Category Archives: Forgiveness

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June 22, 2013

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Forgiveness, Temptation & Sin

LET’S NOT DECEIVE OURSELVES

Examine me and test me, Lord; judge my desires and thoughts. Your constant love is my guide; your faithfulness always leads me. [Psalm 26:2-3 (GNT)]

It’s amazing how easy it is for us to rationalize our failings and deceive ourselves when we sin. We justify our bad behavior by telling ourselves things like the following: That wasn’t really gossip, I didn’t have time, they really didn’t need my help, no one cares about a little thing like that, I was too tired, I was only following orders, it was the other person’s fault, no one will ever know, everyone else did, he made me, or it was just too difficult. We can fool others and delude ourselves but there is one being we can’t deceive: God! He knows everything about us and, like any good parent, He can recognize an excuse for what it is: a way to avoid accountability for our poor behavior.

Lord, please forgive me when I sin and don’t let me lie to myself or you about it.

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself. [Henry Ward Beecher]

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June 1, 2013

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Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, Peace of God, Sorrow, Grief & Regrets

IT’S TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them in the depths of the ocean! [Micah 7:18-19 (NLT)]

If  He can forgive us and throw our sins away, why can’t we? We need to sweep away the cobwebs of the past. Let’s discard any regrets that are cluttering our lives, toss out any negative attitudes that don’t fit our faith, and wash away any guilt that is soiling our souls. It’s time to make room in our lives for God’s love and peace.

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May 29, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Forgiveness

A LITTLE SELF-EXAMINATION IS IN ORDER

So why do you see the piece of sawdust in another believer’s eye and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye? [Matthew 7:3 (GW)]

In 2 Samuel, Nathan comes to David and tells him a story about a villainous man who has taken a neighbor’s lamb for himself when he had lambs enough of his own. “This man deserves to die!” is David’s quick condemnation. Nathan then points out that the villainous man is David himself, who has both killed his neighbor and taken his neighbor’s wife in adultery. We’re often like David in that it’s easy for us to see the sins of others and yet not recognize our own flaws and offenses. Lord, keep us from judging the faults of others when what we really need to do is acknowledge our own transgressions.

I have sinned against the Lord. [2 Samuel 12:13 (NLT)]

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May 27, 2013

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Forgiveness, Holy Spirit

GENESIS WEEK

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit. [Psalm 51:10-12 (ASV)]

Thank you, God, for always taking me back when I’ve wandered away. May I be a better person today than I was yesterday and a better person tomorrow than I am today.

God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! [Psalm 51:10-12 (MSG)]

 

 

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May 16, 2013

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Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, Today: Make it Count

GOD’S DELETE BUTTON

It is a great blessing when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done, when their sins are erased. It is a great blessing when the Lord says they are not guilty, when they don’t try to hide their sins. [Psalm 32:1-2 (ERV)]

God doesn’t just draw a line through the list of our sins; he doesn’t even use White-Out or correct tape. He uses the delete button and then empties the recycle bin in his heavenly computer. Our sins are completely wiped away; they are over, done with, and gone!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of forgiveness and the blank document on which to write today’s story.

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April 28, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Forgiveness, Love & Works

LET GOD PICK OUT YOUR OUTFIT TODAY

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic all-purpose garment. Never be without it. [Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG)]

O Lord, help me be less concerned with what I put on my body and more concerned with what I wear in my heart.