final days forum

This Broken Vessel Restored Blog Tour with Paulette Harper

Final Days Forum helps to kick off a blog tour for author Paulette Harper who will discuss her new book, That Was Then,This Is Now,This Broken Vessel Restored on various blog, radio and podcast sites on the Web. Paulette's "Devotional Reflections from the Bible" on "The Woman with the Alabaster Flask" is today's featured post:

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, and He went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.

And behold, a woman of the town who was an especially wicked sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment (perfume).

And standing behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with [her] tears; and she wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet [affectionately] and anointed them with the ointment (perfume). Luke 7:36-38 AMP

What a heartfelt story of redemption and gratefulness to God. As I reflected on what God has done to bring me to this point in my life, I find myself reminiscing on the state of my condition years ago. Broken, scared but restored, like this woman I had many things that needed forgiving. This beautiful woman received forgiveness from the Lord and her gratitude was shown by her anointing Christ with some costly perfume. Her attitude of thankfulness was expressed by her tears and the kissing of his feet. She affectionately kissed his feet. I believe this to mean that she was so thankful because Jesus did not reject her or even reflect on the fact of her previous lifestyle. She had much to be forgiven for, a prostitute, a lady of the night, an outcast as the Scripture described her.

This story is a true symbolism of how our attitudes must be when we approach a loving, forgiving and merciful God. This woman possessed something of great value and could have been used elsewhere, but she wanted to express her gratitude to Christ in a way only she knew how to do and with what she had in her possession. As we mediate on the state of our condition years ago, last week and even yesterday, know that God has not judged us according to our deeds but has forgiven us according to his character and nature.

What we have in our possession is our worship, praise and thankfulness to the One who would gladly receive all that we can give when it comes from a heart that has been forgiven of much. As I lay before my Father with tears rolling down my face, I was so grateful like this woman for my life that was restored and made whole through his unfailing love.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paulette Harper is an emerging Christian author making her debut with her first inspirational book, That Was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored, a compelling story of deception, heartache and ultimate victory. In 10 chapters she masterfully uncovers the hidden obstacles she faced as the “first lady” and how she eventually broke through those barriers.

A native of Pittsburg, CA, Paulette travels as an inspirational speaker and licensed minister teaching people how to overcome life’s unexpected experiences by delivering a strong message of hope.

Beyond her writing ability, she has a passion to lead people to a clear and precise understanding of how life challenges can become one’s ultimate source of victory by sharing solid, biblical principles that will enable people to find a way out of every trial so they can reach their God-given potential.

For more information about Paulette and her new release, visit: www.bvministry.org or watch the book trailer.

 

SHARE WITH US

In the comment section below, share a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, for what He has done for you. We can never repay him for what he's done, but we can give him all the praise and glory.

To share your story and fellowship with others, we want to invite you to join the This Broken Vessel Restored Facebook Group.

The audacity of violence

Great prayer is needed after the slayings in Colorado at the Youth with a Mission in Arvada and New Life Church in Colorado Springs. My heart goes out to the families and friends of both the victims and the shooter.

An Associated Press story today quotes an unidentified investigator who says the shooter "hated Christians." Whether the shooter, who reportedly grew up in a godly home, despised believers or not, the tragedy demands our prayers.

But may we not react in horror to this form of violence and ignore its bloody trail elsewhere.  A violent spirit stalks our neighborhoods and gathering places, and its victims are everywhere. Victims are slain by gunfire at an Omaha, Neb. mall, felled by gang hate in our urban centers and ripped from life in domestic violence cases across the country.

To smugly say that kind of violence only happens somewhere else, we increase the power of violence to act with impunity.

Back to prayer

Why I neglect prayer is a personal spiritual mystery. When I am consistent, the power of prayer unmistakably pervades my life. When I neglect it, the chaos is just as evident.

 Prayer purifies, strengthens and restrains the forces of darkness; how can it be viewed as not essential? But this spiritual discipline remains a struggle -- an inner wrestling with the ease and the labor of prayer.

 Prayer can be like breathing in a spring breeze after the staleness of being house-bound for the winter. I linger with the Father. Prayer also can be a pounding, a hammering at my flesh. This is where the Holy Spirit intercedes for me -- with words I do not understand. For it is only in Spirit-led prayer that I actually pray the best!

Get over it, Judy; prayer is a divine match to be faced. Every day and every hour I must return to the ring and battle against the folly of prayerlessness.

The best of old school

Revival means something to a small Baptist church I visited last night in Denver. The strength of praying saints hovered  in the church stuffed with summer heat and saturated with the presence of God.

The fact that this small church with so much power was clear when the pastor stepped to the keyboard.  His voice sounded like the smoke-cured voices of blues and jazz artists of the past, and his passion for God smoldered in every note. 

Our grandparents and great-grandparents may have worshiped in this mode of simplicity -- from the fields of Mississippi and Georgia to the neighborhoods of Chicago and Harlem. Their praise and sermons spilled from pain, joy and glorious prayer. And  for those who took hold of it, those sanctuaries became places of destiny. Future fathers, mothers, leaders, construction workers, bankers, teachers, and doctors sealed their covenant with God in those churches and never forgot that place of Bethel.

Although God is calling us to go beyond the places where generations past walked, may we cling to the simplicity of worship and prayer. May I cling to it.