Friday, January 27, 2012

Lessons Learned

This week, as we pick up with our Weekly Bible Study, we focus on the letter I. An interesting letter deserves an equally interesting topic. So here we go...

Webster defines Incognito as an adverb or adjective that means 'with one's identity hidden.' So, with that in mind, I want to discuss someone who was seriously incognito back in Jesus' day. Now this guy gets a bad rap but if you can focus on the grand scheme of things, you will understand and perhaps appreciate his role in the whole story.

Matthew 26: 47-50 reads: 47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people.
48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.”
49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

Yes, betrayal hurts but it also makes us stronger and wiser---if we can learn the lesson that comes with it. Classic haters, such as Saul before his stroll to Damascus, are easy to spot. It's those incognitos to give us great pause but they also teach the best lessons. Judas served a greater purpose than he could ever imagine. Although that purpose cost Judas his life, without it, we might not have salvation.

Betrayal can serve a great purpose for you. If you don't know the answer, now is the time to ask God to reveal it to you. There is nothing wrong with those incogitos in your life. God is using them and they probably don't even know it. Learn to appreciate ALL that comes into your life because that is what gives you a great story.

Remember Romans 8:28 whenever you face an incognito...

Soli Deo Gloria,

Step Brown


1 comment:

  1. I remember a time I would say huh "haters a good thing" now I welcome haters into my space because for me it means a few things one - I'm doing something right, and in time God will give me revelation power.
    I like Romans 8;28 read in the Message version:
    Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

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