Category: Forgiveness

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Don’t Slide Back

There seems to be a theme to this week’s blogs. A few days ago I shared about being firmly planted. Nothing beats a good solid foundation! Then yesterday I shared how the Lord wants us freed from shame. We are forgiven but things in our past can side line us if we let them. Today I want to tie the two of them together.

Ever been in that place where you’ve lost traction, no forward momentum, and you’re stuck? Me too; literally, emotionally and spiritually. Several years ago while living in Montana, Dave and I went up to cut our Christmas tree. We backed off on a side road to turn around and slid 70 yds down the mountainside. Two hours later, we were finally back on the main road and headed home. Inch by inch we gained ground but we had to make sure we had good traction and that meant cutting pine boughs to put under the wheels – we needed a firm foundation.

Well I’ve had those experiences emotionally as well. A failure or hurt can be daunting. Friends leave, loved ones don’t understand and so we can get stuck in our failure and live in self-pity or even become suicidal. Maybe you’ve had a “tremendous” sin in your life that has held you back from serving God. Leaving you with the thought that God couldn’t possibly love or forgive you after what you have done. He can, He does and He already has.

“So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:1-3

You notice, it says we are to remove from our lives the things that slow us down. Moses said the same thing to the nation of Israel – you choose.

“Today I am giving you a choice of two ways. And I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses of your choice. You can choose life or death. The first choice will bring a blessing. The other choice will bring a curse. So choose life! Then you and your children will live. 20 You must love the LORD your God and obey him. Never leave him, because he is your life. And he will give you a long life in the land that he, the LORD, promised to give to your ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

To go on with God we need a couple things; one, to be looking in the right direction – looking forward and looking up and then two, we need good traction – something solid beneath our feet.

“Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time…19. And so, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this without fear because of the blood sacrifice of Jesus. 20 We enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way that leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. 21 And we have a great priest who rules the house of God. 22 Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. 23 We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:10-14, 19-23

The solid foundation Christ has given us is His sacrifice; it provides us with forgiveness and a right relationship with God (that’s our traction), it gets us out of the ditch of self-pity and unworthiness. The blood of Christ can and has cleansed us from a guilty conscience and put us on the right road with God.

When we’re wrapped up in guilt, and we all go there from time to time, we’re looking the wrong direction. (not choosing the right things) The victory comes in looking at Jesus – looking forward, not back. Looking back, we magnify our failures and sin; looking forward we magnify Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.

So get on track and move forward looking to Jesus and don’t get “stuck” in your past.

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No Longer Ashamed

Have you ever been publicly ridiculed and humiliated? Called out in front of a group of co-workers or maybe in a classroom. Or what about that person who has never wasted an opportunity to point out all your faults and tried to demoralized you to your family and friends? Maybe in a divorce court or at a bankruptcy hearing?

What do you do in that type of situation where you feel the most vulernable – feeling like you’ve been stripped naked and are standing all alone?

I’ve been to that place and if I allow myself to go back in time I can still feel the humiliation, the shame and the heart ache. How do you get past that? There’s only one way I know to come through a situation like that better and not bitter, you meet Jesus face to face and let Him defend you!

I have a hard time reading the story in John 8 about the adulterous woman without tears in my eyes as I feel her shame. Jesus is teaching in the Temple. I imagine there were lots of people around. She is dragged in, probably naked or at least almost naked. She’s thrown to the ground in front of Jesus and the Pharisees demand that she be stoned.

“At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:2-11 NIV

These men had no concern for this women, she was a pawn in their attempt to trap Jesus. Jesus was not only concerned about the woman but the Pharisees too. He could have humiliated the Pharisees publicly by calling out their indiscretions, their sins, but he didn’t. Instead He quietly wrote on the ground.

And when everyone was gone I can see Jesus compassionately lifting the woman up, probably covering her with a garment, placing His hand under her chin and lifting her head and telling her she was forgiven.

“Everything will soon come to an end. So be serious and be sensible enough to pray. 8 Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.” I Peter 4:7-8 CEV

I have felt that kind of forgiveness. I have experienced that compassion. I have seen the love of God cover my sins and remove my humiliation!

“Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:2-3 NIV

Thank you Father!

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Making Memories

Yesterday I spent most of my day sorting through pictures and making a photo book for Sam. We want him to remember the fun he had on his first camping trip. He was only in the mountains for forty-eight hours and we have over three hundred photos of his adventure!

Everything was new – some things he eagerly embraced and at other times he had to be coaxed.

It made me think. Our heavenly Father has a photographic memory. He doesn’t forget a thing. How many images of us doing new things does He have? Are we smiling and enjoying the new opportunities He has for us or do we need to be encouraged to try something different? Are there images of us dragging our feet and greatly resisting the opportunities set before us? Or do we ignore instruction and run off into areas of danger?

Kim had the forethought to bring boundary cones. You know those bright orange/pink cones you see in the grocery store to keep you away from a wet floor or on an athletic field to let you know the ball has gone out of bounds. Sam knew he could go anywhere he wanted within the area of the cones. If he wanted to go passed them he had to ask permission or have an adult with him.

“I am the Lord. That is My name. I will not give My shining-greatness to another, or My praise to false gods. 9 See, the things told about in the past have happened. Now I speak about new things. Before they happen I will tell you about them.” 10 Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing His praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands and those who live on them. ” Isaiah 42:8-10 NLV

The Lord has new things to show us. He wants us to experience all of His goodness.

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 9 For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:8-9 NLT

Another translation of this verse says “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” How did the world get the idea that God is wanting to punish and treat them harshly? All through the Bible God tells of His unconditional love and amazing grace. His desire is to bless us with good things.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Jesus came to give us “new” life, completely forgiven, and made right with the Father. It was a new covenant, one that had never been before. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Lord has put His laws in our hearts and minds. (He put up the boundary cones for our protection) Then He made a promise to forget all that we had done wrong.

“The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:15-17 ERV

So, let me ask you again what pictures did the Father take of you yesterday? Are you enjoying ALL of his goodness? Learn new things, have new experiences and make new and lasting memories with God!

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More Than Forgiven – Restored

Good hearted people let go of the past. I was thinking about Jesus and the way he reacted to those who treated him badly.

Focus on Peter, he was one of the inner circle. He knew Jesus up close and personal. He saw Jesus calm the sea, he walked on water, he saw the miracles of raising Lazarus from the dead, feeding the 5000 and he saw Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and heard God the Father’s voice from heaven. And then…a young girl by a fire questioned him about his relationship with Jesus and Peter denied knowing Him. The heartbreak for both men must have been unfathomable! The betrayed and the betrayer.

But repentance brought forgiveness. Jesus reached out to Peter after the resurrection and restored Him to a place of usefulness. That’s grace! Have you ever done something that would make others feel that you were unusable? Consider the Apostle Paul, as Saul of Tarsus he persecuted the Christians. He had arrest warrants drawn up for their imprisonment, he stood holding the coats of the Pharisees at the stoning of Stephen. And God…found him usable!

Paul wrote to Philemon about a runaway slave named Onesimus. He instructed Philemon to look beyond his past and find him usable.

“ I remember you in my prayers. And I always thank my God for you. 5 I thank God because I hear about the love you have for all of God’s holy people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the faith you share will make you understand every blessing we have in Christ. 7 My brother, you have shown love to God’s people, and your help has greatly encouraged them. What a great joy and encouragement that has been to me.
8 There is something that you should do. And because of the authority I have in Christ, I feel free to command you to do it. 9 But I am not commanding you; I am asking you to do it out of love. I, Paul, am an old man now, and I am a prisoner for Christ Jesus. 10 I am asking you for my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in prison. 11 In the past he was useless to you. But now he has become useful for both you and me.
I am sending him back to you, but it’s as hard as losing part of myself. 13 I would like to keep him here to help me while I am still in prison for telling the Good News. By helping me here, he would be representing you. 14 But I did not want to do anything without asking you first. Then whatever you do for me will be what you want to do, not what I forced you to do.
15 Onesimus was separated from you for a short time. Maybe that happened so that you could have him back forever, 16 not to be just a slave, but better than a slave, to be a dear brother. That’s what he is to me. And I know he will mean even more to you, both as your slave and as one who shares your faith in the Lord.
17 If you accept me as your friend, then accept Onesimus back. Welcome him like you would welcome me. 18 If he has done any wrong to you or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this in my own handwriting: I will pay back anything Onesimus owes. And I will say nothing about what you owe me for your own life. 20 So, my brother, as a follower of the Lord please do this favor for me. It would be such a great encouragement to me as your brother in Christ. 21 I write this letter knowing that you will do what I ask, and even more than I ask.” Philemon 1:4-21

True forgiveness isn’t just letting go of a past hurt. It also means restoring someone to a place of genuine loving relationship. That’s what Paul is asking Philemon to do for Onesimus. That’s what Jesus did for Peter and Paul. That’s what God, the Father, has done for us. Forgiveness sets us free from bitterness, anger and a broken heart. Restoration brings new life to a relationship that was badly damaged or destroyed.

“For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun. 18 All this comes from God. He is the One Who brought us to Himself when we hated Him. He did this through Christ. Then He gave us the work of bringing others to Him. 19 God was in Christ. He was working through Christ to bring the whole world back to Himself. God no longer held men’s sins against them. And He gave us the work of telling and showing men this. ” II Corinthians 5:17-19 NLV

Is there a Peter, a Paul or an Onesimus in your life? Live a “grace-filled” life and find them useful. We shouldn’t do any less from them than Jesus has done for us!

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What Are You? Who Are You?

I hope you don’t mind if I share a personal experience I had over thirty years ago. It is still fresh in my memory. I can see each face that was in the room and I wonder if they remember this conversation that we had.

I have shared this before on Facebook but I hope you won’t mind me sharing it here with you.

A long time ago I was asked by some students who worked for me “Are you one of those born again ‘Christians’?” I could tell by the question that this was an opening from the Lord and I could also tell that I wasn’t what they were asking.

Let’s read this morning’s verses and then I come back and give you my answer to their question.

“Friends, when I came and told you the mystery that God had shared with us, I didn’t use big words or try to sound wise. 2 In fact, while I was with you, I made up my mind to speak only about Jesus Christ, who had been nailed to a cross.

3 At first, I was weak and trembling with fear. 4 When I talked with you or preached, I didn’t try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God’s Spirit show his power. 5 That way you would have faith because of God’s power and not because of human wisdom.” I Corinthians 2:1-5 CEV

So I asked the student posing the question what he meant by Christian. He said that his aunt and uncle were always telling him you can’t do this and you got to do that and if you don’t you’re going to hell. And they are “Christians” so am I one of those?

I took a deep breath and answered “No, I’m not a Christian like that but let me tell you what I am”. My office area was filled with students because it was midday and they always came to hang out in my office. They all got quiet and gave me their attention.

“I am a Christian because Christian means one who is like Christ. I am born again because that means I have been given new life by Jesus. He has forgiven my sins and made me new.

I am a fanatic because I trust the Lord with everything I do each and every day. I pray over my grocery list. I pray for my kids to be healed and my husband to be safe at work. I pray for you (calling a student by name) to pass your Algebra test and for another student to find something valuable that she had lost.

I believe that God wants to be involved in every part of my life and I also know that He can handle it so much better than I can do on my own.

I don’t live by a long list of do’s and don’ts. I live by relationship with a Heavenly Father who loves and wants the best for me and I want to do nothing that would displease Him. And when I do fail, because I do, I go to Him and find His forgiveness. His love isn’t based on my goodness – it’s unconditional!

So I guess to answer your question, yes, I am a born again Christian. I’m a fanatic who believes that God wants to show me his love and his power and I pray that each one of you will want a relationship like that too.”

That day the Lord opened the door for me to talk with and pray for many of the students in that room. I thank Him that my life wasn’t filled with religious words and condescending looks but with real life relationship. And from that day forward I have tried to live and teach Jesus in a practical way that cowboys, farmers, ranchers, students and just plain folks could understand.

So today I encourage you to live a life that draws questions. And the answer to questions should always be Jesus and His amazing love!

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The Heart of the Matter

This morning, like most mornings, I am just so grateful to be able to praise the Lord and trust in His goodness. He has always been and always will be. His desire is to shower us with His love.

“Hope never makes us ashamed because the love of God has come into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.

6 We were weak and could not help ourselves. Then Christ came at the right time and gave His life for all sinners. 7 No one is willing to die for another person, but for a good man someone might be willing to die. 8 But God showed His love to us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:5-8 NLV

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time listening to good old gospel music and hymns of faith. These were songs I grew up singing in church. It had been years since I sang some of them but the words came flooding back through my mind. It’s amazing what is stored in there and when the heart does its own “search” the screen of our memory bank populates faster than the most powerful computer.

God has programmed our hearts to recognize truth, the truth of His love, and it takes precedence over all else. We spend a lot of our time searching for things to satisfy us in life but there’s really only One that can, his name is Jesus!

This is one of the songs that touched me the most. It was written in 1895 by William Newell, At Calvary. I hope you will take time to click on the link and listen to the words as they are sung.

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.

Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!

Without Calvary my life would be hopeless and without meaning. Because of Calvary I have joy, peace and forgiveness. Look for the wonder of the Lord in your life today, start by looking At Calvary! It’s the Heart of the Matter.

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Oil & Wine

When we first moved to Rio Rico and began working to make this house our home we quickly became acquainted with the hard, stony, clay infused ground. I don’t think we have ever lived anywhere with soil as hard as here.

It was necessary to soak it for several days, a slow soak, and then use a pick to break through. When the footers were dug for our courtyard wall it took several men, several days to dig deep enough to have a trench that would hold the concrete and rebar for the foundation. When I decided I wanted a flower and vegetable garden we had to mix in many bags of a top soil/garden soil mixture just to provide a good environment for them to grow.

Hard ground. Stony earth. Both of these prevent proper growth of the seeds that are planted. To have a good and healthy growing environment the soil needs to be broken up, the rocks removed and good earth mixed in. The same is true of our hearts.

“The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.” Mark 4:16-17 NLT

I know what it’s like to work with hard soil, the time it takes to get a good harvest and I know what it’s like to have an unproductive heart and the time it takes to see a good harvest there, as well.

” I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,  and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’” Hosea 10:12 NLT

For years I had memorized Bible verses for Sunday School contests and awards at Vacation Bible School but all they were, were words on a page. My heart was hard and there wasn’t much fruit. But I remember when I prayed “Lord, I want to know your Word. I want the Holy Spirit to make it come alive in me.”. It was only a couple days later, as I sat at my kitchen table, Bible open before me and I read…

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ” Philippians 4:19 NKJV

I had memorized this verse over twenty years earlier but it had never taken root. That day as I read it out loud, I began to cry. That Bible verse, that seed, planted in the soil of my softened heart, took root and immediately brought a harvest of hope. That was just one of many examples I could share with you.

If the soil in a garden isn’t tilled regularly it will harden. It needs to be watered and the sun baked surface needs to be broken up. The same is true of our lives. Our hearts can become hardened and the seed of God’s word won’t produce a good harvest. So, we must break it up with repentance and water it with prayer.

When our older children were in high school, they went to a winter camp with the church group. The kids came home and on a Sunday evening sang a song they had learned at camp. The words of that song are still captured in my heart. The song was written by Keith Green, My Eyes are Dry.

“My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

But what can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
With the wine of Your Blood

The good news is we don’t have to go through the dry spells. We can keep our hearts tender and always producing good fruit if we work the soil everyday. We do that with prayer and applying God’s word.

Reading the Bible and praying doesn’t get the Father to love us any more than He already does. But it does keep us in constant remembrance of His promises and HIs love.

Maybe you’re like I was, hard and unproductive. Let the oil and wine soft you again.

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Forgiven

This morning my Bible reading took me to two distinct places in Scripture; both of them dealt with forgiveness.

Not our forgiveness to others, however, the Bible is filled with teachings on forgiving but these two dealt with the forgiveness that we have received from God, our Father.

Forgiven!

I don’t have to ask you to remember because I’m sure, like me, you remember the most awful thing you have ever done. But it’s forgiven…Jesus died to pay the price for our sin and the Father has forgiven us!

He’s even forgotten our sins – He chose too. He wants us to forget too so that we can become the powerful person He has designed us to be.

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven,  whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,  whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin,  my body wasted away,  and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. 7 For you are my hiding place;  you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule  that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” 10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. 11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
    Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!” Psalm 32 NLT

Forgiven – we should tattoo that on our hearts!

This Psalm, which was written by King David, should be one we read often. The devil will work to remind us of our sin. He wants us to feel unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness; if we buy into that thinking we stay focused on ourselves and not on God and we become useless when it comes to telling others about the Father’s wonderful forgiveness and amazing grace.

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” I John 2:1-2 NLT

Jesus IS the sacrifice that atones for ALL sin! He is the only one who could be the perfect offering for our salvation. In Him, we are not only forgiven but we are made completely new. Our past, present and future transgressions are blotted out and we are restored to relationship with the Father.

If you are struggling with your past re-read Psalm 32 and then shout for joy because your heart has been made pure by God’s forgiveness!

Now share the message of forgiveness with those around you, I just did.

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Coming Home

It’s hard to think of a day in my life without the Lord. Almost impossible! Even during the days when I wasn’t serving Him, when I was being the prodigal – I knew He was there!

Doing things my way, trying to find the “best” way without Him only brought frustration and disappointment.

“Lord, teach me your ways, and I will live and obey your truths. Help me make worshiping your name the most important thing in my life. 12 My Lord God, I praise you with all my heart. I will honor your name forever! 13 You have such great love for me. You save me from the place of death.” Psalm 86:11-13 ERV

By now you know that the story of prodigal son is one of my favorites. I use it often; I am still, after all these years exploring the depth of that Father’s love for his son; for both of his sons. One was wayward in his life style, the other was wayward in his understanding.

The son who left was decadent, rebellious and immoral. The son who stayed appeared to be hard working and loyal but his heart was filled with resentment and bitterness. The one son saw his need for repentance and his broken spirit brought him home. The other, although home, felt like a distant outsider because he had never really developed a relationship with his loving father.

I have been like both of these sons.

I’ve been rebellious and walked far from my Father’s home and I have been close in appearance but distanced because of a hard heart and religious mind set. Is it any wonder that I love this story?

Is it any wonder that I love God’s word?

It is His word that has revealed to me the depth of my Father’s love and the expanse of His forgiveness.

“This is the agreement I will make  with my people in the future, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write my laws in their minds.”

17 Then he says, “I will forget their sins and never again remember the evil they have done.” 18 And after everything is forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice to pay for sins.

19 And so, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this without fear because of the blood sacrifice of Jesus. 20 We enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way that leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. 21 And we have a great priest who rules the house of God. 22 Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ.” Hebrews 10:16-22 ERV

Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can experience forgiveness and a depth of love we have never known before. Our sins are completely forgiven, He paid the penalty of sin with His life. No further sacrifice is necessary.

We are free to come to the Father; freed from a guilty conscience, free to live confidently in His presence, free to find help in our time of need. Free from the penalty of sin!

Coming home! What a joy to know the Father is always waiting with arms open wide!

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Power of Forgiveness

Yesterday Dave and I watched a movie that had been produced in 2010 in Australia. It is based on a true story about some nuns and nurses who were held captive by the Japanese on an island during WWII.

Sisters of War.

The nurses and patients were abandoned by the doctors when the Japanese occupied the island and a small group of soldiers hid out in the jungle trying to fight the Japanese as best they could.

The bishop who founded the church, several priest, a contingent of nuns and some native converts were the others who occupied the church and hospital compound. The story focuses on one nun and one nurse.

What amazed me the most was the way the nuns lived out their faith. They always tried to encourage those around them and chose to pray for and forgive those who tortured them.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. 45 If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.” Matthew 5:43-45 ERV

These are the words of Jesus; if it weren’t possible to love and forgive in the worst of situations then He wouldn’t have commanded us to do so. I was amazed by the kind resolve that the nuns displayed through most of their captivity.

And then I had to ask myself how I would have handled such a situation. We often lose our loving attitude over simple things; being cut of in traffic, someone playing loud music at midnight (yes, it happened), a dishonest politician, a deceptive co-worker, etc. Very few of us have had a face the horrendous situations that these women did.

This morning I awaken with a deeper resolve to love and forgive.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, it cannot be made salty again. Salt is useless if it loses its salty taste. It will be thrown out where people will just walk on it.

14 “You are the light that shines for the world to see. You are like a city built on a hill that cannot be hidden. 15 People don’t hide a lamp under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand. Then the light shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 ERV

These too are the words of Jesus. I encourage you to live as salt and light in this world; it can certainly use our example!

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