Undeserved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91hHw1YPqxE

Communion ~ (feat. Steffany Gretzinger & Brandon Lake) Maverick City

 

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23 NIV

 

As I stood before the Table, this was the first time I’d had a hard time approaching and partaking. As I stood there, staring at the Elements, I heard Holy Spirit say, “You are under the impression that you’ve ever deserved this. It’s always been undeserved.” The word undeserved hung in the air. It wrapped all around me and sat on me. But it wasn’t heavy. Quite the contrary, it was entirely freeing.

 

un·de·served. Un- meaning, “not,” and -ed indicating past tense, left only deserve. What I discovered helped me understand why it was so freeing. De- is a preposition, meaning, “from…out of,” and finally, serve comes from Middle English, Old French, and Latin, all words being equivalent to “slave,” (dictionary.com). Undeserved, therefore, is not-from-slavery. It can’t be earned. That’s what makes it grace.

 

Though I was welcome at the Lord’s Table, as His Bride, from the first time I put my faith and trust in Him, it was 15 years ago that I heard Him call me there. In 2007, I was suffering from pain, and it wasn’t getting better. One morning at church, I received prayer for healing. During the prayer, Holy Spirit spoke to me about receiving healing from the Lord’s Table. He said, “When you take the Bread, see My flesh bonding with your flesh, healing your flesh. When you take the Cup, see My blood flowing through your blood, washing away every sickness and disease.” It’s been 15 years, and His words have never left me. Though I am not always good at utilizing this beautiful and precious gift, I’ve never, before, hesitated to eat at His Table.

 

Prior to now, any pain or sickness I’d experienced was something that happened to me, not due to my own stupidity. And that’s how the devil got me. It was easier to believe the lie that previous times of healing were “deserved” because they weren’t my own fault. This time, however, I didn’t deserve healing, nor to even ask for it, because I’d made a dumb choice. That’s when the Lord stepped in and called me back to His Table. Standing there, staring at the Elements, a few words from the Lord, and everything changed.

 

It's not deserved. It can’t be earned. And that is what makes it grace.

©Heather Potts 2022

What's Worth $200 Million?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ykr17QALNY

All He Says I Am ~ Cody Carnes

 

A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. ~ Proverbs 31:10 AMPC

 

What could you get with roughly $200 million?

 

Here are some options:

·         25,000 sq. ft. mansion ($100 million)

·         "Portrait of the Artist Without Beard" by Vincent Van Gogh ($98.5 million)

·         High-tech 3D roller coaster ($105 million)

·         28 commercial wind turbines ($98 million)

·         13 miles of interstate highway in Florida ($100 million)

·         Hire Tom Cruise for a movie – or for the same amount, hire Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, and Brad Pitt ($100 million)

 

What did Jesus purchase? My Savannah. Except He paid much more and said she was worth every bit!

 

Proverbs 31:10 says, “A…virtuous woman…is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls,” (AMPC). The going rate for 1 pure carat of rubies is at least $1,000. If I had the same weight in rubies as Savannah weighs in pounds, they would be worth about $200 million. But Proverbs 31:10 emphasizes that we far more valuable than rubies or pearls. Not only are we far more valuable, but God has been thinking about us…since forever!

 

Seriously!

 

2 Timothy 1:9 says, “[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us… [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of… His own purpose and grace… which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago],” (AMPC). Ephesians 1:4 further emphasizes this, “Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world…” (AMPC). Did you catch that? God was thinking about you eternal ages ago! I can’t fathom that and Google can’t explain it.

 

Knowing this, why do we—my girls and I included—still doubt our worth? Why do words, spoken by someone other than God still sting? Because we’ve believed lies.

 

It’s time to tell the lies, “No!” It’s time for them to go!

 

When we know—fully believe in our core-being—who you are in Christ, then the words of co-workers, family members, kids on the playground, or lies from your enemy won’t sting. Then, you can boldly say, I am: A Child of the King, Loved, Beautiful, Victorious, Joyful, Transformed, Favored, More than a Conqueror, More Valuable than Rubies, and so much more!

©Heather Potts 2022

For You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAIdo707Sac&list=RDHAIdo707Sac&start_radio=1

Freedom Reigns ~ Jesus Culture

 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV

 

What did Jesus die for, for you?

 

You may say, "My salvation, of course." And that's true, He did, but He came for so much more. He came that you might have life and have it to the fullest. He came to break chains. He came to set captive free. He came to give sight to the blind. He came to overcome the world.

 

My mom and I attended women's event on Friday night. The keynote speaker was discussing the woman at the well and the shame she cared about her. Now, not everyone has known shame the way the woman did. My story certainly isn't hers. But that doesn't mean that the devil hasn't worked hard to put his shame on me. Just as I'm certain he has worked hard to put his shame on you. Perhaps you're still walking around wearing shame like a cloak.

 

The thing about wearing a cloak is that it feels so heavy when you're wearing it. It might be easily put on, but it's not easy to wear, nor does it feel easy to remove. Shame isn't meant to define your actions, but rather your identity. It says, "Who you are it's bad."

 

I think I will always ruin for the day that Jesus spoke to me about the cloak of shame I had to allow the devil to put on me. Gently, He approached me, and softly He whispered, "But I died for that, so you don't have to wear a shame like a cloak, anymore."

 

There's freedom in Jesus. He came to give us freedom! From our sins, from our past, from our future, from shame, from addictions, from defeat, from death, from spiritual blindness, and from the devil's hold on us. He came to give us freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Now the Lord is the spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Make the choice, today, and cast off that cloak of shame. Walk boldly in the freedom that the Lord has given to you!

 

What did Jesus die for, for you?

©Heather Potts 2022