This morning as I prayed, telling Father God how much I desired to have communion with Him in my time of Bible study a thought came to mind, “damaged goods.”
Damaged Goods noun
English Language Learners Definition of damaged goods
: products that are broken, cracked, scratched, etc.
informal : a person who is considered to be no longer desirable or valuable because of something that has happened : a person whose reputation is damaged
I believe the longer time you get to live life, the higher probability you will at some points have the opinion of yourself that you have become “damaged goods” in the eyes of God and man. There are things we go through, so of them we even bring upon our own selves that tarnish our self image. These events of life can even come after having a genuine “Born Again with God’s Spirit” rebirth. If you read my testimony in the sidebar you will know I am speaking from experience concerning this.
Anyway the “damaged goods” thought from left field left an impression on my mind and heart as it reminded me of my failures. A pastor named Ben Haden used to say, “we sin from our nature, habit and choice.” Sinners saved by God’s Amazing Grace is who we are, plain and simple. Even on what we think of as our “best days” we fail miserably at living up to God’s standards. Approaching Father God from a humble, “I need Your Mercy & Grace” attitude is not a bad thing. Then I started my daily Bible study. I started with the YouVersion verse of the day as I always do,
As I thought about this scripture it made me think of how the Holy Spirit knows better than myself, every one of my weaknesses, failures and outright sinful thought or deed. The Holy Spirit also knows the attitude of my heart towards those things. Praise God that while I get discouraged with my lack of ability to express my desire to overcome those things and live a life 100% pleasing to Father God, the Holy Spirit, the “Helper” is here to intercede for me. Thank you Holy Spirit for expressing to Father God my displeasure with myself when I “miss the mark.” Then I moved on to my Tecarta Bible app.
In case you miss the connection, it was in John chapter 14 that Jesus spoke of sending the “Comforter” the Holy Spirit. The NKJV uses the word “Helper” to describe Him.
John 14:15-18, 26 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
If you have been truly “Born Again with God’s Spirit” you can have peace, be at peace with God. The Holy Spirit is with you and in you to bring that peace. Jesus Himself is at the right hand of the Father ever interceding for “Born Again” Christians. Jesus has presented His Own Precious Blood on the Mercy Seat of Heaven. His Blood can do what no other blood can do. It alone has the power to cleanse the conscious of a sinner to have true “Peace” with God.
Hebrews 9:11-14 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
After thinking how the Holy Spirit helps me get over the “damaged goods” feeling of myself when past failures come to mind I read the Tecarta devotional of the day, https://tbibl.es/9iBO
Father God is so faithful in pouring out His Steadfast Love. 2 Timothy 2:13 If we believe not (are faithless), yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
The scripture verse of Psalm 36:3-7 automatically brought a scripture memory song I know very well to mind.
In the lyrics of Don Moen’s song he speaks of how Gods draws near those who have faith in Him and make Him their King. The throne of our life has room for only one, it isn’t a “love seat.”
Your steadfast love Extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness Reaches to the clouds
Your righteousness Is like majestic mountains
And your wisdom Like the depth of the sea
And you come to me
Filling my heart With your loving kindness
I find my peace In the shadows Of your wings
I eat my fill From the abundance Of your household
And I drink From the streams Of rejoicing
‘Cause you are my king, You are my king, You are my king
And if all these scripture readings and devotional topics so far were not enough to show the ways Father God draws near to me and you to overcome the “damaged goods” feeling, the MyDailyBible app verse of the day bolstered that thought, Bible https://www.mydailybible.org/dv/nkjv/2020-09-06.htm
Lastly the MyDailyBible app readings, DailyPlan : one-year-tract : 2020-09-06 #Bible https://www.mydailybible.org/dp/esv/one-year-tract/2020-09-06.htm from the prophets makes it crystal clear that Father God takes care of His own. He can’t deny Himself and those who are truly His are in Him and He is in them as Jesus told us in John 17:20-23. All children of God are “sealed.” They are “marked” literally. Some people will accept the mark of the beast one day but Father God places His Mark on His children as spoken by Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 9:3-6 Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; 4 and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”
5 To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. 6 Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
And from today’s reading from the Gospels in John chapter 10, Jesus told us,
John 10:27-30 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
When the thoughts come to mind reminding you of your sins, faults and failures to make you feel like you are “damaged goods” think instead of the Faithfulness of Father God and ALL the promises He has given us in His Holy Word. If God’s Holy Spirit is in you he will “bring all things to your remembrance,“
You don’t “remember” things you haven’t experienced. You can’t recall a scripture verse if you haven’t heard or read it. This is one of the reasons it’s so vitally important to know the Word of God for yourself. The enemy can beat you up, black and blue and fill you with overwhelming despair if you don’t have the Word of God hidden in your heart to fight him with. Jesus was lead by “The Spirit” into the wilderness to be tempted by satan. LET That Sink IN. Jesus fought satan with The Word of God. If He needed to, How MUCH More do we???
In a multitude of ways, throughout the scriptures found “InTheWord” of God we have a Hope. We find Peace. We hear the Word of God bearing witness with our Spirit to reassure us that in God’s Eyes we are NOT Damage Goods. We ARE NOT!!!
Denzel Washington speaks of what it’s like to live, succeed and fail in walking with the Holy Spirit of Almighty God,
Jesus Is The Aleph & The Tav, The Alpha & The Omega, The First & The Last
א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω א ת Jesus Α Ω
In The Word 