RUSSELL SANDERS

4-7-2025

JUDAS ISCARIOT - PART 4 OF 4

REMORSE VERSUS REPENTANCE

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Judas knew Jesus was the Messiah. After the betrayal, and seeing exactly what they did to Jesus, guilt feelings weighed on him so heavily that he could not stand it.

Pushed by guilt, he returned the thirty silver coins to the religious leaders. They did not want it back, but they now had it. Still feeling terribly remorseful, Judas committed suicide by hanging himself. The religious leaders used the money to secure a burial site for Judas in a potter’s field with all the broken pottery.

Notice that with all the regret and remorse, Judas never repented of his deed. He tried to “fix it” himself by giving the money back and then punishing himself with his hanging. That never works. We cannot get forgiveness of sin by our works or punishing ourselves for it. That is called “penance,” and it is a work of the flesh. Only guiltless blood being shed can cleanse us from sin.

God could have forgiven Judas had he truly repented, but that was not going to happen. Prophecy had been given hundreds of years earlier about that. Judas’ destiny was already determined. God knew what he would do.  

Many of us have also committed dastardly deeds, but we have the blood of Jesus to wash it all away when we repent. The Father will cast those sinful deeds into “the sea of forgetfulness” never to be brought up [remembered] again. However, we must also forgive ourselves and not keep bringing them up into our own remembrance.

When God washes us clean through Jesus’ blood, it then becomes our task to live a life of holiness unto God. To do that, we must rely on the strength and the power of Jesus, which he administers to the willing heart through the Holy Spirit within us.

Repentance is an act of faith. Remorse is only of the flesh. Only when remorse leads to godly sorrow, that brings us to repentance, are we forgiven.

HELEN SANDERS

4-7-2025

THE FULNESS OF TIME

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Joseph was a young lad that was given very prophetic dreams. When he shared them with his family it brought great anger and resentment. The dreams indicated that Joseph would rule over them. Naturally, the older brothers and his father disliked what he shared with them. It cost him separation from the family for years.  

Often God gives gifts to those he loves, just like Joseph, but not being mature enough can bring more harm than good. Joseph’s dreams came to pass, but it took years before they happened.  

There is a reason that God gave Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers to the body of Christ. Their purpose is to “grow up” those in the church and bring them to maturity. Often, there is a call on a young person’s life, but they have not been prepared for that call and often step out too soon and fail. It takes seasoned leadership to guide that young person (and also an older new babe in Christ) to keep them from being shipwrecked.

Has that happened to you? I am sure that most of us can relate to Joseph in one way or another. What we learn from our failures will make us or break us. Seasoned leadership should take the “young” ones that feel they have a call on their lives and mentor them. Just like it takes years of preparation to become a medical doctor, so it does also for those called to ministry. If in the natural realm, you operated on someone without the skill and knowledge it would be disastrous. The same is true in the things of the Spirit. Zeal without knowledge can bring great harm. (Romans 10:2)

Moses got ahead of God and spent 40 years on the back side of the desert tending sheep until God’s timing was right. Then and only then, was he called to lead the people out of Egypt. There was no leadership position for Joshua without following Moses for 40 years. Maturity takes time.

Even with Jesus’ birth there was timing. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son….” Jesus did not come a minute too soon or a minute too late!

Do not look at delays as a bad thing. Look at delays as God’s plan to grow you up in the things of God. It is his way to keep you from getting into a sinking ship. Take time to grow friends, and you will be used of God eventually.  

Think of your life like a tree. The deeper the roots go, the stronger that tree will be when winds of adversity come. God’s timing is always perfect. Do not fight the growing stage.

HELEN SANDERS

PROPHETIC EXHORTATION

4-6-2025

The warnings have gone out. The Lord has spoken. He has said prepare, and many have ignored the warning. Is your heart ready? Is your home ready? Ready for what you might say? Ready for the suddenlies that are coming and will continue. For those that have prepared there is safety. For those that have ignored there is coming much sorrow. Do not ignore the warnings! Be prepared!

DEBRA TOPE

SEER/INTERCESSOR

Monday Thought For Today

In the midst of the strife and judgments coming on the earth, there is a time to pause and celebrate that God is doing and has done great things. It is the small things; church openings, birthdays, milestones in our lives. We can see the hardships in our lives. However, we still have to live our lives. So in spite of what we see, take a moment to celebrate the small things going on around us.

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

APOSTLE PAT MURRAY

PROPHETIC EXHORTATION

Today perhaps you feel as if your now will be forever; And the storm clouds you’ve been having are permanent and they’re just NOT passing…Along with the chaos that wants to shut down your dreams; And put your long awaited prophetic promises on hold…AGAIN. Now I understand how you feel…But if you’re not careful, that lingering PAIN and heavy HEARTACHE may cause a MIRACLE to seem like a MIRAGE that’s totally OUT of REACH for YOU. However, it’s in those moments when we must all remember that difficult situations are ONLY a small SEGMENT…They are NOT the entire STORY. So whatever path you might be walking through at the moment is just a small SECTION, a PARAGRAPH, a PAGE, or a CHAPTER at best; But there is MORE to your STORY. Sure the load may be heavy, but you must keep moving forward; And don’t you dare let FEAR paralyze your PROGRESS. Just keep contending for the faith and continue to believe; For God and all of Heaven is now fighting for you..And so I am!!!

BARBARA TOWER

PROPHETESS

Jesus did not tell the woman at the well, she had sinned too much, but He came to give her a future and a hope in Him. He already knew all about where she had been and where she was. Don't let your church doctrine hold you back from giving people a future and a hope to serve God in the capacity He calls them. God has to wait on some to be saved and delivered to be used according to His purpose. Some have been through things you only "heard" about and God brought them through. God prepares the "groundwork" of ministry, even while some are suffering from addiction or other wrong choices, because of pain or sin. He sees what people can be or will be, for the Kingdom of God. God doesn't discard anybody, when they come to Him because of their past!

The Only Scars! HCC

                          When we get to Heaven

                          Our bodies they will change.

                          It will be so wonderful,

                         Wrinkles gone, not racked with pain.

                          A youthful glow of innocence,

                          Grey hair gone, and eyes can see.

                          Our scars will be no more now

                          In this beautiful Eternity.

                          We will hold each other,

                          Remembering cherished friends.

                          We will smile and cry with joy

                          To see our loved ones once again.

                          But the only scars in Heaven,

                          Will be on the sweetest person there,

                          Jesus Christ our Savior, Lord of Lords

                          As he holds us, his scars will be there.

To see more of HCC's beautiful poems on YouTube click here