Psalms 143:1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

I am placed in remembrance this morning of how God answers prayers.

Many years ago a sister in the Lord and I had a falling out over the role of a co-worker in our ministries. She was a friend and supporter of a man who hated himself so much, he was willing to destroy his identify as a man, and lead a life that was clearly against scriptures.

One day he came to me and told me that he had accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. My response was “Thank God, now you can give up this destructive plan of your.” His response was so disappointing. “No. I am still going through with it.”

He told this sister in the Lord of our conversation and she came at me as if I was the one who was guilty. “You don’t know God isn’t asking him to travel this path to reach the lost.” My only reply was, “God doesn’t make mistakes.” She raked me over the coals in her anger while I sat there and allowed her to have her say.

When she walked away I bowed my head in prayer, “If I am wrong Lord, show me.”

Shortly thereafter her arms surrounded me and her tear filled face came upon my cheek as she said, “I’m sorry. I was wrong to treat you that way.”

I’ve known for some time that the Lord cares about relationships and that He is able to mend the broken hearted. This was the first time I experienced God being instant in prayer.

Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

But with God all things are possible.

1 Corinthians 4:2-4 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

I was caught, yet again, in being critical of my own performance. This time it was my pastor’s wife who simply said “Stop it.” I knew what I had done. I even know why I did it. I’ve confessed it before a brother and sought pray, forgiveness and help in putting an end to it.

It was not until this morning that I gained some deeper insight into exactly what I was doing. It is at the heart of my self-deprecation that I have not accepted the sufficiency of Christ. The Lord is my judge and for me to judge myself is a way of saying His judgment is insufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9a For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:

I am what I am by the grace of God. I am NOT what I want to be by that same grace. The Lord needs me to be what He needs me to be and not what I want to be. If His grace is indeed what I say it is, prevenient grace, then it follows that His judgment is as sufficient as His grace because the two are tied together by He who died in my place.

Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

That includes me, judging me, for I am His servant.