Do You See What I See?

He approached the front of the auditorium this morning with his guitar.It has been a long time since he has stood in this same place.  As he began to read a scripture and then pray, I was deeply moved. He began to lead the congregation in the first song, then the next, the voices began to rise and this worship leader did what he is so uniquely gifted to do. Using his musical talents, and showing his love for Jesus, the congregation was blessed by an awesome time of worship.

But, do they see what I see?

Can they see beyond the talented man standing before them, to what is really happening right before their eyes. Do they get what happened this morning, or do they just appreciate the wonderful sound?

Not too long ago this very man made some poor choices. Committed a crime, and went through some very tough times. Very public tough times. His story does not stop there. He paid the consequences for his actions. He returned to Jesus. He repented publicly and asked for forgiveness. He changed his ways. His family has been healed.

Do you see what I see?

This morning was not about a man returning as the worship leader.

This morning was about what God is all about. It is the story of Jesus. It is the story of how someone messed up really bad. How Jesus forgave him. How a church family showed grace and forgiveness as Jesus has called them to do.

Do you see what I see?

I see grace flowing freely, not just being academically talked about.

And it is beautiful.

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Daliy Devo- Luke19:1-10 Do You Need To Climb Up or Down A Tree?

Luke 19:1-10

19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (ESV)

Lord as I read this read this account of Zacchaeus in Your word, I read it today not as a children's story to be told to a Sunday school class, but as an adult who needs to hear what You want  heard today.

I feel like Zacchaeus in a way. I'm climbing high up here to look into your word because I feel very small compared to it. This is what I see. I see a man who had heard about you. A small, hated man. I know he is small because your  word says he is. I know he is hated because he is a tax collector. We don't even like our present day IRS agents so I know he wasn't liked. But I see a man who desperately wanted to see YOU.

Jesus knew Zacchaeus was looking for him. And Jesus knew this man's heart well enough to invite himself over to dinner. The small, hated, sinner, is the one out of that entire crowd that Jesus wants to spend time with. Zacchaeus didn't hesitate. He JOYFULLY received Jesus. And he immediately repented of the wrong doing he had done. And Jesus' response? He immediately forgave him.

Why oh Lord did You not execute justice for all the wrong he had done to people? Why did You not just cause him to fall out of the tree and die? Why did You not publicly rebuke and humiliate him? That's what those grumblers in the crowd were waiting for. They were not happy that You chose to forgive and spend time with that sinner.

Why?

Verse 10, in Your words Lord, tells it all.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Help me to be like Zacchaeus. Seeking out You. Seeing You. Choosing to repent when You show me I have done wrong. Accepting Your forgiveness that is Your alone to give. And above all, let me never be a grumbler in the crowd when someone else does those as well. After all, You died and rose for this very thing.

Today:

I will climb whatever tree I need to,so I can see you. The tree of Your word.

I will climb down out of the tree I am in to joyfully receive You.

The tree of my sin.

The tree of my pride.

The tree of lies that You will not forgive.

I will climb, then I will chase after your heart!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Daily Devo- Luke 18:9-14 "Self Righteous or Justified?"

Luke 18:9-14

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (ESV)

 Lord, I know I sin and fall short of what I should be. I am trying. I desire to serve you with a pure heart. Please let your Holy Spirit continue to mold me. I never want to be found to have the attitude of the Pharisee. I never want to think that I am more righteous than anyone else. All of my righteousness comes from you. All of anybody's righteousness come from You. To attack someone else, and to say how horrible a child of Yours is, would be attacking Your righteousness. Lord, I am nothing without You!

Today:
I will remember that You desire my humility. This means, not comparing my life with others, but looking at You, and knowing that You alone are God, and I am not!
 

Chasing After Hearts,
Glenda Johnson 

Daily Devo- Luke 17:1-10 Temptations, Forgiveness and Servatude

17:1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (ESV)

As I read this and meditate on it , my heart cries out to the Lord.

Lord please help me to remember who I am in relation to who You are. I never want to be the one who Satan uses to tempt someone to do wrong, especially the the little ones. Please keep my heart and my motives pure.
 

As I deal with people around me, Please let me 'Pay attention to myself". 

Let me always watch and be aware of what I do and what I say. And when someone sins against me, let me remember Your words, "You must forgive him'. If a person says they repent, I must take them at their word and forgive. There is nothing else that I can do. I must forgive. There are no other judgments I am to make. I forgive, it is then all turned over to You.

I find it interesting that in this passage right after the command to forgive, the disciples ask for their faith to be increased. I believe that it takes great faith to forgive people and then embrace and love them. If I forgive like you do God, then I must forgive and forget as you do. 

To say" I forgive you, but I will not forget what you did", is really just another way to say,"I don't really forgive you at all'. So please increase my faith so that I can learn to forgive like you.
 

The last part of this verse Lord is really the key. It is reminding me that I am just a servant. I am to serve you and expect nothing from anyone simply because I am doing what you have called me to do. I must be humble and my motives must be right. I pray that I never do anything to be seen of men, or for a reward or pat on the back. May all I do simply flow out of gratitude for who You are and what You have so graciously done for me.

From beginning to end, this passage is about my heart's motives and choosing to love like Jesus or not. It really is as simple or hard as that. Whether it is simple or hard, is my choice.

Today I will chase after your heart God, by how I love and forgive your children!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

The List Keepers

<sup>I am thinking a lot about forgiveness today. As I do, I am comforted in the fact that Jesus has forgiven me for many things. I have discomfort today as well. My discomfort come from "List Keepers" You know, those who think it is their "God-Given appointment" to dig up anything wrong you have ever done in your life and "bring it into the light" for all to see. So as I struggle with a battle going on in the earthly realm, God gently reminds me, that the spiritual realm is where my strength come from. 


As I was praying this morning, this is the passage that came to my heart:</sup>

^{Luke 7:36-50}

 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
      "Tell me, teacher," he said.

 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
      "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

 ^{As I read through this passage, a couple of things really jumped out at me.}

"If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

^{Really?! Jesus knew exactly who she was. Some say this was the woman who had been caught in adultery, that Jesus forgave. Whomever she is, people knew her sins. Furthermore, in reading this, unless you participated in her sin with her, you knew about it because it was being talked about. By "list keepers".}

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 

She loved much. That is a powerful statement coming from the one who is the author of love! And Jesus also says she had MANY sins, and that they had ALL been forgiven.

That is comforting to me! Jesus can forgive my many sins. My love for Him matters! My love for other people matters! "List keepers" don't take into account love. That never seems to make it on the list.

  Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

These words spoke right into my soul this morning. I can go in peace knowing my sins have been forgiven and my faith has saved me!

One of the hardest things for Christians to do, is allow others to be forgiven. If Jesus has forgiven someone, do we the right to "keep a list"?

Hebrews 8:12 

For I will forgive their wickedness
      and will remember their sins no more.

To keep a list is to say you have more authority than God. That is a scary place to be. 

But The love thing.......Much love......

I wanted to know just what Jesus defined as love, since He equated her having loved much with forgiveness. Here is what I found:

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

This is a powerful passage. This describes love the kind of love that God has for us. 

  

it keeps no record of wrongs.

  If we want to love like God, we MUST not keep any record of wrongs.

The response to that tends to be, "OK, I'll forgive, but I do not have to trust you!"

always trusts

If we are to love like God, we must trust. There is no love without trust. There is no argument that can be made to this except to choose to disobey God's Word.

I too, can be a "list keeper" of sins. As a matter of fact, I am guilty as charged. But today, I will burn that that list out of my mind, and out of my heart. The only reason I should care about someone's sin, is to lead them back to Jesus! Not to throw them and their sin into the public arena for ridicule. I have the ministry of reconciliation, not humiliation! And if Jesus has already forgiven that sin between the two of them, I am entering a realm that I do not belong in! And I don't know what has gone on between Jesus and another in their private prayer time!

I choose to be forgiven because I have much love.

For Jesus.

For others.

I am thankful Jesus remembers my sin no more!

I think I may become a " list keeper" of a different sort.

I will keep a record of the good I see others do and recognize it.

That is the start to Chasing after God's Heart!

Chasing After Their Hearts,


Glenda Johnson
womanaftergod@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
http://www.facebook.com/BibleBowlGlenda

Grace, The Lessons In The Valley

March was a long time ago.

A very long time ago.

I have learned an incredible lesson over the last several months.

It has come from walking in a valley.

The cause?

Being silly enough to think I should blog on GRACE!


It seemed so right. To blog on GRACE. Logical. I have taught three woman's bible study on GRACE.
I had learned so much. After talking with many people, it became obvious that in all actuality, few people really realize what GRACE truly encompasses. So, in my excitement, I figured I would share what I had been so deeply touched by.

GRACE.

And I could have sworn I heard a whisper say, "REALLY?"

And so the journey began into the realm of really being taught what GRACE is.

I had a sin debt that I owed to God. One day He will call the debt due, and it will need to be paid in full. The problem is, the only thing that can pay that debt, is my life. In death. Oh, and may I mention, it must be a perfect spotless life to sacrifice to pay the debt. Now I am in trouble. I know my past. I know what I have done. While I might be willing to freely die to pay this sin debt, it would still not cover what I owe. Now I am in deep trouble...

This is where GRACE stepped in. Jesus, who lived a perfect, spotless, blameless life, chose to intercede on my behalf. He and God the Father and the Holy Spirit, set up a plan for Jesus to die in my place. God would accept this. What is really awesome, is that this plan, was put into effect even before I even cared who God was, or what I owed Him.

My sin debt was paid when Jesus died and then resurrected on that cross so many years ago. I did nothing to deserve it. I did nothing to earn it. I was just loved enough to be given a lavish gift far beyond anything imaginable.

I must however accept that gift. And I have. I have chose to believe and obey God, and have been covered by the blood of Christ. I, in essence, chose to unwrap the gift that has been waiting for me since before I was born.

The good news is, that everyone reading this has a gift waiting too, a gift of GRACE.

Open yours today.

Had I written this blog in March, that is where this would have ended. But, there has been 6 months of teaching in valley for me.

I did not just receive this gift of GRACE for my own salvation. GRACE is NOT just about my soul escaping an eternal separation from God. It is about how you live, act and treat other people.

I have been in a valley.
I have had a war declared on me in the last 6 months. I have done everything I can to bring peace. Learning to show GRACE while under fire has been a very painful thing. It is however, what God has called me to do.

So to end the series on GRACE, these is what I learned in the valley:

1. NO ONE has done ANYTHING to me that even comes close to what I have done to the Almighty God, the Creator of all. And yet, He shows me GRACE daily.

2. My reputation, and my motives are truly known by God. Jesus was misunderstood, falsely accused, and treated very poorly for most of His life. And yet, He chose to die to redeem those any way.

3. I am called to serve, regardless of what others may claim. My service is between Jesus and myself, no one should be able to hinder that, unless I allow them to. People claimed Jesus was wrong when he did His father's will. And yet, He did it any way, because it was what He was called to do.

4. I am called to love like Jesus, no matter what. No circumstances, no excuses, no twisting of Scripture to fit my own feelings. Jesus was attacked, spit on and beaten by the very ones He created. And yet, He said, " Father forgive them, for the know not what they do."


All of the above is GRACE. Not just to be accepted, but to impart as well. I cannot save a soul by showing GRACE, but I can lead someone to the ONE who can save their soul by showing GRACE.

It's been a long one today. Thanks for hanging in with me. I am back to blogging, so the next one won't be 6 months worth!



Chasing After Their Hearts,


Glenda Johnson
womanaftergod@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
http://www.facebook.com/BibleBowlGlenda

My New Years Resolutions

These are my TOP TEN New Years Resolutions.  Take a peek.

10.
1Pe 4:7  The end of everything is near. Therefore, practice self-control, and keep your minds clear so that you can pray.
I will be self-controlled this year so that I am able to pray with a clear mind.

9.
1Pe 3:15  But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. 
I will strive to make sure that every answer I give to all will be with gentleness and respect. I will never use the Word of God or the guise of truth to beat anyone up.

8.
Psa 119:30  I have chosen a life of faithfulness. I have set your regulations in front of me.
I will keep God's Word forefront in my mind. I will be faithful to Him in my words and deeds.

 
7.
Psa 27:13  I believe that I will see the goodness of the LORD in this world of the living. 
Instead of looking for the negative all around me,  I will choose to see the goodness of the Lord all around me.


6.
2Ti 2:1  My child, find your source of strength in the kindness of Christ Jesus
I will find my strength only in the kindness (grace) of Jesus. I will stop trying to find it within myself or others. 


5.
Pro 25:15  Patience and gentle talk can convince a ruler and overcome any problem.
 I will have more patience with people. A little time will help solve problems instead of demanding immediate changes from those around me.

4.
Psa 62:5  Only God gives inward peace, and I depend on him. 
If I want peace, I can only get it from God. There are no worldly circumstances that  can produce the peace I am craving.

3.
1Th 2:20  You alone are our glory and joy! 
Only God can be what I glory in and what I can have true joy from. Nothing I can do or experience aside from Him can truly be glorious or joyful.


2.
1Pe 4:8  Above all, continue to love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. 
I will choose to love deeply. In choosing to love, I will be able to look past some sinful things to be able to show the love of Christ to those around me. And pray that others choose to view me through that same lens.



1.
2Co 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and-look!-all things have become new!

I will remember every moment of every day that I have been made new! I can live a new life for Christ. The old life with all of it's failures and pain and sorrow can be behind me. I AM A NEW CREATION!

Any of these sound like a resolution you need to make? You too can be new!

I also should add, out of total disclosure, I have resolved to lose 50lbs to be more healthy!

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson
www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
womanaftergod@gmail.com

But He Betrayed Me!

http://www.Freefoto.com

Today I am home. I should not be. I should be with Body at the church building. The flu, however, chose to invade my body and keep me home. But it did not keep me from Jesus.

As I was in fellowship with Jesus in His word I was struck by something.

Betrayal.

It seemed to permeate everything I read this morning. It shouldn't surprise me. Betrayal is everywhere.

I talk to women everyday that feel betrayed. By husbands. By children. By friends. By employers. By the church. Some betrayals are deeper than others, but betrayal is still, just that, betrayal.

So what do you do when your husband betrays you?
When a child betrays your trust?
When the church, that is supposed to show God's love and truth, betrays you?

Run to Jesus. He has been there.

Mar 14:18  While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, "I can guarantee this truth: One of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me!"
Mar 14:19  Feeling hurt, they asked him one by one, "You don't mean me, do you?"
Mar 14:20  He said to them, "It's one of you twelve, someone dipping his hand into the bowl with me.


A close friend, one that Jesus hand picked, one he has shared three years of his life with. Betrayed him. And for all those three years, Jesus knew the betrayal was coming.
He loved him anyway.

Ok, Ok, so Judas HAD to betray Jesus for the plan. Maybe, maybe not. But just in case you need something else.

Mar 14:29  Peter said to him, "Even if everyone else abandons you, I won't."
Mar 14:30  Jesus said to Peter, "I can guarantee this truth: Tonight, before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me."
Mar 14:31  But Peter said very strongly, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never say that I don't know you." All the other disciples said the same thing.

But Peter did just that. Betrayed Jesus that very night. All the other disciples ran away. In his darkest hour, those closest to him, left him alone and betrayed.

So what does this mean for you?

When you are betrayed by those closest to you, you get one step closer to being like Jesus.
That's what the purpose of life is to be, right? Become more like Jesus and point others to him.

So what do you do when you are betrayed? Let's let's see what Jesus' last words were after his betrayal:

Luk 23:34  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing."

It all lies in forgiveness.

Who do you need to forgive in your heart today? Talk with the One who has been there, then do it. There is a new day waiting for you free from the bondage betrayal puts on us.

You can beat betrayal with love and forgiveness.

Jesus did.

Chasing Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson
twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63