An Imperfect Broken Offering
By Melody Mason
I will never forget the time a number of years ago, as I was preparing to lead a prayer service for a large event the next day, how the Holy Spirit convicted me of something specific in my life that I needed to make right with God. Overwhelmed, I sank to my knees on the floor that night as I prayed, “Oh Lord, please forgive me...”
However, while I confessed my sin to God, certain steps were necessary to make proper amends. But I couldn’t take these steps immediately, so I wasn’t sure what to do. Should I still go forward with my prayer ministry responsibilities or should I get someone else to fill in for me until I had made things right?
As a respected leader in ministry, it was very humiliating to think of admitting to others that I had failed God in a specific area. I didn't want to make a stir and appear spiritually weak to my teammates, or to the many strangers in attendance at the meetings. So, with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, I went to sleep that night, determined that I would just ask someone else to lead the prayer service the next day.
However, the next morning as I set out to find someone to take my place, God stopped me in my tracks as the Holy Spirit began speaking to my heart. "Melody, you need to lead the prayer service this morning. Don’t get someone to replace you!”
“Wait God…You can’t mean this!” I said as fresh tears came to my eyes. But the Holy Spirit continued to speak to my heart.
“Yes, I want you to lead, however, you are not to lead it as the person you want everyone to think you are. Don’t you see? I’m not looking for people to lead who cover up their sins and go on as if everything is okay. I’m looking for yielded broken vessels; vessels that will humble themselves to such a degree that pride is gone. Only then can I really use them for my glory. I know this hurts, but you need to share with the congregation what I convicted you of last night. Be honest about how you’ve failed Me! Then invite them to come with you to the cross to put away all sin and compromise. You see, if people wait to come until they have everything in order, they will never come.”
Again, I began to protest. “I can’t do this, Lord! What will everyone think when they see how I’ve failed you?”
The Holy Spirit spoke softly to my heart as He turned my eyes toward heaven. “It doesn’t matter what they think. This is not about protecting your reputation. This is about bringing glory to God. But, if He is to work, you must humble yourself.”
Oh, how I did not want to obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings that morning. If I could have run away like Jonah, or crawled in a cave, I would have done so immediately. But I knew what I must do. I had to obey.
Shaking and with tears in my eyes, I went before hundreds of people that morning and shared what the Lord had laid on my heart. You could have heard a pin drop in the room as everyone listened. “Jesus tells us to come as we are,” I said softly, as I continued to the wipe tears away from my eyes. “So, I’m coming as I am and I’m inviting you to join me at the foot of the cross.”
At this invitation everyone got out of their chairs and came forward to the front of the room. There was soft weeping here and there as different people asked God’s forgiveness for those areas of sin and compromise that had crept into their lives. And the Holy Spirit was there. In hindsight, I think it was one of the most sweet, sacred prayer services I’ve ever experienced, for God did a deep work of cleansing among us that morning. Many hearts were broken, but how beautiful and healing the brokenness was.
In the book Steps to Christ, we are told:
“If you see your sinfulness, do not wait to make yourself better. How many there are who think they are not good enough to come to Christ. Do you expect to become better through your own efforts? ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.’ Jeremiah 13:23. There is help for us only in God. We must not wait for stronger persuasions, for better opportunities, or for holier tempers. We can do nothing of ourselves. We must come to Christ just as we are” (p. 31).
Of course, making things right with God privately is what matters most, and what happens in secret between us and God is always more significant than what happens in public. But since the Holy Spirit convicted me to share, I knew I needed to be transparent and open that morning.
I will never forget one elderly gentleman who came forward after the service. He told me how he had come to the meetings with a crusty heart of skepticism and doubt but seeing me honestly share my struggles and my need of the Savior had convicted him of his own need, and, as a result, that morning he decided to give his heart to the Lord.
“I’ve never seen leaders on the platform be real before like you were today, Melody,” he told me through moist eyes. “It always seems like such a performance at religious events. But you showed me today that God is real, because I saw how He was convicting you, breaking you, and changing you. Thank you...” His voice cracked as he reached out to hug me.
Melody Mason works for the General Conference Ministerial Association and assists with training and resource development for the Back to the Altar revival initiative. She is the author of three books: Daring to Ask for More, Daring to Live by Every Word, and most recently, My Single Joy. Melody is passionate about prayer and will be coordinating the 9am-6pm prayer room, which will host a "Back to the Altar" revival seminar in the afternoons, specifically for family members of the delegates at the General Conference Session in St. Louis, July 3-12, 2025.
Come to Jesus as You Are | Study
Welcome to another session of Back to the Altar | 100 Days of Prayer!
Have you ever spent extra time brushing and flossing your teeth on the day that you had an appointment to get your teeth cleaned at the dentist?
We can laugh, but if we are honest, many of us have done this because, well, we want to try to look our best when we see the dentist.
Perhaps you sometimes feel that you need to be in a certain condition before you can come to Jesus? Maybe you think you must be positive, happy, responsible, or all clean physically and mentally. Maybe you think you must be feeling spiritual and have your best foot forward before He will accept you. Maybe you think you have to have your life all in order or have certain qualifications before you can follow the “I WILL GO” call, to tell others about Jesus’ soon return.
Before we begin our study on what it means to come to Jesus as we are, let’s take a look at the life of Elijah. We can learn so many lessons from his story that apply to our spiritual walk.
• Play Video 1 – “Introduction to Elijah’s Story” https://tinyurl.com/BTTAVID9
Elijah was a man who God called and used to rebuild the broken down altar of worship in Israel. Fire fell in response to Elijah’s faith and obedience. But this would never have happened if Elijah hadn’t taken the first step forward, coming in obedience just as he was, in answer to God’s call.
Today, God is calling us to repair the broken down altars in our own lives and hearts. He’s calling us to be “The Last Elijah,” calling to a world in need. This is why we are going to be studying the life of Elijah in small segments for the rest of this Back to the Altar revival series.
1. Who Can Come to Jesus?
Here's some encouragement straight from God’s Word.
Read/Reflect on Matthew 11:28-30 – What invitation do we find in this passage? Who is the one making the invitation? Do you qualify?
Read/Reflect on Luke 5:30-32 – According to Jesus, who qualifies to come to Him?
We are all unworthy, we are all sinners in need of a Savior. And that’s why we can come just as we are. Jesus will never turn away the person that comes to Him in need.
However, even as we see these truths in Scripture, many of us still struggle believing that God could really save us. We feel so unworthy. We feel so unlovely. We just don’t feel at peace.
The discipleship survey we took in the very beginning of this Back to the Altar series gave evidence to that fact that even some taking part in these revival sessions don’t know if they would be saved if Jesus came back tomorrow. Perhaps that person is you!
Before we study how we can have peace about our salvation, let’s pause a moment.
Do you know how much God loves you? If you aren’t sure how much He loves you, you will especially appreciate the message in this short video illustration.
• Play Video 2 – “Jesus will Never Let You Go” - https://tinyurl.com/BTTAVID10
Now that we have been reminded nothing can separate us from God’s love, let’s open the Word for some more study.
2. Seven Steps to Having Assurance and Peace About Our Salvation
We are going to study seven simple steps that show us how we can have assurance and peace about our salvation. Get your notebook out, as you will want to write these passages down to remember.
Read/Reflect on Romans 5:8 – How do you know that God loves you?
We just learned in Romans 8:38, 39 that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Here’s our first step to assurance of Salvation. We will fill in the first answer for you.
• Step 1: You can be sure that nothing will separate you from God’s love.
Read/Reflect on Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23 (first part). What problem do we all have?
• Step 2: You can be sure, as a sinner, you need _____________.
Read/Reflect on Romans 6:23 (last part) and Ephesians 2:8, 9. What free gift does God offer you?
• Step 3: You can be sure that salvation is God’s____________________.
Read/Reflect on John 3:16. How does this free gift of eternal life become yours?
• Step 4: You can be sure that Jesus is your Savior when you ________________.
Read/Reflect on Ephesians 2:22 and 1 Corinthians 6:19. Who wants to live in us?
• Step 5: You can be sure that Jesus wants to make His home in ___________________.
Read/Reflect on 1 John 1:9. What does Jesus do for you when you confess your sins?
• Step 6: You can be sure that Jesus completely _________________________.
Read/Reflect on 1 John 5:13. What does this verse tell you that you can know for sure?
• Step 7: Finally, you can be sure that Jesus gives you ____________________.
God tells us in Revelation 7:9 that there will be a countless multitude of those who are saved in heaven. God has planned for you to be one of them!
Did you get all the blanks filled in appropriately. Here’s the answers if you missed anything.
Step 2: Answer: "the Savior."
Step 3: Answer: "free gift to you."
Step 4: Answer: "believe in Him."
Step 5: Answer: "your heart via the Holy Spirit."
Step 6: Answer: "forgives and cleans your heart."
Step 7: Answer: "eternal life."
As we close this session, listen to this powerful appeal from Revelation 3:20. What is your answer to Jesus?
• Play Video 3 – “Jesus is Knocking” - https://tinyurl.com/BTTAVID11
3. Personal Practical Application
As we close, don’t forget the gift Jesus offers you in Himself. Remember He loves you, and nothing can separate you from His love.
• 1st Challenge: Practice every day coming to Jesus just as you are. Allow Him a place in your home and your heart.
• 2nd Challenge: Share the study we just completed on the assurance of salvation with someone this week.
Now let's pray!
Come as You Are | Prayer Focus
Bible Promises to Claim as You Pray
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
“If you come to Jesus now, with contrition of soul, He will take you just as you are, sinful and polluted. He will take away your sins, He will give to you His own righteousness.” Letters and Manuscripts, Letter 29, 1893
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” John 6:37
Prayer Focus for Week 4
1. COME: Pray that God would help you come to Him just as you are every day. But also pray that you would not remain as you are, but that He would change you from the inside out. (Claim Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Corinthians 5:17)
2. SHARE: Pray that you could have an opportunity to share the sweet assurance of salvation with another. (Claim 1 Peter 3:15)
3. ABIDE: Pray that Jesus would abide in you, and you would abide in Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Claim Ephesians 2:22)
4. LOVE: Pray for your unsaved loved ones or family members to catch a glimpse of the incredible love of Jesus. (Claim Romans 5:8)
5. WORSHIP: Pray that these Back to the Altar principles would become a part of your daily life, and that you would learn to live at the altar. (Claim Ps. 27:4)
6. RECONCILE: Pray that “What Might Have Been” in 1901 would happen in 2025 and that there would be confessions, humbling of heart, reconciliations, selfless service, and renewed focus on mission, for all in attendance at the General Conference session. (Claim 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 85:6)
7. FILL: Pray that God will fill the St. Louis Stadium (the building where the General Conference meetings will take place) with His presence and that as soon as people walk into the stadium, they will sense the power of the Holy Spirit. (Claim Isaiah 65:24)
Download This Week 4 - Come to Jesus as You Are
Download Week 3 - What It Means to Be a Disciple