No Matter What You Think, You Are Clean.

I'm noticing that a lot of us have something in common...we don't think we are enough. While we may not say it aloud, we think God may be able to forgive HER, but I bet she hasn't done half the awful things I've done!

"The Lord called me before I was born. He named me while I was in my mother’s womb." ~ Isaiah 49:1

God knew you and every single decision, mistake and rebellious act you would commit before you were more than a twinkle in your daddy's eye. God made you to be exactly what and who you are. God doesn't make mistakes. Let me say that one more time; GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES! You were created and put here for a reason, His reason. What that reason is will be between you and God, but trust that God has a plan for you.

 "Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged."~John 19:1

God stands outside of time and sees everything that has, is or ever will happen. He knew that Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. That Jesus, a sweet and precious soul, a man who never sinned, who never hurt a single living thing but only helped the hurting would be tortured, made fun of, plotted against by jealous 'religious' leaders, and finally left alone to die the most horrible death of those times; death by crucifixion.

But first, He was arrested and beaten, betrayed by His disciples, and then flogged. What is flogging? Well, the Hebrew word for flogged is 'mastigoó', which means 'flog, scourge, the victim being strapped to a pole or frame; chastise. The word 'scourge' means, a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture.

Did you catch that word torture at the end of the meaning for scourge?  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, a man who never did anything but live in peace and help people was tortured. Here is the meaning of the word 'torture' "the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty."

In the case of Jesus, I believe it was for sheer cruelty. They wanted Him to say that He was NOT the Messiah, that He couldn't and wouldn't change the way people lived and believed. Jesus, however, cannot lie. He didn't give them what they wanted, so they tortured Him. Jesus' blood flowed freely that day. This beautiful example of humanity who never hurt but only healed. He actually SAW people and loved them anyway.It flowed for those who were responsible for His death, for those who mocked Him and plotted against Him. His blood flowed for those who cursed Him, beat Him and spit on Him. He actually SAW people and loved them anyway. It flowed for you and for me.  And, girly, He sees you. He sees the tears you cry and catches every single one. He hears your prayers and feels your frustration at the fact that you got it wrong...for the millionth time. He can hear your heart break when you fight with your husband or when you worry about your children. He KNOWS you and He loves you. Our human condition can't comprehend this sort of love because we are incapable of it. The closest we might get is the love we feel for our children, but even that is an imperfect love.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."~ John 16:33

Jesus wants you to have peace in the midst of your problems because He has already overcome every single problem you are experiencing. He goes before you into every situation and He loves you more than you could ever possibly imagine or comprehend.
 The devil knows that if we continue to believe we are 'too horrible to be forgiven', not only are we saying that Jesus' death was not enough, but we are also allowing the devil to win. How it must break God's heart to see His children fall victim to the devil who controls our thoughts with lies straight from hell. The devil knows that if all of us women began to believe in the power of Jesus' blood to wash us whiter than snow, and we began to move as one body for Christ, we would be completely unstoppable!

So, what do you say ladies? Do you realize you ARE worthy? After all that Jesus went through to save you from eternal damnation, do you feel loved? Cared for? Cherished? I do! Leave a comment below and tell me how YOU feel about all that has been done by Jesus to get you to this point in your life. Sit down when you have a few minutes alone, pick up your Bible and read about the crucifixion of Christ, then get your prayer journal and worship the God who loved us enough to send His only Son to die for us, tell Him how much you love Him and ask Him to grow your faith to such proportions that the devil is afraid to even look in your direction. I hope you all have a wonderful night!