God – Page 3 – Karen Gamble Writes

Did Judas Go to Heaven?

One question I’ve seen asked a lot is whether Judas Iscariot went to heaven.

Some say there is no way he could have since he betrayed Jesus.

Others assume he did because the Bible says he regretted what he’d done.

Let’s look at these a little further.

First of all, yes Judas did betray Jesus.

But, at the same time, so did Peter when he denied Christ 3 times before the cock crowed. (Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75 NIV)

If I am real honest with myself, there are times I betray Jesus, too.

No, I don’t do anything “big” like sending people to kill Him.

But…

Category: God, Jesus, New Testament, People in the Bible | LEAVE A COMMENT

Praying in the Night

I used to have a lot of trouble sleeping.

Sometimes I woke up 3 or 4 times a night.

I would usually look at my phone, get up and walk around the house, or read before trying to go back to sleep.

Sometimes I would pray or read my bible.

Mostly, though, I just played on my phone.

Over time I began to sense that maybe the Lord was trying to talk to me during these wakeful moments.

I wasn’t sure, so I typically would just go back to sleep.

Then one day while doing my daily bible study I came upon this verse:

On my bed I remember You;
I think of You through the watches of the night. –Psalm 63:6 NIV

It was then I realized that not only was that probably the Lord prompting me, but that we are actually supposed to focus on Him as we are drifting off to sleep.

I read some cross-reference verses for this (what I call chasing a verse) and came across these:

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It’s Easter Sunday!

Today is Easter, the day we celebrate Christ’s triumphant rise from the grave.

It’s the day we remember how He beat death and hell as He paid for our sins so we can be reconciled to God.

Today – let us rejoice as we celebrate that Christ is risen indeed!

³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NIV

To learn more about Easter read my post, What is Easter?.

To learn more about the Easter Season, please visit my Easter page, a compilation of previous Easter and Lent posts.

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What Is Easter?

Easter, also called Resurrection Sunday, is the day we celebrate that Jesus rose from the dead, gaining victory over sin, death, and the grave.

Jesus had been killed by crucifixion on a Friday.

Early on the following Sunday morning some women who had been Jesus’ followers, came to His tomb with prepared spices.

They were planning to properly anoint His body for burial.

They’d been unable to do it right after the crucifixion because the Sabbath started at dusk Friday and lasted until dusk Saturday.

During this time they were not allowed to do any work due to Jewish law.

When the women got to the tomb the stone blocking the entrance had been rolled away.

Jesus’ body was not there.

The tomb was empty except for the linens Jesus’ body had been wrapped in when placed there late Friday afternoon..

There was an angel there at the tomb.

The angel spoke to them:

Category: death, God, Holiday, Jesus, Life | LEAVE A COMMENT

What Is Good Friday?

Good Friday is the day we remember Jesus and His death on a cross.

Crucifixion was a common way to execute people during the time of the Roman Empire.

It was a very slow and painful way to die, sometimes taking several days.

The person being executed typically died due to exhaustion and asphyxiation.

The night before Jesus died He’d been arrested and taken before the Jewish high priest and elders.

After questioning Him at length, they decided Jesus should die for the sin of blasphemy* because He said He was the Christ, the Son of God.

They took Him to the Roman Governor, Pilate, and asked that he execute Jesus for them – Jewish leaders were not permitted to execute anyone themselves.

Pilate questioned Jesus at length but couldn’t find Him guilty of anything.

When Pilate returned Him to the leaders and elders, stating there was no basis for execution, the leaders told Pilate that Jesus had claimed to be a king and was therefore an enemy of Caesar.

When Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews, Jesus said yes.

Category: God, Holiday, Jesus, New Testament, Scripture Study | LEAVE A COMMENT

Jesus Was Arrested

Jesus was arrested the day before He was crucified.

(This day is sometimes called Holy or Maundy Thursday.)

The Jewish elders and chief priests hated Jesus so they wanted to arrest and kill Him.

They were scheming together to think of a way to capture Him.

They were a little hesitant to do it openly because they knew how popular He was; they didn’t want to stir up an angry crowd, and they didn’t want the crowd to turn against them.*

A man named Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ disciples.

He knew that the Jewish elders and chief priests were very upset with Jesus and looking for a way to get rid of Him.

Category: death, God, Holiday, Jesus | LEAVE A COMMENT

Belonging to God

I was reading a bible study book and it mentioned Psalm 100:3, which says:

Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. (NIV)

There’s a lot of good stuff in this verse, but what really stuck out to me was the second line –

It is He who made us, and we are His,

According to this verse, it is God who made us.

We weren’t made by accident. We didn’t suddenly just exist.

We didn’t evolve from slime somewhere.

God made us.

On purpose.

He meant to do it.

Because God has made us, we belong to Him.

We are His people.

This means we aren’t our own.

Category: Faith, God, Life, Submission, Trust | LEAVE A COMMENT

Lenten Season 2021

Today is Ash Wednesday.

It is the first day of the Lenten season, often called Lent.

Lent is the 40 days (not counting Sundays) leading up to Easter.

Lent is a time of reflection.. It is meant to remind us that we are by nature sinful and that we need Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary to save us from our sins and to restore our relationship with God.

It is also an opportunity for us to examine ourselves to see whether we are living our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.

Some people fast during this time.

There are several reasons they do this.

Many are following the examples throughout Scripture when men have fasted as a way of showing repentance, to seek God’s favor, receive answer to a prayer during a difficult time, or to show they are grieving..

Some fast to show they realize the seriousness of their sin and their appreciation of the Spiritual life Christ offered us when He was crucified.

Category: God, Holiday, Life, Submission | LEAVE A COMMENT

I Choose to Love Them

I look at this family member I dislike so much.

This person who has repeatedly and intentionally hurt and used me.

And I think how could anyone expect me to love someone so detestable?

But then a small still voice whispers,

“the same way I could love you,

not because you deserve it

but because love conquers all

and covers a multitude of sins.”

…and in that moment I’m brought back to the reality of my salvation.

A reality that forces me to remember it’s not about whether they are good enough to be loved.

It’s about whether or not I am willing to love just because I have the chance.

So I choose to.

Category: Family, God, Prayer, Truth | LEAVE A COMMENT

National Sanctity of Human Life Day 2021

Today is National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

It falls on the anniversary of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade court decision to legalize abortion in America.

Since that fateful day over 62 million babies have been aborted.

This is tragic.

As Christians, it is our job to reach out to the women who are considering abortion.*

We must address the issues that cause a woman to think this is her best choice.

What are these issues?

These issues are as varied as the women who experience them.

While they vary from woman to woman, they encompass social, emotional, financial, and domestic issues which create an atmosphere or experience causing her to think this is her best choice.

We can’t solve all the issues at once but we can each solve an issue for one or a few.

We can all work on the bigger picture issues to help bring the kind of care and resources these women need – social and emotional support, financial support, changes in health care laws, safe housing for victims of domestic violence.

What can one person do?

One person can support their local pregnancy center with money, diapers, baby clothes, and/or volunteer time.

One person can write their local and national government officials and lobby for proper and increased resources.

One person can mentor a mother-to-be and walk her through the process of pregnancy, supporting her decision whether to keep the child or place it for adoption.

One person can pray and ask the Father to end abortion.

Each of us can do our part to help save a child’s life.

I urge you to pray and ask the Father to show you how you can help stem the tide of abortion.

*If you are considering or have experienced abortion, please know that I love you and I do not judge you. More importantly, God loves you. He wants to heal your heart about this decision. Please go to Him in prayer and trust that He will meet you there and He will heal you, if you will trust Him to.

There are resources out there to help you sort through your feelings. Several are listed below.

Feminists For Life This pro-life group is focused on changing how society sees women so that women never have to make the decision to abort. They also provide emotional support to women who have experienced abortion.

Focus on the Family Resources Page A Christian ministry of Focus on the Family. It contains many links to various resources for both pregnant women and those who have experienced abortion. Also contains a helpline so you can call and talk to someone.

Project Rachel – Hope after Abortion A Catholic organization that provides resources and support to those who’ve experienced abortion as well as those who love someone who has. Also provides pre-written prayers you can pray to help you heal.

Ramah International is a faith-based organization that seeks to help women heal from the trauma of abortion. Also contains resources for women struggling with the decision whether to maintain their pregnancy.

Category: Family, God, Truth | LEAVE A COMMENT