Category: forgiveness

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Leviticus 24 Warning!

This is a story that ought to be told over and over! “any man curses his God, he will bear responsibility for his sin, and one who misuses the nameof the Lord must surely be put to death.” Today we hear the name of God used in a profane way without thought or consequences. Perhaps if we followed this there would be less of that and more of honoring the Lord’s Name! Clearly God wants His people to be pure and holy and this is one way we bring dishonor to Him and it all begins with the loss of temper. Curtail your temper and remember to honor God and other men. 

Wisdom speaks: “A person who has a quick temper will do foolish things, and a person with crafty schemes will be hated.” And again: “quick-tempered person stirs up dissension but one who is slow to anger calms a quarrel.“ [Prov 14 and 15]

Today speak with calmness and avoid solving problems with a temper tantrum otherwise you might find yourself in a predicament like this young man. 

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Leviticus 16-18 Purity & Holiness

God gave Moses these chapters so that the priesthood and the people would know and understand the way to be holy. Moses recorded this for the nation of Israel that there be no misunderstanding. God is holy and He has called them to Himself to be a holy people. 

It is interesting to read about the scapegoat, how it was chosen, how used and the reasons. One goat was to be offered as a sin offering and the second to be sent into the wilderness. Dr Constable’s notes explain: “The two goats used in the ritual represented two aspects of the atonement that God provided. Both animals taught the Israelites that a sinless agent was removing their sins by vicarious atonement. The goat slain represented the judgment on sin that resulted in death necessary for atonement. The goat sent off into the wilderness with the sinner’s guilt imputed to it symbolized the removal of guilt.”

This was a ceremony to be etched into the minds of the people of the price sin exacts. How grateful I am that Jesus paid the price for my sin that I don’t have to follow these regulations, but also the heavy price my sin costs…not a goat, but the precious blood of my Savior. 

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Genesis 48-50 Blessings, Death, Forgiveness

Forgiveness ..man's greatest need

As we close out Genesis, we come to these three chapters which might be called, God’s Diary for in it we find how God operates through human history. 

God blesses those who obey and honor Him. He brings “home” those of his servants to enjoy the afterlife. And lastly, maybe one of the most important lesson and take away for us is the trait of forgiveness.

As we have said, God never wastes a trial but uses it to show His faithfulness and his lovingkindness. We see that in the life of Joseph and even though it was years and years, God used them to grow Joseph to be the man of God He could use to bring about His plans for his people.  In the meantime, Jacob has to learn from his sins, which were many, to prepare his sons for the next stage in their lives. God opens the windows of heaven and pours out his blessings on Jacob after he has lived in the cauldron of affliction and sin. He is now humble and ready to see God’s plan unfold in steps in the restoration of his family in a very agonizing and challenging time. God restores Joseph to Jacob so that he and his children might be spared the death knell of famine. 

Jacob has a family time and pronounces “blessings” upon each boy  “what will happen to you in future days.” It seems strange to hear the words of Jacob because they don’t sound like blessings to us, but God will use each to show us Jacob may have had 12 sons but he knew the character of each. And after this time of reflection, Jacob blesses Joseph’s children, draws up his knees and dies. 

But, the last lesson is what we want to focus on: forgiveness. Joseph has had many a year to process his life and what has happened to him but has come to terms with “God’s ways are not our ways.” [Is 55:8-9] As he welcomes his brothers and provides for them,he is astounded and deeply hurt when they announce they will give their lives to be his slaves. They have not learned the lesson of forgiveness as seen by Joseph’s tears. They really didn’t get it! 

Which brings us to our own lives. Do we get it? Do we understand that verse in Isaiah? 

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How to disagree with others…

How do you sound today

1 Cor 8 Important or not?

Have you ever been in a discussion with someone who then argues that you are saying is unimportant? Sparks fly and tempers range. One is right and one is wrong but neither will admit to it. Thus,it was in the church in Corinth. Paul had spent much of his ministry there only to have to quell disagreements. One said knowledge was the most important thing. Get knowledge! Paul conceded that yes knowledge was important, but the greater is love for fellow Christians. If you lack this you are just a gonging cymbal. John also spoke to that in his letters to his flock and others. He said that we prove our knowledge by how we love others. If that is lacking, we really have no knowledge of God and His Son. 

In Corinth, the argument raged over the meat sacrificed to idols. Some said we should ask and then decide whether to eat or not. Others said, that is the unimportant issue because idols are nothing anyway. They chose to agree to disagree. Yet, they also chose to not love the brethren with whom they were in disagreement. Beloved, this should not be! Paul reminded them of this principle: “you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ” So what is really the important issue here? It is to love others as Christ loved the church and deal with issues in love. 

How are you faring in this department beloved when you are in a discussion with other believers? 

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Your Spiritual Destiny…

God sees all

Romans 6 Sin or a new life—which shall it be?

This morning we were reading about the life of Jehoshaphat and this chapter in Romans speaks to what we saw. He was the rightful king of Judah that God had blessed but then in a strange way he ignored God’s blessing and allied himself with the wicked king of Israel. Why? 

Paul continues to explain why someone who has chosen the way of Christ should remove sin from their presence and embrace salvation. “Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.” [Rom 6:4] This is not rocket science! Paul is telling us that to choose Christ is to have a new life in Him. King Jehoshaphat had been blessed by God but then the allure of sin turned his eyes from God. 

What do you want to experience in your destiny? “For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.” [Rom 6:5] This is what we should be focusing on now as we look forward to our eternal destiny, not what Jehosphat chose. He continues this same thought: “For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.” That is what we call a WOW! 

So beloved, as you read this chapter and look at your life, where are you stumbling or wavering? Do you want to wallow in your sin or do you want to walk in newness of life? It is your choice. Do you want to walk with Jehoshaphat or Jesus? God blesses those who choose His way and not the way of the wicked. 

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All are unrighteous

Romans 2 We are well aware of what Paul told the Corinthians, the enemy (satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so they cannot see the glorious image of Christ. Yet, to the unbelieving, they are unaware of what it means to be self righteous.However to the believing that term essentially means to elevate oneself above others. How often do we do that when we say things like; I am better than so and so. Jesus gave an example of this in his parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. Listen carefully to each.

The Pharisee says he is better than this publican because he fasts, he prays, he offers vows and offerings while standing to be seen of others.

The Publicans says, forgive me Father, for I am unworthy. He stands with head bowed ashamed and seeking mercy from God. 

Jesus asked the listeners, who went home justified? 

Now to the Romans, Paul uses that same logic by having listed those sins that are unacceptable in the sight of God, yet failing to see that they too have done similar sins. Thus he says, you are without excuse. You will never go home justified as the Publican. Why? Because, like the man in the mirror of James, you see what you are  in the eyes of God but continue to think God will absolve you because you are not like the publican. It is in the end like the prevailing logic of unbelievers: all go to heaven ignoring the truth: all are unrighteousness, no not one. [Rom 3:10]

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Finally…

1 Peter 3 Peter has been stressing how the church should behave. First, he addresses the family unit, wives then husbands. But to be sure that no one is left out of this, he concludes with these words: “Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.” [1Peter3:8-9]

We are called to be a blessing to all men/women. Christ said to love one another  as He had loved them. Peter sums up how that should look. Each word in his mandate reflects the manner in which they were to behave in and out of church. As they live and move in the world, their lives should reflect the life of Christ. 

Where are we/I reflecting the life of Christ today? My mother had a hard life, and I can remember that one person she trusted did not keep a confidence. I am not sure what transpired but I do know this, as a Christian woman she lived both in church and out of church this life model. Even though her heart was hurt, she did not hold it against that person but she became discerning about what to share and what not to share but above all, she sought to live as Christ lived, not returning evil for evil. This is a challenge for me to do the same. 

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Forgiving as Christ did

Bitterness divides/forgiveness unites

Philemon 1 Today we send notes and letters via email but rarely snail mail. Imagine being in the time of Paul when a letter was handwritten and then hand carried across the many miles to a dear friend. Even though Paul is in a Roman prison as he writes, his first note is that he is prisoner of Christ. A prisoner is one who is beholden to another out of force, not willingly. In this dark, dank place, Paul was refreshed by the runaway slave, Onesimus from Colosse. How he got there and what he was doing there is a question for eternity, but God used that time to introduce him to Christ. Now Paul, probably after many a discussion, has sent Onesimus back to Philemon with this letter.

What can we learn from this letter? One is that Paul, even though having never met Philemon considers him a dear friend. Prov 17:9 says that the one who forgives an offense seeks love and that is what Paul is saying to Philemon. Yes, Onesimus has done wrong but now Paul says that as a new creation in Christ, I am imploring you to forgive him and include him as a brother in Christ. 

How quick we are to hang on to offenses rather than forgiving? This Sunday is Easter and it is the plainest example of forgiveness . Christ on the cross said: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. 

Do you have a grudge or an offense you are carrying? Pray as Jesus prayed. 

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Will you go and tell?

Acts 10 Salvation is for All

In the previous chapter we saw how God called a “righteous” Jew to salvation and he will be used to bring the gospel to many. Today in chapter 10 we find that God calls a “righteous” Gentile to be saved and all of his household. God is showing us that He is the Savior of all, not just the Jews but also for the Gentiles.  

Today look about your neighborhood,and your church and see that God has called many to salvation. Are we like Paul who resisted, but then the Holy Spirit grabbed his heart and he went on to bring the message to many? Or are we like Peter who resisted because of the many rules of the Pharisees of whom he was?  

Look about you and see that what Jesus saw, the fields are ripe for harvest. Will we go into the fields and bring the message of salvation to them? 

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Wisdom Speaks

Acts 7 Are you able to share the gospel clearly to unbelievers? There are many programs that offer this as a stepping stone for believers to share their faith. But, Stephen did not have this and as we read his testimony we find that not only does he know the history of his people but he also knows that truth: without faith one cannot please God. (Heb 11:6) Jesus had told the religious leaders that they were searching the scriptures for in those alone would they find salvation. He also told them that He was the Messiah whom Moses had written about and he would be their judge. As we read this entire chapter, the longest in the book of Acts, we find that the tension rises until no longer do the religious leaders want to hear the truth. 

We meet people that want the short answer to salvation but Stephen shows us that God has given His Word and His Messiah so that we can know for certain the truth that Jesus alone is the savior. And how did the religious leaders react? Dr. Luke reveals to us that they ran on Stephen and stoned him to death, which then reminds of the words of Joseph: “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” [Gen 50:20] 

What good did the stoning of Stephen bring about? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s episode.

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