{Acts1711} It Doesn't Matter

{Acts1711} It Doesn't Matter
Psalm 139 - A psalm of David.
"O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night -- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - - how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" NLT
"It doesn't matter what you've done, or not done. Behaviors, and words, are only an indicator of what's in your heart. I haven't walked in your shoes but I do know this: the same Jesus Christ Who died for me, died for you. He loves you, therefore I love you. He knows the struggles you've had, the wounds you've incurred in heart, soul, mind & body. He sees the circumstances, wrong associations, deep seated unmet needs, rejections & betrayals that you've endured.
"He doesn't judge you, therefore I don't judge you. He will keep you honest, however, about working through all that negative stuff in your life so that you can resolve it, with His help, and overcome it so He can restore & reconcile your life.
"I am here to help you, figure it all out, make sense of it, find healing for your heart, acceptance of yourself, and a new lease on life. There's just about nothing that will shock me, so you can be as honest as you need to be. If you want my help, I will not criticize but provide an honest perspective so that you can heal. Do you want to heal?"
The above is what I often say to a new client, or group of clients, Bible passage included. As a Biblical Counselor, my job isn't that of a secular nature (trained by psychiatrists or psychologists) but of a heart (and whole person) nature. I've spent much time studying the nature of person-hood found in the Bible, specifically learning of / from Jesus. See Psalm 139, Matthew 22, John 2, 1 Samuel 16.
He alone gives us the model of excellence on how to understand and relate to others. He sees the heart of a person, what goes on deep inside hidden from most others. He knows fully what we humans are made of: heart, soul, mind and body. He sees beyond the behaviors to the real 'us'.
And He loves us. So much love that He willingly died for us, letting Himself be sacrificed in obedience to God so that a relationship with God can be had, once again.
God's holiness cannot allow sin in any form therefore God had to have a once-for-all sacrifice of blood (weird but true, according to the Bible) in order for sin to be paid. Jesus paid for that sin, He paid the ransom so that if we, each of us as we choose, believe on Jesus, we will have a restored/reconciled relationship with God. It has nothing to do with us, it is all a gift from God. Ephesians 2, Romans 6, Romans 10, John 3.
There is nothing we do to earn it. We just obey by believing on Jesus, and then we continue to heed Jesus' words in our new life as a Christian.
So when I speak those words above to a new client, they begin to realize that I am on their side. I will do all I can to help them overcome life's difficulties, if they are willing to take rebuilding steps too. It's all a matter of choices. Jesus chose to obey His Father, God. He chose to love. .
I choose to love. I choose to overlook the behaviors to see the real person, and I value that person. I listen to them. I try to show them Jesus in me, and give them hope.
People are often broken in heart, and though they may not show it on the outside, God sees past their outside to their hearts. We, if we call ourselves Christians, must be sensitive to others. It's part of being a Christian, Jesus said.
Jesus called us, that means He said we must be if we truly are Christians, to be burden bearers. That means we care for the needs of others, Matthew 25. My clients are women from all walks of life, some wealthy, some impoverished, some from prison. It matters not to me from where they've come, only where they choose to go, and I encourage healthy choices going forward.
Jesus also said we are to be (no ifs, ands, or buts here, it's a command) encouraging to each other, dealing with life honestly and each other kindly....as we give out so will it come back to us, Matthew 5-7.
Is there someone who needs your encouragement today? Loving them, in heart, as Jesus does? Do you need the encouragement, the kindness, mercy, grace & love to overcome, to rebuild a relationship?
Start with Jesus, read through the Gospel books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and get right with Him first.
http://www.billygra ham.org/SH_ StepsToPeace. asp
Then ask Him to help you build (or rebuild) those relationship fences.
You may be surprised -- someone might just be waiting for you to reach out to them so they can give you all the encouragement you've ever wanted, and more! Acceptance, friendship, mercy, grace, kindness, understanding, love.
What Jesus gives us when we come to Him.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
Copyright 2010 Gretchen Offord, Acts 1711 Ministries. All rights reserved, however permission is granted to forward this article electronically without any changes made to it.
--The head may seek God, but it is the heart that finds Him. Jeremiah 29:13 --"This is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth." John 17:3
Acts 1711 Ministries ~ Searching The Scriptures to Know Truth