GRACE WHISPERS

Jesus the Soul’s Remedy

 

Grace Whispers: Who can know the depths of your soul, the folly of your ways, the sinful acts and behaviors and still love you? Jesus said, “I do and I will love you forever, no matter how long it takes for you to believe me! I do!”

 

My new book, “My Return Home to Innocence” (on Amazon.com), Chapter 5 title, “The Hidden Keys.” This chapter is about my great-grandmother introducing Jesus Christ to me through pictures in her Bible when I was around five years old. Grandmother Pinkie showed me a picture of Jesus in Mary’s arms bleeding from His head, arms, and sides. I was taken by the way He laid slumped dead, covered in blood, and bloody sweat gushed from His brows. When I asked her why Jesus was looking like that, she replied, “For your sins, He was wounded and killed.” I didn’t know what sin was but what I understood, was, I caused His suffering, and I didn’t want Jesus suffering for me.

 

Chapter 5 also reveals my baptism at age eight because I felt so dirty inside because of the sexual abuses and knew I needed to be cleansed. I learned in church from the songs we used to sing only Jesus can make a dirty heart clean. This chapter describes two golden keys given to me in Chapter 1. The golden keys are humility and faith. In order for me to give Jesus access to my heart and soul, I had to humble myself and see my need for help. Secondly, I had to trust and believe Jesus came to save me and free me from my chains of sin.  I gave my heart to Jesus and got baptized. But after I got baptized, I didn’t feel clean at all. No one taught me about salvation and faith in the New Creation I was in Christ. Actually, the darkness of my soul became more intense and made me do things over the course of my life I hated doing; I hated who I had become because of it.

 

Many of us who were or is ruled by sin, addiction, passion, fear, or desire understand what it feels like to be trapped like a slave in a prison, doing things, saying things, and acting ways that make us feel like the scum of the earth. And the thought the enemy always brings to us, “Does Jesus STILL love you after you have done this thing, thought this thing, or acted this way? I couldn’t believe Jesus could love me either, especially because of the life I had lived and the lies I believed as a follower of Christ. And, because I couldn’t and didn’t believe He could love me, I WORKED HARD FOR HIM TO PROVE MY WORTH! How about you? When lies arrest our mind, the way most of us conquer it is by DOING and not BY TRUSTING THE TRUTH.

 

I have been guilty a million times of listening and believing the lie! One day I heard my Jesus say, “I knew every sin you would commit before you committed it. I knew every evil thought you think before you think it. And, I saw every evil act you will do before you do it. Guess what? I still love you and nothing you will ever do or say will change my heart towards you! Nothing! Your sins were paid with my blood, in full.” The scriptures He gave me were:

 

 Romans 5:8 (Amplified Bible)

 But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

Ephesians 1:4 (Amplified Bible) 

Just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, (before there was an earth) so we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight.

 

Ephesians 2:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

And you [He made alive when you] were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins, ² in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

 

 

Am I to continue to believe the lies the enemy feeds me each day when Jesus has spoken these words? Do I continue to hold to the lies of my past or do I believe the TRUTH of what He has said to me? I believe the TRUTH! At the point when I accept His Truth, it is at that point, I am FREE! Listen to my words, WHEN YOU AND I LOOK INTO THE EYES OF JESUS, THE TRUTH, AND ACCEPT HIS GIFT OF FREEDOM… THE TRUTH, THEN WE ARE FREE! There will be nothing else for us to do. So, I agreed with my Lord and with each new area in my life where I believed a lie, I exchanged the lie for the TRUTH of what He says, and that little seed of faith In Christ’s finished work… allowed me to enter through the doors of the FREEDOM IN CHRIST that is already mine!

 

 

I heard a song one day by Casting Crowns, called Jesus Friend of Sinners. I love the words to the song because as believers we often forget how wretched we were when Jesus found us. We sneer and look down upon those who are lost or our brothers and sisters still struggling with sin. And in our self-righteousness, we look down on them and treat them with contempt. But I am so grateful that Jesus never looked down on me. He never turned His face from my wretchedness or said, “You are too stinky, I can’t touch you, hold you, or embrace you.” Thank you, Jesus, for continuing to love this broken and humble soul! I will NEVER FORGET WHO I WAS AND WHO I AM NOW!!!

 

 

Here are the lyrics to the song. I hope you hear their hearts.

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth’s become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who’s writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees
No one knows what we’re for only against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they’re the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

 

Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

 

Songwriters: John Mark Hall / Matthew West

Jesus, Friend of Sinners lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY6VAy9y_iQ