50 Shades of Gray

By Tambre Herndon
www.hishighercalling.com

We all know the prayer that Jesus taught us in which we pray “Lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil”. We live now in a world that only recognizes evil on a Hollywood movie screen. Movie goers thrill to see heroes doing battle with supernatural villains intent upon destroying mankind. We find momentary inspiration in stories of hope that endures and overcomes devastating hardship. Then we as a people, walk out of the theatre into a world that does not accept the existence of evil. It is not just our society but a view that is accepted worldwide.

There is no longer a black and white of good and evil. There are no longer any lines which cannot be crossed by a decent society. The moral and spiritual compass of mankind has now been defined entirely by “political correctness”. We have been conditioned to give up our ability to determine what is right and what is wrong. Any attempt to identify evil or wrongdoing is attacked as judgmental or bigoted. We must not offend anyone no matter what the cost. Therefore tolerance is forced upon the individual until complete submission is achieved and accepted as a way of life. Instead of black and white we truly live in a world with 50 shades of gray.

This has led our world in the direction of anarchy in which there is no stopping a group of terrorists who kidnap, rape and kill 300 young girls in Africa. There is no stopping a mindset that is capable of mutilating and crucifying children or burning a man alive on video for the world to witness. Yet even facing such horror we cannot label such actions as evil. In our society we have seen a total role reversal from respect for institutions that protect and provide for our wellbeing, to their being viewed as the enemy. Christians have been effectively silenced in public. Finally, the most anticipated movie this year is about sexual deviancy, abuse and the degradation of women. All the while it is being promoted as an exciting, sexually liberating story to which millions of women aspire presented for our entertainment. How sad.

No wrong. No right. No evil.

I am a firm believer that there is not one single word uttered from the mouth of Jesus that is not significant all by itself. Jesus did not teach us to pray “Our father help us to do good deeds”. He did not teach us to pray “help us to be nice people” or “help us to not offend”. Jesus spoke the word “evil”. He identified “evil” as something real, something relevant. It was real enough and relevant enough that he taught everyone who came to Him to pray for Gods divine deliverance from it.

As Jesus taught us, we must pray to be led out of the gray fog of temptation. The temptation to succumb to a world with no definition of right and wrong is strong. The evil in the world cannot possibly be resisted if it cannot even be identified.

We must remove the veil from our eyes and recognize that although the characters and the means may be different, the evil represented on screen is all around us. We MUST hold on to the Light. We MUST hold on to the blessed Hope. We MUST absorb His truth for He is the only way, the only truth and the only light in a world that is 50 currently shades of gray.

Bridezilla

What has happened? Has the real church, the spotless bride, become a runaway to be replaced by Bridezilla? The beautiful blushing virtuous bride was replaced by “look at me “ bride. I have lived long enough to know everything changes with time whether we want it to or not.

What happened to the church that Christ commissioned. The church was to feed the widows and orphans. The church that was to care for the weak and lowly. The church was to tell everyone of the love and sacrifice of Christ. The church that reminded us that “faith without works is dead and works without faith is dead”. Where is the church that is supposed to gather for the edification and encouragement of the body? Where is the love in the church and where is the self sacrifice?

Over the past few years what I have seen is deceitful, lustful, self absorbed men who stand on sacred ground and profess to the be mouthpiece of God almighty while manipulating people to serve their purpose. Men who can grin in your face, hug your neck, and lie to the same face. You may say that I am “judging” others with this perspective. But this is not judgment. The judgment, the final results, are not up to me. However I am told by scripture that we will know the tree by the fruit it bears.

When the tree bears dead fruit and pain to others you can say exactly that and not be in judgment of the tree. You can even rake up the evidence and clean around the tree to make it appear to be something it is not. But if you have seen the results, you know the truth. No where, at no time in the walk of Christ did he cause pain. No where in the walk of Christ did he exalt himself. No where in the walk of Christ was he not considerate of everyone. The bible tells us specifically if we have caused pain to someone or if someone just feels they have been wronged by us, that we are to go them and make it right. Not go prove your point. Not ignore them and walk around them in church. Not justify yourself. Go to them; apologize for any part you played in causing their pain. Love them. Let them love you. Sacrificing self for others.

I have seen church become a business in such a manner that the only purpose to get someone inside is to grow the funds. As long as you get the money, it doesn’t matter how you treat the people inside the building. How can people use the church as a cover for extra marital affairs? How can people steal from God? How can people use the sacred church as their own personal stage for self promotion. How can church leaders inclusive of music ministers, worship teams, teachers, deacons and staff treat one another rudely, inconsiderate of one another as brothers and sisters in Christ? Many people will not take on responsibility of serving in the Church. The church is split by people who will not take on responsibility other than attendance and tithes and others who want to use the church for self promotion.

When did the vision of the church change from being the foot washer, to being the superstar? All the time slapping themselves on the back and proclaiming to the world what a good job they are doing and how godly they are. They are snakes of discord slithering among the pews whispering gossip and backstabbing one another. Words are hollow. Someone with a heart for Christ can walk in a spirit of love and everyone around them can feel it. A sister in Christ can with a touch of her hand only, give encouragement and comfort to someone in pain. No words necessary. Where is the heart of the Church?

I was raised in a church where the Pastor served for 38 years and never received one cent as a salary. He had a job to support himself. He and his family served in every capacity of the church. His commitment was to Christ from his heart . There was never a single moment of self importance exhibited by him or any member of the church, the musicians, the Sunday school teachers. The entire church was a family and a close one at that. I remember one time my husband (now deceased) needed a particular expensive medication and we could not afford it. The pastor reached into his pocket and pulled the money out on the spot and would not take no for an answer. Now you would have to submit a request to go before a committee for consideration from a church to help such a need if it was even considered.

I grieve. I sincerely grieve for what I have seen. I know there are some churches left somewhere who still really have a heart for Christ and to serve the people with not just a performance. But they are few and far between. I am not slapping everyone in every church. You know if you see these things in your church.

I truly believe that we live in the last days with all my heart. The bible says we will know not the hour but we will know the season. There will be a great falling away from the church. Many will be decieved into believing a lie. Signs in the heavens and earth. The blood moons prophesied and the years of Jubilee according to the Jewish calendar are all being fulfilled.

Timothy Chapter 3 states:

" But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."

Timothy did not say everyone but the church would be this way. In fact he stated clearly "having a form of Godliness". Those with a heart hungry for Christ can only pray for the body. Pray for revival. Pray for the separation of wheat from chaff. Pray for those that hunger for righteousness. Pray for the lost. Pray for the broken hearted. Pray that the hearts of ones that cause so much damage in the body will be broken beyond mending and that they will turn to Christ in humility and repentance for healing.

Worthless

I recently went through an incident in my life which left me feeling totally worthless and uncared for by people that I value. I was really absorbed in my own pity party. But I do not write to my readers as someone who has achieved some level of spiritual superiority. I write to you about my travails of the flesh and the revelations which God gives to me as I journey through this world.

As I stated earlier, I was really withdrawn and just felt like I had no value whatsoever in this world. I was really hurt and disappointed by what happened. I am a personality that had spent most of my life being a caretaker and a people pleaser. As a child I strove to make my parents proud of me. As a wife, I wanted my husband and children to be proud of me. I built a successful business more than once, developed a ministry and was involved in numerous charities. All the while I was looking for approval in the eyes of others.

One day I was sitting quietly mulling over how little I meant to these people. My thoughts were that “Every other person in the world matters in their eyes but me”.

In the quiet of that moment, a question came back to me as clear as a bell. “How much did I matter to myself?” My answer was “ I always try to put other people first. I place more value on what they want than on my own wants and needs.”

The answer came back “ Then why should I expect others to treat me any differently. Why would they not continue the standard that I set for them?"

You cannot find your value, your worth, in the eyes of any person on this earth.” As I thought on this I considered how I feel about my loved ones. I know that in the blink of an eye I would take a bullet to save one them. I would gladly lay down my life for my loved ones. But that is true of most of us. But many times because it has been so freely given, that love is expected and taken for granted as though it was an entitlement instead of a gift.

Then it came to me, if you need to find your worth in the eyes of someone else, you need only look to the cross. That love and willingness to sacrifice that I feel for my loved ones was shown to me exponentially through the eyes of Jesus. He said, “ I know your faults, your weaknesses, your trials and your heart. “ He says “Even though you may take me for granted, I love you enough to sacrifice myself for you.”

How many times have I taken Him for granted? How many times have I looked to be validated by people instead of by the only one who loved me enough to bleed and die for me? If you have people who make you feel special in your life, be grateful. But I truly believe the Lord has revealed to me through this episode of my life to not look to people. People will disappoint you even if they don’t mean to. Jesus Christ on the other hand, will always look at you through eyes of only the purest love. He has already paid the highest price because you have the highest value to Him.

Seasons

One Sunday morning at church the pastor stood before his congregation and picked out three individuals from the crowd. He called them forward to stand in a line beginning with the youngest and ending with the oldest.

The first was a child of six. She was a small girl with curly brown hair and beautiful dark eyes. She stood there twisting and wiggling from side to side excited that she was called up but still feeling shy and self conscious. The pastor got down on one knee to be on her level.

“Honey” he asked. “ Has anyone ever really hurt you and made you really really sad?”

The little girl’s eyes widened as she looked at the preacher. “Uh huh” she answered looking very serious. The pastor placed his arm around the girl’s shoulders and asked “Can you tell me what is the baddest thing that someone ever did to you and made you very sad?

She placed a finger on her chin and appeared to be in deep thought for a moment. Then looking at the pastor she blurted “There was this boy at school. He was really big.” To emphasize her statement she reached her arm as high in the air as she could. “He was really mean. He pushed me down on the steps when I was getting off the school bus.“

“Oh that was really bad” the preacher responded.

Encouraged by his sympathy the child went on “Yeah it hurt really bad. I hurt my knee.” With that she picked up one leg to show which knee had been injured.

“Boy that was really mean of him wasn’t it” the pastor comforted.

“Yeah” she answered. Then she dropped her chin a little and spoke softly “everyone laughed at me. The preacher gave her a little hug before he spoke again.

“But look at you now” he said. She looked up puzzled. “It’s all better.” He tapped what had been her injured knee. Her eyes suddenly sparkled again as a big smile came across her face.

“Yup” she chirped as she once again began to twist and wiggle from side to side. “And that boy got in trouble.” The congregation burst into laughter.

“As well he should have” the pastor responded. The congregation continued to chuckle as the child made her way back to her seat.

The pastor then moved to the next person. He was a man in his mid to late thirties with slight wisps of gray beginning to show in his hair. The pastor had specifically chosen this man because he was aware that he was going through a particularly difficult period.

“Mike” the pastor began “You heard me ask Honey if something really bad had ever happened to her. Can you tell me if anything really bad has ever happened to you?”

The man dropped his head shaking it slowly from side to side. “Pastor, I don’t know where to begin. It seems like just one thing after another. I lost my job. My house is going into foreclosure. My kids stay in trouble. I pray and pray for God to help me get through. But as soon as he answers one prayer something else happens. I am trying. I have to believe God is going to fix it all. But it is hard. I really try though.”

The pastor placed his hand upon Mikes shoulder. “Son, you hang in there. Keep on trying. Keep on praying. God is never far away”. With that statement the pastor dismissed him to return to his seat.

Now left alone, was a frail ninety year old woman sitting in a chair at the front of the room. The pastor approached her and pulled a chair alongside her. He reached out and took her small weathered hand in his.

The sweet looking little lady cocked her head to one side and looked at the pastor. “Preacher don’t you be asking me if anything bad has ever happened to me. You don’t have enough time here for me to tell you what I’ve been through.”

With that the congregation burst into laughter. This tiny little creature that looked so vulnerable had just taken command of the situation. The pastor was caught off guard as he laughed with the congregation.

“I bet you have Sister” he chuckled. “Can you just share a little of what you have been through.”

The little woman looked deeply into his eyes and spoke with a timeless confidence. “ I have lived. I have loved. I have lost everything and gained more. I have had feasts and known hunger. I know Pain intimately. He has walked with me throughout my life. But I have known unbounded joy. I learned hope and trust for they don’t come easy. I have had blessings beyond measure. I have salvation. Above all I have a God who has proven that there is nothing He cannot deliver me from. There is no hurt he will not heal. There is no need he cannot fill. He has proven to me that I have absolutely nothing to fear.”

The atmosphere of the room was filled with the unwavering certainty in her voice. The pastor gave her a careful hug thanking her and dismissed her to return to her seat. For several moments the room was quiet.

Seasons

There is an order to all things. I am often asked “why do bad things happen to Christians. Why can’t young Christians just quickly grasp the concept of faith? And if you have enough faith doesn’t God just fix everything?”

No matter what age you are or what stage of life you may be in the hardship or tragedy you are enduring seems like the worst you have ever been through. There is no life that is not touched at some time by tragedy and repeated hardship.

The trust of the child is unquestioning but it is also unproven and is without an intimate relationship with God.

The trust of the young adult is tenuous, strained, struggling, ebbing and flowing. Compare it to exercising muscles, stretching your limits, with muscle aches as you develop strength and ability.

The final result is the life proven by Christ and our God. Confidence in Gods abiding love and steadfastness can only be gained by circumstances in which he can prove himself. There are no short cuts to becoming spiritually mature. The child cannot become the seasoned Christian without the journey through young adulthood.

As you make the journey you will find that you look back on the scar from your pain and will see that you are alright. The scar itself will be a reminder that God heals, God strengthens, and God will get you past all pain.

I can tell you without a doubt if you live long enough you will have pain, hardship, illness and tragedy. But I can also tell you that there is NOTHING my God cannot bring you through. God is a loving God. He does not bring pain to you. But He will use every hardship and suffering as an opportunity to prove His love to you and strengthen your relationship with Him. Trust Him. Seek comfort,solace, and guidance in Him in all things.

Inadequate

In a young ministry, you begin your mission with vision, passion and assurance that you are doing God‘s will. However in most cases as you move forward and begin to encounter disappointment it is easy to become discouraged. I have recently experienced another disappointment in our ministry which resulted in me feeling like a failure, heartbroken and inadequate.

As I prayed for guidance, I asked, “God could I have been so wrong in your direction for my life?” I questioned my ability to perform the task laid before me and even the vision itself. I prayed that afternoon for God to speak to me. I prayed for guidance and assurance that I was doing His will and not mine in His name.

A sleepless night lay ahead for me.

God reminded me that these feelings and doubts are not new. He gave me this example throughout the night.

MOSES
Most of us know who Moses was. The son of a Hebrew slave who had been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and eventually delivered Israel from the hand of Egypt. According to history Moses spent 40 years in the house of Pharaoh. He is described as a princely figure of a man with a commanding presence. After he killed an Egyptian taskmaster he fled to Midian.

Moses then endured 40 years of a sense of failure. He knew 40 years of rejection from not only the home in which he had grown up, but from the peoples that he had tried to embrace by his ill fated action. He has run away from facing his problem. He lives with guilt, confusion, as well as a sense of betrayal to both the mother who had nurtured him and the one who bore him. He is a coward, a criminal, and a failure.

It is odd that the bible does not mention in the early portion of Moses’ life that he had a speech problem. This is only brought to attention when God calls him to serve. Scholars have different ideas about what the true problem was. It as been widely accepted that he stuttered. Some scholars believe he had an inability to articulate certain sounds. Still others believe that he was just slow in verbal responses and not comfortable speaking to people. Regardless of which problem it was, it was a source of insecurity for him.

Yet God called him. God not only called him to a purpose but he had a one on one audience with him. This coward. This criminal. This failure who couldn’t even speak for himself was called to lead a nation. Not only was he called to lead a nation but to also confront one of the most powerful leaders in the known world. His response in paraphrase “ I am not adequate.”

Yet through God, this inadequate man lead a nation to freedom. He then led them for another 40 years through the wilderness. Many times in the 40 years he was told that he was wrong. That he was still inadequate. But he took one step at a time. He didn’t try to plan the outcome He merely took one step and then another walking in the faith that God would do what He said He would .

As I wrestled with God about this example, I whined “God you gave him a burning bush, a stick and miracles, and a helper, and …” His response was “ Yes I did. Why do I have to repeat myself?”

Asking God for reassurance every time there is disappointment is not faith. Faith is not having to have the plan laid out for you. Faith is not knowing the end result before you start. Faith is knowing you cant do it by yourself. Faith is taking that step in spite of inadequacies even if you have to carry your heavy heart in a bucket. Faith is not quitting. You can take a breather now and then. Sometimes you have to wait for God to part the seas.

So ok, I am not the best at anything. I may not even be very good at anything. But what I want to be is faithful. I may not have a PHD attached to my name but what I do have is a heart full of praise and a desire to serve.

So when the fire and passion of the vision begins to cool, find the courage to walk on faith. God honors his faithful. Fix your eyes ahead and take one step…….

HUNGER PAINS

Stephen King wrote a story some years ago about a man who the more he ate, the thinner he got. No matter how much he consumed, nothing met the needs of his body. He ate everything he could find. He went to doctors who found nothing wrong other than the man was literally starving to death.

Eventually he died from starvation.
As I prepared to go to church this morning I thought “Man my spirit is so hungry today”. It renewed my realization that there is a hunger in man that nothing but God can satisfy. It is sad that so many people are walking around with spiritual hunger pains and they don’t know what it is they are in need of.

We live in a world of excessive consumption. We are constantly consuming media, food, entertainment, excitement, drugs, alcohol, sex, and all manner of self indulgences. We absorb anything that will keep our minds and senses titillated and feeling alive as well as distracted. It is almost like a dieter who must keep busy so they don’t think about food. All the while the hunger pains gnaw at your spirit.

In the past couple of years I have become a avid student of history. I have studied the British Monarchy from its inception to present day and have noted how present day Christianity was shaped by the various king’s views. I have currently been studying in detail about the founding of our nation and the principles upon which it was established. The price paid by the separatists in England just to own a Bible and have the freedom to worship and study God’s word is not taught in our schools. It wasn’t taught to me. Instead we had a glossy picture of pilgrims with big buckles and pointy hats sailing over on ships to plant corn and have turkey with the Indians.

Our Founders recognized that it was important for not only the society as a whole, but for the individual to find strength through the gospel. It was so important that Congress commissioned the printing of bibles to be distributed to every household and to be given in all the schools in the late 1700s. Yet today, we begin spiritually depriving our children at a young age.

There is an old saying “ You don’t miss what you never had”. Children used to be raised with stories of David and Goliath or Jonah and the whale. The lessons of the bible were our inspiration and gave us heroes to emulate. Now our children emulate Spiderman, and Iron Man, while we give them the latest electronic devises available. They never know that Spiderman is nothing compared to a young boy with a sling shot and a heart for God.

Matthew chapter 4 tells us that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”.

Jesus fasted for 40 days.

What kind of people could we be if we were able to unplug for 40 days? No cell phone for 40 days. No internet for 40 days. Could you survive without television for 40 days? As parents, you could alter your child’s future if you took away the electronic games and television and replaced them with bible stories. Would we make wiser decisions, show more kindness, and have closer family units if we were to electronically fast 40 days? Teach your children to not be consumers of the world but of the word instead.

No house, no car, no iPad or drug, no sex or designer clothes, nothing in this world will ever give you peace. They will never give you strength in time of need. They will never give you comfort when you hurt. They can never give you good guidance and direction. They cannot give your soul salvation. Only God’s word with all its’ wonder, glory, history and truth can satisfy the hunger pains of your soul.

The Dressing Room

I have heard sermons preached about the difficulty and discomfort of having to wait upon the Lord at various times in our lives. It has been compared to hospital waiting rooms with all of the anxiety, stress, pain, along with a multitude of other issues we must accept while in the waiting room before a situation can be made better. However I have never heard anyone discuss “The Dressing Room”.

The Church is described as the glorious bride of Christ which He, the Savior will return and claim in an instant. I want to offer a perspective on this truth that I have not heard anyone talk about.

In order to have a bride, we must first have a proposal.  Christ has proposed to His body through His sacrifice and offered us the most wonderful invitation to be with Him forever in the presence of our all mighty God. 

Just as a marriage vow states “for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part” Christ has vowed to us, his bride, only without the poorer, the sickness and the death. Once you say “yes” to Christ and accept salvation just as a new fiancé, there is a future ahead of you to plan for.

As a new fiancé you can cheat yourself of all that is offered to you.  You can try to do things the quick and easy way figuring the end result is the same.  But any bride can tell you that the justice of the peace is no comparison to the beauty and significance found in a wedding gown, a church, a minister and witnesses.  If you recognize your status as the bride of the King of all Kings, you will want to do things right. Even if you felt unworthy of the grandeur, He, the King is entitled to and deserving of only the best.

So you begin the long process. You first begin to study everything you can find on the proper planning of the event.  You read books, you talk to experts, and you enlist the aid and advice of family and friends.  You taste cakes. You look at colors, flowers, dresses, people, rings and listen to dozens of songs. Slowly through a long process in which you are faced with a multitude of confusing choices you begin to form a definitive vision.  

There are numerous times throughout the process that you feel overwhelmed and consider giving up. Nothing goes as planned. You at times question your decisions, even the commitment itself. But somewhere in the chaos you find a quiet moment in which you find the embrace of your betrothed. It is in that moment that you know there is nothing you would not endure for an eternity embraced In His love.

Our lives are like the planning process full of choices, disappointments, and stress. But it is only the process. We have to find that quiet moment with the betrothed to renew our reason and our passion for the decision. It is also important to be careful in whom you choose for your bridal party.  The bride should have close associations with those who will aid in her journey, encourage her and remind her of who she really is.

Then after what will seem like an eternity of working, studying, planning, and preparing, the day will arrive. There will be no waiting room. There will be the dressing room.

The bride on that day does not look back. She no longer concerns herself with decisions of the past. What she feels this day is a mix of anticipation, longing, love and a little fear.  The butterflies flit back and forth inside with little nagging doubts.  Will he change his mind at the last minute? Will he finally see me for the flawed person I really am and decide I am not good enough to be accepted? Can he really love me so much?

With nervous and excited hands she does her makeup. Every hair must be carefully placed. Her jewels have been chosen with the utmost care. The wedding dress is the most exquisite gown anyone has ever seen. At this moment she overlooks no detail. All she has to offer him at the end of this long process is herself and her heart. She will present him with only her best.

So I want to ask you. Where are you?

Are you right now preparing yourself to give only your best to Christ? Have you spent the time to prepare for the most important day of your life? Or have you not even accepted the proposal and are still walking alone with an uncertain future?

I personally want to only offer my very best.  The butterflies stay in my stomach. But I find those quiet moments in which He reassures me of his love. Don’t cheat yourself of the wonder and glory He has planned for you. Don’t diminish the importance of who he is by not properly preparing yourself. And if you have not accepted His proposal, reach out to Him and know his love.  There is nothing that can fill the soul, heal the hurts, and give purpose to life like the love of Christ.

The Child

At church this Sunday morning, there was a beautiful sketch of Christ leaning his face against a child in an embrace of love. As I looked at the picture I couldn’t help but feel that I wanted to be that child. Lord just hold me close like that and love me. With no cares, no worries, no responsibilities, just in the moment with Jesus. Then it came to me that although, I get caught up in being a “grown up “ Christian, I am always that child.

It is true that faith without works is dead. The church has a job to do in winning the souls of the lost and comforting those in need.  But even the most valiant and courageous soldier must sometime remove his armor.

What parent among you does not long to have your grown children be small just one more time?  You want to embrace them, protect them, and love them while their trust in you is so complete. Their trust is not affected by hardship or disappointment. All they have is love.

Scripture says “if we have faith of a little child”.  Take time to be that child again. We don’t always have to come to Christ with works, prayer or even with praise. Sometimes we can just come be with him to love him and to let him love on us. We should never forget that we are above all else, children of the king and his capacity for loving us is unlimited.

The Handmaiden

In a royal household there are many servants. They may be housemaids, cooks, servers, butlers, managers, and many more all with various roles and duties to fulfill. Each position is important and is necessary to insure the proper function of the household. But I want to focus on the position of the royal handmaiden.

Throughout history, the masters of any house would have personal attendants. These attendants were the closest to the master of all their servants. They would continuously faithfully carry out the bidding of their masters and were the most trusted of all the servants. Not only were they the most trusted of all servants, but they were most often women.

In our Master’s house there are many servants positions as well. Prophets, shepherds, healers, prayer warriors, missionaries, teachers name just a few of these servants.  But still there is a special place in our Lords house for the handmaid of Christ.

The handmaid of Christ walks with him daily. She listens for his every word and is ready at a moment’s notice to do his will. She places her needs and wants aside to fulfill the duties of her position. She is cautious of her words and deeds so as to not bring shame upon her masters house. Hers is a position of honor and she is held dear to the Master’s heart.

To be a faithful handmaid there are some things you must do.

Spend time with him. Find time in your life to devote to prayer and listening for his voice. He will speak to you and tell you what he desires of your life.

Be sure that whatever task you feel led to is His will and not your own. One sure way to tell His will is that it is never the easy way. No task given by God has been comfortable or easy. If it is easy for you then it is not a sacrifice and is most likely serving a need of your own and not a need of Christ. However, the blessings you receive will more than make up for any hardship you may face.

Be resolute.  When you know in your heart that the Master has called you for a purpose despite anything the world may say, you must be determined to achieve it.

Be faithful. Do not grow weary of the task. For God’s grace will increase your strength, your faith and your ability.

Be humble. Remember your position of service is an honor given by His grace and mercy.

Remember, that being a servant close to your Master places you in the position to truly know his heart. Then as you know His heart, yours will be the hands that wipe away the tears of the hurting. Yours will be the arms that comfort the sick and lonely. Yours will be the hands that feed the hungry. Yours will be the tongue that speaks encouragement to the weak.  Yours will be the heart to give love to the unlovely.

We are all to serve as the handmaids or man servants of Christ. We are the children of God and joint heirs with him. But until our time of inheritance, we hold a place of honor and trust with our Lord. We have the great honor of serving His will in this life.

Eighteen Months

You sit in the leather chair facing a large oak desk.  The wall behind it, as well as the adjoining walls, are hung with certificates, degrees, doctorates all proclaiming the qualifications of the man who is speaking.  The words sound like distorted voices you would hear while under water. The air seems to have been completely sucked from your lungs while your pounding heart reverberates throughout your whole being.

Your spouse immediately begins offering words of encouragement, taking charge and beginning to make plans.  As they hold your hand, every muscle in their body is fighting to not give in to fear and to not reflect anything but determination and support in their countenance. In the days to come you feel disconnected. You don’t want to talk about it. You want to pretend you never sat in that office or heard those words.

TWELVE TO EIGHTEEN MONTHS.

You had asked for the truth and got it.  Eighteen months on the outside with taking every treatment that can be pumped and prodded into your ailing body. As you are led from one treatment to another, the reality begins to sink in more with every needle prick. And the quiet tears begin to flow. The prayers come; the anger comes mixed with the questions. “Why me”? What are they going to do without me? Who is going to take care of this or that? The emotions erupt in volcanic proportion with fallout landing on anyone who is around.  Then one day it is all gone.  All of the emotion is spent.

If what man says is true and your life has become finite with X number of days available to you, a choice will be made. You can spend your remaining days partying and in denial. You can spend your remaining days angry with God and all of life. You can sink into a depression and self pity. Or you can look around and cherish everything that is really precious in your life.

Think about it.

Your spouse, that gets on your nerves so badly with his stinky socks and farts.  You wonder if the man was ever capable of putting a dish in the sink or picking up clothes.  If you had to watch another football or golf game you think you would scream.  His sense of humor is sooo corny. And you wonder if he speaks your language because he cant seem to understand what you are saying most times.  But if you KNOW that person would be taken from you, it changes how you see them.  Those corny jokes become sweet and more humorous. The dirty clothes and dishes don’t matter. What matters is when you are cuddled up beside them while they touch your hair. When you can look in their eyes or hear in their voice how much you mean to them. And you know what they mean to you. You know that if its only eighteen months or eighteen days, you want to spend them with this person.

Your children. They don’t listen to you. They don’t show appreciation. They sure don’t do what you think they should.  You wonder how their lives veered so far from the path you had chosen for them.  But you have X number of days.  With X number of days, you begin to see past their choices and mistakes. Amazingly you can only see the face of the little child who snuggled up to you that you have loved so dearly. You can see the same vulerability that they had as they climbed in your lap with tear streaked faces and scraped knees.

Ambition. Ambition could be your job, your business or your dreams of stardom. I used to measure my success by my bank account.  But with eighteen months, what you accomplish here doesn’t matter anymore. All the money or acclaim this world has to offer wont give you one day more.

Finally, and most importantly, there’s God. You are left with one inevitable truth facing you. Your life is completely in God’s hands. At that time, you can choose to completely surrender all control to Him and accept that whatever the outcome may be, that you trust Him.

God made this perspective very clear to me one night several months ago and it has completely changed my life.

Besides the change in perspective that I have already discussed, it made me think. If I had only eighteen months left what would I want to do with them.  I came to the conclusion that I would want to spend every last day being completely committed to my God.  Not because there would be an end to my life and I was afraid of hell. But because He has been so good to me that I want to give everything back to Him that I can.  All that I am, all that I have, however imperfect I may be.  He has sheltered me, loved me, saved me, protected my family and brought me through unimaginable dark times. In my darkest hours He wrapped me in His love and wouldn’t let go.

A lifetime seems like it will last forever.  While we know there is an end, we can’t typically relate to it. If we were to live our lives as if we only had eighteen months to live you would find that you could throw off unnecessary shackles. You would find it easier to focus on the ones that you love and the things that really matter. Live like you have only eighteen months even if you have 180 years.

Still Waters

The Spirit of God is likened to a beautiful pool of water. When you first see it and begin to approach it you have a sense of anticipation. You just know it’s going to be good. As you step in ankle deep your heartbeat picks up as you begin to experience a difference.  You keep on going till you’re waist deep. Next thing you know you are up to you neck treading water. You float, dip your head under, and come up exuberant, renewed and never disappointed.  Then you make your way back out of the water and step back into the world as it was before. You feel better.  You feel refreshed and ready to move on.

This is how most Christians live. And there is nothing wrong with it. But like still deep waters, the Spirit of God has so much more to offer.

I would say to you to leave the shore behind. Pursue Gods Spirit so far that you can never go back. Don’t satisfy yourself with having just enough of Him that you feel more capable of getting by in this world.  When you dive deep under the surface of the waters, you find a whole new world full of beauty and wonders that you never experience by being a shallow swimmer. There is abundance of life there that cannot be seen anywhere else.

As you immerse yourself in God’s word and Spirit, He will reveal things to you that can only be experienced at the deepest levels.  When you reach there, it is only you and Him.  The world is so far away it cannot impede on the peace that envelopes you and the wonders that surround you.

It takes effort. It takes decision and commitment. But God has so much more for you than you can imagine.  Don’t be satisfied with less. Go deep.

A Linen Belt

Jeremiah 13:1


God told Jeremiah to buy a new linen belt. Since linen is considered a rather fine fabric by today's standards, it must have been very rare and costly in Jeremiah's day.

God was specific that Jeremiah was not to let the belt touch water. The belt is symbolic of God's people, clean, pure, close to God when serving the purpose it was designed for. Had the belt become wet it would have become mishaped and drawn.  If it didnt shrink too much, you could have probably still tied it around you. But it would have lost its ability to function as designed, its beauty and its value.

After a while (the bible doesnt specify how long) Jeremiah is told to remove the belt. He is then told to take it to a distant place and hide it in a crevice in the rocks. Once Jeremiah reached Perath, God told him to place the belt in a crevice in the rocks. After many days God commanded Jeremiah to return and retrieve the belt. The belt was soiled, ruined and worthless.  Although this scripture goes on to declare Gods displeasure and judgement for the nation of Judah, the significance of the belt itself is what stuck with me.

It made me realize that it is too easy to lay aside our purpose. Our intent is never to abandon our path or our calling. But in doing so we find ourselves distanced  like the belt, from the one we serve and end up in dark places where we dont belong. In those places, we spiritually and emotionally decay until we are useless to ourselves, the ones we love and the one we serve. It was and is an unneccessary waste.

Be vigilant of the value in your calling for you have value and purpose in the site of the Lord. Stay close to Him and you will not find yourself in dark places where you dont belong.

I CHOOSE

                                                                                 

      John, chapter 8 tells us of an adulterous woman who was brought before Jesus.  It is an account that almost every believer has heard a sermon about at some time or another.  Terrified, scripture tells us that she was drug out in humiliation and shame. She could only listen while her accusers demanded that she be stoned to death. But Jesus did not look upon the woman’s shame and pain.

      Think of the utter hopelessness she had to feel. She was caught in the act of adultery.  She could not defend herself. She could only plead for mercy. However the law did not allow for mercy and she knew this.

I will not call this a story because it diminishes the word of Christ.

      Scripture reflects that as the crowd clamored for her destruction, the only response Christ gave was “He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone”. Every reference I have heard to this scripture has reflected upon the revealing of the sin of the accusers. But there is more to be learned.

      Jesus could have very easily made a big sermon standing over the woman about the cost of sin. He could have preached about “all have sinned….” He could have made any number of comparisons using her as an example and still have spared her life. She would have been just as grateful.  The crowd would have been just as amazed.

      But Jesus chose not to look upon the worst part of her. He chose not to acknowledge the worst shame in her life. He chose not to accuse and He chose not to judge. The only time Jesus addressed her was after the crowd had dispersed when he said “Woman, where are thine accusers. Has no man condemned thee? Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more”.  No lectures.

      Something to note however is that although Jesus did not judge this woman, neither did he judge the accusers. He made them judge themselves. He didn’t tell them they were a bunch of hypocrites.  He didn’t find fault with them for following what was their laws.  They questioned him about why he would not uphold the law. In paraphrase, he simply told them “I know who I am and where I come from .Basically you are going to do what you want if I am here or not”.     But the awesome thing he said was “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man”

I CHOOSE

      I choose to not find fault. Fault is there in front of us everywhere we look. It is blatant and irritating in your coworkers, your family, and your church. It is like the gravel in your shoes that gets harder to ignore with each progressive step you take.

      However finding fault serves absolutely no useful purpose. Fault finding does however create negative emotions and a negative attitude.  In response you will react either defensively or aggressively when interacting with those you are judging.  These negative emotions then take the focus of attention away from other aspects of the individual.

      Fault finding creates walls between people. In judging others, you increasingly isolate yourself and in time find that being “right or righteous” becomes hollow and lonely.

      Who cares? People are not going to change who they are because of your disapproval.  The church will not change how it worships because you think  they should. Your boss is not going to change how he runs his business because you know better. Scripture says to not worry about the speck in our brother’s eye without first removing the beam from our own.

     I CHOOSE to not look for fault. I CHOOSE to try to look for the good and the positive in everything and everyone in my life. When my nature kicks up and my flesh wants to react by finding fault, I will consciously choose to not entertain the thoughts.

      Some days may prove more difficult than others. But each day I have the opportunity to start with a new pledge. I CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THE FULLNESS OF LIFE, THE FULLNESS OF JOY, THE FULLNESS OF LOVE AND FELLOWSHIP.

  I feel so humble to know that my Jesus chooses to not look at the worst part of me.  If the Son of God said “I JUDGE NO MAN”  then who in the world am I to try to judge or feel ill will toward anyone else.  

  

The Introspective Warrior

When I first began this website, without hesitation, I felt led to call it “The Introspective Warrior”. I did not think on it hard or long. It just felt right. I briefly associated it with the battles one encounters as being part of the army of the Lord. Another light association for the title would have been about battling our way through hardship in our Christian walk.

However, now I think the Lord has revealed the deeper meaning for the title of the site. It is true that we do battle with the principalities of the air. It is true that we must fight as soldiers for Christ to lead a lost and dying world to know the Savior. It is also true that we each have our own battles and demons to overcome in our lives. But I want to ask, what drives us in this fight?

History has recorded numerous times of the persecution and torture of Gods people. We know that in the Roman period, Christians were killed in the arenas for sport and entertainment because of their faith. We know that during the medieval period that certain segments of the Christian faith were persecuted and martyred for defying the Roman Catholic Church. The Nazi’s tried to destroy the Jews and completely exterminate them. We also find that in the early 1900’s how the Mexican population was denied the ability to worship. Their churches were closed and Christians were executed leading to a war that lasted for years. Missionaries throughout the world have become martyrs for the cause of Christ. God’ s people when accepting the cross seem to also accept a target on their head.

In my mind I have envisioned warriors from the beginning until present day. I tried to imagine what it takes to make a person able to become a true warrior. I determined that the person must first make a decision of commitment. He has to be willing to make a choice that he will stand for some ideal. Then this person must be trained for battle and the art of warfare. Whether it is swords or tanks the warrior must be strong, skilled , alert and prepared.

Our bible tells us how to obtain our armor and to prepare ourselves for spiritual battle. A warrior must be able to take orders and follow the direction of their commander. We must also be listening for Gods direction in our lives. But no matter how well trained, no matter how skilled, and no matter how the commander leads, the warrior is only as good as his belief in the cause.

When our country was discovered by Christopher Columbus, it is recorded that a cross was erected immediately upon the shore. We know that the primary objective of the pilgrims in establishing our country was to obtain religious freedom. The freedom to worship God in whatever manner the individual wanted. We fought a war for that freedom. So what gives people the strength, conviction and courage to endure in the hardest of times?

I know that every soldier who has experienced battle and loss has had to ask himself why he does this thing? Why would he give his last ounce of blood and all of his heart in a cause that may require his ultimate sacrifice? The answer is love.

The answer is love of those he fights for. Duty and honor are not enough to encourage people to that level of sacrifice. It is love. Only love led Christ to a cross to die for us. Love moved God to send his only son to become man’s salvation. Only love has given masses of people the strength and conviction to fight for their right to worship. Only love of God, Country, Family and Freedom will cause an exhausted wounded warrior to step up to battle one more time.

We cannot be effective warriors, if we do not look inside ourselves. We must examine with truth what is in our hearts. To be an effective warrior for Christ, we must first really love Him. If we love Him, we can then love others. Then we have a reason to fight. We have a reason to be strong. We have a reason to put on the whole armor of God.
　

The Keys

We as believers must strive to continually walk in faith. If we truly walk in faith,  we can trust that He who can do all things, knows the solution to our problems. Our problems may be our childrens lives and choices, finances, marriages or health.  But knowing that He who has been faithful since the beginning of creation ,holds me in his hands, reassures me of the outcome. Our God will surely honor faith and prayer. He has done so from the beginning of time and is incapable of change.

In times of  hardship we have two choices. We can choose to fall prey  by giving our focus over to our circumstances and allowing the quicksand of despair to ultimately destroy our lives. The second choice is to use the keys of faith and prayer. If our focus is absorbed by our faith and prayers, we find that the strength of our faith increases. As our faith grows stronger, the effectiveness of our prayers also increases exponentially.

Faith and prayer are the keys given to us to unlock our potential. These are the keys  that open doors to provide our route of escape. These are also the keys that allow you to move mountains and calm the stormy seas of your life. And most important, these are the keys that open the door to a closer, more intimate relationship with our Lord.

Fear does not create change.  God moves instead on faith and prayer. These are the two most powerful forces in all of creation. Faith, we are told is the substance of things hoped for but not seen.  The bible tells us that the continued fervent prayer of a righteous man availath much.  Therefore let us as children of the Most High God, use the keys which He has provided for us to change not only our problems and our circumstances. Remember we have the keys to change our lives, our country, and the world.

Before Lazarus Died

     The bible tells us that when Lazarus was sick Mary and Martha sent for Jesus who was in a nearby town approximately 2 miles away. The bible doesn't tell us how long it was before Lazarus died that word was sent to Jesus. It only states that Lazarus had been dead four days by the time Jesus arrived. Tonight I lay thinking about Mary and Martha and how that situation applies to our everyday life. I feel sure they did not wait until Lazarus was taking his last breath before sending for Jesus

     So here was Mary and Martha, the beloved of Jesus. They know first hand of his power, his love and who He was. They had walked many miles with him and seen many miracles. They had seen lepers healed,  the lame walk, and the possessed become free. So surely healing Lazarus would be no great feat for Jesus.

     I, in my Christian life have tried and many times been close to the Lord in my day to day walk. I have seen through spiritual eyes, miracles and deliverance around me. Throughout our  lifes journey we all find ourselves at various degrees of closeness in our walk with the Lord.  It seems like circumstances have a way of imposing situations that place distance between us and where we want to be spiritually.

     I am sure that Mary and Martha would have preferred to be walking in close proximity to their Lord  with their healthy brother beside them. Instead they were needed to care for their ailing Lazarus.  As anyone would, I feel sure that upon hearing of the illness they became caretakers with hopes for a recovery.

     When I compare the situation to our everyday life I see many parallels. We think we are strong in our faith walking a spiritual path when something happens in our lives. It can be anything; health, money, children, marital problems, anything at all. when the problem first comes, we are not dismayed. We automatically think Jesus will solve the problem through our prayers.

     I can see Mary and Martha day in and day out getting more and more tired yet being faithful to their brother. They never waiver in their faith because they KNOW that Jesus can heal Lazarus. So they try to wait patiently for the Lord to arrive and make everything alright. Day after day they watch their brother suffer while his health declines and fades.  Nothing they do helps. In their minds they had to question "Where is He? Why doesn't He come?"

     How many times have we asked "How long Lord?  Why don't you answer my prayer? Why does this situation endure on when I am praying and trusting you for an answer?"

     Time means nothing to God. "A day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day". So that tells me that however long it was, days, months or years, that Mary and Martha waited is no different than the time we endure our problems. They felt separated from the Lord and unable to reach him in their time of need. How many times have we felt that way knowing that He could solve everything, but he doesn't seem to come.

    Time passed and their situation grew more dire by the day while they watched helplessly. Finally the worst happens. Lazarus dies.

     We, as flesh, war within ourselves. While the spirit tries to hold on, the mind and heart battle with disappointment, pain , grief, and confusion. They had to have all of these emotions.  I can imagine the emptiness they felt for the four days after his death. They knew beyond a doubt that the death and suffering of Lazarus could have been avoided. They had to feel let down. Hours grew into days. One day led to another. Jesus had not come.  When they needed him most, He was not there.

     When He finally made the short journey, the two sisters responded very differently. No where is it indicated that their love for Jesus was diminished. This encourages me because I know I always love the Lord although I may be confused or maybe even discouraged at times. So knowing they had to have the same feelings makes me feel like less of a failure.

     I said the two sisters handled the return of Jesus differently. It is strange that it would be Martha, "the complainer" who would rush to meet Jesus. She addresses him by say "If you had come my brother would still be alive." This statement is accusing. It says "If you had done what I asked, my brother would be alive and well. We would not have gone through all this hardship and grief." Don't we sometimes want to tell God  that He is not doing His part?  Even if we don't have the nerve to say it, don't you honestly feel it? "My suffering could have been avoided".

     Martha had to either be very brave or very disappointed to say this to the one she KNEW to be the Son of God. But she offers Him a way to redeem himself and at the same time try to reaffirm her own faith.
She states, " I know God will bring him back to life if you only ask it."  She could not deny even in her grief and disappointment who He was. She knew He was still the only hope.
  
     Mary on the other hand stayed at home when she heard Jesus was coming. This is the same Mary that sat at the feet of Jesus hanging on his every word. She washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. One so consumed with love for Jesus did not go out to greet him. I would have actually expected the opposite behavior of the two women. Mary had fallen into her grief and didn't expect anything more from Jesus. She loved Him, but why ask anything if He is not there when you need Him most? She had to be devastated.

     However Jesus was moved and told Martha "Your brother will live again" and sent her to bring Mary. Isn't it comforting to know that when we feel so lost and inconsolable, that Jesus is able to send the right person to remind us of who He is? When He does, we have only to obey His calling and be drawn to Him.

     Yes, we know Jesus brought Lazarus back to life. The bible says he wept at their sorrow. He loves us so much that it tears at His heart when we suffer. He knew their suffering, their doubts and their struggle to remain faithful.  It was not in their time. It was not how they wanted things to happen. But God did answer their prayers.

     I see two things in the resurrection of Lazarus not discussed. Had he been healed it would not have carried the same significance with the believers. Jesus healed many people in his ministry. It would have been considered miraculous but a more common act for Jesus. Life would have carried on with little difference.  But instead, think how much more precious was the gift of life, love and  family to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus after actually experiencing death.

     It also showed that Jesus will ALWAYS come. He knows everything that is going on in our lives every minute of every day. He may or may not come in the time frame of our choosing. But He cares enough to always come and he promises that He can always make good come from any situation. Even with Lazarus he has proven HE WILL NEVER FAIL US.

 

Nemesis

Anger and resentment can become a paralizing nemisis in your life. To an outsider, everything can look fine, as though no problems exists. But like some sci-fi movie, in a parrallel dimension, unseen by the naked eye, you are doing battle with Anger himself.

When unresolved anger exists, you become subconciously  and spiritually locked in mortal combat, fighting for your very survival. You can find yourself battling to supress and control this emotion with a literal death grip around Anger's throat.  You may think you have control of the situation  however you dont have the strength or grip that can destroy this enemy. You can only hold him at arms length to not be overcome by him. You know that you cant let go, because to do so means that he can overcome you and destroy your world completely.

And the battle rages on........

Day after day, year after year until you no longer even know where the Anger came from .  He is simply there absorbing your energy and going no where. The truth is he could not leave if he wanted to because of your grip trying to hold him in control. In the physical world, your muscles ache, you're exhausted for seemingly no reason. Simple joys in life loose their luster and simple tasks become overwhelming.

Over time you find yourself more and more isolated and unable to relate to others. Your family and friends become distanced because your ongoing struggle colors your perception of them as well. It's like looking through a pair of muddy goggles in a battlefied. It becomes hard to distinguish who is the enemy and who is the ally.

It is said that"nothing stays the same" and "this too will pass" However this is not true in our parrallel universe.  A person becomes like the rich man in purgatory seeing the other side but unable to reach it or gain a moments relief from torment. The world may change all around us presenting temporary distractions. But the fear of being overcome by our nemesis keeps our grip locked tight. So nothing ever really changes and it never passes. How could hell be any worse?

I tell myself "Focus on the blessings".  But the dirty goggles again make blessings hard to see even though you know they are there. It is kind of hard to stop and smell the roses in the middle of a battlefield.

One thing I know for sure, is that although I have at times had a grip on Anger with one hand, my other hand is gripped on my faith in Jesus. While Anger or Resentment may try to make you give up, I personally could never, ever, give up on Jesus and my God. He promises that no matter what He will never give up on me. He told me He would never leave me nor forsake me. So He is even able to reach me in this parrallel universe.

Many of us are not  able to break free of this spirit of Anger on our own. All of our strength has been used up holding the enemy at bay. We have had our grip in place so long that we are locked in position.  The only hope is to recognize your enemy and ask Jesus to break the hold.

He has shown me that he can reach out and gently open that tighlty gripped fist. He and His power can overpower and banish the spirit of Anger once we are released. Although this kind of life is it's own form of hell, I am reminded that Jesus has been to hell before. He broke the shackles there and can do it again for any of us that need it. He just has to be asked and then allowed to do it.

It doesnt mean that the sneaky sci-fi nemesis wont try to pop up for a sequel. But after Jesus opens the hand trying to control your anger, he can use the same one to pull you out of the hell.

The Thief

Luke 23:43

" I will tell you the truth, this day you will be with me in paradise"

Out of all the scriptures, these may be the most beautiful and most powerful for me.

     A convicted, confessed thief who did not know Christ and who had definitely not tried to live a holy life was told these words. This act and these words have been on my mind for the past few days. I constantly battle with the feeling that I am a failure as a Christian; that I am not doing all that I should. While I dont question that Jesus died for me and that I am saved, I still feel like a disappointment to Him.

I have beent trying to find perspective on how He could continue to love me with a life time of stumbling, failing, and disobedience. For many years I focused on the scripture saying "Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect".    Yeah----------that didnt work out too good. So what good am I to Him?

Then He has reminded me of this thief.

This thief who admitted his guilt, had never made an effort to walk with Christ. This thief did not cry out for absolution of his wrong doings. He didnt ask to be saved spiritually or physically.  While salvation is based upon repentence, the scripture does not even reflect that this thief openly repented. He never once said "forgive me".

Instead he says "Remember me when you come into your kingdom".  Maybe something has been lost in translation over the generations. Because to me this equals "Please think kindly of me after I am gone". He knew he was not worthy of anything more than the punishment he was recieving and only asked to be remembered. But he recognized WHO Jesus was and acknowled him as the "Son of God".  I feel that way many times. I want to ask Jesus to just remember that I wasnt all bad.

But Jesus did more than that.

"This day you will be with me in paradise"

If Jesus would make this promise and accept someone who had never made an effort to live for Him, how much more so will he accept His children. Regardless of how we feel about ourselves, he recognizes the heart that acknowledges Him. He recognizes the heart that yearns to bless Him.

All the thief did was acknowlege Him for who he was. So whenever I feel dirty, bruised, failed or useless, I will remember those words. For while I am no more worthy than the thief, I am no less accepted.