Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the
flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
For the last few weeks I've been searching my heart. . .and letting the Lord search my heart. I believe in taking communion.
I believe in taking it naturally and spiritually. I have done both.
Through the many years I've listened to different ministers of the gospel explain it one way or another.
Some feel like it is a dreadful thing to take the communion if everything is not totally taken care of in offending anyone. . .inside or outside the church. Some feel it is only necessary to take care of offences inside the church.
Some feel if you've repented to God and to the person you've offended you are eligible to take communion.
Others feel you have to have forgiven all those who have offended you in the past. . .even if they don't ask you, you like Christ must say, "Father, don't hold this offence against them. . .and mean it."
Others feel this isn't necessary. I personally think it is even more important to your salvation than repenting because I personally don't go around trying to hurt anyone. . .but I do get hurt.
I know I hurt others unintentionally. . .and I don't want to do that and should repent for anything that would stand in the way of others going on with the Lord. . .BUT it is much harder for me to forgive those who have done me wrong. . .or done my kids wrong. . .or who I feel have done the church wrong. I have to really let the Lord help me in this area.
He does help me.
He helps me to realize, just like me, that a person may not even realize they've done something offensive. He helps me "see" things from their point of view. He lets me "see" what He "sees" in them. . .their value to His building of the Body of Christ.
He shows me how he uses offenses toward me to direct my pathway. . .to show me a different path he wants me to take.
He allows me to see how I'm able with his help to be "free to love" someone who has hurt me or done me wrong. . .even if it was intentional.
I know sometimes a person strikes out because they themselves have been hurt. . .like a wild animal caught in a trap they are so hurt they strike out at anyone who tries to help them.
They fail to realize someone is trying to help remove the trap so they can recover. . .those are the times when if I allow God to talk to my heart I can forgive easily and continue to try to help them be set free from the snares of Satan without allowing Satan to get me side-tracked into being offended.
I've noticed in my own life one of the tools the enemy of our soul uses effectively on us is getting us to focus on our own pain/hurt rather than lifting up the arms that hang down and strengthening the feeble knees so they can be healed. We focus on how they hurt us and what a burden they are rather than how much they need our love and encouragement.
Anyway, I'm still not sure if I feel like I am worthy to take communion this Sunday evening or not. I don't want to take it lightly. . .or if I'm not truly trying to take care of all the "spots" in my feast of charity.
I don't want to not take it, if that's what He feels like I should do. . .I'm just still searching my heart. I'm asking Him to show me how to make everything I can right. . .not just so I can take communion but so I can be an overcomer.
I really don't want to let Jesus down.
I really don't want Him to look at me and think,
"Why is she taking communion? Or why is she not?"
Many years ago the Lord gave Stan a dream.
He was just about 12 years old and he was really feeling the dream was important. It was so real to me when he told me it was like I had the dream myself. Here's the dream. . .
Stan said there was a large group of people in the land like Bible times. . .
they were all milling around and at the front of the crowd were the leaders. . .kind of in disagreement.
Off to the side of the people was someone in a robe with
something covering his head so you couldn't see him clearly. . .like Bible robe with the hood up over his head pulled out enough you couldn't see his face.
The people in the crowd started hollering out, "Repent!
Repent! Repent!" They clearly wanted all the confusion and disagreement to stop. . .they wanted to move on out of the barren land on to Canaan.
Finally, the preachers started repenting and getting things made right with one another. . .
when this happened, the man on the side who had stayed his distance away walked to the very head of the group and took off the head covering. . .It was Jesus.
He then signaled for them to get behind him as
He was going to openly lead the way.
It was a wonderful dream. . .one that inspired me to write this song. . .
If We'll Ever See His Face
1
Have you ever brought a sacrifice that the Lord did not accept.. .
And when you questioned why?
He said, "There's something to correct. There's a brother
you've offended by some word or deed you've done. . .
Now you must make it right with him,
for he too is my son."
2
Have you even been offended. . .and you're hurt right to the heart?
Have you nutured seeds of bitterness when you did not feel a part?
You must now forgive these wounds through God's mercy and his grace. . .
For if Jesus has a work for you, no one else can take your place.
3
If you want to please the Lord, in all you say and do. . .
First you must be willing to let him be revealed in you.
He'll point out all the spots in your feast of charity. ..
Then you'll have the chance to sanctify, from these sins to be set free.
Chorus
So, let's restore ourselves, to each other and to God.
Let's renew our fellowship, let Jesus make us one.
For He really wants to show himself, wants to heal each broken place. . .
But we'll have to love each other if we'll ever see His face.
krp
Dear Lord, Help us to take your word seriously.
Help us to apply it to all our broken places so you can heal our hearts.
Lord, we want to repent and forgive. . .we want to allow you to be able to step into your position of leadership. . .you won't have to stand off to the side any longer but can reveal yourself to us and take us to eternal life.
We love you. . .but we need and want to love you more. krp
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