Dream Again

I went to bed last night thinking about dreams and how I don’t “dream” with God anymore. I used to be the BIGGEST dreamer. I knew God was the God of the impossible and that nothing was too hard for Him, so I would regularly find myself daring to dream the unimaginable and unthinkable because, from my perspective, He could do it IF He wanted to, getting all of the glory. Because of my great imagination, I would allow my mind to wander too much instead of taking my desires to God. This caused me much disillusionment and heartbreak because my desires didn’t always align with God’s will. A verse comes to mind that pretty much sums up how I felt… “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:12) I made my heart sick by allowing myself to run away with my incredible imagination. I should have surrendered the desires of my heart to God, ultimately desiring God’s will above my own. Unfortunately, I did not do this every time.

I have also greatly disappointed God by my choices and actions. I have crushed Him. Thankfully, He is a God whose heart is filled with abundant grace and love and when we truly repent before Him, He promises to “remove our sins as far as the East is from the West.” On the road of obedience, there are great blessings. In tears, I told Jesus last night that I wanted to dream again with Him, but this time I am going to take those dreams and give them to God. Ultimately, I want Him to place in me HIS dreams, desires, and purposes for my life because I know His desires will far outweigh my own. If you find yourself discouraged and disappointed, no longer dreaming with God, I want to encourage you today to take the heartbreak and pain, releasing it to God in exchange for excitement, anticipation, and joy for the dreams He has for YOU!!! Who is ready to start dreaming again?!

Delays & Divine Detours

On America’s Next Top Model we went to Santorini and last month I got the opportunity to return!!! It has been one of my most favorite places I’ve ever visited. I almost didn’t get to do the planned photoshoot because of the weather. Jesus did what only He could do and He calmed the seas. When I was a little girl, I saw a cosmetic commercial that quickly caught my attention. I imagined myself being the girl I saw on the TV. When I was younger, I thought this “desire” would just remain a dream until one day Jesus brought this dream to LIFE!!! I remember pinching myself on a few different occasions because I just couldn’t believe that those open doors were real! They seemed so unreal…. Like a dream that I just didn’t want to wake up from! I mentioned this before, but several years ago God moved me to walk away from modeling to become a nanny. It wasn’t on my radar to do, and it really didn’t make sense to me at all, but God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. I wanted to obey Him, so I left what was familiar for the unknown, trusting that where He was leading, He would be with me every step of the way. He used this new assignment to teach me things I would never have learned if I had stayed in modeling. He also humbled me and taught me more about Himself, which to me is priceless. During this photoshoot I was reminded of how much I still loved modeling and how I even missed it. I haven’t pursued it in years, but after this shoot I felt like I had never taken a break! I’m not sure what the future holds, but I know who holds the future!! My word for next year is “DREAM.” I know there may be times when God shuts doors. Then, when the time is right, He will open the door so that all may see that HE alone was the one who opened it! I also know there may be times when things have to appear or even be dead. I am reminded of the story of Lazarus. God COULD have healed him but what did He do?! He WAITED THREE DAYS, so He could show His resurrection POWER, ultimately getting all the glory! Our lives are meant to bring HIM glory, not our own, so at times He does things where we can be hidden, so He can be seen as the Author of it all!!!

I want to encourage you to surrender your dreams, desires, and longings of your hearts to Jesus. Trust that He knows what He is doing and how He wants to accomplish it. A DIVINE detour from God can propel you in the future. Remember Joseph?

Prodigal

I love the story of the prodigal son because I have been a prodigal child.

In Luke 15:12 the younger son became impatient and asked his father for his share of the inheritance which would have been 1/3 of the estate. The father graciously grants his son's request. This is a picture of God allowing us to have what we want, even though it may not be His best. God gives each one of us a "free will."

The son gathered up all he had “and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living." We can see from the son's actions that he had already determined what he would do in his heart before he took a step on his journey. "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death (spiritual death)." (James 1:14-15)

Next, we find the son in desperation, hiring himself out to a Gentile to feed pigs that were unclean animals that day. I want you to picture for a moment this son toiling in the pig pen. The son rebelled, willfully choosing to return to the life of sin and look where it got him! In the stinky, muddy pig pen! But....that is NOT where this story ends!

In Luke 15:17 it says, that the son "came to his senses." He realized that his sin was not only against his earthly father but against God Himself. He devises a plan and will give up his right as a son, taking on the position of a servant. He heads home and when he is a "long way off," his father saw him  "and felt compassion, and ran and embraced and kissed him." The Father must have been watching and patiently waiting for the son's return!! What a picture of God's unfathomable love, rich mercy, and abundant grace. He is ready to not just welcome his son back home, but also, with a JOYOUS CELEBRATION!!! "Not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) 

The father threw this son a party upon his return and that is what our Heavenly Father does when we return. God doesn’t care where you have been, what you have done because His goodness far outweighs our sinfulness. He just wants us to wholeheartedly return.

Forgiven and Free

I was an adulteress, but that is not what defines me. I am not defined by my biggest failures, past mistakes, sizeable sin, greatest accomplishments, or astounding achievements. My identity doesn't come from my job or a title, but it is found in the One who gave His life for me, Jesus Christ. He has given me a new name: redeemed, chosen, adopted, forgiven, daughter, royalty, and even masterpiece. When we truly repent before the only One who has the power to save our soul, He makes us new again, wiping our slate clean, and removing our "sins as far as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:12) Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, through the shedding of His blood, paying our sin debt in FULL, we are now seen by the Father as RIGHTEOUS. People may throw our past in our faces, reminding us of what we have done, but Jesus doesn't. He will never say to us, "Remember when you did .......?!" From His perspective, we have been made "new." Our slate is clean before His eyes. I don't know what you have done in your past, the shame or guilt you deal with on a daily basis, or the weight you are carrying. I don't know the internal struggle you may be having with going to Jesus. Maybe you are wondering how could you face the One who is without sin when you come with so much baggage. Maybe you are embarrassed with some of the decisions you made in your past and are choosing to hide from God rather than face Him. I want to remind you today, that Jesus loves and accepts you just as you are. Nothing you will say to Him will shock Him or come to Him as a surprise. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13) Jesus sees it all. He just wants you to yield and come. He desires a relationship with you. His Spirit will restore you, making you new again, if you will just seek Him, allowing Him to do His masterful work. I have often wondered recently how could God ever use me anymore. People have "disqualified" me. At times, I even "feel" disqualified myself! But, all throughout the Bible we get to hear stories of people just like me and you who have failed miserably, but GOD used them powerfully and mightily. "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27) God wants our hearts, our availability. Our past isn't a hindrance to God even though it may be to some people. Pursue God. He has a plan and purpose for YOUR LIFE and He wants to use you to impact the Kingdom of God for all eternity! Will you let Him use you?! 

Meet Mike

Mike gets up before most people. He reads the Bible, prays, and drinks a few cups of coffee. He may write a new series and/or work on the message that he will teach that weekend before he goes to the gym to train people. After the gym, he will come home and study more. I will hear him on the phone at different times, listening to people bare their souls to him because they are in desperate straits. He will often meet people for lunch who need help, words of wisdom, guidance, the truth spoken in love, or maybe just a listening ear. Mike has a HEART for people. He wants to see people THRIVE in the Lord, no longer chained to any addiction, carrying the guilt of their past, weighted down by shame, or feeling hopeless because He knows Jesus has a purpose for their lives no matter what they have done or where they have been. He always gives people the benefit of the doubt, even if they have shown who they really are because he wants to see the best in people. When he hears a need, he will do everything he can to meet that need or find someone who can. Mike is also one of the most generous people I have ever met, always looking for ways to bless other people even if it is a small gesture. He enjoys GIVING and gets great delight out of being generous, seeing people smile from ear to ear! It is one of his gifts from Jesus. Mike would be one to give the shirt off his back. When Mike was preaching one weekend a man came up to him. He told Mike how much he loved the necklace that he always wore. Even though it was Mike's favorite necklace, he took it off and gave it to the man. Here’s another story I love… Mike had a seat in first class, but when he saw a woman in the military going back to her seat, he immediately got up and offered her his seat in first class.

Mike loves to study the Bible. His face lights up when the Holy Spirit reveals something new to him that he has never seen before. He gets so excited like a kid in a candy store. Mike is tough, but he is also very tender. He does not like hurting or disappointing people. He will be the first to tell you he is human like the rest of us, with a carnal nature he has to crucify daily. When he fell, he had to deal with the consequences because Jesus would not be a just God if there were no consequences to sin, but he also had to deal with an enormous weight of guilt because of his position. He had to deal with not only the shame, guilt, regret, and embarrassment of what he did on a larger scale than most of us would have to experience, he also had to deal with stones being thrown at him, coming at him from every direction. There were also lies being spread, people gossiping, and assumptions people felt were just not true. He could have tried to tell his side of the story, refuting the lies, but instead, he chose to take all of this to the One who had forgiven him because Mike had repented of his sins. Mike knew that prayer could do more than what he could write or share because Jesus hears us when we call. Jesus can work within people's hearts. The enemy and his own heart tried to convince him that he was useless, telling him that he had no purpose from God anymore.....But God. The Lord drew Mike away for a time so he could write, "Death by Church; Life through Christ: Hope for the Hopeless." Mike found himself being the "pen of a ready writer." It was as if God put his hand over Mike's hand and just started writing....and writing...and writing. The Lord inspired Mike and the words came out effortlessly. The Lord used this to bring healing to Mike and remind him that, even though people might have "disqualified" him, the One who had him in the palms of His hands, Jesus Christ did not. Jesus reminded Mike of all the people in the Bible who failed miserably, but God still used them greatly. The only person Mike needed to please was the One who gave His life for him. Mike is also very humble. He does not see why people would want to hear him teach when so many other pastors are much more qualified than him, but he knows it is God's calling on his life. Mike truly wants to bring the Lord glory. He wants people to know Jesus and for them to experience His transforming power!!! He knows he is an imperfect man, perfectly loved by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Are you thankful that Jesus can use sinners?! There would be no hope for any of us if God required perfection!! If you are reading this and are wondering, “Can Jesus still use me? Does He still have a purpose for me?” The answer is, “Yes, He does.” "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) God does not require perfection. He is looking for hearts that are fully surrendered to Him. I want to end on this. Let's get to know people. Let's not base our perception of them on something they have done or a mistake they have made. Can you imagine if God did that with us?! #onwardandupward

Fall From Grace

I did something I never thought I would ever do, I had an affair a couple of years ago. The world around me, inside and outside, blew up. I became so embarrassed and ashamed. I hated myself for not doing what I encouraged others to do. I hated myself for going outside the boundaries of God, ultimately disobeying Him. It was hard to even look at myself in the mirror because I didn’t want to see the person looking back at me. Where was the girl who had the strength to say no on national TV? Where was the girl who would regularly turn down modeling jobs because they didn’t meet her standards? Where was the girl who didn’t put herself in compromising situations? I wanted to die.

Unfortunately, I didn’t immediately run to God. I ran from Him like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. How could I face the One who died for my sins, taking my place on the cross? How could I go to the One who was holy, righteous and perfect in all His ways when I was filthy and a complete mess? I didn’t want to face Him or even other people. How could I deal with their judgement or handle the stones they would throw at me? So I hid in my parent’s house for awhile and spent countless hours in my bedroom there. At times, I would cry so much that I couldn’t cry anymore. Even though I made very unwise decisions, I still experienced the merciful hand of God upon my life. He didn’t leave me or abandon me. Even as I am typing this I am fighting off tears because of the miraculous grace of God. I can testify that He truly is the Good Shepherd willing to leave the 99 for the ONE. He left the flock and pursued me. “But is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

One day I decided I had enough of running and hiding. From the depths of brokenness, I cried out to Him asking Him to forgive me for what I did and for the people I crushed and disappointed. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) I repented, asking forgiveness from God and from others. I wanted to do a 180, no longer continuing down the path that leads to destruction. There are definitely severe consequences to sin. God wouldn’t be a just God if there wasn’t because He hates sin. I’ve had to deal with the consequences. When we sincerely repent, He says in Scripture that “He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west,” remembering them no more. He doesn’t see us through the lens of our sins or our past like some people may see us through. He sees us forgiven and cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ, clothed in His robe of righteousness.

After I did what I did, I thought my calling from God was done. I thought I was useless. He reminded me, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) He reminded me of the story of David and Moses and Paul. He can bring beauty from the ashes (Isaiah 61:3). I have experienced the grace of God like I have never experienced Him before. I’m newly married now and the Holy Spirit is helping me to write a new chapter for my life. I own my first home. He has opened the door to modeling again and I didn’t even knock on any doors. He just opened them for me. I go to a “church” where I am surrounded by people who love me and they feel like family. The Holy Spirit has inspired me with creativity to create different things that He wants me to do that has left me in complete awe of Him. I still have to battle shame and embarrassment and regret. I wish I could go back and undo what I did. Unfortunately, the past cannot be undone. If you are reading this and have a past, wondering if God still loves you and wants to use you for His purposes, He does. If you are reading this and you are filled with shame, embarrassment or regret… ask for His grace to give it to the One who bore your shame on the cross. Shame keeps us feeling defeated, crippling us so that we cannot fulfill God’s calling upon our lives. The Bible says, “we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ,” so we can be victorious through Him!!!

In Luke 7:47 Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” My own sins have ignited within me a richer and deeper mercy for others. I am in complete awe of God’s unfailing love for me. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Our faith should always be fixed upon Jesus Christ, the only perfect One. Just like you have seen with my life, I can greatly disappoint you because I am human and have a carnal flesh that I need to crucify with the Holy Spirit’s power. “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).” I would like to leave you with this… be careful of saying that you will never do something because you just might find yourself one day doing something you never thought you would do. I’ve painfully learned that each one of us are capable of anything. How do I know this?! Because I did something I never thought I would ever do. “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).”

Spiritual Discernment

I was reading about Nehemiah yesterday, and there were a few things that really stood out to me. I love that about the Bible! You can learn something new every time you read it! The Bible says, “it is LIVING, and active, sharper than any two edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12)

In Nehemiah 6:3, we find Nehemiah doing a great work for the Lord, building the wall around Jerusalem. His enemies have conspired against him, sending messages to him four times to come and meet with them. Nehemiah answered them all in the same manner. The fifth time they send a letter falsely accusing him and the Jews, which he responds to in Nehemiah 6:8. "No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind." Since that did not work, the plot gets deadly. They hire an assassin to kill him who tries to get him to go to the house of God for protection but plans to kill him there!!! The Lord empowered Nehemiah to "see" with his spiritual eyes the real intentions of Sanballat's conniving. He knew that what the Lord had purposed, the gates of hell would not prevent His will from coming to fruition! “I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)

Nehemiah 6:12, "And I understand and saw that God had NOT sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose, he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me."

Just like with Nehemiah, the Holy Spirit can impart within us the ability to have spiritual discernment. He can empower us through His Spirit to see the supernatural, revealing that which is hidden. I know this from personal experience. The Lord has protected me countless times throughout my life. He gave me discernment to see through people's evil intentions, wicked motives, and deceptive words, the ability to sense danger that awaited me.

May the Lord give us discernment like Nehemiah, revealing that which may be hidden, protecting us from the enemy or people's plots and schemes against us. "Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

Rumor Has It

Have you ever gossiped about someone? As much as I would like to be able to say I have not, I know I have. Have people ever gossiped about you?! Maybe what was said was so ridiculous that you wanted to laugh? Or maybe it was so incredibly hurtful that you wanted to cry? Or maybe it filled you with an enormous amount of anger that you felt like giving them a piece of your mind? The Bible says, “Those who consider themselves religious and do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26) Or what about this one… James 4:11 “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement with it.”

It might be easy for us to think that gossip isn’t as bad as some other sins, however in Romans 1:28-32 gossip is included in the same verse with others sins a depraved mind commits. Calvary is a witness of how much our heavenly Father detests sin. The justice of God required death to all who broke His law. Jesus Christ, through His precious blood died in our place for the sins of the world that we could be restored into a right relationship with Him.

Do you want to be a person who is known for building people up or for tearing them down? Do you want to be one who people can trust or one that people avoid because you talk too much? Do you want to be known as a gossip or a person who hears something, whether it’s the truth or not, and chooses to pray, knowing that you will accomplish much through prayer?! Words have power. We can use our words to bless, not curse. If wisdom is what we are seeking… and I know that I am because it’s more “precious than rubies” then we need to be trained by the Holy Spirit to “hold our tongue” (Proverbs 10:19) and not take part in gossiping.

If you’ve been gossiped about, hurt beyond expression just remember the God of all creation, the “Man of many sorrows and acquainted with grief, Jesus Christ,” (Isaiah 53:3) knows how you feel. Remember what He says about you… redeemed, seen, loved beyond measure, chosen, adopted, forgiven, known, and you are His masterpiece. Your past doesn’t define who you are. People don’t get to determine your value. God does and do you know what He says?! “He makes all things new” and “You are HIS” and you are PRECIOUS.” (Isaiah 43:4)

Broken Vessel

There have been times in my life that I thought I was so broken, even beyond repair. Have you ever felt that way?! Have you ever felt so discouraged, beaten down, ruined, overwhelmed, and even hopeless that you wondered how in the world could the Lord ever make you whole again?! Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” It also says in Ephesians 2:10 that ““For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Do you know what the Japanese do with broken vessels? They take the cracked vessels and add GOLD, making an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. The inspiration behind this work is to not hide the brokenness but instead to use the gold to illuminate and expose the damage, causing it to “shine.” If we allow the Lord to do His incredible work within us, He can actually remake us into something more unique, beautiful and resilient because His work goes much deeper. It’s an inner work of the soul. When we are damaged and Christ restores us, we can become even more radiant as we reflect His glory and His goodness!!! He reveals His glory and power by mending that which was broken and restoring it!!!

Instead of focusing on the cracks, hurt, pain, scars, disappointments, failure, disillusionment, shame, and ugliness, let’s focus our eyes on the ONE who has the desire and power to make us whole again for His glory. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4: 7)

It’s A Wonderful Life

I just watched it’s a “ It’s Wonderful Life.” I have seen this movie several times, but this movie spoke to me a little differently this time. Have you ever read or watched something and got something different from it, no matter how many times you read or watched it?! They don’t seem to make feel good, sweet movies like this anymore. In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey sacrificed most of his dreams and gave up so much on behalf of the people in his small town of Bedford Falls. On Christmas Eve, George finds himself hopeless, broken, and suicidal when his Uncle Billy misplaced $8,000 which was found and stolen by Mr.Potter. George thought his life was worth more dead than alive. On a snowy, wintry night he runs to a bridge. As he contemplates jumping into the rushing water, his guardian angel, Clarence, jumps into the freezing water because he knew George would jump into save him instead of taking his own life.

Clarence shows George what life would be like if he had never been born. He got to see the impact he had on so many people’s lives and what he meant to so many people. After seeing what it would be like if he had never been born, George says, “I want to live again.”

George wasn’t perfect, but he had a purpose/calling. If you are breathing, the Lord has a UNIQUE purpose for you, that He wants YOU to fulfill. I heard this today at church, “God is a God who keeps His promises in spite of sin.” The Lord doesn’t write you off like some may do, for He has you engraved on the “palms of His hands.” (Isaiah 49:16) You aren’t worthless to God because of your past mistakes or the mess you might have made. You have great worth in the eyes of the Father… and that is priceless. He wants to use you. He wants to make you new. He wants your life to bring Him great glory! Do you know what he wants?! A surrendered heart.

“Remember, no man is a failure who has friends." We have the Greatest Friend, Jesus Christ. I pray He floss your soul with Hope this Christmas season, reminding you that He is the God of wonders and nothing is impossible with Him.

Mark Of Shame

Have you ever felt like you were walking around wearing a scarlet letter on your chest?! Maybe you think that when people look at you, all they see is your past sins or sin, making you want to run and hide like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden? Maybe when you look at people you can see from their eyes or disposition or maybe from what they may say to you that they can’t get past the “mark of shame” you are invisibly wearing. Or, maybe people are looking at you and they don’t see the scarlet letter at all?!

The scarlet letter is meant to be a symbol of shame (later becomes a symbol of identity). Instead of seeing a “scarlet letter” on our chest, what if we saw the cross?! The place where Jesus Christ bore our SIN and SHAME. “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) Guess what friend, as His child we have been covered by the blood of the Lamb and we are now clothed in HIS robe of righteousness.

God doesn’t shame or condemn us, but He does convict us of our sin. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) Shame may shout, “your sin is hopeless.” But, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world declares “through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1:20) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Our identity isn’t in our sins, it’s in our Father who made us and who knew us before He formed us in the womb. We don’t have to live feeling defeated, embarrassed, or ashamed, carrying our baggage of the past. We can live, through the power of the Holy Spirit, victorious because we have been made a NEW creation!! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) If we have repented, then our “scarlet letters” have been removed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are now white as snow.

Have Mercy On Me, God

I could say this about myself…. “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

I, like David, have cried out to the Lord, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” (Psalm 51:1-2) He answered me. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) At times in my life I have hidden from God just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden because I was also filled with shame and embarrassment. I listened to my own heart, the harsh words of others and believed the lies that I wasn’t worthy of His love. Jesus Christ is perfect, holy and righteous and I am a sinner in desperate need of His forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love. I had my eyes on myself instead of on Christ and what HE did for me (and you) on the cross.

David was a murderer and adulterer. Moses killed someone. Peter denied Jesus three times. Abraham didn’t trust God for a descendant. None of the disciples actually believed that Jesus would rise from the dead. That’s why they scattered like rats on a sinking ship after the crucifixion.

Jesus loves the unlovable, forgives the unforgivable, patiently waits for the prodigal to return home and restores the unrestorable. He is sinless, yet He loves sinners (“for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”), proving that love on the old rugged cross.

Your past mistakes don’t disqualify you from being used greatly by God. People can’t disqualify you either when God calls you to something. At the end of the day, their opinion doesn’t matter because His will trumps people’s opinions. God loves a good redemption story because He is a God of the unlikely. He is a God of Wonders and can take the mess you made and somehow make it into something beautiful.

It’s never too late to come home to Jesus.

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

When we are awakened to see ourselves as we are really are, in the depths and weight of our own sins, how can we not have compassion and mercy on others?! The Bible says, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged…Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Matthew 7:2-3) We may wonder how the Lord can love us in spite of our sins even though He is perfect and holy in all His ways?!

“For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.” (2 Chronicles 30:9) He can make all things new. The Lord loved us so very much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to die in our place. He bore our shame (Hebrews 12:2). Since we have experienced His abundant grace and abounding love, we are commanded to, “love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34) He desires a relationship with each one of us, including the one who has never known Him as Savior and Lord and also the prodigal.

Jesus died for my sins on the cross. “He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) According to this verse, each one of us stands before the Lord guilty, but through Christ’s blood… “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)!! As His children, repenting before Him, He has removed our sins as far “as the east is from the west!” (Psalm 103:12) Glory!!! We can be restored into a right relationship with the Father. God says, “that mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:12-13)

I Would Never Do That

It can be easy for us at times to look at someone else and think, "well, I would never do what they did or what they are doing... That would never happen to me!" What does the Bible say? "For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) We are ALL in desperate need of God's love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Each and every one of us are capable of doing the unthinkable. Do you know why? "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick!" (Jeremiah 17:9)  This is why Paul says in Romans 7:19, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep doing." “Wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25) Paul doesn't point his finger at others, but rather, he sees himself as the problem. Without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, each and every one of us is capable of doing things we never thought we could. We are in desperate need of His POWER to overcome our carnal flesh so that we might walk according to Truth and obedience to His Word.

Jesus said in Mark 2:17, "It's not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick." He also says, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32) The "church" is filled with imperfect people because there is only one perfect Person and His Name is Jesus Christ. In the world I have often heard people say they don’t want to go to church because they see from the Body of Christ judgment, gossip, ridicule, self-righteousness, or slander?! I'm guessing many have heard this verse, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1-3)

Jesus prayed for sinners while He was dying for their sin. Please read that again! :) With our lives, we can SHOW them the LOVE of Jesus Christ! It's God's love that changes people. May our goal be for others to see CHRIST in us the HOPE of GLORY! He showers us with His unconditional love each and every day, even though we don't deserve His love. As A.W. Tozer stated, "We cannot pray in love and live in hate and still think we are worshipping God."