I was raised a Catholic. I walked down the isle of a huge congregation to receive my first communion in a white dress. I was also confirmed in the Catholic church. One day, as a broken little girl, I fell prostrate before this statue inside the Cathedral at the age of 7 asking “What can Jesus do for me, He is dead”. My Lord Jesus never abandoned me. At the age of 34 a Mexican neighbor invited me to a revival at his church. God knew my broken heart needed to hear the Truth and in 1985 I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and given my first Bible. The word of God jumped into my soul and I have never been the same. Forty seven years have passed and His faithfulness has been journaled! I know that Catholics respect Mary for she was asked by God to bear the shame of an unwed pregnancy. With only her blind trust in God, Mary held fast to the STRENGTH that He gave her to withstand the rejection and condemnation that followed. As gossip encircled her, God knew she was a virgin. There is not one scripture that reports that Mary became defensive of her reputation. Humbly she swallowed ridicule as she held tight to the experience God had given her with His angel. Mary believed that by God’s word, she would give birth to a holy Child and name Him Jesus. God chose Mary, an ordinary girl to trust His plan, purpose, timing and ways. The Girl I Was

The God-Man Jesus walked among mankind and obeyed His Father. Jesus was the perfect, spotless Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. Mankind’s redemption was set in place by God’s faithfulness and Mary’s trust and obedience. Mary never healed a person, her tears never raised the dead. Hebrews 2:17 spells out the perfect obedience of Jesus, not Mary. Like all of mankind, Mary was born in sin, therefore she was not perfect. The virgin birth told in Luke 1:34 was God’s plan. Only Jesus heals, only Jesus is called Lord of lords and King of kings. As Jesus gave up His last breath on the cross, the temple curtain was torn to give us all access to the High Priest, Jesus. The submission and sacrifice of Jesus for mankind’s sinful nature is the Truth and Jesus alone is to be worshipped. God Almighty in His word tells us to run from idol worship. 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” Hypocrisy Matthew 23:28 “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” We confess our sins to Jesus as in 1 John 1:9 ” If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Jesus is our High Priest as stated by God Hebrews 3:1 “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and High Priest.”

When Jesus gave up His Spirit the temple curtain was torn and the separation between the High Priest (Jesus) and the common man no longer existed. All of God’s children gained equal access to God through the torn curtain. Worship became a matter of the heart, not external actions, locations, or postures. By compulsion, out of our love for God, we worship Him as our spirit mingles with His. Our known transparency causes us to confess our love, worries, fears, faults and concerns. Truthfully we worship and we are set free and filled with His joy.

John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for baptizing me in the Holy Spirit. Now wherever I am, He is, for He who is in me is greater than He who is in the world. Holy Spirit I ask that You grant me wisdom when I am uncertain. When I am confused, grant me understanding. When I am ignorant, grant me knowledge. When I am wandering, grant me counsel. When I am afraid, grant me Thy peace. When I am attacked, grant me safety. When I am selfish, impart unto me the fear of the Lord. I ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in order that I may be quick to listen to what the Spirit is saying, and correctly perceive His will in every situation. AMEN