Forgiveness

March 6th – Psalm 106:6

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Psalm 106:6

Comedian Flip Wilson was famous for always using the phrase, “The Devil made me do it!” And he isn’t the first. After eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, Eve too tried to lay the blame squarely at the feet of Satan. But that excuse didn’t work for her, and it won’t work for us either. Now that’s not to say the Devil isn’t responsible for tempting us to disobey God. But we alone are ultimately responsible for the choices we make. And there will be times God allows us to face the consequences of our disobedience. But when we come before Him in true sorrow for our sins, our Father will never turn us away. For the Lord generously gives us the blessing of His forgiveness and restoration to those who acknowledge their disobedience, repent from their wickedness and seek His forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.

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March 2nd – Ephesians 1:3

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Ephesians 1:3

Therapists agree that it isn’t healthy to expect one person to meet our every need. Because no one individual could possible be all things all of the time. But fortunately for us, we don’t have to rely on anyone to fulfill us. Because from His amazing grace, we have everything we could possibly need through Jesus Christ. Not only meeting our needs physically, God gave the blood of His precious Son to meet our needs spiritually as well. Christ willingly became our sin substitute, to offer us amazing, unmerited blessings. Forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with the Father, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are ours for the taking. Offered lovingly and freely when we receive Jesus as our Savior. And most wonderful of all,  because of Christ’s work on the Cross, eternal life. So praise be to God! And from grateful hearts give shouts of thanks for His abundant blessings!

March 2nd – Ephesians 1:3 Read More »

Deuteronomy 15:11

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Deuteronomy 15:11

God cares deeply for the poor and the needy and expects His people to reflect that same care and compassion. That means it’s not just enough to simply acknowledge the existence of poverty. We must also actively work to alleviate it by helping those in need. Jesus loved unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. He loved the poor, the sick, the outcasts, and the sinners. Never withholding His awesome generosity from all who called on Him in faith. And He commands us to do the same. We can follow His example by loving others regardless of their background, social status, or behavior. The Lord calls us to love our neighbors. To practice Christlike, unconditional love, forgiveness, compassion, humility, and sacrifice. By doing so, we can become more like Him and make a positive impact on the world around us.

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February 16th – Proverbs 11:17

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Proverbs 11:17

There’s no way around it. It hurts when someone mistreats us. Yet while the world tells us to hurt them back, God tells us, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44) Not an easy task on our own. But when our strength comes from God, there’s no limit to what we can do. For He is our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer. And His grace will prevent us from saying or doing things that we will later regret. Such as wronging others, ruining relationships, and harming our own hearts. We serve a loving God who gives all who love Him unmerited mercy and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. And He wants us to do the same. Not only for the benefit for others, but also for ourselves. Because revenge and retribution makes our hearts grow hard and bitter. And keeps us from experiencing God’s very best for our lives.

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January 12th – psalm 51:10

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Psalm 51:10

When someone is about to tell me a story and they start with, “Don’t judge me, but,” I know they already have a conviction on their heart. For believers that conviction is coming from the Holy Spirit. It’s His way of letting us know that we’ve sinned against God. And the only way to lift the weight laid on our souls is through confession and repentance. David committed horrendous sins against God. Sins others might find unforgivable. But not God. Because of His never ending forgiveness, love, and mercy, and David’s repentance, God did just that. Not only granting David the forgiveness he sought, but reconciling him with open arms back to Himself. And God promises to do the same for us. No matter how big or small the sin, when we come before Him with a “broken spirit and a contrite heart”, confessing all our transgressions, we too will receive God’s forgiveness.

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January 3rd – Psalm 21:13

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Psalm 21:13

When someone hurts us, it’s in our nature to want to retaliate. To make them feel, not only the same, but worse pain than they caused us. But instead of encouraging revenge or getting even, God demands something unfair, undoable, and unjust. Not only does He want us to leave the punishing to Him, but He expects us to forgive our enemies. And most infuriating of all, to pray blessings into their lives. But how do we do that when what we want is vengeance? Through the power of the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.” The power of God allowed David to rule as king, defeat his enemies, and experience victory over trials. And that same power allows us to forgive others, restore broken relationships, and have hearts overflowing with grace and mercy instead of dried and hardened from bitterness and revenge.

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December 18th – Matthew 1:24

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Matthew 1:24

When we see the nativity scene, we are reminded of the precious gift of our Savior. But also found in that stable is a reminder of the faithfulness of a man named Joseph. A man who stands in the shadows, but whose obedience to God is a lesson for us all. Obedience is a daily struggle for me. Too often I find it easier to ask forgiveness for my disobedience than to be obedient in the first place. But not Joseph. When he found his fiancé pregnant yet still claiming to be a virgin, Joseph could have turned Mary away. But instead, when an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and commanded him to take Mary as his bride, Joseph obeyed. And as a result he was blessed with the awesome job of caring for God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Oh how awesome is our Father in heaven! When we deserve nothing, He blesses our obedience richly, and gives us everything!

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December 13th – Psalm 51:1

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Psalm 51:1

David committed horrendous sins against God. Sins others might find unforgivable. The conviction was heavy on the mighty king of Israel. And the pain he felt knowing the hurt his sin caused God, brought him to his knees. It was there on his knees where David confessed his wrongdoings and begged God for forgiveness. And you know what? Because of His never ending forgiveness, love, and mercy, and David’s repentance, God did just that. And He promises to do the same for us. No matter how big or small the sin, when we come before Him with a “broken spirit and a contrite heart”, confessing all our transgressions, we too will receive God’s forgiveness. Our God is an awesome God! When we return to Him in true confession and repentance, He is faithful to wash away the filth in our hearts and cleanse us with His loving grace. Better still, God will renew in us an unmovable and unshakable spirit dedicated to Him alone!

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November 20th – Romans 4:8

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Romans 4:8 

I’m thankful the Lord never holds my sin against me

Oswald Chambers once said, “Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ.” There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t sin against God everyday. And not a person alive who doesn’t need forgiveness everyday. Lucky for us, we serve a God whose grace and mercy are boundless. One who promises that if we confess and repent of our transgressions, not only does He forgive them, He forgets them! For as Ps. 103:12 tells us, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” What does that mean? Did you know if you travel north, eventually you’ll end up going south. But if you travel east, never will you meet west. That’s how awesome our God is. Even though we deserve nothing, He gave us everything. Through His precious Son, Jesus Christ, God provided a way for our sins to be forgiven, and for us to be declared righteous!

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November 14th – Matthew 9:6

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Matthew 9:6

I am thankful for the healing and forgiveness given through Jesus Christ 

At its very heart, the message of the gospel is forgiveness. We are all born into sin and enemies of God. Yet because of His unequaled love, the Lord provided the way to forgiveness. When Christ came to earth, He came both as fully man and fully God. And only He has the God given authority and power to forgive and heal all who call on him as Lord. Many times before he performed healing, Jesus first forgave people of their sins. Why? Theologian Matthew Poole puts it this way. Jesus first forgave sins, because sin is the root from which all evil comes. And first and foremost, sin was the reason Jesus came. The healings He performed were beautiful, loving, miracles from a Father who loves and cares for His children. Crowds who witnessed the miracles of Jesus gave God the glory. And for the forgiveness and healing He gives to us, we too should sing praises of the glory of God!

November 14th – Matthew 9:6 Read More »