Don't Let It Stop You

The Lord is all-knowing, and all-seeing. There is nothing that escapes His knowing, or slips by His perception. You can’t think of anything outside of His knowledge. You can’t do anything that surpasses His ability to view. He sees what we’ve done, and what we’re doing.

There is a repeated statement in Revelation 2 & 3, made to all seven churches there. It is: "I know thy works." He said that to each church, and really, to every believer. Each individual believer in those churches, and in the Body of Christ today, should take serious thought about that statement: He knows!

But there’s something more awesome than that. The Bible reveals to us that, not only does He know our works - what we’ve done and what we’re doing - but He knows what’s in us. That tells me that He knows what is in us that hasn’t come out yet.

He knows our tomorrow. He knows what we’re going to do. And yet, He calls out to try and alter our activities, causing them to be godly actions. He knows what’s within us. Whether good or bad, whether godly or ungodly, God knows what lies within each of us. Now I don’t know about you, but that sobers me.

John said it this way: "Jesus knows all men. And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man." Jesus didn’t, nor does He, need to be told about anybody. He already knows that person better than we do. Many times we want to talk to God about people. We want to tell Him how much better we are than them, or where this person and that person is failing.

But these scriptures reveal to me that God knows what is IN man. We judge by what we think we’re seeing come OUT of man. But He knows what’s in man, and has no need for anyone to enlighten Him concerning another person.

And though it’s always wrong to be judgmental toward someone, where we really go wrong is that we don’t know what’s in them. We know what’s coming out, but we don’t know the root of their actions - for they are buried deep within the confines of the heart, which no one knows but God.

We see people’s expression of anger and resentment, but we don’t know the hurt within them. We see their withdrawal from relationships, but we don’t know the devastation that might have existed in the previous one. The truth is: We cannot rightfully judge anyone, for we don’t know what’s in them.

For many, at some point, a seed of sorrow was sown in their life, and then watered with tears of dis-appointment, the root of resentment and bitterness took hold. Now they are living with a tree of inward turmoil, that is growing out of control. For others, a seed of sin was sown, and through failed attempts at resisting temptation, habits formed, addictions grew, and now all they see is a forest of failure.

The result of each of those is a revolving cycle that has them reliving past pains, and regretting past actions. Many feel like they have to put on a facade - but God knows what’s in you. And that’s what matters.

I don’t know where it was that we took the wrong turn in valuing man’s opinion over God’s. What every person has to remember is that God knows what’s in them - and He invites them to come to Him anyway! The Lord doesn’t care where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, He wants you to come to Him.

And He even invites you to come to Him in spite of what’s in you! Christ died for you while you were a sinner, and that tells me that He doesn’t care what’s in you, and He’s not looking for you to get cleaned up before you come. Come like you are and let Him wash you and make you clean. He can transform you from the inside out, and you’ll be a new creature through the power of His touch!

As we look into the text in Luke 7, we see a woman, who is a sinner, coming in unto Jesus, and worshiping Him with unashamed and unabated actions. The woman didn’t care who was there, or who was watching, or what inconvenience or embarrassment it may cause anyone.

The simple truth is: She was there for Jesus, and nothing or no one else mattered.

The problem was she was sitting in a Pharisee’s house. The Pharisees were very religious. They knew the scripture, and took pride, too much pride, in themselves. This "un-named woman" came into the house where Jesus was, stood behind Him weeping, washing His feet with her tears, and began drying them with the hairs of her head. She proceeded to continually kiss His feet, and anointed them with a box of ointment she had brought with her. It was a magnificent act of worship. And worship is an act and an attitude.