Do you see God as angry? Standing with arms folded, looking down waiting for you to mess up so that He can send correction and judgment, ready to turn His back on you until you get your act together? Or do you see God as loving? Standing with His arm extended, cheering you on, picking you up when you fall, eager to extend forgiveness, favor, grace, when you mess up,...
Outwit The Enemy
Forgiveness is not always easy. But it’s always right. Sometimes others can hurt you so deeply, so profoundly that forgiveness can seem like some pie in the sky impossible ideal. How can a compassionate, loving God expect me to forgive? First remember, forgiveness is not synonymous with forgetting. Forgiveness does not mean trust is instantly restored. Forgiveness does not mean you continue to allow someone to hurt you. So how...
Fallen Stars
It seems as of late, you can’t watch the news without hearing about some famous person’s indiscretion. Both the entertainment and the political world has been shaken. How should we as Christians respond? I think we have an amazing opportunity as Christians – not to throw stones, not to jump on the condemning bandwagon, and surely not to sit back with a holier than thou smirk and say I told...
Loved
You are loved. Unconditionally. You don’t deserve nor did you earn it. God loved you (and still loves) while you were far from Him. When you didn’t want anything to do with Him. He loved you when you were smoking pot, or sniffing coke. He loved you through the divorce even if the divorce was initiated by you. You don’t have to work for or earn His love. He loves...
Freely Forgiven
Oh what an awesome God is Jehovah! Despite our shortcomings, He freely, without hesitation, forgives us. He not only forgives, but He removes the guilt and the shame of the transgression. We stand before Him holy and blameless. Have you messed up? Have you made mistakes? Have you done something you dare not even speak? Take heart my friend, there is no transgression too dastardly for His mercy, no action...
You Are Forgiveness!
Forgiven. That’s who you are. If you have received Christ as your Savior, you are perpetually forgiven. But what if I have not repented. You are still forgiven. Allow His kindness to lead you to repentance. But what I did was horrible, unimaginable. You are still forgiven. No sin is greater than the cross. But I willingly, knowingly sinned after coming to Christ. You are still forgiven. His blood covers...
Forgiven
The other day I got angry with someone. In my anger I told the Lord, “I’m not going to forgive them.” Even in my anger, I felt the Lord smile at me and say, “Yes, you will.” He didn’t say it as a command but simply as “I know your heart my daughter and you know who you are and you know you are forgiven.” And He was correct, I...
Salvation = Fogiveness
Insults were being hurled at Him. The crowd yelled, “Crucify Him!” A mob mentality had overtaken the crowd and no one was repentive. But although He was the object of this momentary anger, He looked at the crowd and prayed to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NIV) With this statement began a new covenant of forgiveness. When you are...
Forgiven
He was perfect. He had not sinned. On the contrary, He had loved outrageously, shown compassion extravagantly, healed abundantly, and set the oppressed free miraculously. Nonetheless, the same people He came to save and deliver, the same crowds He had fed, the same mob that had thronged Him wanting to just touch him now shouted, “Crucify Him!” So there he hung, on a cross abandoned by those He loved,...
They All Deserted Him
The time had come. The mob had come to seize Jesus. Peter’s response is to draw a sword and defend his friend. But when Jesus made it clear there would be no violence on their part, the disciples now decided to flee. All of them. One did not even take time to put clothes on and flees naked. These men who had seen the miracles up close and personal, who...