Category Archives: Forgiveness

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October 4, 2014

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Bible Stories, Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Sorrow, Grief & Regrets

SEND IT INTO THE WILDERNESS (Day of Atonement)

10-4-14 wildernessWEBHappy is the person whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. [Psalm 32:1 (NCV)]

Today is the Day of Atonement, a Jewish holy day. The book of Leviticus describes the rituals the Israelites were to perform on this most sacred day of the year. In one ceremony, two goats were taken from the people. One goat would be given to the Lord and the other would be the “scapegoat.” The goat given to God was sacrificed as a sin offering to make atonement for the sins of the people; its purpose was forgiveness. The second goat was then brought before the altar. The priest laid his hands on the goat and confessed the sins and transgressions of the people. He then sent it away into the wilderness; its purpose was to remove the people’s guilt.

The Christian, however, doesn’t need this kind of yearly ritual. Our sacrifice has already been made: Jesus was our sacrificial lamb. It was his blood that was shed for our sins. Because of him, once we repent and confess our sins, they are forgiven and forgotten. God forgives us and lets us start anew, free from guilt.

Sometimes, however, we don’t accept His forgiveness. We hang on to our guilt by replaying our actions, blaming ourselves and others, and regretting our failures. We carry embarrassment, humiliation, and shame around even after God has forgotten all about it. Perhaps we need to take a lesson from the ancient Israelites. Knowing that a sacrifice has been made to atone for our sins, we need to send our guilt out into the wilderness, never again to be seen!

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. [Psalm 103:12 (NLT)]

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August 17, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Forgiveness, God's Word: The Bible, Peace of God

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU NEED?

Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. [1 Peter 2:2 (GNT)]

If a baby is fussy or crying, my theory is that he is either hungry, tired or needs changing because he is soiled. That theory hold true of adults as well. When we find ourselves anxious or sad, we have a spiritual hunger. We need to feast on His word and drink in His spirit. When we’re short-tempered or tense, it’s time to rest in the peace of His presence and feel His love. When we’re irritable or oversensitive, there is usually something troubling our conscience: something that needs confessing and forgiving. Forgiveness (like a fresh diaper) gives us a clean start!

When you find yourself drained, replenish yourself with His word; when you’re weary, rest in His presence; and when you’re guilt-ridden, confess and be washed by His hand.

Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. [Matthew 11:28 (GNT)]

So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been purified from a guilty conscience and with bodies washed with clean water. [Hebrews 10:22 (GNT)]

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June 30, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Forgiveness

FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE

…Christ suffered for you and gave you an example to follow. So you should do as he did. …People insulted Christ but he did not insult them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. He let God, the one who judges rightly, take care of him. [1 Peter 2:21,23 (NCV)]

The words cut me to the quick. I was deeply hurt and then I got angry. Fortunately, the message came in an email so my mouth didn’t have a chance to blurt out something I’d soon regret. I probably would have defended my actions and then gone on the offense by listing the numerous ways this person had hurt me. Fortunately, God stopped me from responding that evening. Instead, I prayed about this person and what my response should be. As I prayed, God helped me see into this person’s heart: the message could only have been written by a very unhappy person. I realized that the angry words came from deep pain on the other person’s part: pain I had not caused and that had nothing to do with me. I just happened to be the convenient scapegoat. The words God guided me to write in return were loving and warm and, yes, a little apologetic (even though I had to swallow my pride because I truly had done nothing for which I needed to apologize). Instead of adding fuel to the fire, God helped me apply balm to a wounded heart.

Lord, be with us, and even toughen our skin a bit, so that we can let angry and mean words quickly wash over us. Show us how to keep them from soaking into our hearts. No matter how upset we may be, help us respond in a way that will heal instead of hurt.

A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire. … Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim. [Proverbs 15:1,4 (MSG)]

 

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June 22, 2014

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Forgiveness, Obedience

‘TIS EASIER SAID THAN DONE

Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us. [Matthew 6:12 (NCV)]

Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. [Matthew 6:14-15 (NCV)]

“All I want is an apology,” he said, “and then I’ll forgive him.” But that’s not how it works! Jesus said nothing about requiring an apology or waiting for amends to be made before granting forgiveness. In fact, God’s forgiveness is offered with a unique proviso: we have to extend forgiveness to others if we expect to receive it from God.

We have a god who loves us unconditionally and forgives us endlessly, but we also have a god who demands that we love others as much as ourselves and forgive them as ceaselessly as we are forgiven. We can’t have one without the other.

Lord, it’s so much easier to accept your forgiveness than to extend our own. Please, give us obedient, loving and forgiving hearts.

Forgiveness always seems so easy, when we need it, and so hard when we need to give it. [Dr. Jim L. Wilson, from “Fresh Start Devotionals”]

Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. Even more than all this, clothe yourself in love.Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity. [Colossians 3:3-4 (NCV)]

 

 

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June 20, 2014

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Fear & Doubt, Forgiveness, Joy, Prayer, Temptation & Sin

IT’S GARBAGE DAY

When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long. … Then I confessed my sins to you and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, “I will confess my sins to the Lord,” and you forgave my guilt. [Psalm 32:3, 5 (NCV)]

Most of us aren’t good at admitting when we’ve sinned or even misbehaved. In fact, some of us are pretty good at denying it altogether. When my children were small, the guilty party in our household always seemed to be someone named “Not me” or “I don’t know.” One child always said, “The fox did it!” Is it the fear of punishment or the fear of not being forgiven that so often prevents us from acknowledging our sins?

As a girl, whenever I was caught misbehaving or admitted to disobedience, I knew I could expect yelling, tears, humiliation, disgrace and punishment. Forgiveness wasn’t guaranteed and wrongs were often rehashed again and again. I knew I deserved the punishment, but it was forgiveness that I craved. So, like many people, I did my best to hide my problems, failures and transgressions. Hiding sins, however, is like hiding garbage; as the guilt and shame accumulate, sooner or later things are going to stink!

Our Heavenly Father  gives us a guarantee our earthly parents didn’t: unconditional forgiveness. It’s amazing how easy it is to confess one’s sins when assured of forgiveness. Today, if there is any guilt or shame stinking up your life, confess your sins to God and be restored. There’s no secret so shameful and no sin so vile that He won’t forgive. Toss the disgusting garbage of past transgressions and start fresh today.

Father, help us acknowledge our wrongs and accept responsibility for our transgressions. Listen to our litany of offenses as we offer our confessions to you. Empty our lives of guilt and shame; fill us with joy at your merciful love and promised forgiveness.

When God forgives us and purifies us of our sin, He also forgets it. Forgiveness results in God dropping the charges against us. [Billy Graham]

If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done. [1 John 1:8-9 (NCV)]

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June 17, 2014

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Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Salvation: A New You

WHAT ROBE AM I WEARING?

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. [Isaiah 61:10 (NLT)]

Lord, don’t let me forget that you have clothed me with a robe of salvation and righteousness, not one of condemnation and self-righteousness. I am redeemed and righteous, not because of anything I have done, but because of what you have done. It is your love and forgiveness that have saved me. If I don’t extend that same love and forgiveness to others, I am simply a sanctimonious, pious, and holier-than-thou hypocrite.

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. [Luke 6:37 (NLT)]