Let us soberly consider the case study of these four men who walked closely with Jesus and draw grace in prayer and faith to beat a different and more perfect path in our walk with Him: 

 

* Peter - once allowed familiarity with Jesus to cause him to be rude and resist the truth of the Cross. This was after being commended by Jesus for the revelation of His divinity. Matthew 16: 13 - 23. He was still impulsive, rising and falling. Because he did not take away the old yeast of unstable character, he eventually denied his Master 3 times as predicted. See Matthew 16: 13-19, 21-23; Matthew 26: 31-35; 69-75; Luke 22: 31 - 34, 54-62. 

* James and John allowed the leaven of ambition and strife for recognition to get the better part of them when they recruited their mum to lobby for chief places of honour in the coming Kingdom Matt. 20:20-28.They also displayed sectarian tendencies Mark 9:38-40 and vengeful with a temper, ready to call down fire from heaven to destroy a village of Samaritans.

* Judas Iscariot allowed the love of money; different perspectives with Jesus and desire for honour and vain glory to corrupt his heart. In that state, he fell and betrayed his Master. He was a man who was chosen and mentored by Jesus for 3 ½ years, was an insider and Treasurer of the Fellowship Luke 6: 12 - 16; Mark 3: 13 - 16; John 12: 6. He did not deal with the leaven of love of money which caused him to steal John 12:.6

Judas allowed himself to differ from the vision of his Master and even voiced it publicly John 12: 1-5, 7,8. It was only a matter of time before sin laid hold of him and propelled him to betray Jesus. The warnings of Jesus could not save Judas because his heart was long corrupted and bent on evil! Matthew 26: 14 - 16, 17 - 25

The bible teaches that non of us should ever come to a point where we think we are infallible! Switching from spiritual to fleshly mode is easy once Apostles and Prophets forget the fate of their predecessors who once walked with God and later stumbled and take their eyes off eternity 1 Corinthians 10: 1 - 13. Many were eventually recovered but some missed it permanently and will eternally gnash their teeth! We should emulate Paul the Apostle to resolve that we do not want to be cast away after being mightily used of God! 1 Corinthians 9:24 - 27.

- God is getting the Church ready for the return of Jesus! Let us give Him room to ensure that the Word of God washes us clean to represent Him well as ambassadors of His Kingdom!