Tag: forgiveness

Zechariah ‘Sings’ of Provider God!

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Zechariah was overcome by the power of God when he ‘sang’ forth these prophetic words. Only God knows the future and these words about John and the coming Messiah are amazing.

Luke 1:76-80 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

When I mediated on these words, I was overwhelmed by God’s gracious provision for us. He provided John to announce the coming Messiah. It had been 400 years since the last prophet Malachi had delivered a message to God’s people. They were hungry for word from God and needed to be turned back and tuned towards Him! The Messiah to come would bring salvation, forgiveness of sin, and light to a dark world. He would show God’s tender mercy towards His children by shining light on their pathways and guiding them in the way of peace. What a wonderful provider God is!!

God is our Provider. God provides for every creature He has made. He feeds the birds and gives us our daily bread. God gives us strength and goodness through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit to enable us to live for Him. Isaiah 40:29 “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. I love Romans 8:28 and the truth I can claim about His power of goodness in my life. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” He provides a way out of temptation and protects us from evil. 1 Corinthians 10:13 is a key verse to claim,“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” David knew the protection of God first hand as he claimed it in Psalm 140:1-2 “Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men 2 who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually.” God provides salvation through our faith in Jesus and He assures us that we cannot be snatched away from Him!! John 10:28“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” God’s provision of His Son was His greatest gift to us. Paul describes this gift in 2 Corinthians 9:15“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

When you look at all these provisions past and future, you can only marvel at the power and love of God!

Linda

Easter, The Best Promise Yet!

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After 40 days of promises the Bible still has more. One of the most significant promises Jesus made comes from Matthew 12:40 “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” The scribes and Pharisees had just seen Jesus heal the man with the withered hand and were still demanding signs to prove who he was. They did not understand his promise to rise from the dead after 3 days. His disciples remembered it later after his crucifixion.

Luke 24:5-7 tells of the scene at the tomb where the women encounter the angel. “And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Later in that same chapter Luke 24:34 the men on the road to Emmaus encountered Jesus and quickly returned reporting to let the disciples know. Eleven of them were gathered and when they heard their story they agreed “saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

The ultimate sign or proof of who Jesus was, the Son of God, came with his fulfillment of his promise to rise from the dead. If he had not been risen we would not be forgiven and would still be dead in our sins. The sacrifice on the cross is meaningless without the victory in the resurrection! Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am free from sins bondage and victorious with Him.

Jesus promised to rise from the dead and He did! He is risen indeed!

Have a glorious Easter celebration as you worship Him.

Linda

The Depths of Forgiveness

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Have you given much thought to the forgiveness you have in Christ? One of God’s promises is that our sins are totally forgiven through our faith in Jesus. What would life be like for you if you had no way to get rid of your guilt over the things you do wrong? They could be simple slights to others, a harsh word said in anger or ‘bigger’ sins like murder and stealing. There are no degrees of sinfulness with God- sin is sin no matter how big or small and it separates us from holy God.

One of the most important things I receive from Christ is forgiveness.  It is not just a little forgiveness for everyday sins but total forgiveness for all the things that I have done and will do because of the sin nature I was born with.  Jesus paid the price required by God for my sin and yours,  “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 3:23.  Through His death on the cross the penalty for my sin and yours was marked paid in full.  “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ” Hebrews 10:10.   This sin nature I was born with is evident in my life each day.  The Apostle Paul said it best in  Romans 7:15  “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” It seems while in this world we are constantly susceptible to our sin nature.  I am so thankful that Jesus provided a way for me to be redeemed from sin, a way for me to be victorious over sin, a way for me to rise above the sins that would entangle me, and a way for me to live each day by His grace and mercy.

As you consider Jesus’ sacrifice and your sinful nature, consider Colossians 1:13-14 in the Amplified version.  13 For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,14 in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].

God's forgiven

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can say with absolute assurance that I am totally forgiven through the power of Jesus’ blood.  Now that we have it- we need to claim it and live like we are forgiven!  Let go of the guilt and shame brought on by sin.  Don’t let Satan entangle you with guilt- he is a great liar and deceiver. He wants us bogged down by our past.  Pray and give it to Jesus- know that you are forgiven once and for all though Jesus!

Living forgiven, praise Jesus!

Linda

Power from Within- in Jesus!

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Many passages in the Bible clarify the role of Christ and what His indwelling Holy Spirit does within our lives. Romans 8:10-11 is one such passage.

Romans 8: 10-11  “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.“

Promise: God promises to give life through His Spirit and make all believers alive because of Christ’s righteousness.

The old saying goes “nothing is sure except death and taxes.” These verse say that is not true. God promises life in Jesus and all this is possible because of Jesus’ death on the cross. His sacrifice covered your sins and mine. 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Our sins are forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus. How then are we alive in Jesus? Paul explains in Ephesians 2:4-6 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” This work of grace and mercy from God we owe to our faith in Jesus. Paul continues to explain in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Thank you Jesus for this amazing gift of faith and forgiveness.

What we can know about God from these verses: Jesus’ blood covers our sins-past, present and future, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, faith in Jesus makes us spiritually alive, Jesus is righteous, Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross.

Lenten Reflections: Am I experiencing God’s Spirit within me each day? Am I thankful for all Jesus did for me on the cross?

These are sobering verses when you consider what our salvation and freedom from the power of sin cost Jesus. His blood was shed for me and you. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can live forgiven and experience His life within me. I am alive in Christ!

Linda

Related Verses: 1 Peter 2:24 1 Peter 3:18, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 John 1:7-9, Romans 6:10-12, Ephesians 2:3-8, Colossians 2:6-7,

Second Sunday of Lent, 2025 Righteousness His and Mine

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Today my focus of thankfulness is on Christ’s righteousness. Last Sunday we considered our salvation but today let’s expand this to look at how we now look to God. Because of Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, I am considered righteous before God. When God looks at me, He sees the blood of Christ covering my sins. Praise God! Thank you Jesus.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that Jesus, the perfect Son of God died so through faith we could be righteous. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” All the sins of mankind were put upon Christ at the cross, so that we might be freed from the penalty of sin which is death. 2 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” Isaiah 53:5 explains “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Our healing is from sin and the penalty of sin which is death. We are reminded of this in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 5:19 tells how we got in this state of sinfulness, though the sins of Adam and Eve and how Christ restored us. “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” Our restoration is dependent upon our acceptance of Jesus and faith in His work on the cross. 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Take some time today and thank Jesus for his sacrifice on the cross that allows you to be forgiven, cleansed by His blood and made clean before God. Thank you Jesus!

Linda

Nations as well as Individuals Can Seek Forgiveness

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There is a wonderful promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that was made to Solomon and the people of Israel when the temple was dedicated in Jerusalem. This ancient promise holds a principle that is just as true today for the people of God as it was then.

“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Promise: God promises to hear, forgive and heal me as an individual as well as collectively as nation if we will turn away from sin and pray.

This promise states the actions God needs to see from us. They are repentance of heart and deeds if we are to see a change in the way things are going. God was telling the Israelites that when things go wrong in the nation take a look and see what you are doing that is against my ways. Later the Israelites fell into idolatry and did not repent. They were chastised by God and take into captivity in Babylon but not before they had multiple chances to repent.

How can that apply to us today? God wants us to take a serious look at our actions. Are our ways wicked? Mark 7:21-23 gives us a list of unacceptable behaviors “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” The 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 list those essential things God desires in our behavior. I also like Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good;  and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,  and to walk humbly with your God?” All of us do some of these actions and when we see that the are getting the upper hand in our lives we need to stop and repent by humbling ourselves before God and asking His forgiveness. He promises us that He will hear and forgive us.

This applies to the individual as well as the nation. Have you thought of sins our nation has or is committing? We as a people of God need to repent and ask God’s forgiveness for the sins our our nation so that our land may be healed. This is on a big scale but yet follows the same godly principle of confession and repentance. God wants us to humble ourselves, let go of our pridefulness, our claims to be right, our arrogance and our selfishness. When we do, God promises to forgive and heal us as individuals and our land.

What we know from this verse: God is accessible and hears our prayers, God desires a people that are humble and seeking Him, God does not tolerate evil, sin, God is forgiving, God will restore those who seek Him.

Lenten Reflections: Am I approaching God with humility desiring His ways in my life instead of my own selfish ways? Am I faithful in praying for our nation?

I find great comfort in this promise in that God has given us a way to return to walking with Him. Repentance means to literally turn in the opposite direction away from the sin. When we confront our sin, we need to repent and turn to a new way. God promises forgiveness and restoration if we do. We are not lost in our sinfulness. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can receive forgiveness when I repent and so can my family or nation. That is true hope when living in a sin filled world.

Linda

Related verses: 1 John 5:14, 1 John 1:9, Colossians 1:13-14, Joel 2:25, Luke 24:47.

Second Sunday of Advent, day 8, Peace to You!

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The candle for the second Sunday of Advent represents peace and is often called the “Bethlehem Candle” as it symbolizes Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem in anticipation of Jesus’ birth; it is usually purple in color. The scripture for today comes from Isaiah 40. This is a wonderful chapter and verses 1-5 speak of the coming Messiah. Not only do the words compel us to look to the coming Messiah, but you might hear the familiar sounds of Handel’s Messiah ringing in your ears.

“Comfort, comfort my people,”
    says your God.
2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
Tell her that her sad days are gone
    and her sins are pardoned.
Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over
    for all her sins.” Joy is in the offing with the coming Messiah, sins will be pardoned!

Jesus came to reconcile us to God. This is something we cannot do on our own. We can never be good enough nor can we avoid all sin and be perfect as He was perfect. We need a Savior!

 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,
“Clear the way through the wilderness
    for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland
    for our God!
4 Fill in the valleys,
    and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves,
    and smooth out the rough places.
5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
    The Lord has spoken!”

Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus, the one who would forgive sins, and John the Baptist, the one who would be his forerunner, were given hundreds of years before they occured. Luke 5:24 “So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” John 1:6-8 “God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.” They came to pass just as God said!

Today as the Peace or Bethlehem candle is lit on the Advent wreath., think about the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and Mary’s words from the Magnificat in Luke 2:46-48. “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed. Mary and Joseph knew they were a part of something big that would impact all of mankind. They were at peace as they depended upon God to lead, guide and protect them. Where do you need to trust God this season? His peace awaits when you surrender to Him.

Linda

Advent Day 6, The Way to Be Reconciled to God

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Psalm 85:1-13 is a journey of faith described by the psalmist. In verses 1-2, he recognizes the good fortune God has bestowed upon them and how He has forgiven their sins.

Lord, you poured out blessings on your land!
    You restored the fortunes of Israel.
2 You forgave the guilt of your people—
    yes, you covered all their sins.  How about you this holiday season? Can you reflect on your life and see God’s hand of mercy upon you, his restoration and forgiveness?

Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
    Put aside your anger against us once more.
5 Will you be angry with us always?
    Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?
6 Won’t you revive us again,
    so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation. The psalmist continues in his discussion with God. He asks for mercy and salvation, protection from God’s wrath over sin, and for joy to return to his life. Does this mirror your own pleadings with God? The salvation he asks for is found only in Jesus. Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” If you desire to be right with God, forgiven and restored, Jesus is the only answer. Turn to Him today.

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
    for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
    But let them not return to their foolish ways.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,u
    so our land will be filled with his glory. The psalmist promises to listen to God, seek His peace and forsake his foolish ways. This is a posture of repentance. He is vowing to turn towards God and seek him. Repentance is the first step towards God after acknowledging your own sin. God desires that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

10 Unfailing love and truth have met together.
    Righteousness and peace have kissed!
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
    and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
    Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
    preparing the way for his steps. The psalmist realizes what wealth is available in repentance as one turns to God. You will experience the unfailing love of God, His truth, be covered in His righteousness, and receive His peace! You will be bless and be able to yield righteousness in your life.

This psalm is a beautiful picture of what is available to us in Christ. Jesus came to free us from the sins which bind us. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 5:8 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” God wanted us so much that he sent Jesus to reconcile us to himself. I love the beauty of Colossians 1:22 “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

As you reflect today, take measure of where you are with God. Make sure you have followed the way the psalmist has laid out to become reconciled to God and then see His greatness in your life.

Linda

Thank You Jesus

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As we near the end of the Lenten season and enter Holy Week next week, let us remember what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Psalm 103:3-13 gives a vivid picture of our gracious and marvelous God and Savior.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

I am so thankful that God is filled with love and mercy towards me. When I disobey His word, he disciplines me with justice and leads me towards what He desires for me. He doesn’t punish me for my sins as I deserve but is forgiving and totally removes my sins away. God has compassion for me and shows me His continual steadfast love day after day. What parts of this psalm do you identify with?

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can feel His love, compassion, forgiveness and grace poured over my life. Thank you Jesus for making this relationship with God possible through your work on the cross. I am humbled by your great sacrifice.

Linda

Christ Did It All for Me

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As I near the end of this Lenten season and my journey through the Psalms, it seems appropriate to conclude with one of my favorite psalms. Psalm 103 had always held a special place in my heart as the messages contained within are so encouraging to my faith.

Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can claim the benefits of knowing and trusting in God without any reservations.

God promises the benefits of faith: healing, forgiveness, redemption, love, mercy, goodness and renewal! That is why without reservation, I can praise His name and call Him blessed. He has healed my broken heart, forgiven my sins and restored me on more than one occasion. He has treated me with love and tender mercy and renewed my life when I thought all was lost. I think this is why this psalm resonates so with me. It seems a picture of my spiritual journey and shows the hope and redemption I have found in Christ. I pray the words of this psalm speak to you today and remind you of how blessed with are to know and live in Christ.

Linda