Mark 14:43 “Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.”

I find this totally amazing! Lost people, sinners, they actually loved Jesus. Even though His teaching challenged them to live a different life, a life where relationship with God was to be the main thing, a life that would require them to understand they are accountable to someone- that being God. Jesus challenged them to orientate their life around Kingdom issues and priorities. It was a challenge to a change of lifestyle and sinners welcomed and embraced Him with open arms. But what about the religious people? How did they respond?

Judas had already felt the challenge of his attitude towards money earlier in the chapter when the woman with the Alabaster Jar anointed Jesus ready for his burial. Judas was so outraged by what he considered to be a waste of money that he then arranged to betray Jesus for extra money for himself. Judas had a real problem and so did Jesus. The Priests, Teachers of the Law and the Elders all welcomed Judas with open arms sending a mob with swords and clubs to arrest Jesus and send him to his death. The plan was for Him to be executed with the intimacy of a kiss!

Oh boy!! I have to carefully watch my attitude to what I perceive to be incorrect application or poor stewardship of the use of resources. After all, Jesus himself said the poor will always be with us! Pastor Wayne of New Hope often talks about scrubbing your heart and soul to really know your motives. Judas was using the poor as his stated objection and motive, but when Jesus took the stated motive away the real motive came to the forefront Judas had a weakness, a selfish desire for financial gain and he was using the poor as a smokescreen to hide it. I really feel for Jesus on this one for the enemy has attacked from within, and from within there can be no defence!! Sadly for Judas there was no recovery either!!

My Prayer: Father help me to know the motives of my heart and to surrender all to you. Help me to respond well to your instruction and correction!!

Mark 2: 22 “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.”

So often we sit in our churches or families in our current state and position crying out to God for a fresh new move of His spirit. We fast, pray and jump up and down yelling into the air to somehow manipulate out of God’s hands a new fresh wave of blessing for all people. We think we are waiting on Him, but in reality He is waiting on us. We will do everything and anything except what we need to do, which is CHANGE!! We want the new wine without the effort required in finding and establishing the new wine skin! We want God to fulfil his responsibility to us without us first fulfilling our responsibility to Him. God wants to pour out new waves of his spirit but he can’t without blowing up his church. A new move of God will destroy an old wine skin and both will be lost. It’s time for us to put in the hard yards!

We have to honestly evaluate every single thing we do in our personal and ministry life. We must ask the tough question. Is this method (Program, Service, Structure etc) still an effective channel by which God can continue to pour fresh moves of His spirit? If not, then action must be taken. We must either carefully dismantle and rework it for a future out pouring of God’s spirit, or we must have the courage to simply knock it in the head, putting it down like a suffering dying animal. This requires great leadership and great courage. However, it is essential if a church, person or family is to continue receiving fresh outpourings of God’s spirit and blessing!! We’re not waiting on God, God is waiting on us!!

Prayer: Father help me to put aside my own personal preferences on how life, church and ministry should be so I can discover the new thing that you want implemented to pour your blessing through. Grant me great wisdom, discernment and courage to build for the future.