"The Kiss of Betrayal"

Have you ever been hurt by someone you loved and trusted? The closer you are to a person the more they can hurt you. When we love people we are vulnerable, at risk of being hurt!! Jesus was betrayed by a close friend who had traveled in ministry with Him for over 3 years. There seems to be no hurt like a knife in the back by a person with whom you have worshipped and prayed!! There is no hurt like a church hurt because of the confusion that goes along with the pain. You weep, but in the end, you eventually just have to let it go or it will consume you. When Judas betrayed Jesus, He was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying, the night was dark and restless because Jesus would soon be nailed to the cross! Judas told the soldiers that he would kiss Jesus to identify Him so there would be no mistake in the target. It's a deplorable act to crucify your friend with a kiss of death. The kiss is reserved for the closest of friends and to use it to destroy is unthinkable.......

"Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him."(‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭48-49‬ KJV)

Once you've been hurt by a friend you are overwhelmed with every type of human emotion but you will probably never be told the truth as to why someone so close would do this to you. The reason you are not told is because there is no justifiable reason to cause pain in someone's life that has done nothing but love you. The betrayer is sometime jealous of you because you get more attention than they do in certain areas. You can be hurt because you have a pure heart which produces the Presence of God in your life which makes an imposter very uncomfortable. They will convince themselves of anything to justify their behavior. If you are in ministry, unfortunately you've probably been hurt so much that there is no more room in your back for another dagger!! In some cases it is someone you've helped out in any way you have means to do so. You need to think long and hard before you hurt someone that has helped you because if you do, EVIL will never leave your house!!!

"Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house."(‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭13‬ KJV)

If you have hurt someone that called you their friend, your life will go from bad to worse because it will come back home to stay. If you have been hurt, you won't ever forget it but by God's Grace forgive, wipe your tears and move on with your life because God has many blessings in store for you.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ KJV)

I Believe,
Scott L. Boatner