Lifted from Unworthiness
July 2, 2014
Lifted from Unworthiness
John 10:10-11
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
There are many who won’t come to Christ because of strong feelings of inadequacy, sin and failure in their lives. Condemnation and judgments, from themselves or others, have left them feeling like, for them; there is no hope, no salvation or redemption. Perhaps, if you are that person, you have had a “past”. There has been sin that you don’t think God would ever forgive you of, because you might not even be able to forgive yourself. You may be on a self destructive course, because you feel there is no hope, no more purpose to life and no more reason to live.
There is a word of hope and life for that person today. Jesus tells us in John 3:16-17 the plan of God for us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” What we must never let the devil rob from us is that no matter how deep our sin, God’s love goes deeper still. His purpose is not to condemn and judge because you missed it, His purpose is to restore you to life, to lift you up from your unworthiness and cloth you with His garments worthiness and righteousness.
What a beautiful example of this we have in the story where the woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law, the Commandments said she should die. Her accusers surrounded her and demanded Jesus judge and condemn her. Jesus, with just a few words of divine wisdom showed that mercy is greater than the law, forgiveness is more precious than judgment. When He told them, “Let the one that is without sin cast the first stone”, He allowed their own conscience to judge themselves rather than the woman. Now instead of the finger pointing at the adulterous woman, they were confronted with the other three fingers pointing back at their own lives. None had the right to judge and condemn, but Christ. As our passage for today says, there was not a man that found place to condemn her based on their own righteousness. The mercy and love of God speaks to her and says, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” That is what He is speaking to you and me today. The Lord’s mission was not to judge us for our sins, but to deliver us out of them, to forgive us and set us free from the power of sin.
If there are things in your life that you haven’t been able to forgive yourself of, if there are things others won’t forgive you of; then know that there is one greater than your conscience. There is one greater than the judgments of yourself and others. It is the blood of Jesus that paid that price and there is no sin so deep and dark that the blood can’t cover it if it is simply brought to the Lord in sincere repentance. The Lord wants to put purpose, joy and hope back into your life today. He wants to lift you out of that place of despondency and despair that you have been living in. He is the doorway to that new life of righteousness that we can only have as we put on Christ Jesus by faith. And when you bring that sin to the altar and you lay it before Him in true repentance then do as the woman was told, “go your way and sin no more.” Don’t take that trespass up again and keep condemning yourself with it once it is repented of. Then you grieve the Holy Spirit, because you have not really released it and left it under the blood. As far as God is concerned that sin is cast as far as the East is from the West. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
He will wipe the slate clean for you today if you will let Him. With your repentance you no longer have a “past” that was filled with sin and failure; you have a future to no longer be a slave to sin, but rather a slave of righteousness as we live our lives, by the power of God unto obedience to Him. He has lifted you out of your unworthiness and clothed you with His righteousness.
Blessings,
#kent
Feelings of Unworthiness
July 12, 2013
Feelings of Unworthiness
Luke 15:21-24
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
I think there are times when we all struggle with thoughts of unworthiness and condemnation as we approach and acknowledge the Lord. Certainly there is no worth in our efforts or abilities to please God or appease Him for our sins. Outside of the blood of Christ we could have no right standing and reconciliation with the Father. Yet the heart of the Father stands at the window day after day watching for His prodigal son to come home. When the son came home the reconciliation that took place between the two of them was possible, because of the attitude of both of their hearts. On the part of the Father there was the attitude of love, mercy, forgiveness and the strong desire for restored relationship. On the part of the son, his attitude had changed from the arrogant, self-reliant, self-serving and selfish son that had left the Father to one who was broken through a revelation of his utter worthlessness and unworthiness that he possessed outside of the Father. When we get a true revelation of what we are outside of the Father and the utter hopelessness and unworthiness apart from Him, we then have come to a condition and attitude that is right to approach Him. This time we return in total humility, fearing and respecting our Father. This time our heart is fully aware of its unworthiness of ever again being called a son. This time we come with a heart that is broken by the awareness of our sin and repentant with the willingness to fully turn from it. Both heart conditions were present for the full reunion and reconciliation of the Father and son to take place.
Even as believers we come to the times in our lives when we have rebelled, been self-willed or let sin enter in. One day we wake-up spiritually and realize how bankrupt we have become because we have forsaken the relationship we had with the Father. We have turned our back on our sonship for selfish pursuits. Eventually we return to the realization that without the life and the blessing of the Father, we are spiritually blind, poor, wretched and naked. We have become spiritually bankrupt and void of self-worth. For a time we are willing to work in the pig pens and the filth of the world we have again partaken of. Eventually, through the leanness and the spiritual hungering of our soul, we decide that we would like to return to the Father. We find ourselves living under the cruel taskmaster of guilt, shame, condemnation and unworthiness that is telling us you are totally unworthy and disqualified from ever having a relationship with the Father again. Maybe you even felt like you had committed the unpardonable sin. “How could Father ever again love and receive back a wretch and failure like me?”
Our Father is a God of love, forgiveness and reconciliation. 1 Timothy 1:15 says, “This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” While we may still have to face the consequences of our sin and rebellion the Lord has not shut us out into the cold. He says, “The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalms 34:19)” If we are willing to return to the Lord with the attitude of brokeness and repentance; then the Lord is willing to receive us and deliver from that taskmaster of condemnation and guilt. John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What He has done for you, be willing to do for others.
Don’t allow the feelings of unworthiness and condemnation rob you from a restored relationship. All who are in Christ Jesus have come to know that none of us have any standing or worth in God of ourselves. Jesus paid the price for our sin. He alone was righteous and worthy. When we become identified with Him and the cross He makes us worthy through His righteous blood. We must simply appropriate what He has already done by faith in the name of Jesus and the blood of the Lamb. “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)”
If you are struggling with feelings of unworthiness or if you have strayed or perhaps have yet to find you way to the Father’s house. Jesus is still the way. He is the Restorer and the Redeemer of your soul. With a right attitude of heart return to Him and He will receive you again to Himself.
Blessings,
kent
