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    Posted by Dion Todd
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Friends in Low Places

  • Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, This Man receives sinners and eats with them. Luke 15:1-2 ESV

    Everyone knows that Jesus came to save the lost sinner, and they were all drawn to Him like a magnet, but the religious establishment of the time grumbled about this constantly. If they had their way, the religious people would have driven the sinners far away, but Jesus did not allow this to happen. He came to seek out and save the lost (Luke 19:10). In Luke 15:10, Jesus said that the angels rejoice over one sinner that repents.

    I was playing in a band at a party one night when He found me during the middle of a song. His presence came upon me in such a way that I put my bass up, went home and surrendered to His calling in tears. The next morning, I went to church and was soon baptized. But I was poor and needed the money, so I continued playing in bands while wearing a Jesus t-shirt. Soon His presence would show up in the bar and words would come to me for those in the room. I preached my first sermons in bar parking lots and they were powerful. People would begin trembling under His power.

    Jesus has friends in low places. They may put His statue in glorious sanctuaries, but you will still encounter His presence outside those walls in the dust and the dirt. He still wants to speak with you today, but some of the super religious will look down on you and try and drive you away from Him. Don't give up, and know that it is not Jesus that is driving you away today. He will reach people right where they are, using your hands to touch them, and your voice to speak to them.


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55 comments
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Kathy Banfield
Kathy Banfield Oh how I can relate! I was in pain last Sunday; didn't feel like dressing up--my leg brace looks rather silly with a skirt or dress! Anyhow, I make my own unique clothes, "Hippie style" is my design of choice, so I donned a sun-dyed T shirt and jeans. (My clothes were clean, at least!) Well, none of my friends from Bible study would even speak to me after Mass! Two well-dressed, perfectly coiffed women I know quite well embraced and kissed, while ignoring me. The priest even gave me a "once-over", and his gaze lingered on my old sneakers! My son claims I'm just paranoid. Perhaps I am. But I do not experience this when I dress nicely! love and blessings to all, Kathy
March 21, 2015
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Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd I doubt if you're being paranoid. Sadly, there just seem to be a lot of churches that look down on a person if they're not in "uniform". They're probably the same type who looked down on Jesus. Fortunately, they're not all like that :).
March 21, 2015
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Billie Hicks
Billie Hicks This word found me this morning!  You can experience His presences anywhere.
March 21, 2015
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Anthony Kulbicki
Anthony Kulbicki Amen!
March 21, 2015
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Debbie Willette
Debbie Willette AMEN!
March 21, 2015
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Albert Chau
Albert Chau Friend in low places can't be more true regarding my own life. I have come across many people in the past, and the ones needed Christ the most are the ones with no money, family, home, sick, lonely, and in prison or hospital. Christ reaches down to them through us.
March 21, 2015
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Carol Pady
Carol Pady I being in an unequally yoked marriage attended church alone with our children. We moved a lot in those first years and some churches made me feel extremely uncomfortable because of my "heathen" husband. They had forgotten that before they found Jesus, they were heathens also. Needless to say I moved on from those churches rather quickly, until I found a church that accepted me and my children and prayed for my husband. I found the love of Christ here and genuine acceptance. 
March 21, 2015
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Cynthia Nortey
Cynthia Nortey He came to save the lost ones indeed, I was one of them. Thank you Jesus for saving me.
March 21, 2015
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Sheri Stewart
Sheri Stewart Jesus only looks into our hearts. He does not judge us, He forgives and loves us unconditionally.  if you accept the paths your chose in life and i mean accept it all and you are still and give it all up to God, in this beautiful stillness your faith will bloom.  Jesus is never lost, it is us who wander, He made you never forget that.
March 21, 2015
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Yvette Cantrell
Yvette Cantrell DEAR LORD, I REPENT OF ALL MY SINS... COMMISSION, OMISSION - THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED!!!  HAVE YOUR WAY IN MY LIFE AND IN THE LIVES OF EACH PERSON ON THIS SITE, LORD GOD, AS WE MAY BE THE REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR LIGHT.  LORD JESUS, WE NEED YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OMNIPRESENCE AND POWER; FOR YOUR UNFAILING LOVE, GRACE AND MERCIES. THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING OUR PRAYERS, AND PRAISE. THANK YOU FOR BEING ALLLLLL THAT WE NEED!  IN YOUR MIGHTY NAME, JESUS! AMEN AMEN AMEN!!! HAVE A 'FANTABULOUS' DAY, EVERYONE
March 21, 2015
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Susana Jennings
Susana Jennings I had a sad experience with my church, I stopped going to church. Now I am concentrating in learning the word of God through bible study with a wonderful preacher and I feel closer to God more than I ever felt in my life.
March 21, 2015
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Joy Sue Callahan
Joy Sue Callahan SO TRUE
March 21, 2015
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd Yes He does.
March 21, 2015
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Joy Sue Callahan
Joy Sue Callahan God bless you Kathy for not letting them keep you from attending. I am so very blessed to come from  a small town with a small town church, all we care about is you show up to worship. i go straight fro Zumba to Wednesday night Bible study,of course that night i wear my sweat psnts not yoga pants...but you get the idea. You keep going and worshipping sister just the way you are!!!!!
March 21, 2015
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Gloria Crowder
Gloria Crowder Way to go Kathy.   We are a small church.   We welcome everyone we just want them to hear the word of God.   Just glad they came.    Have a blessed Sunday. 
March 21, 2015
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Pam Ivins
Pam Ivins SO TRUE
March 21, 2015
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Diane Casey
Diane Casey Amen....this story reminded me of when I was at an annual dance, I was having a good time when the spirit of God spoke to me and that good time ended
March 21, 2015
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Nell Neathery
Nell Neathery the title of the devotional reminds me of Garth Brooks' song:  "I've got friends in low places!"  My prayer is to be able to reach people using my hands and voice in Jesus' name, Amen
March 21, 2015
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Loriann Riley
Loriann Riley Thank you pastor Todd it really true about what you said about in today's devotion
March 21, 2015
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Beatrice "Raye" Huth
Beatrice "Raye" Huth Beautiful and true; I was drawn to speak to a man who had a stroke in the grocery store this last week; (my husband had a stroke 13 years ago) and encouraged him to not get down about what had happened as he still had something to offer; he was still here and alive.  I remember my husband's 1st year and a half and how depressed he was over loosing function/hobbies/work abilities.
March 21, 2015
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd I was a musician... which explains where a lot of my titles come from. They play in my head, then a scripture comes with it.  :)
March 21, 2015
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Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd Amen, I'm glad you found a good church home, Carol. 
March 21, 2015
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Debbie Thompson
Debbie Thompson I am twice widowed. When I met and married my second husband i knew he was an athiest, but we had an agreement I would not try to influence him and visa-versa. He liked to frequent a certain bar but I refused because I knew better. Our marriage started to go down hill! So as you may guess I started going with him in an effort to bring us back together. My pastor saw me one Sat. Going in/coming out (?) and approached me that Sun. in private. I was told that in my small town everybody knew me and my Christian family and that by going to the bar with my husband I was ruining my testimony! My mom also told me "it takes a lifetime to build a reputation, five minutes to destroy it." So I quit going with him. He eventually accepted Jesus through a series of events before he was killed at work. But to this day I feel guilty about even stopping my car at a bar to tie my shoelace! Was my previous pastor and mom wrong?
March 21, 2015
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Rosemary  Sambrano
Rosemary Sambrano Amen! What an awesome message! 
March 21, 2015
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Melissa-Peter Busse
Melissa-Peter Busse My heart leaps with Joy! I have often looked at my life and found I am in low places and wondering of God could use me in those low places. I have felt the Holy Spirit encouraging me to reach out to the unreachable, but there are many times where I am discouraged to do so, even by my our husband. Worries or fear that I am being taken advantage of, or that these people are not doing for themselves and are ungrateful. I still feel the Holy Spirit pulling me to low places and I do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit. So, thank you Todd for your encouragement today. I feel most comfortable in low places, as I myself am poor in Spirit and thirsty for Jesus. Amen!!
March 21, 2015
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Melissa-Peter Busse
Melissa-Peter Busse Amen! I agree with you Sylvia!
March 21, 2015
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Scott Riegelmann
Scott Riegelmann Great message I can relate!! I was a logger for almost 16 yrs before before I was told I had severe Crohns disease, So I can definetly relate Thanx again Dion
March 21, 2015
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Lucas Napo
Lucas Napo B    L    E    S    S    E    D    
March 21, 2015
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kylie dempsey
kylie dempsey Instead of being  people pleasers we should be Jesus pleasers...lol...it's our inner man which counts to God...not what we wear.
March 21, 2015
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Joy Sue Callahan
Joy Sue Callahan I come from a small town church and we are just thankful one shows up go worship God.
March 21, 2015
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Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd Amen, Kylie!
March 21, 2015
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Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd Debbie, I don't believe there's a cut-and-dried answer about whether a specific person belongs in a bar, but as you can see from Dion's message, we don't believe that going to a bar is a sin in itself. For instance, there a some mission groups we have heard of who specifically go to bars to witness because those people may not go to church. I think there was a church which even has its services in a bar. From the sound of it, I don't believe there is anything wrong with you stopping one, especially if your shoelaces might cause a problem :).
March 21, 2015
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Lucas Napo
Lucas Napo Debbie, in human reasoning, No. But thanks to this devotion by Dion, they were wrong. You don't gain anything by pleasing community and church without pleasing God. If you didn't go with your husband to that bar, he wouldn't have met JESUS. You were right to support him, that's why we get married for. You led him to Jesus, far more surpasses all sin, stop feeling guilty. 
March 21, 2015
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Lucas Napo
Lucas Napo AMEN
March 21, 2015
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Irene Burgon
Irene Burgon I agree Kylie, we need to please God, before pleasing anyone else. Great message.
March 21, 2015
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Kevin Cosse
Kevin Cosse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipwEtvWL_3c&t=21
March 21, 2015
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kylie dempsey
kylie dempsey Thanks Irene :-D The lady who introduced me to the real Jesus (loving, warm, caring, enjoys a good laugh and appreciates a fine wine), told me to be a Jesus pleaser...look for Him first.
March 21, 2015
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Audry Reddy
Audry Reddy My pastor went into a bar to talk to one of his flock that had backslid and as he left the bar, the wind blew the open door and hit him in the head. As he staggered out holding his head I'm sure he knew what people were thinking . But he explained to me that he will go wherever God leads him!
March 21, 2015
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Pam Ivins
Pam Ivins That's what God called us to do.
March 21, 2015
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Angela VIlinskis
Angela VIlinskis My daughter ( who thinks I shouldn't wear jeans etc to church) said when she's a parent she's going to make her kids dress up for church. I said "when you're sick or hurting do you wait, and get dressed up to go to the emergency room in order to be healed" she of course said "no!".... I said church is like a hospital, it's to heal the sick... I'm sick ( in my attitudes, thinking etc sometimes, we all are).... " I think god can deal with how I look he's just happy I made it here" ;)
March 21, 2015
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Kevin Cosse
Kevin Cosse ✞TRUST✞BELIEVE✞ RECEIVE✞JESUS✞
March 21, 2015
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Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd Amen, Angela!
March 21, 2015
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Jessie Spriggs
Jessie Spriggs Father God, use me. Thank you Lord
March 21, 2015
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Mary Bailey
Mary Bailey Please pray for me I had a scary thing happen to me healthwise. Pray the doctor gets me in soon and this is taken care of. Please also pray for family issue and stress. 
March 22, 2015
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Anna Eriksdotter
Anna Eriksdotter Jesus was called a drunken and was accused for alot like having to fun. I belive that even a drugaddict can be closer to God than people "doing everything right in other peoples eyes"!! Some cristians... Many of them forgets the most important message!!! Love... If Jesus Said: I Did not come to judge you, why should we judge?? They do not go in Love at judging times... They give people guilt. I dont even belive that we have the right to tell people from other religions that without Jesus they Will burn in hell for example. Christians are belivers not judges and ONLY God can see into every humans heart. Do not let small minded people wisper words to your soul Making you feel bad.. Thats a reason I often stay away from church because some people are so filled with judgement and teachings that they teach away from God and do as Jesus says: you judge like humans judge.. You knew your resons and even IF you liked to go to a bar no one else has the right to judge you!!! In the end IT is ONLY between you and your father. Have a blessed day and Love from a Christian sister,
March 22, 2015
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd Hi Mary, I pray that the Lord will restore your body and get you through this time. May the doctor make all the right decisions and you come through this healed, in Jesus name.
March 22, 2015
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler Wow...a daughter telling her mother.  I have jeans on now to go to church.  Blessings in church!!  May you eat all the songs & pastor's words from Jesus's words & be full of healing.  My children need to find their Jesus not me being their God.  Train the up & ......Now it is the Lord's job with my hands off.  I pray just to wallk my faith in the Lord in front of them.  I love them He said on the inside.  I need to keep remembering this for I feel judged by women.: (
March 22, 2015
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd That is hard work. May the Lord restore you in Jesus name.
March 22, 2015
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler s there another Bible believing church near by?  My heart is with you.  Our church has tatoos, motorcycle riders, mini skirts, rings in noses & mouths & tie dye.  I wish you lived near by.  We can't all look like each other.  Blessings to you this day!!:)
March 22, 2015
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler  love Zumba yet had knee replacement soon not sure if I will get back.  Love my Zumba pants!:)
March 22, 2015
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler  love the word "uniform".  Met yrs ago a GRP of ladies where I worked that had to where skirts.  Got into an indifference with work place for the area they worked had special suits for keeping product clean that was a pants suit.  They won.  Not job.  Moved somewhere else.  I ate lunch with them & loved them.  I liked them.  It was their walk not mine.  We all got along.
March 22, 2015
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Josie Carrera
Josie Carrera please just pray for my baby esmimy daughter went to show support on Thursday and he doesn't want to pay child support he has a6 year old son and 2esmiplease just pray that she comes home on Monday my daughter has to go to the police again tis been gone for 7 days today they say it's against the law I don't know to take a non custodial while you're in the herring let's just pray that God brings his baby back to us
March 22, 2015
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd Welcome to the site Josie, thank you for joining us. I pray that the Lord will bring peace to this situation and give you both the wisdom on what to do here, in the name of Jesus. 
March 22, 2015
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Lissy Verghese
Lissy Verghese Thank you!
March 22, 2015
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Audry Reddy
Audry Reddy Back in the 90's ,when the style was ripped jeans , I went to a new church wearing my favorite pair and a little girl asked her grammy if I was "poor" .! People judge by appearance but God judges the heart.
March 23, 2015