Perfect Sacrifice

Two people went to pray
Listen to the words they say



Thank-you Lord for all I do
And that I am faithful to You

Not like those who are so weak
And do not know the words You speak

Who live below Your holiness
Quite content in their ignorant bliss

Show them the error of their way
This is a war not a game we play

Let me never like them be
Thus ended the prayer of the Pharisee



With broken heart and tears I come
Ashamed of this person I have become

I am unworthy to bear Your name
So many times I have caused You shame

Often I've failed to do Your will
And yet Lord You love me still

I cannot bear to see Your face
I have been such a disgrace

Lord have mercy on me please
I cannot live like the Pharisee



One person told of what they possessed
The other their sin tearfully confessed

One person clearly saw their brother's sin
The other focused on what was within

One person was justified in their mind
The other was hoping forgiveness to find

One person was pleased with the prayer they said
The other was too ashamed to lift their head

One person in brokeness gave all to Me
The other continued being a Pharisee



The innocent, loving little girl has been hurt. Hurt too often. Much anger, bitterness. Lashing out at those who love her most. Blaming and seperating, dividing and destroying. And yet the more she wins the more she loses.

What she does is not who she is.

I can't fix what is wrong.

But I know in this heart beneath the ashes of a destroyed life an ember yet glows.

How can the ember become a flame?

By the gentle blowing of the Holy Spirit with carefully placed kindling of love, forgiveness, acceptance, ministry (to not at), and prayer.

How long?

I have seen.....

Some embers rekindle quickly.

Some embers take much longer.

Some embers only rekindle after your death.



This work of healing, grace and restoration is not for those with schedules, agendas, or timetables. GOD is "notorious" for really messing those up.

Nor is it for those who have a "faint (give-up) heart". Those most seriously injured can seriously injure.

This is charity not investment. Hurt until it gives.

GOD, in infinite wisdom, wants to use you in this healing.

You are His feet. Go when He says go.

You are His hands. Reach out. Touch the untouchables. Embrace their pain.

You are His eyes. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see GOD (working in even the most dismal of circumstances). Unto the least is unto Me.

You are His ears. Listen with His heart not your mind. Love hears better than pity.

You are His nose. Don't be offended by the manure. A beautiful flower is trying to grow thru the mess.

You are His mouth. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Speak His heart.

The needs all around me are so great.

What can I do with the little I have?

The needs are greater than my ability to meet.

It is like I have two fishes and a few loaves of bread and being told to feed five thousand people.

Before service is brokeness.

I give what I have to the Lord and He begins to break me. Little pieces of me broken by Him begin to feed the need.

It is His doing not mine.

For if I do not let go of what I have I will never be able to give what He has.



Exodus 29:37 (NIV) For seven days make atonement for the Altar and consecrate it. Then the Altar shall be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

Whatever touches it will be holy.....



GOD grant me the vision of the alabaster box.



I am so in love with Jesus. So unworthy of Him and yet He loves me.

How can I show my love this day?

Dare I give Him my greatest treasure? That box with those little things I have secretly kept. But it only contains things that I know I should not have.

For the first time I realize that I have not given Him all my heart. That part of it is locked away in my "alabaster box".

I seek the Lord.

I find Him in a house on a day He is being honored. Surrounded by good christians with good lives. Oh, how I have failed.

And yet I see something. Is that a tear in the corner of His eye? Such sadness in His face. The room is filled with laughter and joy, feasting and celebration. Do they not see His pain?

I step forward and approach Him.

I pour out my heart with tears as I empty the contents of my "alabaster box". Those secret things I so treasured I give to Him. A beautiful perfume fills the room as all the ugly, stinking things of my life touches His head.

I fall on my face at His feet greatly weeping. Tears come profusely. I cannot speak only sob.

And then I see. His feet are dirty! Dirty? How can that be? Were there no servants at the door? It doesn't matter. I have no towel or cloth. My hair. So with tears and hair I wash my Lord's feet.

Quietness. And then I hear the whispers. They know what I was. They know how I've failed.

And then the Lord reaches down and touches my head. "Your sins which are many are forgiven", He speaks.

The touch of His hand upon my head changed my mind. I was forgiven. I was healed.

I look up into the face of Jesus. Such peaceful eyes now! A smile upon His lips. "You have no idea how precious this gift you have given is. Thank-you for loving Me enough to give it all. Go in peace, My child."



Exodus 29:37 (The Message) Make atonement for the Altar and consecrate it for seven days; the Altar will become so soaked in holiness--anyone who so much as touches the Altar will become holy.



Name It and Claim It (Different Perspective)

Psalm 60:6-8 (NKJV)

6 God has spoken in His holiness:"I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth.

7 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is Mylawgiver.

8 Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me."

In the first part of psalm 60 David is stating the "problem". The problem is bigger than he can handle without GOD. David recalls how GOD has been there in the past. In verse 4 he says that GOD is a shelter (from the storm) and strong tower (where we see from His perspective).

In verse 6 GOD "names it and claims it."

GOD has spoken in His holiness, "I will rejoice"...and then begins to claim lands and people.

Instead of us claiming the promises GOD claims our battles, problems and defeats.

Does GOD rejoice when we let go of our problems and battles? Instead of being disappointed over our failures and defeats does He rejoice when we admit we desperately need Him?



Different Perspective

Cling to your hope and do not let go
As the storm rages and fierce winds blow

Violent waves crash over your bow
You need help and you need it now

Tossed to and fro you're unable to stand
Fear grips you in its' merciless hand

Everyone scurries to save their life
The piercing cold cuts like a knife

Taking on water the ship starts to list
You can almost hear the serpent hiss

The harder you try the harder it gets
You're flooded with doubts and many regrets

Vanished from sight is the Holy Ghost
Where is Jesus when you need Him most



Below the deck the Son is asleep
As the Father rocks Him from the deep

With storm as canvas the Father creates
Preparing a rainbow for when He awakes

Gazing at the face of His beloved Son
Reflecting on things He said and done

His perfect Child to embrace and hold
The greatest love that was ever untold



The "moment" ends as fear rushs in
Bringing all its anguish and effects of sin

Exhausted from my efforts I seek the Lord
Stripped away is my armor and my sword

Without hope and expecting to die
I don't understand and I don't know why



Jesus looks at me and does not speak
Seeing my pain and knowing I am weak

He does not speak of my mutiny
When I took control of my destiny

Banished below so this ship I could guide
And my secret faults and sin easily hide



Into the midst of my storm Jesus came
Taking away the guilt and my shame

With words of peace He comforted my soul
The storm ceased as Jesus took control

I marveled at how quickly the storm ceased
When He took control and I decreased

A beautiful smile as He gazed behind me
I turned but a rainbow was all I could see




What makes a sacrifice perfect in the eyes of GOD?

How many pieces can be missing from a jigsaw puzzle and it still be perfect?

Back in the olden days, before Betty and Duncan (Crocker and Hines), people made cakes from scratch. Each ingredient was necessary for the best results.

However, alone an ingredient would taste nothing like a cake. I remember being a younger cousin and an older cousin dared me to drink some cherry flavoring. It smelled pretty good but tasted awful. It is amazing that something so distasteful can become part of something so good.



Exodus 29:37 (The Message) Make atonement for the Altar and consecrate it for seven days; the Altar will become so soaked in holiness--anyone who so much as touches the Altar will become holy.



GOD doesn't need our "perfect sacrifices".

The sacrifices of GOD are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O GOD, thou wilt not despise.

An altar soaked by the tears of repentence, a heart that desperately needs Him, a life broken and poured out completely.....this is a perfect sacrifice.

Do not bring your best to the altar, bring your all. The sacrifice is not holy unless it is complete.

from Exodus 29:37 (NIV).....the Altar shall be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

Our "alabaster box", our confession, our tears, His Blood, His Sacifice, GOD's grace and mercy when blended together by His hand can create the most beautiful lives imaginable.....when GOD does the "cooking".



Just As I Am (from church hymnal)

Just as I am without one plea
But that thy Blood was shed for me

And that thou bidd'st me come to Thee
O Lamb of GOD, I come, I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot

To thee whose Blood cna cleanse each spot
O Lamb of GOD, I come, I come!

Just as I am, tho' tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt

Fightings and fears within, without
O Lamb of GOD, I come, I come!

Just as I am Thou wilt receive
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve

Because Thy promise I believe
O Lamb of GOD, I come, I come!

Just as I am! Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down

Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone
O Lamb of GOD, I come, I come!



Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)

28 Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.



.....peace.....

Sara, I read your journal and really enjoyed it.

I hope you know the things you feel and your struggles with "getting it right" are far more the norm than the exception. Christians love to shout out the victories but loathe to whisper their defeats. The problem with that is that someone who is relatively new at being a christian thinks that there must be something really wrong with them because their life is not a series of winning battles and abundant fruit.

I have victories in my life that have glorified the Lord. There have also been defeats that have allowed the enemies of GOD great rejoicing as the name of the Lord has been drug thru the mud. I am the star in some people's "christian horror story". But there were people who invested in one as hopless as me and ignored the weeds, stones and ever circling birds and tended the frail seeds GOD planted in my life.

When I was your age in the faith I questioned GOD. I didn't understand why He didn't understand. Lot of whys, whens and hows. I felt what you feel. It is amazing how 30 years can change a person's perspective.

Ever been around a baby? Who would want one? All they do is cry and dirty diapers and demand your time and attention. They can't talk. They can't walk. You have to feed them. Why, they are not even potty-trained when they are born. It takes them years to learn how to do these things!!!

Lucky for babies are parents that love them and for some strange reason actually enjoy the infant years. Lucky for christians is a heavenly Father who loves and enjoys his precious little ones in their infant years.

So Sara, write. Pour your heart out. Let the words flow. And watch GOD's grace overflow (2 Corinthians 1). Your Father is proud of you.

One other thing.

You know how to focus. A word. A phrase. In the early hours of this morning I was thinking about Psalm 139. Actually thought to "personalize" the words of Psalm 139 in poetry. GOD said no. He said let Sara do it. I said okay.


.....peace.....