Category: Forgiveness

Posted on

You Are Loved

I’ve been doing quite a bit of praying this morning for different friends and loved ones. These are people who the Lord put on my heart; people who have been hurt deeply by others, those would have been wounded and rejected, those who have felt the stabbing pain of ridicule and mocking.

As I prayed, I asked the Lord to heal their hurt and to reveal to them their value, their worth to Him, as their Father, and show them how to walk free of the pain, never to be held in bondage again to the hurts of the past.

Just a couple of days ago I was talking with a friend about the oppressing weight of unworthiness. Those feelings of not measuring up or being good enough can be crushing. I know. But I also know the peace that comes when we realize that we are accepted in Christ.

“He was hated and men would have nothing to do with Him, a man of sorrows and suffering, knowing sadness well. We hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was hated, and we did not think well of Him.

4 For sure He took on Himself our troubles and carried our sorrows. Yet we thought of Him as being punished and hurt by God, and made to suffer. 5 But He was hurt for our wrong-doing. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so we would have peace. He was beaten so we would be healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone the wrong way. Each of us has turned to his own way. And the Lord has put on Him the sin of us all.” Isaiah 53:3-6 NLV

This is what Jesus did for us! He took our sin, our sorrow, our rejection, our pain and carried it to the cross to be crucified there.

When He rose from the tomb, He left all of the above in the grave and He brought us a new life. His death and resurrection created a new way for us to live.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble. 19 He sent Me to tell of the time when men can receive favor with the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19 NLV

Christ knew rejection and heart ache. He knew sorrow. His mission was and is to bring us healing and freedom.

“…the Father loves you. He loves you because you love Me and believe that I came from the Father.” John 16:27 NLV

“ So we can say for sure, ‘The Lord is my Helper. I am not afraid of anything man can do to me.’” Hebrews 13:6 NLV

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free for sure.” John 8:36 NLV

If you are one who has been hurt and rejected, I pray you will let Christ heal your broken heart and set you free. You are Loved!

Posted on

Clean Slate

Several years ago I was preparing for a message on the love of God. Cowboy Church was just a couple of weeks before Valentine’s Day and it only seemed appropriate to make “God’s Love” my center focus.

If you have been reading my morning devotional thoughts for any length of time, you know that Colossians is one of my favorite books and Colossians 2 is my favorite chapter. It’s here that the Apostle Paul writes about what Jesus did on the cross for us and how his death set us free from our sin and made us acceptable to God.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” Colossians 2:14 KJV

“Blotting out the handwriting of the ordinances against us” holds my attention every time I read it.

Writing a document in Jesus’ day required extreme patience. No erasers or delete buttons – every word had to be carefully written because if there was a mistake, the document had to be wadded up and thrown away. Some corrections would be acceptable, but the parchment would have to be saturated with ink so that the word or the mistake was completely blotted out and no longer legible.

This is the picture Paul is painting for us here. There was a document with a long list of sins we have committed, God’s laws we have broken and Jesus “blotted” out the list and then He took and nailed it to His cross. His blood, His shed blood, was more than enough to blot out the evidence of our sin. Amen!!

I have to tell you the image that comes to mind are those little writing tablets we had as kids. We would write on the slate and then lift the vinyl and the words would disappear. The evidence of our sin disappeared when Jesus nailed it to His cross.

Jesus completely defeated His enemy and ours and led him away captive and powerless for all the spiritual world to see! We are free to live for Christ, through God’s amazing love.

“You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14 Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross. 15 He defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.” Colossians 2:13-15 ERV

God the Father chooses to hit the delete button; crash the hard drive; wipe the slate clean; He blots out our sin.

The Father’s love is so great! He gives us all the opportunity to start fresh with a clean slate.

Posted on

Remember Me

For the last twenty years or so Dave and I have taken time at the beginning of the year to celebrate communion – just the two of us.

We take time, on purpose, to remember Christ’s sacrifice. We express gratitude for His love, healing, peace of mind, forgiveness and daily provision.

“Do this in remembrance of Me!”

As I’m writing this, I can see Jesus reclining around the table with His disciples at His final Passover dinner. The Passover celebration was a remembrance of the Father’s deliverance and power. When the Israelites left Egypt, they were ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Their bread was free from leaven, the spotless lamb was boiled and blood was applied to the doorposts and the header beam. This secured their safety when the death angel “passed over” the land.

I imagine that night with Jesus they were all in a celebratory mood. They were remembering God’s protection and provision as their ancestors left Egypt, headed for the land of promise.

“ Then He brought Israel out with silver and gold. And there was not one weak person among their families. 38 Egypt was glad when they left. For they had become afraid of Israel. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light at night.” Psalm 107:37-39 NLV

Jesus was preparing them, as best He could, for the events that were about to occur. He needed them to be strong for each other. He wanted them to remember the miracles that they had seen and done. He wanted them to be free from fear!

“Then Jesus took bread and gave thanks and broke it in pieces. He gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you. Do this to remember Me.’ 20 In the same way, after they had finished the bread, He took the cup. He said, ‘This cup is My blood of the New Way of Worship which is given for you.'” Luke 22:19-20 NLV

He did something they really wouldn’t understand until after the resurrection. He presented Himself to His disciples as the spotless lamb of God. The bread and the cup had always been a reminder of God’s deliverance from physical abuse and slavery. But now Jesus made it personal. This is my body and my blood given for you. I AM your salvation and your deliverance – remember Me!

The actions of Jesus that night weren’t just for His disciples. The Apostle Paul said that they are for us as well. It is a time of remembrance of all Jesus has done to provide us with new life.

“When He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take this bread and eat it. This is My body which is broken for you. Do this to remember Me.’ 25 In the same way after supper, He took the cup. He said, ‘This cup is the New Way of Worship made between God and you by My blood. Whenever you drink it, do it to remember Me.'” I Corinthians 11:24-25 NLV

Communion isn’t just a religious rite or exercise. It is His promise to be our Savior, Lord, Healer, Provider, Giver of Life.

I hope you will set some time aside with your spouse or your family and “Do this in remembrance of Me”.

Posted on

Falling In Love

Last night in moments of nostalgia, Dave and I discussed old friends and acquaintances, wondering where they were and how their lives had turned out. We talked of childhood friends and wondered if they remembered us with the same kindnesses as we remember them.

Dave asked me if I had any regrets for things I had done or dreams I didn’t pursue. Although there are a few, I really wouldn’t want to go back and do them over. I would be concerned that I might make the wrong choices again or even worse ones.

I am so thankful for God’s grace! His grace is truly one where He forgives, removes our shame and then forgets our past, never holding us in bondage to a guilty conscience.

“And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:21-22 NLT

There is one thing I would do again; it was a favorite time for me. Times of faith building and relying on the Father’s goodness for every need.

It was a time when we brought ranchers and farmers together on a Friday night or Sunday morning or even those weekend long gatherings. We would worship, study and grow together in the love of Jesus.

A song we use to sing in Cowboy Church was “I keep falling in love with Him over and over and over and over again. He gets sweeter and sweeter as the days so by – oh, what a love between my Lord and I; I keep falling in love with Him over and over and over and over again.”

This has been my daily ambition. Falling in love with Him and getting to know the depth of His love for me. That’s what the Apostle Paul prayed for Christians nearly 2000 years ago when He wrote these verses. It is my prayer for you today.

“ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT

May you experience the depth of the love of Christ and the complete fullness and power of life in God.

Posted on

Ever Ready

You’ve seen the commercials of the Energizer Bunny – I know you have. The advertisers tell us he keeps going, and going, and going.

This morning I woke up looking for some batteries for my soul. My body is wanting to crawl back in bed, pull the covers over my head and sleep. But, that’s not possible. There are things that need to be done.

My regular Bible reading was in I Kings. They were not inspiring chapters. It was a list of the genealogies for the tribes of Israel. I know better than to complain about chapters like this because “all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and are profitable…”. I memorized that verse years ago in Sunday School. However, I needed something that would lift my spirit and give me a mandate for the day.

My next reading was in Luke 7. Jesus had gone to the home of a rich, religious man named Simon for dinner. “A woman of low reputation” came into the dining hall with a valuable box of perfume. She anointed Jesus’ feet with the oil and wiped them with her hair. This was a shameful act.

Simon criticized her and this was Jesus’ reply:

“Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:44-48 NLT

I think it’s interesting that Jesus looked at the woman but he spoke to Simon. It was as if they had an unspoken conversation, “Keep your eyes on me, this is about to get good”. She has been forgiven much so she shows great love.

There you have the inspiration for my day. Forgiven of much!

“They are to stand every morning and evening to thank and praise the Lord. ” I Chronicles 23:30 NLV

Energized by praise – morning, noon and night. When we feel weary, we should praise, when we feel excited, we should praise, when our hearts are broken, we should praise because our Father is the one who heals the broken hearted.

“Oh God You Are My God
And I Will Ever Praise You
Oh God You Are My God
And I Will Ever Praise You

I Will Seek You In The Morning
And I Will Learn To Walk In Your Ways
And Step By Step You’ll Lead Me
And I Will Follow You All Of My Days”

This little praise song came up in my heart as I read of the woman who had been forgiven of much. I was energized by the amazing, unconditional love of my Father.

May we start and end each day with praise, being “ever-ready” to thank the Lord for all He’s done for us!

Posted on

Break Free

It’s the first Saturday in January. The first Saturday of a New Year. It’s a new beginning, a new life filled with new experiences and we can wipe last year’s slate clean.

God doesn’t want us held back by past mistakes, failures or even past sins. Through His love and forgiveness, we have been promised a freedom that no one else can provide. Remember a few days ago when I told you I am growing in God’s grace? Well, this is what I mean.

We are free to walk away from any hurt, any condemning voices, the memory of any blatant sin because of God’s grace and mercy.

“The Holy Spirit tells us this: First He says, 16 “This is the New Way of Worship that I will give them. When that day comes, says the Lord, I will put My Laws in their hearts. And I will write them in their minds.” Then He says, 17 “I will not remember their sins and wrong-doings anymore.” Hebrews 10:15-17 NLV

That day has come – the day of restoration and reconciliation with the Father. When we accept the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins, giving His life for ours, we are cleansed completely.

Free from the past; free from sin, free from failure, free to love, free to serve. Free!

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” John 8:36 NLT

And the Son has made us free to be called sons of God, to enter into a relationship with the Father.

“If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. 2 The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. 3 The Law of Moses cannot do this, because our selfish desires make the Law weak. But God set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin. God used Christ’s body to condemn sin.” Romans 8:1-3 CEV

The Father’s forgiveness is instantaneous – the moment we ask, it’s given and forgotten. The struggle comes when we let our own memories continue to condemn us. It’s important to realized that the Father’s unconditional love covers all sin.

“And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:18-22 NLT

There’s an old hymn we used to sing, “Calvary Covers It All”. The chorus goes like this:

Calvary covers it all,
My past with its sin and stain;
My guilt and despair
Jesus took on Him there,
And Calvary covers it all.

Enter the New Year without looking back. God isn’t holding us in bondage to our past; He sent Jesus to set us free and now we are free indeed!

Posted on

Everlasting Father

I remember a time when I was about 6 or 7, I had gone to the grocery store with my Dad. Some how we lost sight of each other. I remember starting in the first aisle, and searching each row for my Dad. When I completed that search I went to the meat department and looked for him there. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, I went to the check out at the front of the store and with tears streaming down my face I told her I was lost and couldn’t find my Dad. She got on the intercom and said, “We are looking for Kristi’s dad. You are lost but if you come to the front register, she will find you”.

I was so glad to see him come around the corner of an aisle and head to the register. I was flooded with relief.

“ For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NLV

Or as stated in another version, Everlasting Father.

That experience was one of the first times I had a living example of my heavenly Father’s love. My Dad scooped me up, wiped my tears and gave me a big hug. I was lost but he found me!

That’s exactly how our heavenly Father treats each of us. He searches for each one of us; we are precious to Him, He scoops us up in loving arms, wipes our tears and calms our fears.

Maybe you’re like me. For a long time, I didn’t feel as if I was valuable enough to have anyone search for me. One day, I sat and read the story of the prodigal son. It was a story I had heard in Sunday School for years but it really hadn’t made an impact on me. However, this day I was sitting at my office desk, looking out the window, waiting for Dave to come home and when I read it I was overwhelmed by the Father’s love.

I could see in the mind’s eye of my imagination, the Father staring out the window and waiting for His child to come home. The Father came down the road to welcome the prodigal. As the face came in focus, it was mine! I could feel the Father’s embrace and hear Him say welcome home my dear child.

“‘… While he was yet a long way off, his father saw him. The father was full of loving-pity for him. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him…22 But the father said to the workmen he owned, ‘Hurry! Get the best coat and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet…24 For my son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Let us eat and have a good time.’” Luke 15:20-24 NLV

The story of Christmas is the story of the everlasting Father, searching for us, welcoming us home and wrapping us in His forgiveness. We were lost and now we’ve been found!

Posted on

Looking Up

I love the saying, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” because it gives identity to the baby born in a manger. More and more so many are trying to remove Christ from Christmas it’s important that we remind them.

We need to give them a reason to look up. Look up like the shepherds and see that God, in His great love, has chosen me and you to live in relationship with Him. He wants us looking for and recognizing His love wherever we go and in whatever we do.

So many people spend time looking down. Looking down on others because of their education or lack thereof; looking down on financial status, marital status, political party, skin color, cultural idiosyncrasies, too religious, not religious enough, occupation or a host of other things.

Then there are those who spend their time looking in. Looking in-ward at their mistakes, their failures, their fears, their lack and so they spend half of their lives living in self-pity.

But when we look up, we find hope, good news, unconditional love, and redemption. You may be going through a rough time right now, then look up and find help. Things may be the best they have ever been, then look up in gratitude.

“God knew from the beginning who would put their trust in Him. So He chose them and made them to be like His Son. Christ was first and all those who belong to God are His brothers. 30 He called to Himself also those He chose. Those He called, He made right with Himself. Then He shared His shining-greatness with those He made right with Himself.

31 What can we say about all these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us? 32 God did not keep His own Son for Himself but gave Him for us all. Then with His Son, will He not give us all things? 33 Who can say anything against the people God has chosen? It is God Who says they are right with Himself. 34 Who then can say we are guilty? It was Christ Jesus Who died. He was raised from the dead. He is on the right side of God praying to Him for us. 35 Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or having no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war? 36 The Holy Writings say, “Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed.” 37 But we have power over all these things through Jesus Who loves us so much. 38 For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot! 39 The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:29-39 NLV

Look up and see “The” Reason for the Season and know that nothing can separate us from the love of God!

Posted on

The Price is Paid

On a number of occasions, I have told you that the best way to read/study the Bible isn’t by reading many chapters or for multiple hours but it’s to read for application. If we read only a couple of verses and they speak to our heart and we think on them throughout the whole day, it’s better than marking chapters off a list and having the words make no impact.

Yesterday I was taken back as I read one verse, one obscure verse in Psalms.

“Remember the people you bought so long ago. You saved us, and we belong to you.” Psalm 74:2 CEV

It was this one verse that reminded me of my Father’s love. Remember You, heavenly Father, bought us – saved us and we belong to You!

The word bought is translated in other places as the word “redeemed”.

“You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. 19 You were bought with the precious blood of Christ’s death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb.” I Peter 1:18-19 ERV

Years ago, our favorite pastime was attending farm and ranch auctions. We were addicted to finding treasures that others overlooked. We went so often that we became friends with some of the different auctioneers and from time to time they would ask us to help out. Dave would spot bids in the crowd and I would clerk.

We were working at one auction where someone had consigned some artwork. I was busy recording the bids so, I hadn’t really looked up to see what the pictures looked like until there was a lull in the bidding. It was then I saw this angelic face.

I was captured by the innocence I saw in his eyes, the chubby cheeks and the cherub like smile. I knew I needed to buy it and give it a place of honor in our home.

When I read that verse yesterday morning – You bought us, You saved us, You made us your own”. I remember that day at the auction – I bought, saved and made my own that sweet little angel.

How much greater, how much deeper is the Father’s love for us? We have been redeemed, we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus and by that blood our debt has been marked “Paid in Full”.

This painting, which now hangs in our daughter’s home, has been a daily reminder for me. Just seeing it stirs my heart, it’s such a sweet face that needed rescuing but more than that it reminds me that I was in need of rescuing and Christ stepped up and paid the price.

“ He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:2 NLV

I will be grateful for all eternity that God bought me, saved me and made me His own. I’ve been redeemed, you have too. The price for our salvation has been marked “Paid in Full”.

Posted on

Freely Forgiven

The Bible’s stories are not about perfect people, far from it. It is written about God’s forgiveness, His complete forgiveness.

Yesterday morning I was reading the words from Nehemiah expressing God’s mercy and forgiveness. For years they had lived their lives in captivity. They were strangers in a foreign land, Jerusalem had been destroyed but now they had been freed to go back and rebuild.

The Israelites were a stubborn, rebellious people. They had God’s promise constant protection and provision but that wasn’t good enough. They wanted to do things their own way, and when they did, they ignored God’s laws and stepped outside of His protection. They did this numerous times; each time was the same.

They would go their own way, get in to trouble and be overrun by other nations, they would call out to God in repentance, and He would deliver them and restore them.

“ But they, our fathers, acted with pride. They became strong-willed and would not listen to Your Words. 17 They would not listen, and did not remember Your powerful works which You had done among them. So they became strong-willed and chose a leader to return to their hard work in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God. You are kind and loving, slow to anger, and full of loving-kindness. You did not leave them…19 But You, in Your great loving-kindness, did not leave them in the desert…21 For forty years You kept them alive in the desert and gave them everything they needed. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not become sore.” Nehemiah 9:16-21 NLV

Before we get too critical of their actions, we need to recognize that we often follow the same pattern. Even Peter, who had followed Jesus for three years, denied he knew Christ on the night of trial and sentencing. Peter’s final words to Jesus were that he would never leave His side. But his last words about Jesus denied his association with the Savior.

But God, who is rich in mercy, is always ready to forgive. God is good!

“ But God had so much loving-kindness. He loved us with such a great love. 5 Even when we were dead because of our sins, He made us alive by what Christ did for us. You have been saved from the punishment of sin by His loving-favor.” Ephesians 2:4-5 NLV

Someone needs to hear this today. Is that someone you? You have been struggling in your walk with Christ, you feel God has given up on you. You’ve even asked, “can God forgive me, I’ve failed so many times?”.

The answer is a resounding YES!

“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.” Psalm 103:12-13 NLT

“‘Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.'” Acts 13:38 NLT

You and I are included in “everyone”. We are made right in God’s sight; we are freely forgiven, and I am very grateful for that.

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress