked with Jesus, he ate with Him and saw all the miracles and heard all the teaching of Jesus first hand. Judas was even the Accountant for The Ministry! Yet Judas missed everything because he chose to just go through the motions of following God, instead of having an intimate relationship and knowing Jesus and Who He really IS!

See, you can look like you are a follower of Jesus Christ and miss Jesus, Himself! From the outside Judas looked very devoted because he was doing work for Jesus, but inside Judas never really knew Him. So, let us learn and ask OURSELVES are we basing our relationship with God by what we DO or Who He IS? Are we following our own agenda or are we following HIM? Are we trying to conform Jesus to our ways and ways of thinking or are we conforming to Him and His Ways? Beginning today, get to know The Lord through His Word and see how wonderful He is and how many facets there are to Him. Do not just LOOK LIKE you know Him, really do! I pray you have a New Life, a deeper life, a rich life – The Life with God! Not just a life that’s routine, but an amazing journey that is daily leading you to a New Life in Christ. I pray in Jesus Name that you will encounter Him and His Power and truly WHO HE IS!

Scripture Of The Day: “Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. 5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I Am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6 As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground!” - John 18:4-6 (NLT)