Category: Forgiveness

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It’s A Gift!

This morning as I sit here, I am replaying in my mind some of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite western movies, Crossfire Trail.

Tom Selleck was cast as the story’s hero, and he had some great one-liners. My favorite – “It’s a gift”.

That line grew so large that it was my only focus. I sat here mulling it over, “Lord, what do you want me to see. What are You saying to me”?

And then it jumped off the page of my Bible:

“ But God has a way to make people right, and it has nothing to do with the law. He has now shown us that new way, which the law and the prophets told us about. 22 God makes people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23 All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 25-26 God gave Jesus as a way to forgive people’s sins through their faith in him. God can forgive them because the blood sacrifice of Jesus pays for their sins. God gave Jesus to show that he always does what is right and fair. He was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And in our own time he still does what is right. God worked all this out in a way that allows him to judge people fairly and still make right any person who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26 ERV

It’s a gift!

Our right standing with God – our forgiveness, our salvation, our peace is a gift. It’s nothing we could ever earn, not something we can buy or acquire by our own goodness. It’s a gift.

Recently we were at our granddaughter’s sixth birthday and when it came time to open her gifts, she was reluctant. Everyone was standing around watching and she was self-conscious but once the first gift was opened and she found something she always wanted, she eagerly opened all the others.

Not once did she look at any of us gift-givers and say “Oh, you shouldn’t have. I haven’t been good enough. You need to take this back until I’ve done something to earn it”. That would have been silly and unrealistic. It’s a gift.

She used to childlike faith to accept the gift freely and eagerly and said thank you.

“So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law.” Romans 3:27 ERV

God’s gift to us should be accepted the same way, with childlike faith. We have no room to boast on our own goodness. We receive right standing with the Father the same way Kristine received her birthday presents – with joy!

If you have felt you needed to be good enough, more pious, or needed to earn your salvation let all of that go and enjoy what Christ has done for you.

It’s a gift!

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Incomprehensible!

Some concepts in God’s word are almost impossible to understand. I feel that way about the unconditional love of God. But I know it’s true because He said it was.

Unconditional!

Growing up I had the impression that if I wasn’t a good Christian it somehow affected God’s love for me. It was hard and each time I failed I felt condemned, like God loved me less because I had failed!

“So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty. 2 That is because in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free. It made you free from the law that brings sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2 ERV

I didn’t understand that even though I sinned the sacrifice of Christ had made me free. The book of Romans is a book of grace. Paul points out that God’s love and forgiveness are unconditional but that doesn’t give us a license to live anyway we choose. To quote Paul, God forbid!

“Sin must not have power over you. You are not living by the Law. You have life because of God’s loving-favor. 15 What are we to do then? Are we to sin because we have God’s loving-favor and are not living by the Law? No, not at all!” Romans 6:14-15 NLV

There is a big difference between condemnation and conviction. Condemnation is accusatory, belittling, insulting in nature. Conviction is a loving and concerned correction, I see it as the Holy Spirit saying, “You’re better than that, I can help you overcome that weakness or action”.

“ At one time you were held by the power of sin. But now you obey with all your heart the teaching that was given to you. Thank God for this! 18 You were made free from the power of sin. Being right with God has power over you now. 19 I speak with words easy to understand because your human thinking is weak. At one time you gave yourselves over to the power of sin. You kept on sinning all the more. Now give yourselves over to being right with God. Set yourself apart for God-like living and to do His work.” Romans 6:17-19 NLV

Yesterday’s blog was about knowing the depth of God’s love to us through Christ. Did you take time to think about just how much God loves you? I did. It’s overwhelming, awe-inspiring, almost unfathomable, but it’s true! The unconditional love of God.

“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 8:38-39 NLV

Let me take this moment to encourage you to not only read but to study the book of Romans.

“Men become right with God by putting their trust in Jesus Christ. God will accept men if they come this way. All men are the same to God. 23 For all men have sinned and have missed the shining-greatness of God. 24 Anyone can be made right with God by the free gift of His loving-favor. It is Jesus Christ Who bought them with His blood and made them free from their sins.” Romans 3:22-24 NLV

God’s unconditional love made a way, through Christ, for us to be free from sin – now that’s almost incomprehensible!

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Free to Forgive

How hard is it for you to forgive? Sounds like a loaded question doesn’t it?

When we look at forgiveness from a strictly personal, human perspective it can seem almost impossible to forgive some and easy to forgive others. It all depends on how deeply we have been hurt or wronged. Forgiveness seems to be based on our feelings and quite frankly, we often don’t want to take responsibility for letting them go.

However, we are free to forgive because we have been forgiven.

“We have been bought by His blood and made free. Our sins are forgiven through Him.” Colossians 1:14 NLV

In this morning’s reading Jesus was teaching on this very thing.

 “Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, speak sharp words to him. If he is sorry and turns from his sin, forgive him. 4 What if he sins against you seven times in one day? If he comes to you and says he is sorry and turns from his sin, forgive him.”

5 The followers said to the Lord, ‘Give us more faith.’ 6 The Lord said, ‘If your faith was as a mustard seed, you could say to this tree, ‘Be pulled out of the ground and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.’

7 “What if you owned a servant who was working in the field or taking care of sheep? Would you say to him when he came in from his work, ‘Come and sit down to eat?’ 8 No, instead you would say, ‘Get my supper ready. Dress yourself and care for me until I am through eating and drinking. Then you can eat and drink.’ 9 Does the servant get thanks for doing what he was told to do? I am sure he does not. 10 It is the same with you also. When you do everything you have been told to do, you must say, ‘We are not any special servants. We have done only what we should have done.’” Luke 17:3-10 NLV

Jesus talked to his disciples about forgiveness. They tried to make it a “faith” issue. Jesus quickly refuted that and told them they didn’t need more faith – even a small amount of faith was sufficient to make earth moving changes.

What he did talk to them about was their obedience. Verses 3 through 5 don’t seem to tie together with verses 6 through 10 but read it again and you will see the correlation. Jesus starts in verse 6 telling them their faith is sufficient and then immediately goes into a teaching on obedience, the obedience of a servant.

The disciples, servants of Jesus, are being challenged to obey what the Master has said. Forgive!

Take forgiveness out of the realm of feelings and place it where it belongs – it is an act of obedience. We don’t need to struggle with doing something we are commanded to do. Just obey!

Obey because it’s what the Father has instructed us to do. Obey and know that we have done our duty as a servant of the most high God. We have been forgiven and we are charged with following His lead.

We’ve been forgiven so we are free to forgive!

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Lather Up!

It’s important that we have the proper covering in life. I was thinking about that the other day when the grandkids were here.

They were dressed in their swimsuits, and we were ready to head out the door but first things first. Time to lather up – they needed to be covered with sunscreen and they also needed to have their hats on.

The Arizona sun is so hot!

We don’t always think about being covered because the water is cool and inviting but it’s important that we keep from getting sunburned. As excited as they were about getting up to the pool they waited, not so patiently, until each one had been sprayed and had their hats in hand.

It made me think, I should never start the day without being covered.

“How happy he is whose wrong-doing is forgiven, and whose sin is covered! 2 How happy is the man whose sin the Lord does not hold against him, and in whose spirit there is nothing false.” Psalm 32:1-2 NLV

Because of God’s great love for us we are forgiven, we have our sins covered. That was the example of the Old Testament. The blood sacrifices that were made covered their sin. However, in the New Testament, the blood of Jesus not only covers but completely blots out our sins.

“ David tells of this. He spoke of how happy the man is who puts his trust in God without working to be saved from the punishment of sin. 7 ‘Those people are happy whose sinful acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 8 Those people are happy whose sins the Lord will not remember.’…25 Jesus died for our sins. He was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” Romans 4:6-8, 25 NLV

Over exposure to the sun’s harmful rays can cause skin cancer. Over exposure to the world’s way of thinking and living can cause a cancer of the soul.

“He will cover you with His wings. And under His wings you will be safe. He is faithful like a safe-covering and a strong wall…14 Because he has loved Me, I will bring him out of trouble. I will set him in a safe place on high, because he has known My name. 15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will take him out of trouble and honor him. 16 I will please him with a long life. And I will show him My saving power.” Psalm 91:4,14-16 NLV

Oh, I didn’t forget about the hats. God has taken care of covering our heads too.

“17 The covering for your head is that you have been saved from the punishment of sin. ” Ephesians 6:17 NLV

I’ll say it again. We need to be well covered before we face the harsh elements of the day. Let’s make sure that we are aware that we are completely covered with the Father’s love.

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Religion or Relationship

I love when we get together with friends and our conversation focuses on our relationship with the Lord!

For so many years I lived by religious rules. Church attendance was required. There was Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night and the reoccurring youth get togethers. Sad to say most of it was a religious act and didn’t build my relationship with the Lord. It didn’t matter that through the week I felt lonely, out of the inner circle and abandon. There was an ache in my heart a deeper connection with the Lord and I wasn’t finding it.

“Everything and everyone that the Father has given me will come to me, and I won’t turn any of them away.” John 6:37 CEV

Last night we visited with friends and shared from the heart about our walk with the Lord. We have been in churches and religious surroundings where we were treated like outcasts. But you know what? We were in good company because Jesus faced the same treatment from the religious rulers of His day.

“God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.11  God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12  Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.” Matthew 5:10-12 CEV

Jesus faced down the religion of His day. The religious leaders said he was unfit because He ate with sinners and the lower class of society. Jesus’ response was: “I came to seek and to save those who are lost”. Religion and their opinions didn’t stop Him.

It shouldn’t stop us either.

We have pharisees living among us and at times, if we aren’t careful, we could act just like them. We judge because of someone’s appearance and/or lifestyle. But that’s not God’s way. God looks at the heart and to Him sin is sin, no big sins or little sins – just sin.

“They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, ‘If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her! 8′  Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground.” John 8:7-8 CEV

 “If you obey every law except one, you are still guilty of breaking them all. ” James 2:10 CEV

Religion judges. Relationship forgives and restores.

“Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.” Romans 5:6-8 CEV

Let’s cultivate relationship with our loving and forgiving heavenly Father and stay away from religious judgements.

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Covered by Love

I have a fleece throw that I use every day – warm days, cold days it doesn’t matter. I find a sense of comfort in cuddling under that blanket. I like being covered. I guess that’s why these verses mean so much to me.

 “The mouth of the one who is right with God is a well of life, but the mouth of the sinful hides trouble. 12 Hate starts fights, but love covers all sins.” Proverbs 10:11-12 NLV

I’ve been taught when we have a heart of love we don’t expose someone else’s weaknesses or their wrongdoing. We cover them. This is a true teaching but it goes deeper than that.

It has to do with me and my Father. He loves me and His love covers my short comings and my wrong doings. He doesn’t come to you and tell you all the things I’ve done wrong. He doesn’t go to my husband or my kids or my friends and point out how many times I’ve missed it.

He covers me – He covers me with His love and in His mercy, He forgives, and He forgets.

WOW!

Does that mean we don’t have to accept any responsibility for what we do wrong? Not in the slightest. If we drive drunk, there are consequences. If we steal there are consequences. If we gossip or lie there are consequences.

However, we have the Father’s promise that He will and has covered them and He won’t use our past failures to embarrass us or berate us.

“With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. They are the ones who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also tells us about this. First he says, 16’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.” Hebrews 10:14-19 ERV

Because of Christ’s sacrifice our sins are not only covered, but they are also completely blotted out and forgotten. We are forgiven, we are free to enter the Father’s presence.

When I was a kid we sang a song in church and the meaning of the words were lost to me until I was older. Now, when I sing them, my throat tightens, and tears come to my eyes:

“Calvary covers it all,

My past with its sin and shame;

My guilt and despair Jesus took on Him there,

And Calvary covers it all.”

I don’t know about you but I am certainly glad that His love covers my sins!

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Learned Behavior

Yesterday we found ourselves in deep conversation with friends. We were talking about prejudice and how it’s a learned behavior. I made a statement about learned behavior and if we learn it we can also unlearn it.

It’s not easy but with God’s grace, He can transform our hearts.

I work hard to get passed outward appearances. What people look like, how the sound, educated or unlearned, political leanings, rich or poor, young or old – none of it makes any difference to God.

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV

“ And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.” Galatians 3:27-28 CEV

If I had been with Jesus when he was preaching and teaching would I have been accepting of the woman in adultery, would I have been willing to eat dinner with Zacchaeus, would I have even talked to the woman at the well long enough to find out that she needed a friend or a Savior?

Just being honest with you. Too many times I have judged people by their outward appearance without seeing who Jesus sees. Maybe you are better than me in these circumstances.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day judged Him unacceptable because He didn’t keep their religious traditions. Jesus healed people on the Sabbath day, He had dinner with tax collectors and other sinners. He was unconventional, He allowed Himself to be touched by lepers and the demon possessed.

He came to love the world!

The Apostle Paul gave us this instruction:

“If our faith is strong, we should be patient with the Lord’s followers whose faith is weak. We should try to please them instead of ourselves. 2 We should think of their good and try to help them by doing what pleases them. 3 Even Christ did not try to please himself. But as the Scriptures say, ‘The people who insulted you also insulted me.’ 4 And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. 5 God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. 6 Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you. 8 I tell you that Christ came as a servant of the Jews to show that God has kept the promises he made to their famous ancestors. Christ also came, 9 so that the Gentiles would praise God for being kind to them…

13 I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” Romans 15:1-13 CEV

We are always going to have different opinions over politics, money, education, appearance, lifestyle, doctrines but those differences should never stop us from loving those whom God created.

We need to have the same mind as Christ in this. He hated sin so much that He died to pay the price for atonement but He loved the sinner so much that He willingly went to the cross.

If we are guilty of learned behavior let it be the behavior we see modeled by Christ and His unconditional love!

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Just Keep Preaching

This morning I saw something in the book of John I hadn’t seen before. It put a big smile on my face.

John, chapter 8, Jesus is teaching in the Temple. People are curious about His teachings and hoping to see a miracle. Jesus’ teachings were like none they had ever heard. He taught with boldness and conviction from a heart of compassion.

The religious leaders were often offended by what He said and secretly they were plotting ways to silence Him. He had gained too much popularity and they saw Him as a threat.

So here He is teaching again.

“Early in the morning He went back to the house of God and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them.” John 8:2 NLV

The religious leaders come marching in, disrupting His teaching, with a woman. A woman they said was ““Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.” (vs4) They were trying to trap Him, they wanted to be able to accuse Jesus of breaking the law of Moses that said those who were adulterers were to be judged and stoned.

I mean they dropped this woman right down in front of Jesus, demanding He give a judgement of her. Jesus said nothing. He just knelt down and began to write in the dirt.

“The Jewish leaders continued to ask him their question. So he stood up and said, ‘Anyone here who has never sinned should throw the first stone at her.’” (vs7).

Then he knelt down and continued writing. The story continues that those who had accused her began to leave one by one, the oldest ones first, until it was just Jesus and the woman.

Now let me say here, no one knows what Jesus wrote on the ground. It isn’t recorded in Scripture. He may have written the sins of the accusers; He may have written Scripture from the law of Moses but what He wrote either convicted them or brought them to shame. It caused them to leave.

“He looked up again and said to her, ‘Where did they all go? Did no one judge you guilty?’ 11 She answered, ‘No one, sir.’ Then Jesus said, ‘I don’t judge you either. You can go now, but don’t sin again.’” John 8:10-11 ERV

Now I know this story very well. I have imagined myself being there that day. I can see the woman – naked, ashamed, tears rolling down her cheeks, trying to cover herself. Completely humiliated. Ready to face a death sentence. All of this has made her a public spectacle.

Jesus’ words bring deliverance, not condemnation. He sends her on her way forgiven.

But here’s the part of this story I hadn’t seen before.

“Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” John 8:12 CEV

Jesus, undeterred by what had just happened, went back to teaching. He stayed on message. He didn’t get distracted by accusations or man’s opinion. He stayed true to the mission He had received from the Father.

Each day we have situations that will try to distract us from the mission that God has called us too. Let’s learn from Jesus and just keep preaching!

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Go To Church Anyway

Years ago, Dave and I helped found a ministry called Christians Cowboys Association. It was an outreach to the farming and ranching communities, mostly in Arizona. We shared Jesus on local ranches, in home Bible studies, at Youth, High School and College Rodeos and at Friday night gatherings we called Cowboy Cathedral.

The ministry was unconventional in the places we went and the folks we ministered to. Many times, we sat on hay bales or metal bleachers beside a rodeo arena. The music was country gospel and the message was the uncompromised Word of God.

Last night I read a post written by a man who had preached some of those rodeo services and it touched my heart. His name is Clay McGuire, and he pastors a church in Buckeye, Arizona called Lighthouse Fellowship. I messaged and asked if I could share this with you. He told me, sure. This writing reminded me of those Christian Cowboy days, these are the kind of people we ministered too, these were the ones who were always welcome.

“GO TO CHURCH ANYWAYS

If you’re having sex before marriage, go to church anyway.

If you are a drug addict trying to beat addiction, go to church anyway.

If you were out drunk all night the night before, go to church anyway.

If you aren’t sure what gender you prefer, go to church anyway.

If you can’t quit that disgusting habit, go to church anyway.

CHURCH is a HOSPITAL for the BROKEN, LOST, EMPTY, CONFUSED, DESPERATE, and REJECTED.

Every sinner has a future, and every saint has a past.

How do we break the chains of addiction and bondage?

By prayer…

Prayer for you.

Prayer with you!

There isn’t a single person in the 4 walls of the church that doesn’t have something they hate or regret about their past.

We’ve all made mistakes and will continue to,

BUT His Grace is enough.

There are things that I’d never want to admit out loud about myself, but God knows.

And He loves me nonetheless.

So whatever you’ve done, whatever you’re doing,

whatever you will do…

it might just change your life if…

YOU GO TO CHURCH ANYWAYS

It certainly did mine.”

There is something strengthening to be found in gathering with other Christians. The Bible tells us that we are all part of one body and each one of us has a part to play in keeping the “body” whole.

“Our bodies are made up of many parts. None of these parts have the same use. 5 There are many people who belong to Christ. And yet, we are one body which is Christ’s. We are all different but we depend on each other.” Romans 12:4-5 NLV

Go to church away?

When Jesus was teaching all were welcome, no one was excluded, and His final earthly message to us was to go to all the world and preach the good news. As Clay said, the church is a hospital for hurting people.

Let’s be the church that Jesus wants us to be – and if you are ever in Buckeye, AZ and need a good place to gather Lighthouse Fellowship is my recommendation.

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Acquainted with Grief

Just days before Easter and I wanted to share a few thoughts with you about the struggles Jesus went through in the garden before He was arrested.

The book of Isaiah gives us this insight.

“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 53:4-6 NLV

For days before the Passover celebration Jesus had nothing else on His mind except the events that were about to take place. He knew his death was eminent.

 “Now My soul is troubled. Should I say, ‘Father, save Me from this time of trouble and pain’? No, this is why I came to this time. 28 Father, honor Your name!” John 12:27-28 NLV

Jesus took time to visit with his dear friends Lazarus, Mary and Martha. He spent time teaching the disciples on the importance of putting others first, laying down their lives for those who needed to hear the Gospel and then instructing them on how to truly love and serve their fellow apostles with pure hearts.

“ I am the Vine and you are the branches. Get your life from Me. Then I will live in you and you will give much fruit. You can do nothing without Me.” John 15:5 NLV

Without Me, you can do nothing.

Those words hold true for us as well. Jesus is our example for living. Having our lives mirror His should be the desire of every Christian.

As He faced His greatest hour of anguish He set His eyes on the Father’s mission; He needed to die as the sinless sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. How did He do it? In His humanity He wanted to quit – He wanted the Father to find another way. The Bible tells us He was in such anguish that He sweat drops of blood.

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44 KJV

Jesus took His disciples to the garden to pray!

He knew the only way He would have the strength and the resolve to endure such anguish and pain was to draw it from His Father in prayer.

Our experiences in life no matter how horrible we think they are can’t be compared to the suffering that Jesus went through for us, for our salvation.

“ Let us keep looking to Jesus. Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect. He did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later. Now He is sitting at the right side of God.” Hebrews 12:2 NLV

Always remember this, Jesus was acquainted with grief for us and He can and will give us His strength in every situation. Look to Jesus!

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