The Flesh or the Spirit: you Choose

 Good morning and happy Sunday.

Each day the believer is faced with a choice of which way His life goes: death-ward, or life-ward. None of us, no matter how advanced we may be in the faith, can escape making this choice as long as we are in a fallen world.

Today's verse captures the essence of this truth.

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Romans 8:13

Sin is the end result of living according to the dictates of the flesh, and when sin matures, death naturally follows. In the same way, life is the end result of following the Spirit.

Nothing is forced on anyone, everyone in Christ is left to make the choice of who to follow, the flesh or the Spirit. However, each choice made comes with their own consequences: death or life. What we often don't realize is that we are constantly choosing between life and death in our daily choices. So, we must learn to choose wisely. This is what grace teaches us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. Titus 2:12.

Have a blessed day.

Your Time will Come

By: Apostle Toni

Text: Psalm 40:1-end

When the Lord says that your time will come, it means you must wait for Him patiently. Everyone and everything has its set time ( Ecclesiastics 3:1).

To wait for God patiently means that you must recognize that God is faithful. How much you know God will determine how patiently you wil wait for Him. 

Like David in our text, the time of waiting for God could be a time of crying. The pain may increase while you're waiting but He will surely show up. 

If we can trust people who can fail or disappoint us, how much more should we trust God who can't fail or disappoint us?

Don't be like Saul who didn't wait for God but succumbed to  pressure and made sacrifice which was the duty of only the priests to God (1 Samuel 13).

The reason why many do not wait for God is that they doubt if He will come (Habakkuk 2:3). Refuse to doubt that He will come. He's not a man that He should lie and He doesn't relent.  Knowing that God is faithful gives you strength to wait for Him.

God will not come because of your crying but He will come in His time. Sarah couldn't wait like her husband, Abraham and her haste brought Ismael who turned out to be a problem not only to Abraham's household but also the world at large ( Genesis 16:2).

Don't be jealous of those whose times have come. Rejoice with them and wait for your own turn. When the Lord comes, He comes with glory. Those who mock you now will be ashamed. 

Faith for Giving and Receiving

Faith is not a future hope to be obtained, rather it is a present reality to be apprehended. 

For example, when God says, give and it will be given back home to you, what it means is that the moment you give is the moment that you receive it back. Receiving is a present reality to be apprehended; receiving ceases to be a hope to be looked forward to the moment you give. 

We must adjust our thinking to align with this truth of God's word. Don't put receiving back to the future, once you have given, receiving is a present reality. Don't say, I have given, therefore, I will receive. Rather say, I have given, therefore, I have received. It is a present reality! 

So when next you give, don't expect to receive, but rather know that you have received, and begin at that moment to thank God for His faithfulness to His word because your account has been credited according to the measure that you gave. Praise God!

When God tells you to give, do so immediately because it is not only the person who is receiving what you give that is to be blessed, but also those who should give to your bosom will be affected by your obedience. The things that must turn around for them to be able to give to your bosom are waiting for your obedience to happen to them. Failure to give when God prompts you to robs such people of the blessings that are scheduled for them. 

- Apostle Toni

For me, to Live is Christ

A Teaching with Apostle Toni

Text: For me, to Live is Christ

Reference: Philippians 1:21

Paul understood the importance of serving the Lord. This is why he came to a conclusion that to him, to live was Jesus (Philippians 1:21). 

Paul saw his achievements in the world as dung. It is strange to God that man has had an encounter with life but he still walks as a dead man; man has had an encounter with light but he still walks on darkness. 

Paul knew that he couldn't walk by his strength. That is why he asked the Lord what he should do during his encounter. Whatever Jesus will have you do will take you to the end.

The import of Paul's statement in our text is that Christ had become the air he breathed. That means without Christ, he was as good as dead.  The song below vividly captures the essence of Paul's statement:

Make me your vessel,

Make me an offering,

Make me whatever you want me to be.

God I came here with nothing,

But all that you have given me.

To be God's vessel is to be a carrier of God. To be an offering is to be a living sacrifice to be poured out to God. Life is not what we want to be; it's about what God wants us to be. Paul knew that he came here with nothing. That's the truth for all of us.

Prayer Point:

Lord fill me and make me whatever you want me to be.

Abraham the Hebrew

A Teaching with Apostle Toni

Text: Abraham the Hebrew

Ref: Genesis 14:13-15

Since there was no State of Israel then, Abraham was addressed as the Hebrew, the man from the other side of the river (because he crossed the River Euphrates to get to Canaan); the pilgrim, the stranger. 

Like Abraham, we have been called from the world. Canaan was a new experience for Abraham. We are called out people to be a holy (different) people. When Abraham got to Canaan, he raised an altar to the living God. That was the place for his communion with God. We don't have to set up any altar now because we are the altar of God (Romans 12:1-5). 

Abraham put the world behind him. He looked up to God. He was able to put the world behind him because of where he was looking for-- eternity. Abraham was looking for a city built by God. Abraham lived in tents because he was ready to move at any time. 

Those that  are looking for eternity don't entangle themselves with the affairs of this life. Whatever you receive from Jesus will inspire you to follow Him. Jesus has gone to prepare that city for us (John 14:1). 

The sad thing is that many children of God have their hearts hooked on to the things of this world. Like Lot's wife, these are the things that will stop the from being raptured. Don't allow what you're doing now to be the reason why you are alive. Your life should be for a higher purpose.

Although Abraham messed up (in the case of lying and going into a maid), God didn't rebuke him because He saw where his heart was. God sees where our hearts are. Abraham broke the bridge that connected him to the world and we must do the same.

 

Abraham honoured God deliberately. We must serve God deliberately. Abraham knew that this life isn't forever. Unfortunately, we have formed our own God in our image and likeness. This is why we always expect God to do our biddings. 

Food for Thought

 1.  Can people call you a man or woman from the other side (a different person)?

 2. Can they call you the man from Hebrew; a person that is called out?

 3. Are there some things that entangle you with the world?

 4. Like Jesus, can the devil say, "I find nothing in him"?

 5. Are you looking for a city built by God or man.

My friend, the worst thing that can happen to a man is to finish from this earth and misses eternity. Repent now!

Following Jesus

By: Apostle Toni

References: Luke 9:1

We meet Jesus at the Cross and we must continue to follow Him. Jesus is on a motion. Coming to Jesus is different from going after Him. When we come to Him, we come as we are. To come to Jesus, one must continuously

 1. Deny Self: This is to renounce self. When self is on the throne, Jesus is out! Vengeance is the rule of natural person. Self loves itself and has no business with the Kingdom affairs. To deny self is to allow God to control your life, not self. When you renounce self, you allow God to control your life. We cannot follow Jesus and self at the same time. Whatever room we give to self is the room we take from God. We cannot serve masters. We will either love one and despise the other.

 2. Take up His Cross Daily: The cross means death not just daily inconveniences. The way of the Cross is the way of death. Without carrying our Cross daily, we can't share in the glory of Christ eternally. The early apostle understood what it meant to take up their cross daily. No wonder they accepted death at the expense of Christ.

 3. Follow Him: To follow Jesus is to go the same direction with Him. To follow Jesus is to do His will not our self will.

Following Jesus

By: Apostle Toni

References: Luke 9:1

We meet Jesus at the Cross and we must continue to follow Him. Jesus is on a motion. Coming to Jesus is different from going after Him. When we come to Him, we come as we are. To come to Jesus, one must continuously

 1. Deny Self: This is to renounce self. When self is on the throne, Jesus is out! Vengeance is the rule of natural person. Self loves itself and has no business with the Kingdom affairs. To deny self is to allow God to control your life, not self. When you renounce self, you allow God to control your life. We cannot follow Jesus and self at the same time. Whatever room we give to self is the room we take from God. We cannot serve masters. We will either love one and despise the other.

 2. Take up His Cross Daily: The cross means death not just daily inconveniences. The way of the Cross is the way of death. Without carrying our Cross daily, we can't share in the glory of Christ eternally. The early apostle understood what it meant to take up their cross daily. No wonder they accepted death at the expense of Christ.

 3. Follow Him: To follow Jesus is to go the same direction with Him. To follow Jesus is to do His will not our self will.

What Jesus Expects us to do while Waiting for Him

By: Apostle Toni Ogobegwu

Reference: Luke 19:11, Romans 12:4-6, 1 Peter 4:7-10

Jesus did not leave us ignorant of what we should be doing  while waiting for Him. He captured this in a parable in Luke 19:11.

Jesus expects His servants/children to  use their gift ( the Holy Spirit) until He comes (Romans 12:6). Everyone of us has the same Holy Spirit the disciples received on the Day of Pentecost. The difference is what we do with the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus didn't ask us to use our energy because He knows that it's not by power nor by might but by the Holy Spirit.

We cannot trade with the Holy Spirit but we can labour with Him. As in the parable, Jesus will never force us to do anything with with the Holy Spirit. The servants in the parable got different results by their cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus wants us to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. The early church always cooperated with the Holy Spirit. Cf. Philip in Samaria.

The only way to occupy until Jesus comes is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. At a time, the Holy Spirit restrained Paul from going to Bithynia to preach the Gospel. He wanted him to go to Macedonia to preach. He showed him this in a dream and Paul obeyed. (Acts 16:7-10)

We are all equipped with the Holy Spirit to occupy until Jesus comes. There's no retirement. Age or circumstances should not deter us. 

Sometimes we are too self-focused. We often ask how the Holy Spirit will help us to become successful. However, the Holy Spirit was given primarily to help us to occupy until Jesus comes. The Holy Spirit was given to us to help us to witness for Jesus. 

No child of God is weak ( Acts 1:8). The instrument that the Holy Spirit uses to help us to occupy until Jesus comes is the Word.

When Jesus comes, it is only those who used the gift of the Holy Spirit to occupy until He comes that He will use to rule. He will not use lazy and slothful servants to rule in the Kingdom. 

To be able to do this we must be willing to walk with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can nudge us to do something that is not convenient. Sometime ago, I went to preach in a place and I told the congregation that "there's something you have but it doesn't belong to you. You must give it to whom it belongs." When I got into the room, the Holy Spirit nudged me to give out the only precious thing I went to the village with because it wasn't mine. So, I called the resident pastor and I gave it to him.

When the Holy Spirit finds in you a partner and willingness to follow His direction, He will always give you direction.

Remember, Jesus is coming with a reward.  We must not be slothful (1 Peter 4:7-10). Any work that is not inspired by the Holy Spirit is a dead work. The Lord wants us to 

(a) Be serious about the things of God. We must not forsake the gathering of the brethren.

(b) Obey the Holy Spirit

(c) Be watchful

(d) Have fervent love for one another. True love is not selective. God loves everyone equally and He wants us to do same. True love shows benevolence. Love doesn't announce somebody's failure. It doesn't  grumble.

(e) Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. We must be helpful to one another because we don't all have the same strength.

Jesus is coming to rule with those who who have used the gift of the Holy Spirit. Everything the Holy Spirit uses us to do will result in someone's salvation in one way or the other. We must do whatever He tells us to do.

Walking Worthy of the Lord

By: Pastor Udeonu

Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:10-13

Here, Paul was talking to the sanctified believers. He was speaking to the children of God. He admonished them to walk worthy of God who had called them to His Kingdom. It is the responsibility of those that have been called to walk worthy of God. 

What does it means to walk worthy of God? To walk worthy of God is to be 

a) Holy-- Holiness means to be set apart. If we truly are believers, then we recognize that our position in Christ automatically sets us apart from the world (1 Peter 2:9). We have a relationship with the living God! Then we must daily live a set-apart life, not trying to "blend in" with the world, but instead living according to God's Word as we study the Bible and grow in it.

b) Just: This means to be upright. An upright person that hates evil (1 Peter 3:10-11). To eschew evil is to stay away from evil acts, evil plans, evil conversations. The scripture says:

"Stop doing anything evil and do good, and you will always have a place to live." Psalms 37:27 ERV

 

c) Unblamable: This means to be blameless. To be blameless means let your claim of being a child of God not be faulted by any person that has dealing with you. Don't let your claim of being a child of God be queried by your bad conduct. It is your responsibility to live a blameless life in this evil world. Don't allow your faith be spoken evil of by your bad conduct.

d) Unworldly: This means separation from the world (2 Corinthians 6:17-18, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15). To separate oneself from the world means not doing what the world is doing. To separate oneself from the world is not segregation. It means positive influence to show light to the world (Matthew 5:16). To walk worthy of God is to bring glory to God in an evil world. We must follow the standard of God.

The Man of Sin

​Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ mentioned here should not be mistaken for the second coming, which will happen in the closing of the Great Tribulation period. In his first epistle to them, Paul had told them of the rapture of the saints, and asked them to comfort one another with that knowledge. In this second epistle, he addresses a problem that the brethren had because some people had told them that the rapture, which is a gathering together unto the Lord, had taken place. So, naturally, they were distressed because, if that was true, then, they had missed what was supposed to be their comfort. 

In Paul's response to their distress, he wrote to remind them of what he had taught them about the day of Christ. This day of Christ pertains only to the believers, it is a day in which He will come to take to Himself His church. He told them not to be deceived because that day will not come unless the falling away first comes. What Paul called the falling away must happen before the man of sin is revealed. In other words, the falling away will be the cause of the revelation of the man of sin and not the effect of the revelation of the man of sin. To fall away implies that the one who falls away was once standing, because one cannot fall away from what he never belonged to. 

Let's consider the use of the word, revealed, and understand that when something is revealed, it becomes openly known to all. So, when the man of sin is revealed in any age his identity will cease to be a secret. If we bear this in mind, then, we can rightly ascertain whether or not he has been revealed in our time. This man who the apostle Paul called the man of sin, has not been revealed in our time, therefore, any speculation about who he may be is a vane endeavour. Very clearly, from what Apostle Paul said, in the age that he is revealed, all know him.

Toni

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3 

The title, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, immediately signifies both the humanity and divinity of our Lord. In Galatians, we are told that Jesus was made under the law. It is in this sense that God is referred to as the God of our Lord, and represents His humanity. Throughout the book of John, we hear Jesus speak of the Father sending Him, and His coming from the Father. It is in this sense that God is His Father, speaking of His divinity. 

Remember that when Jesus called God His Father, the Jews tried to kill Him because, according to them, He was making Himself equal with God. During His trial in the kangaroo court of the Pharisees, they asked Him if He was the Christ the Son of God, and when He answered in the affirmative, they charged Him with blasphemy. So, when the apostle used the title, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, he implied both His humanity and divinity. 

Toni

The Help of the Holy Spirit

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 

This verse holds a most encouraging promise for anyone struggling with a burden too heavy to bear alone. Notice that the Holy Spirit helps in our weaknesses, not just our single weakness. It doesn't matter how much the weaknesses are, He is not overwhelmed by them, even though they may overwhelm us. 

Another truth of this verse is that we do not know what and how to pray. I am sure that many of us are not strangers to this weakness. We all have been there, when we did not know what to pray about nor how to go about praying, even if we knew what to pray for. The good news is that God has not left us to our weaknesses, He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us. One of the ways by which He helps us is making intercession for us. Observe that the bible does not say that He makes intercession with us, but for us. It means that He does this apart from us. 

Since we know that He makes intercession for us, our response should be one of gratitude. There has been the question of what the groanings, by which the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us, mean. The bible simply makes known that they are unutterable, therefore, only the Holy Spirit can do so. Take out a few minutes to thank Him for rendering this help to you. 

Toni

Sins of the Past

Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. Romans 3:25 

For thousands of years, man continued to sin with impunity, and for this length of time, God endured the flagrant disregard for His law. With the exception of some great examples of judgments, Divine righteousness seemed asleep; men sinned, and yet they lived. They sinned on, and yet reached their old age in safety. 

So, it may be asked, where then is the wages of sin that God decreed against the sinner? Where is the righteousness of God which required that sin must be punished? It seemed as though God was harbouring sin. God had to manifest the vengeance of His righteousness against sin to the fullest. 

In the fullness of time, He judged sin; and He did this by a striking act - He aimed His vengeance against sin at His only begotten Son, when He became a man and carried on Himself the sin of the world. In His death,  Jesus endured the punishment which each sinner deserved to receive. In His only begotten Son, God dealt with the sins of the past. 

Toni

There's no One Good

There are only two worldviews about what a person should do to go to heaven. The Christian worldview and all the other religion's worldviews. All the other worldviews say that there's something a person can do to have peace with God, but the Christian worldview claims that there is nothing anyone can do to make him/her have peace with God. 

According to the Bible, the best that anyone can do is considered as filthy rags in God's sight. There's no one that is good except God. The dictionary defines good as moral excellence, and only God is morally excellent. What this means is that there's no one who can stand justified before God on the merit of their conduct. God gave the Ten Commandments to show us how far from being good each of us is. For example, it says, "thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not lie; thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain; thou shalt honour thy father and mother; thou shalt not commit adultery...". 

When any of us sincerely puts ourselves through a test using the Ten Commandments as the standard for judging whether or not we are good, we cannot but conclude that we are not good. But someone may say that he tries to keep some of the Commandments. Here is the problem! When you stand before a judge, accused of a crime you committed, how plausible would it be for you to point the judge to some good things that you have done before? The same is true when a sinner stands before a holy God on the day of judgment, he cannot appeal to the seemingly good things he had done. But more pertinent is the fact that in the economy of God, when you fail in one command, you fail in all. 

This is the dilemma that everyone who thinks that he can stand before God on some good things he has done. To bring man out of this dilemma, God, who is perfect in morals, became a man, and took man's place in judgment, and suffered the punishment that was due to man. On the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished", implying that man's indebtedness on account of sin has been fully paid. Now, if anyone repents and puts his trust in what Jesus did on the cross, God will be righteous to discharge and acquit him from all charges that His law brought against him. 

Jesus paid the wages for the sins that we committed. And like a just judge, God will forgive and give eternal life to anyone who repents and believes in Jesus Christ. But all who reject God's free offer of salvation through Christ will be judged and sent to the prison of God, which is hell fire. Such is the difference between the Christian worldview and all other worldviews regarding facing a perfectly holy and just God on the day of judgment. Please don't wait until you come before God on judgment day, act now, repent and believe that Jesus died to save you from the law's condemnation. 

Toni

Jesus will Judge all Men

And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. John 5:27

Jesus will judge the world in His capacity as the Son of man, not as the Son of God. In this capacity as Son of man, Jesus will be judging the world as a man who has been through life as a man. No one can accuse Him of not understanding what it means to be a man. He was tempted in all ways that people in a broken world are tempted, but without sin. Like all men, He suffered hunger, was tired, and in need. As a man, Jesus experienced everything that men in the flesh go through, but without sin. He qualifies, more than anyone, to be the judge of men.

Since you and I will one day stand before Him in judgment, will it not be wise that we all make peace with Him now before that dreadful day comes when we can't do so? But you may say that you don't believe that Jesus will seat as judge over you. My response is simple, a deaf man may not believe that there's sound, but that does not mean that there is no sound. What we believe or don't believe does not annul reality. Someday, reality will stare us in the face. 

Toni

Freedom from the Law

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." Romans 7:4

Death dissolves every obligation to the law. When we died with Christ, our obligation to the law was dissolved. In a very true sense, by our death in Christ, we were delivered from the law. Being "dead to the law" should be distinguished from "the law being dead to us". The latter is not taught in scripture. In saying that we are dead to the law, the apostle implied that we are dead to it as a way of justification and sanctification. In other words, the law can neither justify the sinner nor sanctify the saint. In this sense, those in Christ are freed from trying to meet the requirements for salvation. 

Christ's death met the demands of the Law, and by it, freed us from the law. This freedom is not freedom from obeying the law of God, but freedom from relying on the law for salvation and sanctification. Now that we have been released from the law as a means of justification and sanctification, we are at liberty to be united to the law of Him who has thus bought us with His blood. In John 13:34, Jesus gave His followers a new commandment saying, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

When a woman whose husband is dead marries another man, she comes under the law of her new husband. The fact of her freedom from her dead husband does not mean that when she remarries she will not be under the law of her new husband. In the same way, when the Christian died to the law, it only freed him from the law of that husband, the law; now that he is married to a new husband, Christ, he is under the law of this new husband, Christ.

The object of becoming married to a husband, Christ, is that we should live a holy life. Such is what the illustration of the woman under the law of her husband served. 

Toni

The Little Horn of Daniel

"So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision." Daniel 8:17

This verse seems to settle the controversy over whether or not the two horns of chapters 7 & 8 are the same. If, according to the man giving Daniel the interpretation of the vision in chapter 8, the vision has to do with the end, then we may ask,  what end is referred. It is true that the king of Syria, Antiochus, referred to as the king of the north, fulfilled a significant amount of this prophecy in chapter 8, yet, its fullest fulfillment is reserved for the "little horn" of the Great Tribulation era.

It is argued that the "little horn" of chapter 7 came out of the ten horns of the fourth kingdom, whilst the little horn of chapter 8 came out of the 4 divisions of the third kingdom. This should not pose any problems considering that the 4th kingdom covered the entire scope of the 3rd kingdom. The four divisions of the 3rd kingdom would be part of the ten horns of the 4th kingdom. 

What this means is that the ten kingdoms out of which the little horn of chapter 7 emerged covered the 4 divisions of the 3rd kingdom from where the "little horn" of chapter 8 came from. There's no conflict if this understanding is taken into account. With this understanding, it becomes easy to reasonably trace where the "little horn" will come from (the Syrian division of the 3rd kingdom). 

Toni

What you do with Israel Matters

Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. Isaiah 49:13

God calls on the earth to be joyful and break out in singing because He has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted. The question is, why should the earth rejoice that God has comforted Israel? In a sense, the prosperity of Israel is the prosperity of the world. Though the devil has blinded the world with hatred for Israel, yet, unknown to them, the comfort of Israel is the gain of the world. Whatever God did with Israel, in rebuke or protection, was to secure the realization of the Abrahamic covenant through which the world will be blessed. 

What is your disposition towards Israel? Don't allow the devil to transfer his hatred of Jews to you. Be on the same side with God regarding Israel. In this way, the promise of God for those who bless Israel will be yours. So you see, what you do with Israel matters to God and for you. 

Toni

Salvation is of the Jews

Ye worship ye know not what:  we know what we worship:  for salvation is of the Jews. John 4:22

This verse is traceable to the Abrahamic covenant that established the Jewish nation. By this covenant, the Jews became the means through which God gave His word and the Messiah to the world. It is in this sense that salvation is of the Jews. And it is because of this that the devil hates the Jews and has been doing everything in his power to eradicate them from the earth. 

In his thinking, if he succeeds in annihilating the Jews, he would have succeeded in aborting the plan of God in sending to the world a Messiah through whom the kingdom of God would be established. In Genesis 3:15, the seed of the woman is promised who will bruise the head of the devil. This seed of the woman will be a descendant of Abraham in His humanity. If it were possible to eradicate the Jewish nation, then, the devil's judgment would be stayed from execution, and humanity would remain enslaved to Satan forever. But thanks to God, this cannot happen because He protects Israel. 

Toni

Judas Goes to Jesus' Enemies

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests. Matthew 26:14

Mary had just lavished a bottle of expensive ointment on the head of Jesus, and in the judgment of Judas, it was a waste. Immediately after this happened, it became clear to him that he had, as it were, no prospective future of financial gain in the company of Jesus. Such an expensive ointment should have been sold for so much money, but here it was allowed to be wasted on the head of Jesus. He was done following Jesus! So, he went to the enemies of Jesus in his bid to accomplish his desire for wealth. 

"And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver." Matthew 26:15

When those who come to Jesus for reasons other than Him, fail to see what they came for materializing, they are wont to desert Him for "greener pastures" elsewhere. This was the story of Judas. What did you come to Jesus for? Such will determine how long you will stay with Him. 

Toni