Tag Archives: forgiveness

October 24

John 9:35-10:21; Mark 10:2-22; Matthew 19:3-15; Luke 16:18, 18:15-23

Jesus made it pretty clear that he wanted to go to the cross. Very plainly he said no one can take his life from him, but he is going to lay it down of his own accord. He has the authority to die and live again.

He was talking about the sheep and painted a picture of the New Testament church. As the Good Shepherd he loves the sheep. He brings in sheep from other pens and makes them one flock. (As a non-Jew that thrills me!). The Good Shepherd protects his sheep with his life.

Jesus calls himself the gate and reminds us that he is the only way into the pen. There just is no other way. Salvation is inside the pen where Jesus promises to give abundant life to the sheep.

As Christians we realize that we are the sheep, that salvation comes only through Jesus and his work on the cross, and that he gives us more than we could ask or think in this life and in eternity.

When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he could do to earn eternal life Jesus, knowing that eternal life cannot be earned, listed the criteria. Don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t commit adultery, etc. The young man said something like, ‘Got that covered, Jesus. I’m golden’.

It touches me that Jesus looked at the young man and loved him (Mark 10:21). Then he said, ‘go sell everything, give it to the poor, and follow me’. In other words, ‘Ok, so you’ve succeeded in playing the I’m a Good Person game. Let’s check your heart’s condition.’

We read the man left disappointed. Maybe he thought Jesus was asking too much. I’m not sure. But the young man left knowing that earning eternal life was more than just loving his neighbor and being a good guy.

I do know that our Good Shepherd loves us, that he willingly laid down his life for us, and that he is alive today. I know that he is the only way to the Father, that he cares for us and blesses us when we give our lives to him. And I know that eternal life is his gift to us, paid for by his blood and nothing I do can earn it on my own.

Good Shepherd, thank you for your provision of abundant life on this earth and eternal life with the Father. Thank you for showing us again and again that you are the only way, that your work on the cross is available to all people, and that the ticket to eternal life comes with accepting it on your terms. Thank you for willingly going to the cross so that we can walk through the gate and experience the sweet fellowship we have with you. I like being a sheep in your flock, Lord.

October 22

2 Replies

Luke 17:20-18:14; John 7:1-52

Jesus is becoming more and more clear about his purpose on earth. In Luke 17:21 he spells out the following:

…the kingdom of God is within you.

He goes on to tell them the Son of Man will suffer and be rejected by “this generation”. Yet the people still expected that material kingdom.

For centuries, tradition looked forward to the Messiah who would sit on a throne after conquering Israel’s enemies. They were in no way ready to give up on that dream.

Even Jesus’ brothers didn’t get it. They may have believed Jesus could be that conqueror because they tried to push him into showing himself to the world ( John 7:1-5). And wouldn’t the flesh and blood brothers of the king have positions of royalty in the new government? They may have believed that, but John tells us they did not believe IN Jesus.

Jesus went so far as to tell his followers that where he is going they won’t find him. His disciples thought maybe he was talking about Greece. Again, they weren’t ready to give up on their hope of a material kingdom.

This subject is not over. It will be repeated and reinforced many times throughout the New Testament. My question is: Are you a citizen of the Kingdom of God? Have you bowed before him, accepted Jesus as your Savior, and made him King of your heart? Do you live your life with the knowledge that relationships, trials, successes, sin and disease, are temporary and bound to life on earth?

Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. It’s a spiritual kingdom with God himself on the throne. You are invited to be a part of this glorious kingdom and walk with God in this life and live with him forever when this life is over. If Jesus is Lord of your life, I rejoice with you. If you haven’t as yet confessed your sins and accepted his grace, becoming a citizen of the kingdom of God, I am praying that you’ll do that today.

Your Majesty, we bow before your throne today as citizens of your kingdom. Thank you for Jesus who gives us access to your throne room, who went before us to prepare a place for us, and who wants to welcome each of us home when this life is over. May all who read this blog today know you as Savior, may we realize the joy of sins forgiven, the strength you provide for the challenges of life, and the assurance of eternity with you. You are Lord. You are our King. And you reign forever and ever. Amen.

October 10

September 26

2 Replies

Nehemiah 13; Joel 1&2

No matter how many times his people go astray, God still pleads with them to return to him. Making wine on the Sabbath, doing their shopping on that holy day, marrying foreign wives were some of the blatant sins Israel was once again committing so soon after Jerusalem was restored.

But it wasn’t just about those things that God was saddened by. His heart broke because of their hearts’ condition.

Joel 2:12-14 spoke to me today. God calls us to return to him with all our hearts. Don’t just go through the motions by tearing your clothes. Rend your hearts, he says.

The sins Israel committed came from unrepentant hearts. God is asking me today about my own heart’s condition. What part does he play in my innermost being? He wants it all. And if I truly have given him all of me, my life would reflect that in my speech, in my actions, in my business dealings, in my home.

Sin is an outward expression of the heart. That’s why we are told to guard our hearts. That’s why Jesus wants to dwell there so that we would have victory over sin. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He wants to bless us but he cannot bless sin.

Dear Father in heaven, thank you for your grace and compassion. Thank you for your great love. Thank you for second and third and fourth chances. God, may we rend our hearts, allow you to take up residence in our innermost beings. And may the things we do and say today reflect your Presence in our lives. Give us victory over temptation and sin as we give you our hearts.

September 24

3 Replies

Nehemiah 9:38-11:36

84 men signed a detailed pledge, promising they and the rest of the people would live by the law of Moses. They bound themselves with a curse and an oath and boldly stated, “We will not neglect the house of our God.”

Was it like that when you came to know the Lord? Were you determined to change your ways, be faithful in your service, to love God and obey him for the rest of your life? How long were you able to hold up your end of the bargain?

The Jewish men we read about today were no doubt convinced that they and their families would be able to do everything in the pledge they signed. But history tells us eventually the promises were forgotten.

One thing I’ve learned is that I can’t make a promise to obey God for anyone but myself. These Jewish leaders spoke for the nation of Israel. It was doomed from the beginning. I can’t promise God my sisters and their families will love and obey him. Each of those dear people have to do that individually.

I can’t even promise I’ll be faithful every day until I die. I can give God today, though because that’s all I have. I know me. And so does Satan. I have struggles and temptations and I am human. I will fail.

But I can go to my Heavenly Father and confess my sins and know he is faithful to forgive. I can determine to cling to Jesus for strength and the ability to obey him. And he will answer my prayers.

As I go into my day today I pray that there will be victories over temptation. I pray that God will make himself known to me and I will obey. I pray that I will have the courage to make choices that allow me to be the woman God intends for me to be today.

I can pray the same for you. But it’s up to you to make it happen.

Let’s choose Jesus today. I’m going to.

September 23

1 Reply

Psalms 146, 147; Nehemiah 7:73-9:37

Are we so different from the ancient Jews? Isn’t it true that when things are going well for us, our families are well, our jobs are good, when we are healthy and able to pay the bills, we tend to drift away from God? But at the first sign of trouble we hit our knees and go to him for help. It’s not that we don’t love him. It’s that we must think we need him less in good times.

Did you read Nehemiah 9:27&28 today and feel a twinge of guilt as you recognized yourself in Israel’s experience? Remembering the disobedience of their forefathers they prayed:

So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies. But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.

Time after time.

And that’s been my experience. No matter how many times I return to the Lord after drifting away or after blatantly disobeying him, he delivers me. When I confess my sin, he is faithful and just to forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness… time after time.

Oh that I would learn to choose obedience every day, no matter how comfortable my life becomes. Oh that I would love him like he deserves to be loved every day, in good times and in bad.

Father, I thank you for grace. I thank you for your faithfulness, your forgiveness, your great love. Forgive me when I drift, when I disobey, when I become so comfortable I neglect my relationship with you. May I cherish my relationship with you and nourish it every day by reading your Word and praying. May you find me faithfully serving you today regardless of life’s circumstances. And once again I want to thank you for forgiving me when I ask you to… time after time.

September 9

September 5

3 Replies

Ezekiel 2:21-70; Nehemiah 7:26-73

Today’s portion of scripture includes a list of people who traveled to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. And we read that list two times. It was very important that all the families were represented.

Did you notice that the list also includes over 600 people who came to Jerusalem but couldn’t prove they were descendants of Israel? These people no doubt came with good hearts and intentions. But because they couldn’t produce the right paper-work, they were kept separate. Even if they claimed to be priests, they still weren’t permitted to eat the sacred food until they had gone through the proper channels.

It reminds me that there will be people with good hearts and intentions who will go to hell. They will stand before God on that day only to hear him say -“I never knew you”. I can’t think of anything more frightening.

You might think that’s unfair. But Jesus made it clear when he said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life and NO ONE goes to the Father except through me. It doesn’t say you can’t get to the Father unless you are a good person.

It would be unfair of God to make that rule and not provide a way. So Jesus died that WHOEVER believes in him will have eternal life.

The wages of sin is death. If you sin, you pay with your life. The Bible says we all have sinned, have fallen short of God’s standards. No one is exempt. And we all deserve hell.

Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead has paid the debt in full. But it’s not a blanket provision. There are conditions to receiving it. It’s not church attendance, it’s not clean living, it’s not kindness or helpfulness.

It’s saying “yes”. It’s recognizing our sinful state and asking God to forgive us, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It’s accepting Jesus as the only way to the Father. It’s saying “yes” to his offer of grace.

Don’t think you are good enough without that personal encounter with Christ. You aren’t and you never will be.

Dear God in Heaven, may we grasp the urgency in your message today. May we realize the truth and run to you for your forgiveness. May we accept your provision of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Then may we live lives that honor you and draw others to you, too. Thank you for grace, for the cross, for your dear Son, and the presence of your Holy Spirit in us when we accept you for our own.

August 26

4 Replies

Ezekiel 27:1-28:26, 33:21-33

Some people think being a Christian ought to guarantee health, wealth, and happiness. And in a sense, they are right. God created Adam and Eve who enjoyed all that and more in the Garden of Eden. But when sin entered the picture, things changed. Forever.

Jerusalem was in ruins. And Ezekiel tells us the Jews were questioning God. Shouldn’t they, as descendants of Abraham, “possess the land”?

God, through Ezekiel in chapter 33 reminds them that as long as sin exists, as long as they disobey God’s commands, they will not possess the land.

He goes on to say God is not impressed with their worship. They listen to the Word but don’t put it into practice. They express devotion but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.

Ezekiel says you might as well go to a concert and enjoy the music, admire the talented musicians, and be thrilled by the performance for all the good it does to hear God’s Word and not be moved to action. The result is the same. You leave the venue unchanged.

God would remind us today that we cannot enjoy the things God created us to have – joy, fellowship with our holy God, peace, strength, hope – as long as sin exists in our lives.

The question is: what are you going to do about it? Did you go to church yesterday and hear the Truth proclaimed from the pulpit? Did you allow God to speak to you today when you read his Word? Have you felt him nudge you toward talking to your neighbor or co-worker about the Lord? Have you felt conviction over a sin you’ve committed?

Hearing is the first step. But it’s not the only step. We need to get out there and obey, allowing God’s Word to change us from the inside so we can live for him in the day to day.

Remember, you can’t possess the land, you can’t have that sweet fellowship with the Lord if you have sin in your heart.

Material health and wealth aren’t the focus here. What is important is your heart’s condition in light of Scripture. I pray that you will allow God to defeat sin in your life as you confess and repent. Then you will possess the “land” he has in store for you.

And there is a great view from there!

August 25

5 Replies

Jeremiah 30-31; Ezekiel 26

God is talking about making a new covenant with Israel. He tells them in the past they were punished for the sins of their parents and grandparents. “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”. One day, God says, if you eat sour grapes you will be the one who puckers up. Everyone will die for their own sin.

In the Old Testament, prophets were continually reminding generation after generation the many sins committed in the past. So it must have come as quite a shock when Jeremiah said God, in his new covenant, would forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.

We who live after the cross have a clearer picture of this new covenant. Jesus taught us about sin and repentance, responsibility and choice. And when he tells us he throws our sins into the deepest sea or removes them as far as the east is from the west, when he says he’ll remember them no more – he means it.

I know there are many who believe, because Scripture tells us we will be held accountable for our thoughts and actions on judgment day, there will be a big screen TV playing blue-ray videos of our lives for everyone to see. I know in my heart that won’t happen to me.

You know why? God tells me when I repent of sin he marks the account paid by the Blood of the Lamb. He tosses that sin into the sea and will remember it NO MORE.

So here’s what I see happening. I stand before the throne and look my Holy God in the eye. He says – give me an account of your life, Connie. And before I can utter a word, Jesus steps up beside me and says, “Account paid, Dad.”

Me, standing there remembering my sins, the times I failed God, dishonored him, threw his Word right in his face. Me, remembering the times I could have and should have done more to further his kingdom. God, opening his arms for me and welcoming me home dressed in Jesus’ righteousness.

So does that mean I can live my life any way I want and I’ll get a free pass? Not at all. Every sin I commit comes with a price tag. Every one. If I want Jesus to stand up for me in that day I need to be sure I’m wearing his righteousness. I need to repent, be holy and set apart, I need to be obedient to God’s Word. I need to recognize sin and accept the forgiveness that is mine when I ask him to forgive me.

I’m so thankful God forgives and forgets. But I don’t want to forget. While I’m on this earth I want to remember my failures so I don’t repeat them. I want to remind myself the lengths to which Jesus had to go to wash me clean. I want to live my life out of gratitude, humbly aware that I am a sinner saved by grace.

Holy God, I know there will be an eternity free from the memories of the sins I’ve committed, compliments of a crucified Jesus. But until that day, Lord let me remember. Let me use those memories to make me want to serve you better, love you more, and run from the temptations that lure me into sin. And thank you, God, for your selective memory. I love you.

alighttomyway

LOVING God's Word, LISTENING to God's voice, LEADING others to God's Son, Jesus Christ