"The kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Let me be on guard when the world puts on a loving face, for it will—if possible—betray me as it did my Master, with a kiss.

Whenever someone is about to stab religion in the back, they usually profess great reverence for it first. Let me beware of sleek-faced hypocrites who serve as armor-bearers to heresy and unbelief. Knowing the deceivableness of unrighteousness, let me be wise as a serpent to detect and avoid the enemy's designs.

The young man, void of understanding, was led astray by the kiss of the strange woman. May my soul be so graciously instructed all this day that the "much fair speech" of the world has no effect upon me. Holy Spirit, let me not—a poor frail son of man—be betrayed with a kiss!

But what if I should be guilty of the same accursed sin as Judas, that son of perdition? I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. I am a member of his visible Church. I sit at the communion table. All these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor.

Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas, and it were better for me that I had never been born.

Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, O Lord, keep me so. O Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Savior. I do love you, Jesus, and though I often grieve you, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death. O God, forbid that I should be a high-soaring professor, and then fall at last into the lake of fire, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss.