Category: Words of Study & Instruction: Scribes & the Arts

Copyright 2016 Theresa Harvard Johnson

The offended life is a “life lived” in deep rooted, seeping unforgiveness, bitterness and anger due to an actual or perceived offense. In the heart of a person living in this place, paranoia and suspicion has become their confidant, their trusted friend. There is always a “they, them, him and those” behind everything that goes wrong in their lives; and an accusatory posture that causes them to see life through extremely clouded, foggy lenses.

Their offense is directed at people, institutions and even an unhealthy fixation on the devil. “They, them, him and those” are always to blame for what is wrong in their world and in their lives. Not only are the people suffering in their hearts and minds, but those who LOVE them become casualties of their “offended lifestyles.”  It causes loss friendships (many of which may be God ordained), false accusation and constant misunderstandings. The offended one quickly becomes a person others “walk on egg-shells” around – never knowing what step might unleash odd isolating behaviors, paranoia, anger or even rage.

Read the prophecy, “Leaving the offended life.”

Copyright 2016 Theresa Harvard Johnson

The term ashamed as we are using it in this discussion means to be humiliated by or embarrassed by someone’s actions, characteristics or associations.[1] As it relates to our faith, we can describe this as being humiliated or embarrassed by the words, works and worship of God – especially when embraced from a pure place. It is also the hesitancy or the reluctance to “act on God’s behalf” because of the fear of man, the fear of embarrassment, the fear of loss status or the fear of shunning due to affiliation. In this context, shame has the characteristics of being “lukewarm” for the message of Christ (Rev. 3:16), and failing to have deep roots in the Gospel message (Hebrews 12:15).

Copyright 2015 Theresa Harvard Johnson

This phrase echoed in my hearing this morning, “Beloved, You are my beautiful footstool!”

Can you imagine a footstool being beautiful? I can. This morning as I celebrated the gift of 2016, I remembered a time when I was a little girl going with my mama to clean houses. I had to be about five or six years old.

I remember standing at the edge of this giant bed in one of the homes unable to hop up. At its base was this beautiful, elaborately designed “tiny table” – I thought – that I could use to climb up to get into this huge bed that was unlike anything I had ever seen. This “tiny table” was made of wooden legs and a cushioned top.

Mama said, “Baby, that’s a footstool not a short table.” For me it could very well have been both. This was an awesome memory to launch the first day of the New Year. Intrigued, I decided to study “footstools” this morning and the following passage of scripture jumped out at me:

Acts 7:49 NIV, “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:Heaven is my throne,and the earth is my footstool. What kind (manner) of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?”