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I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

We’ve all seen the images of Christians in orange jumpsuits on the beach being beheaded. Those who are killing them will cry out “Allah Akbar” (Allah is [the] greatest.” In the face of such evil, don’t give up your faith. Life is temporary, Eternal Life lasts forever. Even if you lose your life, you will gain Heaven. Jesus gives us these words to encourage us. Stay true.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus is the source of our ability to follow Him. Don’t feel like you have to “dig down deep” to find the strength to “be a better person,” actually, you can’t be. It’s only when you tap-in to Jesus that you’re able to do anything worth doing. It’s not about trying harder, it’s about connecting to the right source. If you remain (abide) in Jesus, you’ll produce results (fruit), if you don’t, then you’re not in Him and He’s not in you. To put it another way, if you’re feeling like you just can’t live the Christian life, you aren’t relying on Jesus as your source, turn to Him, He’s there for you.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father ‘s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “ Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “ I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

The Christian life is not meant to be one of worry. Do you believe there is a God? Most people do. If you believe in God, believe in Jesus. He is preparing a future for those who trust in Him. That’s the best definition of “heaven” there is “where I am you may be also,” and the opposite is hell. You don’t need to understand all the details, like Thomas wanted to know, you just need to put your faith in Jesus.

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Peter, unlike Judas, became a pillar of the church. He upheld Jesus, the rock upon which Christianity stands! But it wasn’t always that way. Peter said he would never deny Jesus. Peter pledged his life for his Lord… and as soon as he was given an opportunity, Peter denied Jesus.  So what happens when faith doesn’t work? You have a choice, you can be Judas and go on and walk away from Jesus, or you can be Peter. Peter went out and wept bitterly. Jesus came and restored Peter. When you fall, when you backslide, when you doubt… you get to choose. Will you be Judas or Peter? When your faith fails, get back up! God didn’t call you because you’re perfect, he won’t walk away from you when you mess up.

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

We’ve all probably heard the old cliche “the Devil made me do it.” Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent, and the Devil blamed God. We like to put the blame on someone else. Our childhood, the way we were raised, our parents, a former pastor, a church you used to attend, it’s always someone else’s fault why you don’t follow Jesus. Actually, we’re each responsible for our own actions. Even Judas, the Devil, Satan himself, entered into Judas and that’s why he betrayed Jesus… yet, Judas went down to destruction because of what he did. “the Devil made me do it” isn’t really an excuse. Follow Jesus, no excuses, just start following Him today.