#bless jesus

But this story of this woman's worship & love for the LORD is startling — it's striking! It moves the heart, I want to talk about.

11 things that can be seen in it, if you're not familiar with the story just a quick rundown: She goes to this person's house that's not her own.

She goes to JESUS while HE's reclining at the table, she takes an expensive perfume & pours it on HIS head—empties the contents on HIS head.

This makes people mad & because they felt like something better could have been done with that expensive perfume—like sold & then the money given to the poor.

They scold her, JESUS defends her.

JESUS questions their motives & HE says that she has given to HIM of what she had—in the mo fat version of the Bible it says, “she has done a beautiful thing.”

To me & he says that the memory of her & what she has done will go with the Gospel everywhere! That's incredible!

A.] List of Way to Bless JESUS

But here's 11 things that I pull from the story I think you'll really enjoy, they move me, it touches my heart & reminds me of this place that we can live in a place of love & enjoyment of JESUS

[1] She went to a house that was not hers, which       shows me HIS presence was even more important       than protocol. I think what we can draw from this       is the value JESUS has in our lives is determined       by whether or not we allow people to distract us       from HIM.

      Another way to say it is:

      If we live our lives by what people may think of us,       we may never come to HIM, that's the first point.

[2] She's an opportunist. She doesn't come to HIM       while HE's talking or while HE's teaching her       while HE's sleeping or while HE's eating.

      She comes to HIM when HE's reclining at the table       once it opens, she takes it & I think this is indicative       of that kind of love she has for JESUS.

      A heart that looks for opportunities to be with HIM       what does this look like? It looks like you look at       your day & you see opening in the day of a couple       of hours & you say I'm looking for opportunities to       pour oil upon HIM;

      & you say I'm going to take some of that time to pour       oil—to do something beautiful, to this beautiful ONE

[3] The perfume is it's not a leftover, it's not worth little       it's extremely valuable—she could have done some-       thing else with it.

      She could have chosen to gain personally from it but       she chose to give all of it to HIM, it's perfume which       is interesting because it's only for pleasure.

      There's nothing she can gain from this.

      It's only a gift of love to HIM, very valuable to her. So       we will give HIM of what we have in proportion to       our love—that's the third point

      we will give to HIM of what we have in proportion       to our love; how much value does JESUS have that       will be determined by what we give unto HIM.

[4] She gives all of it, she receives nothing for herself       or she doesn't reserve anything for another day!

      She's all in in the moment, that's what worship       really is. LORD here I am unreserved giving myself       completely over to YOU. She recognizes HIM as the       Anointed ONE.

      You know anointed means to have oil on you, she       pours oil on HIM—it's almost as if she is declaring       by her action “YOU are & I believe YOU to be the       the Anointed ONE!”

      You know it was customary for guests to be anointed       with oil when they came into someone's house—but       she pours all the oil on HIM, which means to me HE's       the only one in the room to her.

      HE's all that matters to her.

[5] The next point is, her display of love makes others       mad! Now she gives this perfume to HIM that is       equivalent to 300 days wages!

      Almost an entire year! This is expensive, it makes       other people mad. I think if we are going to walk       in a way of worship, living intimate lives with the       LORD—to know HIS kisses & HIS sweet touch, and       to run away into the cleft of the Rock & enjoy the       sweetness of it..

      If we're going to live that way, we got to expect       resistance! Resistance is to be expected some-       thing in the good deed, activity of men's hearts       is restless.

[6] Tradition vs. Devotion

      When we stop to just give JESUS full attention &       highest place, something is restless there—and I       think that our lack of understanding if you will of       HIS worth & this is #6:

      The lack of our understanding of HIS worth causes       us to elevate things done for HIM over that which       is to HIM.

      You see the natural man says there's nothing to       show for what she has done! There's nothing to       show for worship!

………………………………………………………………………………….       I think that's what makes private prayer so special       because only GOD sees it. It's for HIM & HIM alone ………………………………………………………………………………….

      Let's never place what can be done over HIM.

[7] Not only does it cause resistance & from men but       even a resistance in that human part of us that       causes even thoughts & actions to discourage it       that part of us that is judging ourselves

      saying we're not doing anything! This is not that       important, nothing's coming from this. This is       rising from frustrations that come from a low       view of JESUS.

      It's arising from frustrations that come from low       views of CHRIST. One of the things that John Gill       says about this frustration that they have with       her & their scolding of hers

………………………………………………………………………………….       he calls it resentment. He's trying to say that the       love that she's displaying—the depth of the love       she's displaying is exposing the shallowness of       their love & this makes them upset. ………………………………………………………………………………….

      But here's the thing, no matter what men say or       what resistance comes to us for treasuring CHRIST       & treasuring time with HIM, and prioritizing time       just to pour oil on HIM.

      No matter what opposition comes to us:

      Remember JESUS will oppose those who oppose       you & your time with HIM, if you seek GOD, HE'll       help you. You'll have GOD as your defense if any       comes against you, for your intimacy w the LORD

      Do not defend yourself because then you will       forfeit CHRIST defending of you, JESUS shoots       an arrow directly into the heart of the matter       by asking why to them..

      HE exposes motive, which means this is a heart       issue — I think we can check our hearts by our       treasuring of the presence of CHRIST,

      treasuring time in the presence of CHRIST.

[8] HE shows her good deed is still a good deed but       her motive is only HIM, HE calls this beautiful!!!

………………………………………………………………………………….       Maybe the heart that forgets everything else &       looks only to HIM is the attractive beauty to the       LORD—forget your ppl in your FATHER's house &       the KING will desire your beauty. ………………………………………………………………………………….

      It's just this single eye that is attractive to the       LORD—not only does she recognize WHO HE is       but she anoints HIM q”for burial”

      which is interesting, it's almost as if she's the       only one in the room that realizes what is       coming—maybe her glowing heart caused her       to see HIS purposes!!

      Praise GOD we will know the purposes of CHRIST       & identify with HIM to the degree our hearts glow       & light that way.

      JESUS doesn't discourage good deeds to men but       reveals that HIS presence trumps good deeds to       men; HE proves that their lack of recognition of       HIM & HIS purposes is the heart of why they see       what she's doing to be insignificant.

      But JESUS is saying this is beautiful, her offering       comes from her. HE actually says it like this:

      “She had, she did” that's the exact wording       “she had & she did” so what she did came       forth from what she was.

      Her value of HIM, as John Gill says it was the       expression of her faith in HIM, & her love to       HIM. Gill also writes it was revealed to her       probably by the HOLY SPIRIT that JESUS would       quickly die & that time was running out & she       would not be able to soon pour the oil on HIS       head—so this from what she is & how she acts       & that is what JESUS is most interested in

………………………………………………………………………………….       is it coming from what you are? Not just what       you do, she'll be eternalized! This girl would       be eternalized for what she's done. ………………………………………………………………………………….

      The actual wording here, when it says in memory       of her—the word memory comes from a word that       actually has to do with the way ancient stories       were told & it's the literary genius of tenacious       memory—which is what was leaned upon for the       passing on of stories.

What's the conclusion of all these points? It's this,

      JESUS is more worthy than anyone, JESUS       is more worthy than any deed. JESUS is       more worthy than any money. JESUS is       more worthy than anything

I pulled this quote from A.T Pearson on Mary's anointing of JESUS, he says:

      This monument to JESUS fills the whole world with       its fragrance still, & then he says this remarkable       statement what a hint there is here for those who       wish to leave permanent memorials!

      In other words, look at what she's doing. HE sees       it as beautiful & it lasts forever! Take that as a hint       as a thing that's most valuable.

      Wesley writes she did not wish to hold anything       back, she offered up all she gave away her all; it       was a tribute worthy of the KING.

      You see guys to her, HE's worthy!       To them it was wasted,

   •    to her HE is more than good people,    •    to her HE is more than good things    •    to her HE is more than good deeds

      And they scold her, but she doesn't respond because       she's beholding HIM; & she doesn't respond to the       scolding because she's beholding!

Praise GOD! O what a statement! What a statement!!!

So may the LORD do this in you & in a fresh way to realize HIS great value & don't let anybody look down on you for choosing to block out time to to be with GOD.

      Don't let anybody look down on you for being       an opportunist, trying to find those moments       where you can be with the LORD.

      Don't let anybody look down on you for not       letting people dictate whether or not you're       going to pour everything out on GOD!

      Don't let anybody dictate how much you give       to the LORD of your heart!!!

As I wrote this down here, Matthew Henry says that the ointment was the best of her affections. The ointment is that the best of our affections, don't let anybody get in the way of you pouring everything you are on JESUS

—because to HIM, this is a beautiful thing done to HIM

GOD bless you guys!

Don't forget I meet with my partners on Tuesday nights at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time if you want to join & become a partner & be a part of our mentoring program I'll put a link down below.

Blessings to you!

Let's give JESUS all that HE's worth & may we be like this wonderful man says, “the monument to JESUS.”

     Her Monument to JESUS fills the whole      world with its fragrance still praise GOD!