Tag Archives: forgiveness

July 11

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Psalms 87, 125; Isaiah 1:1-4:6

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

This beautiful verse has been an encouragement to me more than once over the years. But I didn’t realize until today that the verse actually begins with, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord”.

Let’s think about this, God says. The first 17 verses of this chapter talk about God’s frustrations – his loathing – for religion. He’s sick of their sacrifices and hates their religious festivals. They follow God’s instructions for these things to the letter but their hearts are full of sin.

They put on a good show. But God is not fooled.

Verses 19&20 remind us that if we are willing (which involves a conscious choice) and obedient (which involves more than just going to church), then we will be blessed. It goes on to remind us that if we resist (which also involves a choice) and rebel (which comes from the heart), we will suffer the consequences.

So yes, God promises to forgive sin and wipe the slate clean with Jesus’ blood.

IF

Once again God makes it plain that he’s got conditions. Good people, religious people will go to hell unless they accept Jesus as their Savior. There is no other way to the Father.

Let’s be reasonable about our beliefs. Let’s make a conscious, informed choice to follow God today, to repent of sin and accept forgiveness through his Son. God hates it when we just go through the motions.

Dear God, I pray that your children will come to you in Spirit and Truth, that we will choose Jesus and accept his work on the cross in a purposeful, meaningful way. Help us not to follow you blindly, but reasonably and honestly. May our actions reflect our heart’s relationship with you. Bless us and make us a blessing to someone who needs you today.

July 5

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2 Chronicles 29:3-31:1; Psalms 66&67

Hezekiah was determined to follow God. And many Jews were ready and eager to follow Hezekiah. They worked together to consecrate the temple and got it done in only sixteen days. They got rid of anything that had been used in the worship of false gods.

Then Hezekiah invited the nation to join him to celebrate the Passover. Jews came to Jerusalem from all over the land. In fact, so many people came with animals to be sacrificed that there weren’t enough consecrated priests to handle them all. So Hezekiah prayed that God would “pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God” even if they weren’t clean according to the law.

And God answered Hezekiah’s prayer.

Isn’t that exciting? Do you see yourself in this picture? God allowed the Old Testament Jews a glimpse at what was to come. We no longer need to go through a physical cleansing in order to go to God. We don’t need to be a better person for God to want to forgive us.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Psalm 66:18-20 says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

That’s all it takes. Repent of sin. Pray. Let God do the cleaning up after you give him your heart. Jesus is ready and willing to cover your sins with his precious blood and make you clean. 

Let’s set our hearts on seeking God today.

Gracious Father, thank you once again for your written Word. It’s so amazing to read it and see the beautiful pictures you paint of your Truth. Thank you that there are no rituals we need to perform in order for you to hear us. Thank you for prayer. Thank you for access to your Presence through Jesus. May we be seekers of You today and every day.

July 3

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2 Kings 17:3-23, 18:9-12, 17:24-41, 16:19-20, 18:1-2; Isaiah 5:1-30, 2 Chronicles 28:26-27, 29:1; 1 Chronicles 4:34-43

They couldn’t keep the Promised Land. The Jewish people had been given such an amazing gift but they squandered it away. God’s condition for living in Canaan was to worship him only. They didn’t do that and God removed his protection and blessing and the Jews lost the land.

God won’t make us worship him. He didn’t create strings on us that he could manipulate to make us do what he asks. He created us with the ability to choose and he wants us to choose him.

He’s very clear about the consequences that come from rejecting him. And the nation of Israel’s example here in the Old Testament shows us what happens when we try to live with one foot in the Truth and the other in the world.

Making it personal, I bet you can identify times of God’s blessings of peace and joy and equate them with your choice to follow him. And you can probably identify times of struggle when you tried to hold on to a sin and worship God, too. I have experienced both.

Our spiritual Promised Land of forgiveness, love, hope, faith, joy was given to us when we accepted Jesus as our Savior. It’s where God wants us to live. But living there requires a daily choice to obey him. It takes a conscious walk with the Lord, communication, a willingness to deny self and be the people God would have us be.

May you walk with God today and know the blessing that comes from living in the Promised Land.

July 2

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Hosea 10-14; Micah 1:1-7

The nation of Israel really was just a group of individuals. Tall people, short people, thin people, fat people, weak people, strong people, nice people and jerks. So when Hosea is sharing what God said to the nation he is sharing what God said to this person and that one.

I am reminded that the church is the spiritual nation of Israel. And the church is really just one person after another. Hosea is telling the Old Testament nation of Israel and the New Testament church that God is not happy when we forget him. Consequences occur and will continue to worsen as long as we get further from the Truth of Scripture.

But God wants to redeem us. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave.”

Have you drifted away from God? Do you recognize sin in your life? Let God tell you what he longs for.

Read Hosea 14 and substitute your name for Israel. “Return, Connie, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall… I will heal Connie’s waywardness and love her freely, for my anger has turned away from her…”

Remember what God said to the Old Testament nation of Israel he says to us today. He longs for each of us to have a right relationship with him.

What are we waiting for?

June 21

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2 Kings 9:1-37, 10:1-27, 11:1-3; 2 Chronicles 22:7-12

What do you have to do with peace? Joram asked that question of the men sent to find out what were his intentions. Then, when King Ahaziah came to Joram and asked if Joram came in peace, Joram replied: How can there be peace as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?

Are you restless or anxious today? Or do you enjoy peace in your soul? Joram would tell us that there can be no real peace as long as we entertain sin in our lives. As you read this today did God bring to mind an unconfessed sin? Can you identify an idol in your life that has taken your focus from God? Do you harbor jealousy or anger toward someone?

You cannot hope to have peace if you are holding on to sin.

I pray for peace in your life today. May God convict your heart, dear restless soul. May you confess and repent and may you know the peace that passes all understanding. May you know that sweet peace that comes from a pure heart made clean by Jesus’ blood.

June 2

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Proverbs 19-21

20:9 says:

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

The Bible tells us no one is righteous.  Not even one. It also says all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. 

We all sin. And just because we have a personal relationship with the Lord doesn’t mean we are immune from sinning. Satan doesn’t just write us off when we accept Jesus as our Savior. In fact, if we’re honest Satan often steps up his game a little in the lives of Christians.

Sometimes I think we can be too hard on ourselves about past sins. We might have committed what we consider to be some pretty awful sins or we might feel guilty about lying to someone. 

One thing I see in the Bible is that God doesn’t grade sins. He doesn’t consider murder more of an offense than gluttony. He didn’t die once for some sins and twice for others. He died once and for all.

Ok. So you’re a sinner. Welcome to the human race. Repent and move on. Jesus died for you. Your sins… all of them… are forgiven when you repent. If you carry the guilt of your sin, if you keep beating yourself up for past mistakes, if you allow those things to hold you back, that’s on you. It’s not from God. In fact, it just might be Satan’s weapon to keep you ineffective for the kingdom.

When we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. Did you get that? You can stand before God today whiter than snow because Jesus’ blood paid the price. 

If you have gone to God and asked him to forgive you, then trust him to do that. The guilt you hold on to just might be a sin you need to confess. Let him free you of that, too.

And remember, no one can say they have kept a pure heart or are clean and without sin. Don’t let Satan make you think your sins are too ugly for God to forgive. Or that you deserve this feeling of guilt. All of us are in the same boat. And we have a great God who wants us to accept what he has to offer: forgiveness, cleansing, freedom.

Letting go of guilt doesn’t mean we don’t remember. We should remember so we don’t repeat our sin. Letting go of guilt doesn’t mean we think we got away with something. The penalty for that sin cost Jesus his life. But he wanted to pay for it. He wanted to go to the cross to free us from that sin. My prayer is that we all will let him do that.

If you are feeling guilty about something, thank God for his grace and use the memory of that sin to remind you how really awesome his grace is to forgive even that. Don’t let Satan steal your joy. Let God turn Satan’s attack into a blessing.

Father in Heaven, I pray for hurting people today. I know there isn’t one person reading this today who hasn’t done something or said something that they regret. I know some are carrying the physical consequences of past sins. But, God, I also know you are faithful to forgive when we ask. Please help your people to forgive ourselves, too, so that we can be free to reach out to others. Defeat Satan in our lives when he would keep us captive to past sins. Thank you for Jesus and his work on the cross that allows us to live lives free of sin that would entangle us. Help us to walk free today.

May 8

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2 Samuel 24:1-25, 15:7-36; I Chronicles 21:1-30

Not sure why counting the troops was such a big deal. Maybe it wasn’t the census that was a sin, but doing it without going to God first was.

Once again I am reminded that if God isn’t in it, even the simplest, most innocent act can be sin. I wonder how many examples of this lesson are recorded in the Bible. Dozens, I expect. And always those who are obedient to God are blessed, those who go in on their own suffer consequences.

This year as I read God’s Word I am struck at the importance of this theme. Yes, God is loving and forgiving, gracious and kind. But he is none of that at the exclusion of his holiness and his demand to be obeyed.

If we worship a god of love, a tolerant god who accepts multiple avenues to him, we worship a worthless idol. That is not the God of the Bible, who is loving AND holy, who is forgiving AND a righteous judge, who cannot tolerate sin AND who gave his life so that we can stand before him faultless when we accept him as our Savior.

My prayer is that we will go to God on his terms, that we will obey him in every detail of life. And that we will share him with others, knowing there just is no other way.

May 3

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Psalms 51, 103, 21, 2 Samuel 12:24-31, 8:2-8, 23:20, I Chronicles 20:1-3, 18:2-8, 11:22

We sin. It’s not like we wake up each morning and decide to disobey. But we are fallen, we are human. And we sin.

Unconfessed sin and an unrepentant heart have serious consequences, not the least of which is a broken relationship with our holy God.

Did you pray with David today as your read Psalm 51? Did God bring to mind that thought or action that you identified as sin? God desires truth in the inner parts. What did he reveal to you this morning?

David prays, “cleanse me”, “wash me”, “create in me a pure heart”, “renew a steadfast spirit in me”, “restore to me the joy of your salvation”. He prays these things with confidence that God will do it. He’ll be whiter than snow!

Then, in Psalm 103 he praises God from his inmost being. He says God forgives all our sins, heals our diseases, redeems our life, crowns us with love, and satisfies our desires. Doesn’t that make you want to praise him, too?

Father, thank you for the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood. I pray for all of us today, that you will examine us and reveal unconfessed sin. Then may we bow before you with repentant hearts. Wash us. Cleanse us. Restore us through your Son. And then may we go about our day praising you for what you have done.

May 2

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2 Samuel 11:2-12:24, Psalms 6, 32, 38

David was so mad at the rich man who took the pet of the poor neighbor’s children to serve it for lunch. In fact, David wanted the rich man to die for being so mean and thoughtless. Until he realized he was that rich man.

It tends to be easier to recognize sin in everyone else except ourselves, don’t you think?One might call someone out for having an affair, yet visit pornography in the privacy of their own home. Another might condemn a person for murdering a neighbor yet vote for legislators who enable unborn children to be murdered without penalty. We might break off a relationship because someone lied, yet tell our boss we got caught in traffic instead of overslept.

Didn’t Jesus say something about taking care of the plank in our own eye before we worry about the splinter in someone else’s?

This is not to say that we shouldn’t identify sin in ourselves and in others. We want to hold each other accountable before God. The lesson here is that we need to be honest about our own sin as well as the sin of others. We need to ask God to forgive us before we tell someone else to do the same.

Sometimes we might think if we protest loudly and often enough about some sin in someone else’s life people won’t notice that sin in us. 

But be warned. God notices. We may be able to pull off a charade with those people around us, but God sees it all. And he paid for it all. 

May we confess our sin and accept his forgiveness. Then… and only then… may we lovingly point others to the cross where they can find forgiveness, too.

Father, may we not ignore sin in our own lives or in the lives of our loved ones. Give us the ability to see ourselves as you see us. Point out those things that need confessed. And may we fall at your feet in repentance. Thank you for the forgiveness that is ours for the asking. Thank you for the precious blood of Jesus.

April 8

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Ruth 3&4, I Chronicles 2:3-16

Aren’t ancient customs funny? Ruth couldn’t tweet Boaz what was on her mind so, while he was sleeping, she uncovered his feet and slept there. A business transaction consisted of taking off your sandal in front of a few people. That was it? No contract to sign? No down payment?

I guess things have changed a bit since then. Except for the fact we still need a kinsman redeemer. And his name is Jesus. From the cross and in front of the world Jesus proclaimed… “I’ll redeem Connie. I’ll take her to myself and care for her.” All I had to do was go to him.

Blessed Redeemer, Jesus is mine!

I know that my Redeemer lives.

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Lots of good old hymns speak about the fact that once I was lost. But Jesus paid whatever it took to make me his own. 

Redeemed! Redeemed! His child and forever I am.