Do Right

Have you ever done something that at the time you did it you felt no remorse? But later you had bad feelings about what you said or did? In Matthew Chapter 26 we see two men who had bad feelings after something they did. One was Judas and the other was Peter; both were sorry for their actions but only one asked for forgiveness. A few weeks ago I did something that I was so ashamed of and at the time I did it, it seemed like the right thing; even though I knew it was wrong. I had forgotten what Dr. Bob Jones senior had said "DO RIGHT IF THE STARS FALL!" Which means you can never do right by doing wrong. Well in less than two hours I would not only feel bad for my actions but would also apologize for my actions to the one I had offended. I asked for forgiveness and didn't try to justify my actions I was wrong in what I said and did. Then I asked the Lord for His forgiveness; that is what principle #10 of the Reformers program tells us to do "God balances guilt with blame. Accept the blame for your actions and God will remove the guilt." Keep it hid and it's in the dark and the enemy will use it against you forever. Now here's Judas who decides to sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver

Matthew 26:14
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

Matthew 26:15
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

Peter on the other hand had a problem with his words

Matthew 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

Matthew 26:33
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Matthew 26:34
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Look how Peter answered

Matthew 26:35
Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Well how did you do with that statement Peter?

Matthew 26:69
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

Matthew 26:70
But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

Matthew 26:71
And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

Matthew 26:72
And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

Matthew 26:73
And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Matthew 26:74
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying,
I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. No matter how much Peter tried to convince those around him that he didn't know this man Jesus, he had been seen with Him and his talk gave him away. So Peter tries to convince them by his actions and his loose words but Peter could not get away from the words of Christ and the preaching of the rooster which brought him to the place of asking for forgiveness.

Matthew 26:75
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Judas on the other hand did something all together different.

Matthew 27:3
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Matthew 27:4
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Matthew 27:5
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. No matter how much you would like to undo the wrong you can't; but we can be like Peter and weep and ask for forgiveness or Judas just feel sorry for our action and go and try to undo them our self and then punish ourselves for our actions; which is worthless. For crying out loud, just realize what you have done and ask the Lord to forgive you and He will. See you Monday!