Jesus' Pockets

 Yes yes I know. I haven't forgotten you! (me) The holidays and chaos got the best of me, but I'm back! I'm too late for Christmas day. But lets make pretend! To the one that makes Christmas, Christmas...


Someone once asked me, if I sin. They asked me this because I said that I was a Christian, I loved the Lord and the Word of God. You might have thought that I said that I was perfect. I'm not sure why anyone who was perfect would need Christ. But I guess you never know. So, I thought about it for a minute. I mean, of course I sin. I try not to. But sometimes I'm not that great at controlling myself. Fortunately God is patient with me and helps me grow. Jesus said He took my sins and washed me clean. I know that they don't count anymore. That God doesn't see them. But people do. If I say I do not sin, I lie. If I say that I do sin, they might think its because God is not strong, or that I don't love Him or that what Jesus did for me didn't work or wasn't good enough. Then I had an idea. I said, You should ask Jesus! What? They asked looking at me strangely. So I repeated, "Ask Jesus to check His pockets. Cause one second I was a wretched sinner and the next I was all shiny. See, someone told me not too long ago about a man named Jesus. Before that, I thought this world was pretty great and that life was good and that I was a pretty nice person. But then I learned more about Jesus and God and heaven. I was taught about a love like nothing I had ever known. I knew who God was, but this was different. I didn't quite get what I was missing. This man, Jesus loved me so much, that He let His flesh be torn open and made ('made') my sins enter in,  just so that I could be clean enough to enter into His Fathers house. A gift, a home I did not earn. I don't know why, I sure didn't love Him at all, but He did it anyway. See, He was so sinless and so perfect, that he had a ton of room to fit all my garbage. And I don't mean just trash. I mean my sin, my bad habits, every bad thing that ever happened to me, every bad thing I ever did, and believe it or not, every bad thing I will ever do. Lots of others have their stuff in there too. You really should ask about it Anyway, So He took it and He carried it away all by Himself. But it was crazy cause, He had to die. I thought that was so sad at first. He didn't do anything wrong. He got caught with my sin not his...but He didn't get caught at all. No one made Him do it. He volunteered He actually wanted to do it. But whats really cool is, because all the sin was in Him, IT died too! So He took sin straight to its grave and left it there. The most amazing part was when He told me, that not only did He take my sin, but He took my death too! He took it, death, and He killed it! Did you even know that death could die!? So guess what? Not only am I clean enough to enter Gods house...But I can't die now either, ever! Amazing stuff!So now the world may see a sinner. Someone who says they are good, but sometimes still does bad things. Bad things is what the world likes to focus on.I guess that means I do sin. But here's the thing, what the world thinks, it doesn't matter anymore. Because I don't live for the world. I am just here for a while. Just like Jesus. I am in the same world that killed someone who was perfect, and did nothing wrong. This world is something I will never be. It seems alive, it thinks its alive, but it's already dead. They only see the dead parts of things. They don't realize that they focus on my bad parts because they are with my sin and death in the grave. See, they can still die. They have not seen nor do they know true life. So they see with dead eyes.  Its like they don't really see me at all. At least not what Gods sees. Its very strange tho. Like  some kinda weird double vision. From the grave they can see the parts of me that Jesus took there. But, the part of them that is not yet dead, the part that they don't even know is in them,  you won't believe this...they see God. Some really hate that. But a few, they want what I got. So now I can tell them how to get it. Then I get to watch Jesus do it again! Its great when their double vision goes away. Their new eyes, living eyes, can tell what is living and what is dead.  And not only can they somehow see that spirit living  in me...but I can see theirs too!  Now, we don't just know each other, but our spirits know each other too. Can you say chills? So cool. Its breathtaking. Now get this...its the best part! (yes, it actually gets better) God said that I am without blemish. I was still quite shocked to hear that, even knowing what Jesus did. Its hard sometimes to feel clean in this world. But He said it. He said, my new house was clean and empty and brand new . Being vacant and shiny and so spacious now with all the garbage gone, the Holy Spirit said, My that looks like a nice place to live. Neighborhood kinda stinks. But the house is great! In fact, its perfect!  He moved in the same day. He decided it was so nice and clean, that He did not want to rent. So he bought this house and called it His temple. I know He means that literally because I can hear Him singing songs about God all day long...its  really, really nice :-). Then He made me a promise. Yes! A promise. After all that He still wasn't finished with me. He said, my debt was fully paid. Whaaaa??? No debt? You mean, I'm free? In every way, from every burden? Yep! He bought, cleaned up, fully furnished, replaced the old stony heart with one of His own, a special soft warm fleshy heart AND paid in full everything that He just gave me. But! It gets better! Now, when I am ready to retire, He is going to knock this temple down and make me a new one. Not of flesh or of wood or of  stone. It won't need maintenance or repair. It will be glorified and perfect and it will be on mountain top on my Fathers land in a great neighborhood and it will last forever. It will have to, because remember, I can never die. It is to be called, Gods house. In Gods house I will dwell.So back to my original point...While I try soooo hard to be good every day, to be a good example and to show people, not the old Jesus I thought I knew, but the real Jesus I know now...sometimes, I still mess up. But He paid in advance remember?  This day I speak of, the day He did all this, was long ago and His wounds have since healed. So if really you want to know if I sin. You'll have to check Jesus I try to lighten His load, but its all in there. He says he never looks, though people will always want to see.You'll have to check fast.He cleans house daily. Oh, and if you're interested, He's got room for yours as well. In fact, He asks for it. He already paid, you just have to hand it over, hold His wounded hands and walk with Him always. Go ahead ask. I am not ashamed. Take a peek. Tell me what you see.If, while you're searching in there for all the things that I have done wrong, you find any loose change, that's mine too. But you can keep it. Because my debt is paid in full and my house is clean and my Father is the Almighty God. I don't need money where I'm going. I just need to hold my Saviors hand.