Mercy is still alive

For judgement is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.

Mercy triumphs over judgement

James 2:13

How many times do we forget about mercy?

How many times do we choose judgement?

When someone wrongs us or does something that is against the "Law of *Sarah*" (*Your name*) we instantly decide they owe us. 

They owe us, owe society, or even better owe the church.

Whether it is money, a life, an apology or even an explanation.

They owe us.

Wow, an explanation? 

I bet that makes you stop and think doesn't it?

It makes me think. 

If you are anything like me sometimes when I read something I go through the mental checklist.

Have I ever expected an apology, a life, money?

Nope, nope and nope. 

Well I'm in the clear!

(Obviously we know that's not true, but it is an example)

When I get to explanation my heart skips a beat.

Yes I have expected apologies before.

Maybe not money or a life but an apology, NO DOUBT.

 I honestly have expected explanations from people more than I could count.

Why do we need an explanation?

You and I both know it isn't to make sure they don't need prayer.

No, lets just be honest. 

At least 50% of the time it is so we can pass a judgement on what they owe.

Yes, we do it subconsciously, nonetheless we do it.

But what about mercy?

Mercy TRIUMPHS over judgement.

Mercy comes and demolishes judgement.

Mercy is still an option.

Mercy is still ALIVE.

 The way society has been formed around rules, laws and punishment causes us to lose sight of Father God.

My mind is frequently brought back to the shooting in Connecticut not long ago.

This guy shot several children and a teacher.

Everyone all over America decided in their hearts what he owed.

It was more than his life and he already took that.

But, what if He didn't? 

If the guy did not take his life there would be riots, protestors and mobs trying to assure that their judgement be fulfilled.

Would anyone have even considered Mercy?

No one would think that it is an option.

Mercy is ALWAYS an option.

Father God continues to show us mercy daily, hourly, even by the minute.

Shouldn't we take Mercy into account?

The Lord has been pressing mercy into my heart.

He says "Sarah, don't forget about mercy."

Now, I am here to tell you, Do not forget about mercy.

Before we pass judgement remember that mercy is still alive. 

Peacemaker

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be sons of God.

Matthew 5:9 (NKJV)

Recently I have discovered something  kind of amazing about the word peacemaker.

A lot of times we associate the word peacemaker with the sense that everything is at peace when a peacemaker is present.

Well, I have had this revelation that when peacemakers are present it doesn't always mean that everything is at peace.

Jesus is a peacemaker.

When Jesus is around tables get turned.

Jesus came into the world as a peacemaker.

People were uncomfortable with things that Jesus brought out.

Why?

Because Jesus brought truth.

He brought confrontation.

Right before you feel perfect peace in situations, relationships, and in your heart that there is a sense of chaos in some sort of way first. 

A peacemaker draws out the unsaid and sets it on the table.

Jesus did just that.

He brought the unsaid out and set it on the table for all to see.

Once we see the unsaid it's time to sort through it and decide if it is something we hold onto or something we throw off the table and move forward.

A peacemaker doesn't always reveal the unsaid with lectures, parables or a message, 

a lot of times it's the very presence of the peacemaker.

The spirit of the peacemaker tugs on something in our hearts to reveal the unsaid.

The heart of Our Father is peace in our lives.

He calls us to desire peace. 

I want peace in many aspects of my life but a lot of times it is rough ground to walk on before you find the pavement.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

Jesus is the son of God.

Jesus is the peacemaker.

As we desire to be like Jesus we desire to be a peacemaker.

Today, I just want to encourage you to remember that before peace can form,

 hearts have to be revealed.

The moment where Jesus stops being a story and becomes a reality

I have felt this story for a week now.

I told it at Wednesday night church and I haven't been able to just let it go.

The activity was: Share a moment when you felt Jesus in your life.

I was 15 years old at World Changers.

(For those of you who don't know what World Changers is, it is a youth trip where we meet and build on low income and disabled homes for a week. GOOGLE IT.) 

My parents were separating, and I was so angry.

My relationship with my mom was at it's worst. 

She was a chaperone and I honestly cannot begin to describe what I felt.

Being real, I was a huge brat. 

My best friend at the time told me and we all know that when someone tells you something true it only makes you MORE angry.

I was just that, MORE angry. 

In World Changers there is one evening during the week where we don't have a speaker just worship and prayer.

After I received this truth slap to the face I went up to the service to escape from chaos.

I sat down in worship and Holy Spirit was moving. 

People around me were encountering the Lord and I was trying to numb my heart.

Then an old hymn begins to play.

"Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow. 

Lord, now indeed I find thy pow'r and thine alone

can change the leper's spots

and melt a heart of stone."

I'm tearing up remembering all the emotions.

He melted my heart of stone.

Jesus Christ paid MY debt and raised this life up from the dead.

I broke down, I felt the Lord say "Sarah, I paid your debt, don't you think I paid your moms debt too?"

I began think, "Who am I to hold on to that anger?"

I began to repent and let Father God love me. 

Of course the song moved right on time. 

"I'm coming back to the heart of worship."

Oh and did I come back to the heart of worship.

I came back and I poured my heart out in worship.

That night, Jesus Christ became a reality in my life.

He stopped being a story I hear about every year on Easter and Christmas.

Jesus Christ became a person who is alive and moving.

That night the reality of Jesus began saving my life.

The timing was impeccable. 

Two months later my brother died,  and within a year my parents were officially divorced.

If I hadn't had that encounter with Jesus, the thought of where I would be is almost unbearable.

I know I wouldn't be married to my dream.

I would have never have been to Africa.

And I wouldn't believe in restoration of relationships.

I am sure you are wondering what the point is, or maybe you are just crying like me.

My point is:

Jesus Christ melted my heart of stone and carried me through every single moment of my life.

Where I felt no hope, He hoped for me.

Where I felt helpless, He helped me.

Where I was lost, He found me.

and 

Where I was bound, He set me free.

He still does.

The moment where Jesus stops being a story and becomes a reality changes your life.

It moves your heart where it has never been moved.

It brings you to a place you never imagined you could be.

I just want you to realize how incredible that moment is.

Maybe you've been there? Maybe you haven't?

Either way, there is NOTHING I would change about that moment. 

I encourage you to reach for your moment.

It's there, like a fresh ripe fruit for the picking.

It's just waiting for you.

Stop trying to Qualify.

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it,

do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

that you may walk worthy of the Lord.

Colossians 1:9-10a

Giving thanks to the Father,

 who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:12-14

Stop putting a qualification on grace.

There is not a certain degree you have to have, a position you have to be awarded

 or a level of righteousness you have to reach to walk worthy of the Lord.

We received worth the day Jesus died for us.

It is so easy to put a qualification on being worthy of our inheritance. 

But, guess what? GOD DOESN'T. 

He qualified us to partake in our inheritance. 

What is our inheritance?

HIS KINGDOM.

A lot of my life I have assumed that His Kingdom is in the end. 

After we face trials, tribulation, and hardships we will enter into the Kingdom but that's bad doctrine. 

"Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven."

The Kingdom is HERE. 

Part of our inheritance is HERE.

Walking in our worth is opening up Heavens gates and releasing our inheritance.

NONE of which requires anything except your heart. 

Being redeemed means YOU ARE REDEEMED.

There are NO stipulations.

Our Father takes everyone of us WHEREVER we are at and meets us.

He comes and speaks His Kingdom over our hearts.

Stop allowing darkness to control you.

Stop allowing darkness to tell you that you are not worthy of your calling.

Stop trying to qualify

OUR FATHER SAYS WE ARE WORTHY.

That is enough. 

Foster Relationships

 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—

Ephesians 5:28-29

"BUT THEY FEED AND CARE FOR THEIR BODY, JUST AS CHRIST DOES HE CHURCH."

This verse could take the meaning to someones heart of how to treat your spouse, or just an example of Christ's love and how He treats the church. Today, I want to take it back to just people in general.

The Lord as been speaking to me about the word "Foster." What does that mean? The other day I was feeling upset, insecure and my worth started to drop. I felt like I didn't know anything about what I was doing and everyone around me did and they just went on. It was almost like a play, one small act is losing it because they can't remember their line but the mains are pursuing greatness on their own and forget about the small act. I was praying and praying "God, why do I feel this way? I know nothing! Why am I even here right now? There are other things I know I could be doing." I went on complaining and whining for another few minutes and when I quieted down and listened He said, "Foster" I piped up and asked more questions. "What does that mean? What are you saying?" He responded, "Sarah, foster relationships." I started to go through a list in my head to figure out the definition of foster. Foster care, foster parents, foster home.... What do they do?  They care for, raise up,  help children develop in who they are. I looked up the definition of foster and here it is:

foster  vb. to promote the growth or development ofto bring up (a child, etc);  rearto cherish (a plan, hope, etc) in one's mindchiefly  ( Brit )  a. to place (a child) in the care of foster parents  b. to bring up under fosterage — adj5.( in combination ) indicating relationship through fostering and notthrough birth: foster mother ; foster child6.( in combination ) of or involved in the rearing of a child bypersons other than his natural or adopted parents: foster home

I realized this is who we are called to be. Just as Christ does the church, we are called to nourish each other. We come along side one another and promote growth, help them develop who they are in the Father. We are called to cherish each other and raise up one another. Sometimes it is so hard to let someone take over where you are at because you don't think they are ready or you can't let go. But, if we foster someone and raise them up in their skills and promote their hearts the how much easier is it to let them take over and pursue the Father's heart. In all we do we should care about others hearts. It's so easy to pursue our own stuff and not even realize the person next to you is drowning. All it takes is one look to the left or right and grab hold of their hand. It's time to set a standard that brings an open door to fostering relationships. That standard brings a vulnerable heart and it might be uncomfortable because we might not know what to say to someone who is hurting but the Father does. All we have to do is love, encourage and promote growth. All we have to do is foster their heart. 

Ask me! Ask me!

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 

Proverbs 23:7

This is such a short verse but has so much wisdom brewing with it.

I cannot tell you how many times I have placed my thoughts in the wrong place and my self worth went down the toilet.

Our value is so temperamental when it isn't in the Lord.

Our hearts have this giant roller coaster as we are "looking for ourselves".

Everyone is trying to find who they are and what their worth is and sometimes we look everywhere except the place where it is constant.

 This morning I want to tell you what I saw as I was going through my quiet time with the Lord.

I read Proverbs 23:7 and I felt the Lord draw me away.

I saw Jesus around all of these people seemingly invisible because everyone is looking for something else.

He is sitting there like an eager child just waiting to be found.

It reminded me of hide and seek.

Everyone is looking for their value and it's Him.

He is so excited He can barely sit still.

I hear Him saying "Ask Me! Ask Me what I think of you! Ask Me who you are!"

At last someone finds Him, He is so excited!

He places the most beautiful robe on them and a crown of gold.

He draws them near, "Royalty that is what you are. You are worthy. You are beautiful. I believe in you. I placed dreams in your heart, pursue them. I love YOU."

Their value has been found, it is in the Lord.

That value never fails because it is the Lord.

The Lord never fails because He is love.

LOVE NEVER FAILS

1 Corinthians 13:8

If you are tired of the ups and downs and just want something constant. 

I challenge you today to turn around and let the Lord speak your value into your heart.

You are royalty, your inheritance is there just waiting to be found.

Turn your ear.

I love the Lord, for He heard my voice;

He heard my cry for mercy. 

Because He turned His ear to me,

 I will call on Him as long as I live.

Psalm 116:1-2

MILEY CYRUS. 

Yes, I just brought this girl up in my blog. 

I can imagine all the thoughts that must run through your mind when you see her name.

I am sure very few of them are positive.

Today I just want to offer a little perspective.

If you do not know what I am talking about feel free to youtube it.

I didn't actually watch the VMA awards but, I saw everyone posting about it so I youtubed it.

My heart instantly broke.
All I saw was this princess crying for help.

I saw her crying for someone to turn to her and pick her up.

I saw her identity compromised and her self esteem at it's lowest.

This sweet princess has millions and millions of people around her and no one hears her cry.
She is just one example of many people who have this same cry.

I want you to stop envisioning a "disgusting" display of someone's body.

I want you to take a step back and look from the Lords heart.
Parents, stop telling your children that Miley Cyrus is not appropriate.
Though that may be true, she is crying out for help.
Telling your children she isn't appropriate could tell them "it's not okay to cry for help."
Teach them the Lord's heart.
Teach them that they can cry out for help and you will notice.

When we are at our absolute worst the Lord TURNS HIS EAR to you.
We all have our cry for help, whether it is an emotional breakdown, anger, revealing your heart in the way you dress, depression, ect. 

There are people all around us that are on a constant call just for someone to turn their ear.

Miley is just the latest example. 

Her cry was significantly more noticeable and received the opposite of what the Lord calls us to do.

Take a look around, people are hurting.

Who are we to judge someones cry?
Who are we to say that the cry the Lord TURNS HIS EAR to is "disgusting"?
It is time to take the Lord's heart to heart.
It's time to turn our ears to the cry of a princess.
Let love pour out of your lives.
There are plenty of princes and princesses around,  TURN YOUR EAR.