Archive for the ‘Forgiveness’ Category

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Day 362: Genesis 1–Revelation 21 — The Long Journey Home

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

I do not remember a lot of the things preachers have said throughout my childhood, but I do remember one from brother Ken Hoover who ministered at the Southwest church of Christ in Phoenix when I was in Jr. High. He preached a series of sermons taking one book of the Bible at a time and he would start out with the theme of the book which was always “The glory of God and the salvation of mankind through his Son Jesus Christ.” The message is the same throughout. It’s a message of repentance, forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace. There’s some wrath and punishment thrown in there when necessary, but that is not the goal.

My family (12 of us on my wife’s side) have just returned from a 2 day trip to visit my sister-in-law and her 1 year old son at the rehab facility where they currently reside. She has had many struggles and taken many wrong paths, but we can finally see her starting to take responsibility for them and seeking God and family to help her change her heart and her actions. We have prayed and solicited prayers for her over the years and we finally begin to see the fruit of God’s working in her. She has a long way to go, but God is good and willing to forgive. May we all be as merciful as He is. Our visit was such a joy to all of us and we hope she will be encouraged to continue on her path.

When I read today’s passage in Zechariah 1, it really struck a chord:

“The LORD was very angry with your ancestors. Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?
“Then they repented and said, ‘The LORD Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’”

This passage could come from any of the prophets or really anywhere in the Bible as this is the message throughout, which is why I titled the blog post Genesis 1 – Revelation 21. As fellow blogger Powell would say “Read the whole thing. It’s good for you.”

The message of forgiveness is to each one of us, as “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. As we close out this year and start a new, may we remember the message: that God loved me so much that he sent His Son to live and die for me so that I might be with him in this life and the one to come.

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Posted in Forgiveness, Grace, Love, Mercy, Repentance, Salvation | 1 Comment »

Day 358: Micah 2-6 — Regaining Focus

Friday, December 24th, 2010

I often get overwhelmed by swarms of details. Thinking of all the little things that need to be done will paralyze me with fear so that I end up not doing anything. Or I might feel that if there is a single part of the task that I am unable or unwilling to do, I might as well not do any of it. But if/when I am able to focus on the purpose of the task I can be motivated to push on to the goal. I often wonder if this misunderstanding and lack of focus is similar to what Israel faced throughout its history. Were they overwhelmed by the seeming complexity or specificity of the Law of Moses? Where there too many things to keep track of and to fall short of so they just gave up?

In the today’s reading in Micah 2-6, we again see the results of the many failings of God’s people. They had fallen so far and I’m certain had a hard time seeing their way back go God. But as we read in Micah the situation is simpler than what we believe. All the laws and ceremonies, do’s and don’ts, sacrifices and rituals are summed up in these few verses:

With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:6-8)

Wow! That’s only 3 things. I can handle 3 things. When we focus on the heart of the matter, what is really important and what God really desires, we may be spurred on to all the details of living rightly with God. But if our focus is off, no amount of rule keeping or sacrifice will bring us close to Him.

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Day 356: Amos 7 — Please Forgive

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

I’m sorry, Lord, please forgive. How many times have those words crossed my lips? There is really no way to count. Here we are just 3 days from starting a new year and we have made plans to do better next year. How many times have we done that?

Amos 7 sets out the love and forgiveness of God. Mankind, all of them, has continually turned their backs on God and His wishes. We talk a good game but somewhere between talk and action things change. We should know how God feels. Each of us has been on the receiving end of a broken promise. Sometimes we are able to blow it off because it was no big deal. At other times it was a major hurt. We try to cover up and not let anyone know just how deep the hurt is, but it is there.

After a number of episodes with the same person we begin to insulate ourselves from hurt by telling ourselves it is not going to happen and then just going on, but in the back of our mind there is still that glimmer of hope. Then one day our heart just shuts down; there is no more room for disappointment from the person so they are cut off emotionally.

God feels all that hurt, and more, again and again and again, yet He still stands ready to forgive. His capacity seems to be endless so mankind presumes on His grace. Even to the point where a passing recognition of God a few times a year gives the feeling that God owes me salvation.

God is indeed forgiving, but He also has set firm limits. I pray I make it to my last day without straying so far as to be outside the limits. The best way to do that is get as close to God as I can today and then stay there.

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Day 348: Daniel 9 — For Great Mercy

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

In Daniel 9 we read the fervent prayer of Daniel lamenting the sins of Israel. It’s not a finger pointing. In fact he uses the first person plural throughout. Lots of “we”. He includes himself in it all even though he was likely very young when all of it was going on. At no point does he shirk the responsibility or blame anyone else. He bears the full brunt of the shame and punishment for the nation he loves. Quite a different picture from what we would expect, a distinct contrast to the Pharisee that Jesus mentioned who was so thankful to not be as sinful the tax collector just around the corner.

Later, in his prayer for mercy he once again assumes a posture of humility. As he pleads for forgiveness, it is not because he or Israel deserves mercy but because God is righteous. “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.” And it is for God’s own sake, not his own that Daniel asks for mercy.

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Day 324: Hebrews 10:1-18 — God is a God of forgiveness

Saturday, November 20th, 2010

1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:1-4

If you want the full context of Hebrews 10:1-4, read all of chapter 9 and 10. The context shows how the sacrifice of Jesus was infinitely more perfect than animal sacrifice. One of the ways animal sacrifices were imperfect is that they had to be offered over and over. And this is the point where I disagree with many (most?) of my Christian brothers and sisters. See, verse 4 is what people point to to show that the sins of the Israelites were “rolled forward” until the cross — a concept I believe to be not based in Scripture.

So let me “cheat” a little here. I’ve already written on this subject, albeit not in this blog. I wrote a post last year for the Fredericksburg Church of Christ blog, titled So what about the sins of the Israelites? When were they forgiven? What I wrote there then is what I’d say here today — but I’ve already posted it there, so I point you over there if you’re interested. Just a warning though; that post is longer than most posts here — 865 words vice the average of around half that here.

Thank you God for being a God of forgiveness — now and always.

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Day 316: Jeremiah 37:1-39:18; Philemon 1-25 — Influence

Friday, November 12th, 2010

We have read and written about leadership recently in the context of elders and deacons. Today in Philemon we see an excellent model of leadership in Paul’s relationship with Philemon. The word is influence. Paul made it very clear that he was not ordering Philemon to accept Onesimus back kindly even though he had a right to do so. He used his influence with Philemon to persuade him into a course of action that would benefit all. By doing more than merely following orders, Philemon would be given a chance to mature as a Christian and develop a different kind of relationship with his servant. And the servant Onesimus would get a first hand glimpse of the kind of mercy that God gives through the actions of his master.

I love the quote from Josh McDowell “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion.” The key ingredient of a leader is the relationship with the followers such that they desire to follow not out of compulsion or even duty, but out of trust and love.

What a stark contrast with the mushy spined leadership of Zedekiah in Jeremiah 37-39. He bends to the whims of whoever is in front of him waving the biggest threat. He is scared of everyone (God, Jeremiah, Babylon, even his own officials). And in the end, he loses everything he has.

A struggle for me is maintaining that relationship with those I lead whether it is at work or at home with my children so that I may have the right kind of influence and not lead people down a destructive path like Zedekiah.

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Day 313: Jeremiah 31:1-32:15, 2 Timothy 4:9-Titus 1:5 — Real Estate

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

It’s interesting some of the object lessons that God uses to get his points across. We find one here in Jeremiah 32 involving a real estate transaction. With the recent economic woes in our country over the last 2 years centered around the housing market, many people are panicking that their homes will never sell or be worth what they once were. Many economic forecasters are optimistic and many are pessimistic about a recovery. Whatever the case, no one really knows what will happen till it happens. It seems that the war torn nation of Israel has suffered a similar dip in their real estate market. The king was mad at Jeremiah for being so negative about their outlook. So Jeremiah tells him a story. God had Jeremiah invest in a field as a demonstration of the recovery that would one day come. He didn’t say when and hinted that it might be a long way off, but it would come.

For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land. (Jeremiah 32:15)

Jeremiah 31 is all about God restoring Israel and no longer punishing the whole nation for the sins of some (or many). Each person would be responsible for their own sins. It’s a message of forgiveness and mercy and a message of hope for those who have remained faithful against great trials and opposition.

Paul also practices a bit of forgiveness and mercy in 2 Timothy 4:9-18. First he has forgiven Mark for his past desertion. And to the metalworker who did him harm he urged forgiveness (tempered with caution at further interactions). He left judgment and punishment up to the Lord.

May we have the hope of forgiveness for our many transgressions and the kindness to forgive others and show mercy when they sin against us.

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Day 236: Psalm 51 — “Only a broken heart is big enough for God to dwell in!”

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

I think it was C.S. Lewis that said, “Only a broken heart is big enough for God to dwell in.” Read Psalm 51 and you will experience the depth of David’s sin against God. Have you ever been haunted by a wrong for a long period of time? Have you forgotten the meaning of sin because we live in a world that wants to rationalize our wrong or blame someone else? If we have guilt with no guilt feelings, then our spiritual nervous system is out of whack. If we have guilt feelings after we have been forgiven then we are basically neurotic, unable to find peace, and unable to accept the powerful sin-forgiving work of Jesus Christ. I think David provides us with a penitential psalm and teaches us a lot about the path to asking for forgiveness and obtaining renewal from God. What can we do about our guilt problem?

  1. We ought to realize that guilt is a “good” and “natural thing” that points us back to our relationship with God. It is a potential blessing that moves us closer to forgiveness.
  2. It should not mark defeat for us but a help. If it is not then we may have other problems that need to be dealt with.
  3. We must remember who God is. He is above all things and loves all. He gave His son for us to become spiritually healthy.
  4. We need to pray. We need to refuse to give up, let guilt do its work, until it leads us to repentance and “a broken heart that only God can dwell in.”

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Posted in Forgiveness, God, Psalms | 2 Comments »

Day 183: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:18 and Acts 2:27-3:11 — All Sin

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

We are given accounts throughout the scriptures where men acknowledge what God already knows — all men sin. In Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, he asks God in 2 Chronicles 6:36-39 that when they (the Israelites) sin against God that if they have a change of heart, repent, and acknowledge to God through prayer that they have sinned that God hear their prayer and pleas and forgive them. During this request, Solomon acknowledges that all men sin, “…for there is no one who does not sin…” In Romans 3:23, Paul states a similar fact that all men sin and fall short of the glory of God.

The New Testament reading in Acts for this day continues this thought and carries it a step further. In Acts 2:37, the people in Jerusalem who heard Peter’s message were “cut to the heart” and asked what they could possibly do to be saved from their sin – crucifying the Son of God. Peter tells them the pure fact — “Repent and be baptized…in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” You see, the Jewish people were familiar with the teachings of Solomon and the acknowledgment of sins. What they did not understand was the new covenant brought to them by God’s Son, Jesus Christ, that their sins could be forgiven forever, through Him.

FOREVER — we still struggle with that concept today. I, as a man, still want to remember my sins even though God remembers them no more through the blood of Jesus. What I have to do is daily strive to look forward and not look back except as historical perspective. Easier said than done. This is a continual process. Satan wants me to look back and have doubt that my sins are actually forgiven. God wants me to look forward, knowing through faith that my sins are forgiven. Who am I going to believe – God!!!!!!!!!

Posted in 2 Chronicles, Acts, Forgiveness, Sin | 1 Comment »

Day 171: John 14:25-15:17 — Love A Little Stronger…

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

“If you don’t remember anything else that I’ve said, remember this…” Have you ever sat in a lecture that included this phrase? Maybe it was something your parents told you as you were running out the door to go with friends. I’m sure you’ve heard it. It is a way to get people to focus, to pay attention.

I’d like to concentrate on John 15:9-17. In this passage, Jesus wants to make sure he gets his point across about loving one another. Two times in this short passage he emphasizes his command to love each other. Got it. Point taken. Or is it?

Why is it so hard to love each other? Because we’re human and we’re weak. We let petty differences get in the way. We want to point out others’ mistakes or shortcomings. Maybe someone rubs us the wrong way. I have struggled in my life in forgiving people who have wronged me or people I love. But that’s part of love, isn’t it? Forgiveness? I say that I love so many people in my life but do I truly love them as Christ has loved me? I’m afraid that I’m woefully short in that area.

As you go into next week, I hope that you will re-read John 15:1-17 and focus on your relationship with the people in your life. Jesus gave us a pretty straight-forward commandment — love each other. It is my prayer that we can all love deeper than we think we’re capable of.

May God bless you and keep you this week!

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Posted in Forgiveness, Jesus, John, Love | 1 Comment »

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