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"Judas Iscariot, which also was the betrayer" (Luke 6:16).

He was a handpicked disciple of Jesus Christ: a preacher of the gospel, a healer of the sick, a traveling companion of Jesus. He was so trusted he was made treasurer of the apostolic evangelistic team. He wasn't elected to the position — Jesus personally chose Judas for the job.

According to Augustine, tradition says "Jesus had delivered Judas often from death, and for his sake healed his father of palsy and cured his mother of leprosy, and next to Peter he honored him above all the other apostles."

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in Secret shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:6).

"For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate.... Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed" (Ezekiel 33:28-29).

This is a warning from the mouth of almighty God — and its fulfillment is found throughout the Bible. God has made it perfectly clear: "If any nation corrupts itself and becomes hopelessly wicked, I will desolate that nation until they know I am God!"

The apostle Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). He also said, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (verse 25).

As Christians, we have heard this phrase throughout our lives: "Walk in the Spirit." Many believers tell me they walk in the Spirit — yet they cannot tell me what that truly means. Now, let me ask you: Do you walk and live in the Spirit? And what does that mean to you?

When Israel came up out of the Red Sea, they sang praises of God for the mighty deliverance He provided. They must have said to each other, "Never could there be so great a miracle as this!" No other generation in all of future history will ever witness so mighty a demonstration of God's power — and in such a visible way.

“Never will the people of God be in so severe a crisis as the one we just came through. Generation after generation will remember this day. And they'll point back to it as the greatest proof of God's power and work among men on Earth!"

God's lovingkindness is one aspect of the Lord's character I know very little about. I believe few Christians do.

During my lifetime, I have experienced and preached much about God's righteous judgments, holy fear, justice, holiness and hatred for sin. But I haven't understood or preached very much about His lovingkindness.

While in prayer recently, the Holy Spirit spoke very clearly to my heart: "David, the road is indeed straight and the gate is narrow that leads to salvation. But don't try to make My way straighter and narrower than I have made it!"

Sometimes I wonder if we haven't already surpassed the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, I believe if you could gain a congressman's confidence, get him alone and have him spill out his heart to you, he would confess, "It's worse than anyone can imagine. It's hopeless. Things are out of control, and it's just a matter of time before our problems bury us!"

Recently U.S.A. Today ran a front-page story entitled, "Is New York Down for the Count?" The illustration showed New York City dressed as a boxer, lying on the canvas — nearly unconscious from a knockout punch. The story went on to say that the city is spinning out of control, and that this time many believe it may not survive.

"Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

"Making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians