..he walked with Him but the words He spoke didn't change his life...he was numbered among His closest friends but iron didn't sharpen iron in his case...he was there when Peter confessed, 'You are the Christ', but clearly those powerful words didn't make an impact in his world...he was exposed to the same parables and teachings the others heard..he saw many miracles...he had many opportunities to fully surrender but Judas Iscariot gave the Lord Jesus Christ away to be crucified. Dr. John MacArthur says, "It is possible to be near Jesus and to associate with Him closely and still be hardened in sin."...Jesus puts it this way - "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven."
Forbid it Lord, that we'll have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof...forbid it that we'll be associated with You but refuse to let Your Word sanctify and transform us from the inside out...may we grow more and more to be like Jesus in every fabric of our lives...may our lives tell the story of Jesus, and may the aroma of Christ in our lives draw many to the saving knowledge of Him who died and rose again. Amen.