forgive Archives – Sonshine's Journal

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022

Forgive us Father.

Deut 26-28, Matt 10:33 If you deny Me, I will deny you

Across our world, we are seeing men flagrantly disobeying God’s commands. They are rattling their swords with words of what will be done in retaliation if you stand in their way. All of this is happening because the people of God have forsaken Him and His clear commands. God clearly and succinctly told His children what to do to be blessed and what will happen if they “stick a finger in his eye.” And as it happened before so it may just happen again. God sent them into captivity in Babylon to the Holocaust to now when the Jews are scattered everywhere.

But that doesn’t leave us innocent just because we are Gentiles. We, too, are held to the same standard. If we want God to bless our nation, we must obey His Word. But, we are guilty before Him. When a man stands in the oval office and blatantly hires a man who dresses like a woman and blatantly acts contrary to God’s Word for purity and righteousness, the nation will suffer because we have turned a blind eye to sin. This is a reminder of Gal 6:7 God will not be mocked; what you sow, you will also reap.

Oh Father, raise up men of God to speak! May we humble ourselves and beg your forgiveness.

January 7, 2014

Who is Jesus—to you?

Today in Luke 5 we will come across the question that is still being asked today. The religious leaders asked: “Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” The religious leaders were really asking who does he think he is; God? Yes that is precisely who he not only thought he was but went on to prove. He proved that he was and is not only the Son of Man but He was and is God in the flesh. He not only had the power to forgive sins but also to heal. He did the harder, forgiving sin, before he did the easier which was to heal so that those who asked and saw might be without excuse. The miracles of healing and forgiving require supernatural power and Jesus proved he had both.

But, back to the question: Who is Jesus? Is he God? Can he forgive sins or is he just uttering blasphemies as they charged? Over and over through the book of Luke we find the same question being asked by the religious leaders, the political leaders, the disciples and even Jesus himself.

The religious leaders asked: Luke 5:21 Who can forgive sins but God alone? Luke 7:49 “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

The disciples asked: Luke 8:25 “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!”

Even the political leader Herod asked: Luke 9:9 Herod said, “I had John beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?”

Even Jesus asked: Luke 9:18 Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and his disciples were nearby, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

And lastly Jesus asked the disciples: Luke 9:20 “But who do you say that I am?”

This is the critical question. Who do you say Jesus is? Is he just a baby in the manger or the one who is born king of the Jews? Have you seen his star when it rose and have come to worship him? Is He just a good man, a good teacher, a prophet or is He the one who “came to call sinners to repentance?” Is He Your Christ who died for your sin on the cross? Your answer will determine not only your now day to day life but your eternal destiny. Jesus had the answer: “I am THE way, THE truth, THE life, no man cometh to the Father but by me.”

Do you know Him? Have you met Him? And if you have met him have you picked up your stretcher, walked home glorifying God?

July 11, 2013

Revenge or Forgiveness ..Your Choice

Psalm 69 is one of the three most quoted psalms in the NT in reference to “The Messiah.” (e.g. Those who hate me without cause [Jn 15:25], vinegar to drink [Matt 17:48]. Thus it is fitting that we walk through this psalm as part of our study in the book of Matthew about our True Messiah. This psalm and the life of Christ will teach us the two paths before us and our choices when we too face times of despair.

David begins his psalm with an analogy of physical drowning using it to show God how he is coping with the enemies that are about him. David compares his drowning to Jeremiah or Joseph in a pit with no way out. In vs 5 to 12 we feel his pang of loneliness and as we read the story of Joseph we recall the brothers as they stood before Joseph: “we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen.”

In vs 13 to 15 we see a change in David’s tone as he reminds himself of God’s lovingkindness and compassion, his saving truth, the fact that he alone is one’s redeemer. But even as he recalls this he also seeks revenge for what these enemies of his soul have done. From David: [vs 24-28] from God upon his enemies [pour out your judgment upon them, do not vindicate them, may their names be deleted from the scroll of the living]. In contrast to David’s outburst we move to the NT and see the higher way to seek justice. Jesus becomes our example as on the cross he cried out “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” [Luke 23:34]

Today may we choose the higher path, the path of our Savior, our True Messiah.