Forgiveness

The Lord told His followers to forgive.  Why is it so important to forgive and who benefits from that act of obedience?  I think the Lord stressed this because it is not easy to forgive many of the things that have been done to us by others and unforgiveness puts us in bondage.  Forgiveness is done through the act of the will because it is a choice and each person has been given a free will to choose.  Another thing is that if we don’t choose to forgive, we can become very bitter and that bitterness can destroy our relationship with the Lord and cause us much sorrow in our own life.  If we allow a root of bitterness to spring up within us, we can become very miserable people and affect everyone that we come into contact with.

Please read Hebrews 12:15-16, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” 

Now please read Ephesians 4:31-32, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

If we allow a root of bitterness to reside in our hearts, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, that is what we will end up spewing from our mouths; bitterness, anger and unforgiveness.  If you allow all these things to fester within, it may even cause you to be sick and a very resentful person and you take a chance on losing all the people that care about you and it could get much worse. 

When we forgive others it not only sets them free, it also sets us free like the Word of God says, “if you know the truth, the truth will set you free.”  But I think we need to put these things into practice, then we will be set free, praise the Lord.  Peter said to the Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother up to seven times, and that was being generous, the Jews thought that forgiving someone three times was enough, but the Lord told Peter no not up to seven times, but seventy times seven. 

I have been talking about forgiveness but what are the main reasons why we should forgive from the heart and not just let it be words.  This is the main reason we should want to forgive; just think of what the Lord Jesus went through to buy our pardon and our forgiveness.  Don’t forget we were all guilty of sinning against God multitudes of times and we sinned many times against others also.  Now think of this, God in His mercy and grace and unconditional love made a way where there was no way for us.  Yes, it was us who deserved the punishment and disgrace and all the pain and suffering and humiliation.  But God sent His only begotten Son to experience the things that we deserved, a man who had no sin was willing to lay down His life taking our sins upon Himself shedding His blood for us so that we could be in right standing with God, praise His precious Holy name!!  We deserved death and an eternity in a place called Hell, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  But God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life.  God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but through Him the world might be saved. The Lord suffered the worst pain and suffering that the Romans could think of in that day, the crucifixion, which was used for murderers and the like, so that we could be forgiven.  He spared nothing for our pardon even to the point of shedding His blood.  Should we not pardon and forgive all those who sin against us?  

Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and we all should praise and thank Him for His love and grace and mercy!!  Plus, it is imperative that we forgive from the heart, which I take to mean sincerely, all those that have or will sin against us in the future, if we want to be forgiven!!  I think I have said enough.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may each of you have a super, super day!!

Truths and Absolutes

I have heard it said that there is no truth or absolutes which doesn’t make sense to me.  So, why does there have to be truths and absolutes?  Without a focal point to go by, no one would know where to begin.  All things have to start somewhere, or it seems like everything would be in chaos.  

Think about a building, if we couldn’t trust the tape measure or the level how could we get the foundation right and if the foundation isn’t right everything about the structure, and the house would be off; making the house a hazard instead of a safe place and a level home.  And what about the law, without absolute truth there could be no law because whatever anyone said would be a law unto themselves.  Without absolute truth every time anyone said something it would have to be considered a lie because no one would believe in the truth.  In a civilized world there must be absolute truth, without it no one would trust anyone. 

It seems like a no brainer to me, just like gravity pulls things down on earth, when you get out of the gravitational pull then things start to float.   I think that a lot of people have grabbed onto this notion of no absolutes, or truths, in our society today; from our government to the news outlets to advertisements, magazines and books and on and on it goes.  If you tell a lie long enough it seems that many people will start to believe it and I suppose that will also happen with the truth.  

I have heard it said that the truth hurts and I think it can but I also think that the truth is the thing that will set you free and I think the Word of God is truth and I realize many won’t receive that, but I always have three witnesses if I bring forth the truth; God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit and they bring forth only the truth, they cannot lie.  Remember this, God’s Word always accomplishes whatever it goes out for and it may sting some when you don’t want the truth revealed.

Please read Isaiah 55:10-11, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

I heard, or read, quite some time ago, of an alcoholic getting up in the morning or he was walking home, it has been awhile, but he found a track that stuck to the bottom of his foot and read it and was converted.  That is the power of God’s Word.

Please read Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  

The Word of God is useful for all things and if it is applied to one’s life in a personal way, that person will never be the same again, because when a person is truly born-again God’s Word says this about that person in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

When you are truly born-again the way you think starts changing, along with your perspectives and your attitude, plus some of the things that had you bound are gone and you are set free more and more each day.  I am not saying that all your trials and problems will be all gone, no, but you will look at them from a different lens, so to speak.  Plus, you will have help from the Lord to handle each and every situation that rears its ugly head against you.  You will gain wisdom and knowledge and understanding as you start devouring the Word of God, hiding it in your heart and you will be a witness unto the living God with your actions and your words.  You will start conforming to the things of God and His kingdom and not the things of this world.  Will you still be tempted?  Yes, you will, but not beyond what you are able to bear because God will always provide a way of escape so that you may be able to bear it.  Are you guaranteed that you will never sin?  No, but you won’t be a slave to sin, and if you do sin and you are sorry and truly repent and confess, you can find forgiveness.  Please read 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When a person is born-again then they will truly know the love and the

peace and joy of the Lord.  Jesus claimed to be the truth.  Then there was Pilate who didn’t seem to believe in truth or understand what it was either, saying, “what is truth?”  John 18:38, “Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”

So, I guess they had a problem with truth also, like us in our day.  I believe Jesus was the truth and there was never a lie found within Him.  Please read John 14:6, “Yeshua said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life! No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”   

I hope you will receive the truth.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you all have a super day!!  Happy Easter to all!!

My Best Friend

Who is the best friend ever; one who would give His life for you and has done just that?  Who has been tempted in every way, but never yielded to the temptation?  Who has fasted forty days and forty nights, was hungry and thirsty and pretty worn down, then was tested and passed every test?  What man do you know that could speak to the winds and waves and they would obey Him?  Do you know any man that could walk on water and never sink, with just His sandals or bare feet?  Do you know any man that could heal all sickness and disease and has power over demons, who was instrumental in creating the world as we know it, putting the stars and sun and moon in place plus all the planets and everything else that exists today?  Do you know a man that has totally unconditional love for all people everywhere?  Do you know a man who could raise the dead, and has?  Who do you know that could feed thousands of people with only enough food that might feed one person?   

This man I am talking about allowed people to beat Him, spit on Him and mock and humiliate Him.  He also allowed people to crucify Him, pounding nails through His hands and feet, when He had the power to stop them.  He died a terrible death.  He was a man who had no sin but was willing to take the sins of the world on Himself and shed His blood, and was willing to do it to fulfill His Father’s will and plan which was to bring about forgiveness to all who would truly repent of their sins and turn from their wicked ways and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. 

This man could perform miracles and He did on different occasions.  When He spoke, people were amazed at what He said because He spoke like a man with authority.  Do you know a man that was so humble, that even though existing in the form of God did not consider being equal to God something to be grasped?

Please read Philippians 2:5-11, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This man died, was buried and rose from the dead because death had no power over Him and the grave had to give Him up three days later.  And when the right time comes, He will come back for His people that put their hope in Him.  There is no one else who could make this claim and many more things about Himself, but the righteous and holy begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ!!  If you don’t know Him, you can know Him, if you feel the stirring of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your life and you feel like you should truly repent, turning from your sins and turning to God and confessing to Him, that is a good thing.  Asking Him to come into your heart and life and to be your Lord and Savior, that is a good thing also, in fact that is the best decision you will ever make and when He makes you a child of His you will never be the same, you will be forever changed.  One thing I am not saying is that you will never have tribulations and trials again but when they come you will be able to overcome them with the Lord on your side, praise the Lord!!

I think I have said enough have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours with His perfect peace, love and joy and health and happiness!!