Posts Tagged ‘ Forgiveness ’
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4, ESV
Foremost, we mourn our sin and rebellion against God, then we will be blessed with the comfort of our Savior.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30, ESV
Jesus died for our sinful rebellion, and the work of forgiveness was completed at the cross. Nothing more is needed.
Believe this. Trust Him. Turn to and be washed by His grace. Let the Holy Spirit change you.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Psalm 51:1-2, ESV
We are woefully wicked in our sin. Thanks be to God for showing us grace and mercy through the cross to blot out that sin!
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
James 5:16, NASB
We not only share our physical needs, but we share our sins with each other: to have accountability, to get encouragement through the struggle, and to find forgiveness.
Pray for each other.
Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
Psalm 2:11, NASB
God is so much more powerful than we could ever imagine, and holier than we could ever understand.
Realize how your sin has affected your relationship with Him, and you will tremble before Him. Realize how His grace has saved you, and you will ever remain in awe of Him.
“give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:38 ESV
God’s grace and joy will flow over you as you forgive, show grace, and generally love on others.
In this most amazing season of Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of the Savior and King, it is a good idea for us to fast. However, when you read that, your mind no doubt specifically thought about food, and while that type of fasting is the most common, and has it’s benefits both physically and spiritually, it is not the kind of fast to which I’m referring.
I’m referring to the type of fast of which the Lord says:
“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” Isaiah 58:6-7 NASB
So what is the fast that the Lord chooses? It is has two aspects: The first part of the passage can be interpreted in it’s simplest form as the importance of forgiveness (see Complete Forgiveness). This is extremely applicable in it’s own right, however, it’s the second part that is the focus of this article, and that is generosity. We must be generous, not just financially, but with whatever resources the Lord has given us, and if necessary, yes, to go without a meal or two so that someone who doesn’t have the means or ability to feed themselves can eat. This is the spirit of Christmas…the spirit of giving and forgiving.
How and what are you willing to give, to the point of going without it, this Christmas Season so that you may provide it for someone else?
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
Luke 6:37, ESV
This is not a command against judging others. Jesus is telling us to use wise judgment, grounded in God’s Word, and to show grace and forgiveness while calling out sin, but also to be open to sin in our own life being called out.
a simple man of God 