The Names of God: Jehovah-Jireh

Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD Will Provide

Genesis 22:14 KJV

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Jehovah-Jireh, The LORD Will Provide. I have so many testimonies, so many blessings I could write about in affirmation of this name of God. So many times in my life and in the lives of my family and my church family when the LORD has provided, has seen to our needs in ways we did not think possible. Jehovah-Jireh sees each and every one of us, sees what we stand in need of and provides for us in ways we cannot fathom, just as He has always done. 

Abraham was the first to use this name of God after God provided for Himself a lamb to sacrifice on Mount Moriah. Abraham took a staggering leap of faith when he left that day to walk with Isaac up on the mountain. But he never doubted that they would both return. He told the men who had made the journey with them that together he and Isaac would go and worship and together they would return. He never doubted, even for a second that Isaac would return with him, even telling Isaac that God would provide Himself a burnt offering. His faith was rewarded in God's provision of the ram. God knew that Abraham was willing to give all he had to God, even his own flesh and blood, and so He blessed him with the promise that Abraham's seed would multiply as the stars of the heaven and the sands of the sea shore. And God continued to provide for the children of Israel throughout their generations.  

And we can be sure today that beyond our physical needs and wants, beyond all things worldly and temporal, our eternal needs have been provided for as well. Jehovah-Jireh provided for Himself a sacrifice once again in His Son Jesus Christ, a Lamb more pure than any other, perfect and without blemish. Once we accept His Son as our Savior, we need not ever worry again about the trails and tribulations of this life. That is not to say that we will not endure them as children of God, but that we have the assurance that regardless of the outcome of our trials,they are only temporary. Our eternal provisions have been made. My earthly home may be small, may be old, may not be fancy and may need many repairs, but my Lord has gone to prepare a place for me, a mansion in gloryland, that mortal hands could never craft. My earthly car may be outdated, scratched, dented, and in need of repairs, but praise God I'll not need it when I leave this wretched body behind and my feet touch the streets of gold that await me in Paradise. My clothes may not be fashionable, may not fit just right,and  my boys may wear hand-me-downs, but that's just fine, because my Savior is standing at the right hand of the Father, ready to adorn us in robes of white and crowns of glory.

There may be much you stand in need of tonight, but there is nothing that Jehovah-Jireh cannot provide, temporal or eternal, we must simply put our faith in Him and ask. We must be willing to take that staggering leap of faith as Abraham did and trust that God will provide for His own. We must lay our Isaac down, whatever that may be. We must be prepared to give God our all, our most precious possessions, our time, our lives, and serve Him. When we give Him our lives in service, He sees to every need, He provides at every turn and in every circumstance.

He is Jehovah-Jireh, the LORD Who Provides.

When I Lay My Isaac Down

Abraham prayed for the day 

God would give him a son 

Blessed Isaac was his name 

The greatest gift he’d ever known 

Then came the day, who would have dreamed 

God would say “Give him to me

On this mountain you will prove, 

It’s you and Isaac, or it’s me and you”

When I lay my Isaac down 

Broken heart but my Fathers proud 

On this altar here he lays 

Just to find it wasn’t him, God wanted me

Most of us I’d dare to say 

Have an Isaac in God’s way 

On the Altar God will prove 

It’s not your Isaac that he wants 

He wants you

When I lay my Isaac down 

Broken heart but my Fathers proud 

On this altar here he lays 

Just to find it wasn’t him, God wanted me

Forever

Job 1:21 KJV

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

I've struggled these last 2 months. My heart is weary. My body is tired. The days have become a battle that I grow exhausted of fighting. Today was a day that could have broken me.

Today is a day that should have been one of the most magical in my life. Today is Lachlan's due date. Today we should have celebrated his 5th birthday. He should have had 4 brothers and sisters running around him, helping him to blow out birthday candles, fighting over whose present he unwrapped first, while his Daddy wrangled them all, tossing them into the air, catching them as they squealed in delight. I should've been glowing, rubbing my belly, round with baby number 6, taking pictures, making memories. There are so many should've beens, could've beens, would've beens that today held.  

Sometimes I feel like the unfairness of it all will crush me, that I'll just collapse one day and not be able to stand back up. Sometimes I wonder if my heart will ever stop hurting, if my arms will ever feel full. Sometimes when I least expect it, the devil worms his evil way in and snatches my precious peace. I forget that, truly I'd never wish them to be here on this wretched earth with me, not when I know what they'd be leaving behind. I forget that He has a purpose and a plan for every life I've carried in my womb, whether it was 5 weeks, 20 weeks or 39 weeks.

But then sometimes, my Jesus shows up in the most unexpected way and my doubts and fears and regrets and the unfairness of it all is suddenly whisked away. 

Today my Jesus showed up in the love of a friend, a friend who understands just exactly what it means to long for a baby for years, and then to have that desire granted, but only for a little while. My sweet and precious friend had this necklace made for me. The 6 stones represent the months my babies were due and the birthstones of my Lachlan, Kieran, and Devlin. And she reminded me that, whether they are earthbound or heavenly, my babies are mine, forever. Forever. My arms may not be as full as they could've been here in this life, but my arms and my heart will be full and overflowing forever in eternity with my Jesus and my babies.

Yes He gave. Yes He took away. But He has laid up for me treasures in heaven that will be mine forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

5 Crowns of the Christian Life: The Crown of Glory

The Crown of Glory

1 Peter 5:1-4
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 
3 Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

The Pastor’s crown; it is given to the ministers who faithfully feed the flock of God and possibly includes all those who teach the Word of God in their respective ministries.

One of the greatest blessings about having children, is watching them learn about the Lord and His love for them. Seeing the smiles on their faces as they boldly and proudly proclaim that Jesus lives in their heart is one of the most joyous moments in a parent's life. To a child who is pure and innocent, there's no need to wonder about why they can't see Jesus because they can feel Him, they trust in Him, and they love Him. My boys are only 2.5 and 4 years old, and even though they don't quite understand what Salvation is, they are preparing their hearts for Him to move right in. But there was a time when I feared my boys would never know the truth of Jesus. 

One of the hardest things for me after Kieran was born was the worrying I did about how to teach Him about the Lord. Brandon and I were at odds over the ins and outs of religious doctrine and faith. For years there was painful tension anytime the Bible was brought up. So even though I went with him to "Bible study" with his family, I ignored what was being taught and I studied on my own. I hated getting into debates with him about doctrine and theory. We would just argue in circles, neither of us giving in. And we would finally just call it quits with "as long as you believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins that's all that matters."  I never doubted Brandon's Salvation, just his upbringing. 

So for the whole first year of Kieran's life I worried. And I did my best to keep us out of "Bible study." I believe the Lord had a hand in Kieran's naptime being precisely when study began, and me being a vehement believer in never waking a sleeping baby. But I had no idea what the solution to the problem was. I was terrified that taking Kieran to church would mean the end of my marriage. So I didn't bring it up. I didn't talk about taking him to church, I didn't sing Jesus Loves Me to him, I didn't pray with him, I didn't teach him from the moment he was born about the Man who gave His life to save his. I failed Kieran. I failed him miserably because I was afraid of the fight it would be to take him to church. 

I will thank the Lord everyday from now until I die, that I never had to have that fight and that my boys never had to face a future without Jesus. Just after Kieran turned a year old, and I was 5 months pregnant with Devlin, God moved in such a mighty way in our lives. Within a week, our life had been completely transformed. Yes, we lost a lot in the transformation, but we gained so much more. My boys may have lost one set of grandparents but they have gained the chance to learn about and accept eternal life, a chance that they likely would not have had. 

It has been 3 years since we have rededicated our lives to the Lord. 3 years of being back in church, growing in the Lord, and living a Christian life. So many things have changed in the last 3 years. Brandon answered his call to preach and is preaching his first revival in less than a week. He is a Sunday school teacher and he sings in the choir. He founded Help The Hurt Ministry and supported me in starting this blog. Now the only argument we have about the Bible is who gets to lead the family devotion at bedtime. 

Not only do our boys now have parents united in a love for Jesus but they also have a whole host of extended church family. They are surrounded by people who love the Lord and who love them, who teach them and minister to them. They are excited to go to church, and not just for the snacks Nanna Sharon brings them in Sunday School. Devlin loves to sing about Calvary and even though Kieran is shy and won't stand up in front of the congregation to say his Bible verse, he is listening and paying attention while the Pastor preaches and he is learning. They have relationships within the church with strong Christian men and women that they never would have had if God had not moved and worked in such an astounding way. They have a relationship with their Nanna and Poppa that I am so thankful for. There is a bond and a love there that grows each and every day. They will never lack for love.

So I may be wrong but I do believe that Crown of Glory is not only given to the God called preachers who have faithfully served as Pastors but also to the “elders” in Christian life. The deacons, the Sunday School teachers, the Song leaders, missionaries, evangelists, young preachers who are doing a service each and every day for the Lord, the men and women that my boys look up to, learn from and love. I also believe this crown is for those Mommas and Daddys who may not hold a position in their church but who teach their children and nurture and raise them in the admonition of the Lord, who make the chaotic and stressful trip to church with infants and toddlers and sullen teenagers because it matters, because even at 3 months, 3 years, or 13 years they need Jesus to permeate their lives. For the grandparents who pray unceasingly for the lost and backslid in their families, who love the unlovable, and who teach simply by living for Jesus. For the older generation in the churches who are teaching the younger generations what hard work means, what faithful and long lasting marriages mean, what living a testimony for Christ means. 

Each and every one of us have a ministry in our lives and it is up to us to faithfully and intentionally live out Christ’s love for us for the world to see Him in us. As C.S. Lewis says, we must shine, not so that others can see us, but so that others can see Him in us.

  

Advent Scripture Series: Week 4

Advent Scripture Series

Week 4

This Christmas, more than any other, I have tried to intentionally focus my heart on Christ. It has not always been easy. Life gets in the way of good intentions all too often. But I have tried to be in His Word every day, seeking out scriptures for this very series. And I have felt my heart changing, moving old bitterness aside, throwing worry out, and letting love take up the space, preparing the way for Him. It gets so stressful in the last few days before Christmas, don't lose sight of what the season is about now.There was no room for Him in the inn so long ago, don't let the same happen to your hearts. Make room for Him, prepare Him a place.

God's love was manifested towards us in that He sent His only begotten Son that we may have life and live through Him. He did not send His Son for us to forget, to deny, to reject. He sent Him because He loved us, because we were dying and heading straight for the hell we deserved. But He sent us His Son that starry night, to worship and adore. True Love born in a stable.

Every year since my oldest was born, I have read to them The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. This year was no exception. And last night, as they lay peacefully sleeping, I finished reading the last few pages of the story of the Herdmans. 6 wild and rowdy children, who had never even heard the Christmas story. Not so much unlike my own boys would have been if God hadn't intervened and changed our lives so completely. This verse came to mind as I read. Herein is love...not that we loved God, but that He loved us. He loved us so much that He sent His Son to reconcile our sin, a debt that we could never ever repay otherwise. I finished reading the story in tears, as usual, but each time I read it, it means a little more.

"It suddenly occurred to me that this was just the way it must have been for the real Holy Family, stuck away in a barn by people who didn't much care what happened to them. They couldn't have been very neat and tidy either, but more like this Mary and Joseph (Imogene's veil was cockeyed as usual, and Ralph's hair stuck out all around his ears). Imogene had the baby doll but she wasn't carrying it the way she was supposed to, cradled in her arms. She had it slung up over her shoulder, and before she put it back in the manger she thumped it twice on the back.
I heard Alice gasp and she poked me. "I don't think it's very nice to burp the baby Jesus," she whispered, "as if he had colic." Then she poked me again. "Do you suppose he could have had colic?"
I said, "I don't know why not," and I didn't. He could have had colic, or been fussy, or hungry like any other baby. After all, that was the whole point of Jesus -- that he didn't come down on a cloud like something out of "Amazing Comics," but that he was born and lived...a real person."
--The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

My niece is almost halfway through her first pregnancy. Her little tummy is starting to round out and she is beginning to show. And today as our family gathered around the Christmas tree to open our gifts, her tiny, 8oz unborn son was not forgotten. In fact he was lavished in gifts. One might ask why, considering he is not even born yet. But Uriah Luke is loved beyond measure already. He has been hoped for, prayed for, and is anxiously awaited for. Again, one might ask why? Why do we love this tiny person who is entirely dependent on his Momma, who can serve us in no way, who will truly only bring many tears and heartaches during his life, who could be seen as a burden and a hindrance. We love Uriah because we love his Momma, we love his Daddy. This baby is one created in love and one who will bring so much joy and happiness to his family. This baby is one who was not created for serving but one to be served, to be looked after and cared for, one who will never have to worry about parents being angry and bitter about late night feedings and changings, a baby who will never lack for arms to hold him, to rock him, to hug him. Uriah who was created in spite of the burden, the tears and the heartaches that accompany us all in life, he was created because of the love, the joy, and the tears of happiness and full hearts he will bring. And he will love us because we love him so mightily.

You might be thinking of another baby this Christmas season, one born of entirely different circumstances. A baby born by miraculous, immaculate conception. Born to take on the sins of the world. Born to carry our burdens, count our tears, mend our broken hearts. Born because no service we could ever offer His Father would cover the sin debt that we owe. Jesus was a baby born because He first loved us, not because we loved Him. He loved us before we knew Him, even loves us as so many of us reject Him now. He loved us in spite of our shortcomings, our failures, our total dependence on Him. And He gave the greatest gift we could ever imagine...Salvation. He gave Himself.

And we love Him because He first loved us.

Advent Scripture Series: Week 1

Advent Scripture Series

Week 1

The Christmas season has been my favorite since I was a child. It has always been magical, and not because of a man in a red velvet suit, I never believed in him anyway. Somehow Christmas makes me feel that much closer to my Savior. It is a time to remember how He came to us and why. And now as a Momma, picturing Him as an infant, vulnerable, pure, and precious, Mary nursing Him and comforting His cries, makes Him real, makes His sacrifice that much more meaningful. He came to us as a babe and died for us as a man.

And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. What powerful and moving scripture this is! And we beheld His glory. Let us not forget what this Christmas season is truly about.

Rejoice greatly! Shout! Our King cometh! He came as a babe and will come again. We must keep our eyes on Him, always anticipating His coming.

He is our light, even in the darkest night. Let us never forget to rejoice with exceeding great joy when we see His shining light! The wise men could see His light and knew they were in the presence of God while He was just a babe, laying in a manager. They came to Him when He was just an infant, 33 years before He would lay His life down in sacrifice for their sins, and still they traveled far and wide to see Him. Let us do the same this Christmas season. He has given His life to save ours, the least we can do is to give ours to worship Him with exceeding joy.

As we scramble for last minute gift ideas, run through the stores chasing sales, and do our best to top last year's gifts, let's keep in mind the wise men and their gift giving. They fell down and worshiped Him, this tiny babe in a manger, and then they presented Him their gifts to honor Him. They gave the very best they had, their treasures, in honor and reverence, not because it was on the Christ child's Christmas list. Let's be intentional in our gift giving, reminding ourselves and the recipient, of Christ and His free gift of salvation, paid for by His blood.

He shall be THE PEACE. Not just the temporary calm before the storm, but the eye of the storm, perfectly calm, still. The holiday season can sometimes be anything but peaceful. The celebrations can become obligations and more stress than they feel like they're worth. Find the time this Christmas to seek Him out, the man of peace, He will be worth it.

Mary had just received the most wonderful and terrifying news of her young life. The day Gabriel appeared to her was truly a day that would forever change the course of her life. And yet she reacted in the most amazing way. She magnified her Lord and Savior. She rejoiced in God. Her faith held strong and her joy was overwhelming. This Christmas season will not just be filled with trees and lights, parties and gifts. There will be sadness and sorrow for some, joy unspeakable for others. But let's remember our blessings, let's be humble, let's praise Him and worship Him throughout it all. Let's let our souls magnify Him.

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

Matthew 5:8 KJV

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

I have had the blessing of knowing many special people in my life including my family. People who are utterly selfless and full of love. People who have celebrated the momentous occasions in my life with me.  People who prayed for me, held me, and cried with me as I lost each of my 3 babies.  People who love my sons abundantly and have become their family. But perhaps the most special people in my life are those who serve others out of love, people who are truly pure in heart. 

I don't think I have ever been more thankful for these wonderful people in my life than I am at this very moment. 

You see, I just read an article  about a mother, and I use that word loosely, who has spent the last 47 years caring for her son who has Down Syndrome. 47 years that she has spent every single day of wishing she had aborted him. She claims she has spent those 47 years loving and caring for him and yet openly admits of 2 other instances, aside from abortion, when she either nearly did, or wished she had, ended his life.

She claims that her son, Stephen, has completely reeked havoc, devastation, and unhappiness on her life. That had he been aborted, she'd have gone on to have another child to complete her perfect family. That although, Stephen has brought many magical moments to her life, she'd trade every single one for a son without Down Syndrome. 

How a Momma could ever utter those chilling and heart shattering words I absolutely do not understand. I would trade my very own life, just to have my Lachlan back for a single day. Just to see him open his eyes and look at me. Just to see him smile at me. Just to hear him laugh and call me Momma. I would trade it all just to see him play with his brothers, to hug them, to kiss them, to know their love as I do. But praise God I know I don't have to! I know that one day my Savior will call us home and there my babies will be, together at last. In heaven Lachlan can see every beautiful shade of the scarlet blood my Savior shed for me. In heaven Lachlan can hear the heavenly host proclaiming "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY." In heaven Lachlan can touch the nail scarred hands that saved my soul. In heaven Lachlan can whisper "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the sweetest name I know." 

I know with every fiber of my being that although the chances are very high that if Lachlan had lived to be born here on earth where he'd have been deaf, blind, mute, and mentally handicapped, that I would have loved him anyway. I would have given every ounce of strength I had to care for him, to protect him.

And unlike this woman who wishes her son had never been born, I would have made sure that he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was thankful for him, that I cherished him, that I adored him.

She claims that only a parent who has known her struggle could understand. She even pleads with women who know they are carrying a baby with Down Syndrome to abort. 

And I say this, you haven't known the extraordinary people that I have.  The people who do it every day. The people who willingly welcome unwanted children like Stephen into their families to give them round the clock care and love. The people who sit up days and nights upon end to take care of dying parents out of love. The people who, having raised their own children, adopt their grandchildren, to give them a safe, loving and Godly home. People who struggle as single parents, sacrificing for their children. People who take on the role of step-parent and love their spouse's children as their own. People who take time out of their hectic lives to visit with their grandparents just to make them smile. People who drop everything at a moment's notice, bake a casserole and rush to a friend's side in a time of need. People who will simply sit and hold you as your world falls to pieces. People who above all, love the Lord and love you because you're one of His.

The people who are pure in heart and will surely see God. 

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Meek

Matthew 5:5 KJV

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Titus 3:2-7 KJV

2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

James 1:26-27, 2:1-13 KJV

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Our Ministry is called Help the Hurt Ministry because that is exactly what we strive to do. We want to help those who are hurting, whether they are lost or saved, old time saints or backslid Christians, rich or poor. Because whether or not you find yourself on a bar stool or church pew, one fact is true: you are a sinner in need of a Savior. 

In the past week and a half, this fact has become glaringly obvious in my life. It is a fact that Brandon and I cannot seem to get away from. This obvious truth, that no matter our circumstances, we are all the same: wretched and vile sinners. Christ came to save each one of us. Not just those who are debt free and wealthy, not just those in designer clothes and expensive cars, not just those with mansions and perfectly manicured lawns , not just the beautiful, talented, and famous. He came to save me and everyone like me who is up to their eyeballs in bills and living paycheck to paycheck, wearing hand-me-downs and driving upside down gas-guzzlers, living in itty, bitty fixer-uppers with ain't-had-time-in-two-weeks-to-mow lawns, sleep deprived, can't sing a note, unheard of selves. For God so loved the WORLD. The world y'all! He didn't just pick the cream of the crop to give eternal life to, He picked us all and we only have to believe in Him. 

And if our Creator, our Father, our Lord and Savior, didn't just pick those He deemed worthy, because let's face it, none of us would have made that list, then we ought not to either. We don't get to pick and choose who to love and who not to love, who to share the Gospel with and who not to, who we deem fit to darken the doorways of our churches and who ought to go back to where they came from. We all have sin in our lives, each and every one of us. None of us are perfect and none of us can claim to be. There are people all over this world, dying and going to hell because Christians will not take the time to witness to them, to share Christ's love with them because of the clothes they're wearing, the color of their hair, the piercings or tattoos on their bodies. Somehow, we Christians have become Pharisees and we are driving away the lost and the hurting in hoards. 

Please note that I am not talking about the "wolves in sheep's clothing" that we have all encountered at some point within our churches, I am talking about the lost and dying, the Christians who are backslid and walking afar off, who are in need of our love, our help and our Savior. I am not so naive to think that everyone who sits on our church pews are there for help or to praise and worship our Lord. I know that there are dangers, that there are those who would come in to flaunt their sin and to mock us but I believe the Lord gives us the discernment and the knowledge to deal with these situations as they arise. 

The scripture says it all, says more than I ever could. Blessed are the meek, the kind, the humble, the loving, the giving, to all men, for they shall inherit the earth. Pure religion and undefiled is this, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. We must go to them, where they are, when they are hurting and cannot come to us. We've got to roll our sleeves up and get a little dirty once in a while. Sitting on a church pew service after service, never doing anything for God, never telling of His love and the blessings He has bestowed on you, causes a dangerous self-deception. When we do that we forget what we came from, we forget what God delivered us from, we forget that we are just as dirty and rotten as those we catch ourselves passing judgement on. We lose our meekness, our humbleness, our kindness, and our love for our brethren and for the world. We forget that we can be in the world, witnessing and sharing our Savior's love and still remain unspotted and not of the world if our faith and our hearts are where they should be. 

If we tear down the proud wall of judgement we've built around our hearts and we remember that in the end, none of us are worthy to be called His, that we've all been offered mercy and grace by the Master and King of Kings, then perhaps it won't be so hard to extend that same mercy and grace to those around us. 

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth...

Revelation 21:1-8 KJV

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.