Well had a little, emphasis on little, snow today, but it didn’t stick nor did it last.

Had two appointments today, I will be meeting with another cardiologist next month as we map out my health plan.  There are several options and we will discuss them in more detail with him.  Meanwhile, your continued prayers are very much appreciated. 

Smelling soup as it simmers on the stove.  Using the turkey broth from Thanksgiving, left over vegetables and some frozen veggies threw in some spices – it smells delicious and will be a great dinner tonight. 

Mathew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

And 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Mathew 27:3-5 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

⁴ Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

⁵ And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Which of these two men had the greater sin, Peter who boasted with pride that he would NEVER by offended because of Christ and then denied he knew Him – and wept bitterly for his betrayal?

Or Judas who sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, realized he had betrayed Christ, and was so distraught he hanged himself?

We focus on the sin that Judas committed, but Peter, too, sinned.  The questions, of course, are ‘trick’ questions.  Both men betrayed Christ.  Both men sinned against Jesus and God the Father.

Both men had walked with and listened to Jesus’ teachings; saw His miracles and still they turned their back on Him.  Both men knew Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah.  Both men knew that Jesus was innocent of the charges brought against Him.

Could Judas have been forgiven by God for what he had done?  Judas admitted that he had betrayed and innocent man and that it was sin.  He went to the leaders and confessed that sin to them, trying to return the money – but they didn’t care.  They had received what they wanted and Judas’ confession meant nothing to them.  If Judas admitted he had sinned, then why did he kill himself?

Peter went off and wept bitter tears, later he decided that since there was nothing else he could do, he would go fishing: John 21:3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. And being the leader, others followed.

So why do we remember Judas as a traitor and Peter as the great Apostle, the leader of the New Church?  What is the difference between the two, that one is a pariah and the other a patriarch?

In my opinion, Judas was sorry for what he did, but he his heart was not right with God.  Peter was not only sorry, but he realized Jesus was the Son of God and his heart was right with God.

Just because we recognize we have sinned, does not get us salvation.  It is the first step, but it must be followed with confessing to God that we have sinned and asking HIS forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

The world recognizes that certain activities are against the law.  While they may not call it sin, they know that it is not appropriate and it is harmful.  The person committing those activities may say he is sorry, but that doesn’t free him from the consequences of the transgression.

If it is a crime and he is sentenced to prison, goes and completes his sentence he is said to have paid his debt to society.  He committed the crime, he admitted it and he is now free.  Generally speaking what he did was wrong; he paid the price so he has nothing more he has to do.

Crime is just one form of sin.  The world calls it wrong because it has societal laws.  What is a crime today, however, may not have been one 20 years ago, or will be 20 years from now.  It is all predicated on what man determines is a crime.

However, when a man commits a crime it is not only a crime against society it is a sin against God.  The world is satisfied with punishing the man, now, but has no desire to try and get them to come to God through Christ.  The world doesn’t care.

God does.  Judas confession of betraying Christ was only before man.  Knowing who Jesus was; knowing the power and authority of Jesus, he did not go to Him or ask God for forgiveness.  Judas’ heart was not cleansed, his guilt was overpowering because he did not go to God, he chose to commit suicide instead.

Judas couldn’t live with what he had done.  Peter was in great distress, but he obviously had his heart still focused on God, while we do not read of his asking forgiveness he obviously WAS forgiven and went on to lead the new church.  It was through Peter that God showed the Jewish Christians that Jesus’ sacrifice was for the gentiles as well.

Both men betrayed Jesus.  Both men sinned, a grievous sin.  Both men could have been forgiven by God.  Only the one was.  Being sorry is not the same as asking that God forgives our sins through the Blood and Sacrifice of Jesus.

And even though Peter’s sin was public and showed him up as a boastful but weak person, God used Peter in the founding and leading of His church.

No matter what we have done, we can be forgiven and used by God; we just have to submit to Him as Peter did.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again