The Two Sides of Truth



If it’s truth, how can it have two sides?  The truth sets us free.  But, sometimes the truth isn’t what we want to hear.  The truth can be a blessing and sometimes it cuts, but what it cuts is the stuff we were clinging to that wasn’t real or right or would leave us exposed.  There is joyful truth and painful truth, but always, the truth sets us free.

Hebrews 4:12  ESV  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The book of Revelation hasn’t been one I’ve been excited about.  I’ve studied it.  I like some of it, but most of it is hard for me to read. It promises that anyone that reads it aloud and keeps its prophecy will be blessed. (Revelation 1:3) It’s hard on my heart to see the trouble coming. 

 2 Thessalonians and Daniel also prophecies of the end time evil and the character traits of the Anti-Christ, False Prophet and Lawless One.  I’d rather read about love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, miracles and Jesus.  That other stuff is heavy.

Avoiding the fullness of truth leaves us exposed to be deceived. 

 If I didn’t recognize the traits of Satan’s deceptions I wouldn’t recognize the times or to know how to set myself apart from being entangled with it.  I am kept free by the knowledge of what to avoid, even if it was hard to read about.  It also removes my fear.  I know certain things have to happen prior to Jesus’ return.  It’s the truth.  It isn’t pretty, but it sets me free from fear because it was known ahead of time and like I said, there are parts of Revelation that I do like, like when Jesus returns.

There was a time when my husband played for a professional soccer team.  It was known that the current owners were going to be folding the team or selling it.  A man came in from another country and said he was planning to purchase it.  The team players and staff fawned over this man.  He said he was of the family of the owners of Harrod’s of London and other grandiose stories.  He hosted a huge party and had it catered in a penthouse suite in a large hotel for all of the players and staff. He had television interviews aired.  Everyone was eager to cater to him in hopes that he was saving the team and keeping it going.

One staff member didn’t cater to him.  She doubted him.  He knew it and said to others that she would be the first one he fires when he takes over the team.  She was young and amazingly unthreatened. She didn’t cave in.  She did some background checking.  It wasn’t as easy then because we didn’t have all of the technology to do it as we do now.  But, she discovered that his identity was false. 

He left town.  He left unpaid hotel bills.  He stiffed the restaurant that catered all of the elaborate food for the event that he hosted.  He left us all in shock, except for one.  One person that wasn’t willing to cling to any false hope.  She looked for truth no matter how disappointing it may be that this man wasn’t really going to save the team. 

Knowing the traits of end time evil keeps us from falling for what is false.  Also, knowing what is Holy to God and walking in His righteousness through His Spirit keeps us better able to walk out of our sinful pasts.  Thinking God is “okay” with things that He says He isn’t doesn’t free us from an underlying guilt.  The truth is what sets us free when we confess the guilt. 

I had a tooth that I thought had chipped.  I was afraid to look at it.  I didn’t want to see how bad it was because if I did, I knew I would have to address it.  I avoided feeling the tooth or looking at it for a couple of months, even to the point of feeling that I needed to floss, but I didn’t because then I would have to look.  If this seems extreme to you, you need to know that I have a hard time with seeing my body in rough condition.  When my children were born I was offered a mirror to see their birth just as they were being delivered.  I swiftly motioned it away with my arm and told the nurse that I didn’t want to see.  I didn’t want to see that much truth.  I would see the child when they got here. 

I ended up with a toothache that progressed to excruciating.  I knew I would have to feel the tooth and look at it.  When I did, the tooth looked fine.  It was smooth and whole.  I had ended up needing a root canal because I had allowed that little piece of food to sit in there that I should have flossed out a long time ago, but I didn’t because I was afraid to see something I didn’t want to see because I believed it to be awful.

How often do we try to avoid or not face the bad or our own bad?  By avoiding it, something else bad can get in there and get stuck and then we end up with something far worse.  But, once I checked out the tooth I could begin to know the full reality and get the true needed help and  get it fixed.  I was finally set free of the fear of a bad break, but I had to deal with getting the mess I had made by avoiding doing what was right with a now painful cleaning out with a root canal. 

The truth sets us free.

Children that have been told there was a Santa start to reach an age where they question it.  They don’t really want to know and yet they do want to know the truth.  As disappointing as it is when they hear it, there is a relief. They don’t have to succumb to the game and the effort of holding onto something that was starting to not feel real and the embarrassment of that.  The truth sets them free.

When I thought more about the power of truth both in its joy and in its harder to face view, I remembered that the armor of God in Ephesians says that we are to put on the “Belt of Truth.”  Belts keep our clothes on.  If we didn’t have it, we could become exposed, embarrassed or tripped up by something not being secured.  I move a whole lot freer when my belt is well fastened.  We’ve seen people not wearing belts and allowing pants to drag.  Have you seen them try to run?  They become tangled up and sometimes trip and fall.  Calling Truth a belt is pretty powerful. 

Doing a quick glance in the back of my Bible for study verses that had the word truth in them, it revealed row after row of examples.  What I found was that a large amount of them were in verses where Jesus was saying, “I tell you the truth…” 

John 14:5-7   5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."…

This is basic.  The Father existence of God in His holiness is not to be met with sin.  In His coming as Christ as God with us as Yeshua, “God Saves,” He gives His blood to remove the sin so that we can be with Him.  He came as a Son, as man and God, and in that flesh is the portion of Son-ship to His own fullness of God-ship and creator as Father.  He is the way by His sacrifice and saving blood in the form of man so that we can be with Him in His Holy fullness as Father.  No one comes to the Father and the supreme Holiness of Him except by His blood as Christ.

I get concerned when I read how many will be deceived in the end times.  We should spend time in the Word looking at the truth and reading all that Jesus says when He says, “I tell you the truth.”  Also, we should read who will be deceived and what they will be deceived by.  We need to know the tactics of the enemy in order to be on the defense and the offense.  It takes both.  It takes knowing truth on both sides however joyful or hard it may be.  But always, it will set us free.

Reviewing the Scripture and reminding ourselves keeps the truth on our heart and mind so that when words that come that are twisted or fuzzy and maybe even a false feel-good are presented we are able to quickly identify the deception in it or research it to see if it is validated in God’s Word.  We need to do a bit of a background check. The Word also helps us not to fear or become hopeless in the times of darkness.  Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Sending a child to bed that is scared of the dark with a flashlight can help them sleep peacefully, freed from fear. They have a light when they need it.

Jesus’ power reigns in His Word and Truth by the breath of His mouth.

2 Thessalonians 2:8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

John 8:31  To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

 

 

Despite Us,Grace

 

 

Lately, I have been keenly aware of grace.  Not only the saving grace from God through His mercy, but aware of the kind of grace that allows us to be used by God, despite us.

Despite our faults and bad habits.

Despite our lack of faith.

 Despite our weakness.

In one person, I saw how He gave incredible Bible teaching that changes lives despite decades of her unbelief of the power of His Holy Spirit. Yet, His Spirit breathed through her and brought great revelation into many lives whether she acknowledged Him fully or not.  Grace.

Another person used derogatory words over others that were behaving poorly, yet he could speak prophetic life-giving and affirming messages from the LORD of great power and good.  There was power in the God-given words from the same mouth that housed lesser words moments earlier. Grace.

One who nervously feared and doubted had incredible fulfillment in an area of leading, that when stepping back and looking at the results, it would appear that only the courageous could have done it.  Grace.

This grace is in any and every successful result of ministry no matter how big or how small.  Not a one of us carries the stuff of our own to do what God does.  Not a one is responsible for the result except that we carried what He was doing.  To be allowed to carry that good is a servant’s grace.  As a master provides for the foods that a server sets at the table, it is by that grace that one can carry such wonderful things to be received and given to bless another because of Him. 

Acts 6:8  And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

2 Corinthians 9:8  And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may have an abundance for every good work.

The apostle Paul saw this in himself and saw how God used him despite himself. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 

 7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-- to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.…

Walking in the awareness of this grace drops the weight of burden of believing we have to be in perfection to do any good for God. As God said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Power perfected is the evidence of God’s grace.  It isn’t our perfection, it is His.

Where His grace falls away is in pride.  How many super-stars in the faith have come to a humbling fall? Lucifer’s own fall from God’s graces was over his pride.  I beg the LORD to keep me humble through all that He does in me and He has come up with some creative ways to do that.

The first time I was going to teach with one of those cool microphones that goes over the ear was something I was looking forward to getting to use.  Not long before I was to teach, I grew this gross looking nub on the top of my ear.  It was the very ear that the audio-visual technician carefully hooked around the microphone and ear-piece over. I had to pull my hair back as he fitted me.  He didn’t say anything about the nub, but I’m sure he was disgusted and I felt my face blush red. Embarrassed and humbled, I took the stage.  A couple of weeks later, the nub fell off.

Our first time for me and my husband to go overseas to speak and teach was a thrilling time.  Not long before we were to go, another nub grew on the top of my ear.  About a week later, my husband asked me, “What is this?” He showed me his ear and there was a nub on his.  I exclaimed, “It’s the nubbin of humility!”  I shared with him what had happened to me before and how God used it.  He laughed a little.  We went on our trip to serve, nubbins and all, and when we returned, each of ours fell off.  It’s funny and definitely not normal, but I praise God for His incredible grace and His desire to keep us humorously humble in Him. 

God is able to do all sorts of good through the imperfections that we are.  We just have to say, “Yes,” to serve, be humble in Him, and He takes care of the rest despite us.  Grace. You’ve got nothing to lose but pride and everything to gain and accomplish in Him.

 

 



The Last and Greatest Day of the Feast

 

 

Today is a GREAT day to me... to all of us.

 It is the last day of the celebration of Sukkot.  The last and greatest day of the Feast.

 Sukkot is the Jewish celebration of living in “booths” or tents/temporary dwelling places, for seven days.  It is a festival to remember that God had dwelled with the Hebrew people after delivering them out of Egypt.  So as God temporarily dwelled among them, they dwell in temporary dwellings as God did when they celebrate each year.  God asked that they do this in Leviticus 23:39-43.

“But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month [the month of Tishrei], when you gather in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of the L-rd for a seven day period... and you shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d for a seven day period... For a seven day period you shall live in booths. Every resident among the Israelites shall live in booths, in order that your [ensuing] generations should know that I had the children of Israel live in booths when I took them out of the land of Egypt”

That was a long time ago. What is so special about that, you may wonder.

God gave Moses exact instructions as to how to build the Ark of the Covenant where God’s glory and presence would dwell. 

He gave the instructions that the ark would be made out of Acacia wood and overlaid with gold.  Inside would be the components of the Testimony.  The lid would be solid gold and would be called the Mercy Seat or Seat of Atonement.  On either side, facing one another, were solid gold cherubim looking upon the Mercy Seat and between the two cherubim and above the Mercy Seat rested the presence and glory of God. 

Here’s where my incredible joy takes hold.

Everything about this speak s of God’s Presence as Jesus Christ!

The Acacia wood is from a tree whose roots has the incredible ability to reach deep into the waters far into the soil even in arid regions. It is also being used in portions of Africa to improve soil and production to agriculture through its nitrogen.  It offers shade and protection for the crops, too.  This tree can be representative of qualities of Christ’s life on earth as 100 % man on earth and God as the Acacia wood of the ark was overlaid with gold.

This is what Jesus does on the last day of Sukkot; the day the priests did the water ceremony.  This is a portion shared from Hebrew for Christians.

“The seventh (and last) day of the festival of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabba (הוֹשַׁנָא רַבָּא). Hoshana (sometimes transliterated as "Hosanna") comes from the Hebrew phrase hoshia na (הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא), meaning "save us now," combined with "rabbah," meaning "great," to refer to a great corporate plea for salvation. It was on this climactic day of the festival that the people gathered at the Temple for the water ceremony, waving lulavs and circling the courtyard while chanting "Ana Adonai - Hosiah na" (Psalm 118:25), "save us, we pray O LORD!"’

Jesus had stayed away from the festival of Sukkot until the last day of it. John 7:37-39  Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified

On top of the box of the Ark is the solid gold Mercy Seat where the priest would once a year take the blood of the sacrifice for the atoning of the sins of the people. At this time, God in His Mercy forgave.  Jesus came as the sacrifice and His blood was given for our sins.  The purity of Him as God was the blood perfect enough for the sins of the World that He gave out of love and mercy.  Solid gold. Perfection.  Only from what is of Heaven.

The two cherubim, also made of solid gold, face towards one another and their gaze is upon the Mercy Seat.  Eyes cast down as if looking from heaven and there between them rests the Presence and Glory of God. Both Old and New Testament proclaiming Christ and reflect His Presence, Glory, Salvation, Mercy and Grace.

The people cried out, “Save us!”  Yeshua, the Name of Jesus, is ‘Yahweh has become Salvation.’ Yahweh Saves!  Yeshua!

Within the Ark of the Covenant was kept what was called the “Ark of the Testimony.”  Testimony is the witness of something or the telling of events.  These incredible objects stored within the Ark and beneath the lid of the Mercy Seat at the Presence of God were the tablets of stone that had the Commandments engraved on them.  There was the gold jar of manna and there was the rod of Aaron’s. 

The Ten Commandments was the Law that God had given.  Only Jesus/Yeshua fulfilled all of the Law without sin.  A testimony of Him.

 Jesus says in Matthew 5:17  Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

A gold jar held the manna.  Manna was a word meaning, unknown.  It was an unknown food provided from God and heaven.  It came with the dew, the waters of His Spirit, and when it dried, the Manna was left; their bread of life.

Exodus 16:31-32  31 The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honeyThen Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded, 'Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'"

Jesus says in John 6:31-33  Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'" 32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."…

Jesus, conceived through the Holy Spirit, like the dew accompanying the manna, was born in Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means, “House of Bread.”

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

The next item in the Testimony is Aaron’s rod.  It signified that he would be the high priest.  It was his rod that budded.  Aaron’s rod and the others’ were placed together and God said that the one whose rod budded would be priest.  Not only did Aaron’s rod bud blossoms from that dead stick, but the blossoms flowered and turned into almonds. 

The symbolism is great.  As Yeshua died, shedding his blood on a dead piece of wood, His dead body came back to life.  After having risen from the dead, He breathed upon the disciples saying, “Receive my Spirit.”  The Holy Spirit came upon man, now saved, and made righteous so that the Spirit of God may dwell upon man and in him.  The Spirit bears fruit as blossoms bore the fruit of almonds.  Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The rod of Aaron, the appointed high priest at the time of Moses, points to Jesus who becomes the great high priest. Producing all that Jesus does as Yahweh Saves. Yeshua.

Hebrews 4:14  Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

His presence at the Ark of the Covenant was the emblem of the Covenant Promise He made to Abraham as He in His glory rested upon the Mercy Seat; the lid over the Testimony of all He would do in Covenant Promise, as He dwelled and traveled in temporary dwelling places among His people.  Today, through Yeshua, we are the dwelling place of the LORD and today we rejoice for salvation and His Living Waters that He pours into us.

The joy of this day was amplified to me because I did not realize what day it was when I began it.  Over the last week, not considering the days between the first day of Sukkot, the LORD had placed upon my heart and mind the contents of His Testimony and the make-up of the Ark of the Covenant.  I have read, studied, researched and waited on Him as He revealed Himself more and more this week, completely without conscious thought to the timing.  When I realized today was the last and Great day of Sukkot, I was overwhelmed with joy for all He is and did in me through His Spirit this week.  I knew I would write it out this evening. 

 I sat in my car this afternoon in a parking lot. I looked out at this beautiful day; praising Him and listening to music. I saw a great blast of water shoot out of a five-story building.  It was firefighters training.  The water gushed and sprayed and fell to the ground. The music played and I praised Him for an overwhelming moment to see waters burst forth.  May His Spirit and His Word and His revelation of Him cause you to rejoice on this Great Day.  His loving mercy and His testimony is overwhelming.  Yahweh Saves.

 

 

 

 



That Sinking Feeling

Truth is the hand that grabs you and pulls you up.

Last week I went through a battle with self-doubt.  It was intense.  I thought I’d blown it.  I thought the last years of research and writing was for nothing and I should have not immersed myself that way.  That I should have fought to take better care of my home and worked even harder with my business.  Because, at least there, there would be something better to show for it all.  I began to believe what I thought I was called to do really wasn’t, and didn’t matter.  I was mad.  Mad at myself, and more. 

I knew the anger and frustration was Enemy related.  I know that sense of coming down on myself wasn’t what Jesus would have wanted or how He thought of me and so I believed I was in the midst of what Joyce Meyer coined, “The Battlefield of the Mind.” 

I was down.  Big- time doubting.  I even mentioned it to a friend that I felt I had a lost call.

Praying and trying to worship God, I felt distant. It was like I was far away or He was.  I was mad. I was scared and I had lost hope.   

I had to get on the water.  I needed time with God someway, someplace that I felt He was and I’d notice.  I jumped into our boat by myself and started riding down the river.  I asked God to, “Please, show me You!”   “Show me You are with me!”

That’s when it started.  I began to tell Him how mad I was.  How hurt I was that nothing turned out the way I thought it would have.  I told Him that I felt like I wasted all of my time.  When I got it off my chest, I started to feel better.  I saw some beautiful sunrays burst out from behind clouds. 

I began to sing a song out loud, “He Lives,” a fish jumped up right beside me.  An eagle flew over that I initially ignored, until it called out and I looked up.  It circled me a few times as I sang out loud while moving upstream again.  I felt so much better.  There’s something I have always loved when it seems other creatures join in with me and interact, especially in times of praising Jesus.

God was touching my heart and replacing the hurt, loss and anger with peace, pleasure and joy.

That evening, I had some quiet time with the LORD.  In that time He opened my eyes. 

He let me know that the anger, sorrow and loss hope towards Him began when I doubted.  His plan and promise has never changed.  It was me who had.  I had doubted. 

Remembering Peter, as he wanted to join Jesus while walking on the water, he initially could until he looked around himself and he became afraid.  Jesus’ response to Peter as he sank, was a hand that pulled him up as He asked, “Why did you doubt?”

 

Matthew 14:29-31

And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

It hit home.  I had called out in truth and Jesus gave me His hand and pulled me back up and showed me my doubt through His perfect truth.

The LORD also opened my eyes to His desire to have me be completely open and honest with Him in the way I am feeling.  That getting it out there in front of Him, even though He already knows it, helps me to acknowledge the truth of my heart.

 When I see it fully, He has full access to free me fully and heal me fully. We are in a whole and functional relationship when I come to Him in fullness of truth.

He did it with the Woman at the Well when she admitted to the truth of her life’s situation to Him.  She received the fullness of knowing Jesus as Messiah and Living Water.  The Woman with the issue of blood confessed her whole truth.  She received peace and healing and encouragement for her faith.

Psalm 43:3  Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!

John 8:36  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed

Going There

 

 

This is going to be about some female issues.  Most male teachers don’t go there, fully. 

Jesus did. 

Men should. 

It’s about all of us.

Isaiah 64:5-9  NIV 

5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,

who remember your ways.

But when we continued to sin against them,

you were angry.

How then can we be saved?

6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;

we all shrivel up like a leaf,

and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

7 No one calls on your name

or strives to lay hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us

and have given us over to our sins.

8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.

We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;

do not remember our sins forever.

Oh, look on us, we pray,

for we are all your people.

 

This was a cry for help and acknowledgment of their plight.  They became like one who is unclean and that their righteous acts were like filthy rags.

 The word in Hebrew that was used for filthy is עִדִּים 

It is a noun feminine in Strong’s Concordance 5708 and is the root word which is עִדָּה noun feminine meaning: menstruation.

He is saying that their righteousness is like menstruation garments.  This is what is being translated in English as "filthy."

Blood is the life of our earthly existence.  A woman’s menstruation signified that life did not take place and the woman was considered unclean according to Leviticus 15, when she was having the flux of menstruation.  All who touched her, any of her garments or places she had been while she was in this time were considered also unclean and that which/who came in contact with her needed to be washed.

What a pain!  What a sense of humility and heaviness of soul to be called unclean.  Isaiah was writing that their righteous acts, in all their own efforts, were not only worthless, but unclean in the way of the flux of menstruation on garments.

Women know the inconvenience, the frequent pain associated, the tiredness, the ruined clothes, and the times of embarrassment.  My husband brought himself to purchase supplies for me for the first time at 28 years of marriage. It was embarrassing for him, too, but he did it out of love and compassion for me.

In walks Jesus. 

A woman, having an issue of blood for twelve years, hears that Jesus is in town. She’s heard about Him and the things He has done: raising the dead, healing the sick, freeing people of demons.

 She’s been considered unclean for 12 years. 

Years of embarrassment, feeling sick, tired, and chronic blood loss; she was desperate. She would have had to live mostly isolated.  She had sought help from physicians and in Mark 5:26 says, “and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.”

One can scarcely comprehend what kinds of atrocities they were in those days that were done to her when it says she had suffered much under the attempts of many physicians. Her complete desperation brought her to Jesus.

Mark 5:26-27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

If she touched just his clothes, His garments, she knew she would be made well.  In her unclean status, while wearing her unclean garments, she knew and believed the power of Jesus by touching just His garments.  She would strive to lay hold of Him.

Mark 5:29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.

She confessed all of it.  All of what she had, in its embarrassment, and all of what she did.  Beyond the healing, she had touched Him in her “unclean” state.  She touched Jesus, who is pure and Holy, a Jew that fulfilled the Law, and in His power and purity she was healed by just His garments.  By His robe, she was made clean and healed.  He did not condemn her being unclean, or for touching Him and taking His power, but He responded toward her faith.

34 “And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

“Go in peace,” He says to her.  No condemnation, no fear for what she had done, no more disease.  Jesus poured out His grace on top of His healing power.  He does this for us all.  Male and female.  He did not go and cleanse Himself, but immediately went to raise a dead child to life. 

Just as Isaiah wrote in that time that, “all of our righteous deeds are like filthy rags,”

 Jesus displays His time of grace in faith, revealing that our filthy rags are not held against us, but it is about Who He is and who we are to Him.

 Isaiah pleads in prayer in Isaiah 64:9

Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;

do not remember our sins forever.

Oh, look on us, we pray,

for we are all your people.

As Jesus looked on the woman, He was not angry. He thought nothing of what she had done in her unclean state to touch His garments and receive His power. 

He wanted to know “Who.”

She received. She was healed. She was told to, “go in peace,” because of His grace.  Because of her faith, she received His healing power.

 Who she was, mattered to Him.

 

 



Three Things God Doesn't Like About My Serving

Ponder. God ponders. God ponders us. We don’t realize it because we aren’t seeing Him yet.

The definitions of ponder from the Merriam Dictionary is 1. To weigh in the mind. 2. To think about: reflect on. 3. To think and consider quietly, soberly, deeply.

Here is a verse where God ponders.

Proverbs 5:21 KJV

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

God called me out because He was pondering my heart.

I hadn’t thought about how He ponders my heart in the way that I serve.  Serving is good, right?

Here’s three ways He told me that He does not like in my heart of service.  What?!

1.    You serve in fear.

He nailed it!  I have served out of fear of not doing what I believed He wanted from me.  I have served in fear to keep from His disapproval if I didn’t serve. 

 

2.    You serve in hopes of pleasure and praise.

 I have and do.  I hope that I will feel so good about myself for serving!  And I hope He will say, “Way to go, you’re the best!”  And I’ve hoped others may say it, too.

 

3.    You serve in frequent abuse of expectations and wills.

Yes, I have.  I have been pushed into serving because others believe I should be doing it and said so, or said I’d be missing out.  I have tried to meet expectations of people that have made me feel less if I didn’t serve. Fearing heavy sighs of disapproval. Abuse.

And for anyone that I have ever pushed and made to feel like they should serve or volunteer or help in times of “recruiting” that wasn’t out of love, but expectation, I am so sorry.

Here is what God then told me how to be. 

“Daughter, be free in Me being your all, and your all in being.

Just be, Daughter. 

Enjoy Me.

Serving is good, but worship is best. 

Be in worship, in peace, and in promise.  I make the remainder to happen.

Delight in Me. Read My ways and see Miracles in Me.”

I see now that anything I do in service is to be from a heart of worship.  Of “being” and that it is up to Him to lead me into places that may bless others because He is the One I am thinking of, not out of fear, or for my own praise or others’ expectations. 

But, by adoring Him! Delighting in Him!

Being… in His peace.

In His freedom. 

His promise.

We are free to be by seeing Him, admiring Him and delighting in Him.  It’s highest on His list.

 Service is good, but worship is best.