A thought or two to share with You...: Forgiveness and Mercy

Today was eventless, and thus it was eventful! I know that doesn't seem to make sense, but because I didn't have a single thing at work to work on today I opened my Bible to wait for the chaos to begin...and you know what, it never really did. As I read God's word my love and understanding of him grew deeper and deeper. I am glowing in love right now.

Let me tell you about my God. My God is the God of the Bible. Every word was inspired by him...it was God breathed. My God is a God of endless love, redemption and reconciliation. He is long suffering, patient, kind, and benevolent. He purchased my freedom with the blood of his Son, Jesus. He gives wisdom and understanding to those who ask. He is all these things and SO MUCH MORE!!!

If you don't have a relationship with him...please talk to me. I want to share more about my God with you. I think you will love him too.

I was blessed and honored this week that someone did just that. They shared with me that they were unsure if they had a real relationship with Jesus. They come to church every Sunday and sing the songs, and pray the prayers, but when they leave they don't feel anything. You know what...I think this is how a lot of us feel.

Would you like to pray with me? It is such a relief to know that we can talk to God.

Heavenly Father, THANK YOU so much for today. Thank you for the precious time I had today to read your word. It came alive to me and the little blip at the end of verse 16 of 2^nd Corinthians chapter 5 that says, ‘How differently we know him now!’ The more I read your word the more I understand who you are. You ARE God, of endless love and tremendous patience. You are the God of redemption and reconciliation. You are the God that is long suffering, patient, kind, and benevolent. You desire us to LOVE you and LOVE others, and HATE sin, and resist the devil. You are God, the one who will give wisdom if we ask. Your words says in Ephesians Chapter 1: 7-8 that you are rich in kindness and grace and that you purchased our freedom with the blood of your Son, Jesus, and that you forgave our sins. You have showered your kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. So we stand on this promise, I ask you for wisdom and understanding. You are so…awesome. Let us not be casual Christian’s, let us be passionate for you. I love you so much. Amen.

I mentioned yesterday that I was going to be starting a little series on Guilt. I don't even like that word series...sounds so serious. I don't like the word 'Guilt' either though. It was a word that popped into my mind while I was putting on my makeup and I thought...hmmm, maybe something for a blog for another day. But then later in my day when I opened my Bible, there was that word again. This is when I decided to step out and step up and figure out what the deal is with guilt. The more I thought about this word the more I didn't want to talk about it. Come on now, this word is HUGE! It has so many layers and elements to it. Guilt, you are guilty. Guilt, you or someone else has made you 'feel' this way. Guilt, the devil whispers accusation that separates you or distracts you from God.

The thing is we are all GUILTY. We are so stinkin guilty we deserve life sentences in the pit of hell. You may be thinking...'whoa Ronda, that is a little harsh...seriously, I am not really THAT bad.' Well, actually...we are THAT bad. To God all sin is equally weighted. Come with me for a second and we are going to jump over to 2nd Timothy starting in Chapter 3 verse 1 going through verse 5.

But know this, that in the last days perilous time will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

This is where I would be saying "whoa!" You see, we all have sin. Romans 3:23 ~For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of the glory of God. And 1st John 1:10 ~If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Now that we know we are all guilty, the Bible says in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death." But {OH how I love the word BUT right now in this instance} it goes on to say..."the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Because you see, Christ died for sins once for all, so now we get to have redemption, we get to be reconciled, we get to have *relationship*. I am so thankful for relationship. This would be a really silly hobby if I didn't have a relationship with the true living and active God.

Here is where things get really awesome. We are forgiven. We are free. We can ask God to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. We can drop the guilt and ask God to strengthen us and stand on the promise that he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. God loves us and he made sure in his word that we know we are forgiven *HUGE SIGH and SKIP IN MY STEP RELIEF*

“I, yes, I alone- will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” Isaiah 43:25

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. Psalms 103: 3-5

He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all of our sins; he does not deal harshly with us; as we deserve….He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalms 103: 9-10 and 12

…I will be merciful toward their iniquities and remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:10

You were dead because of your sins and because of your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publically by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 {new living translation}

Do you see this? Oh, I hope so tenderly that you see this. Halleluiah! Thank you GOD! I hope your heart is squealing for *joy* right now. Mine has been pealing out in the parking lot kind of squealing all day! You might be thinking ‘Ronda, you are a real goober right now’…and that is just fine by me. I will be a goober for God all day long!

Now here is our responsibility..and I can tell you that to do this you will need to read the word and pray that God will come alive to you...Have fellowship with him. Sorry if that is too "Christianese", talk to God and be his friend. He is the best friend you will ever have.

Put on your new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:10

Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as member of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3: 13-15

I am going to leave it here for today. Tomorrow, if the Lord allows, I want to write about forgiveness. You who desire mercy...be merciful.

Oh and one more thing. If you feel guilt, and you have already asked God to forgive you, but the guilt keeps coming up...that is contrary to the scriptures that we read above, and God's word says in John 10:3-5 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." And in verse 10-11 it says "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

So I would encourage you to get in God's word so that you will know his voice.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

When you feel guilt that your spirit does not recognize is the voice of God, tell it to GO! Tell that voice, the one who comes to accuse you, that he has no right, that you are a child of God, and that you are FORGIVEN!

Believe it and receive it! I am so thankful! I thank God, like Paul, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pray with me once more?

*BIG SIGH*

Oh God, thank you so much for your precious forgiveness. Thank you for each person that will read these scriptures that you gave me today. I pray that like they are doing a work in my heart that they will do a work in theirs. God, you see me right now, and I do not take this lightly. If I could type on my knees I would and I would beg your forgiveness. I thank you so much for your unimaginable sacrifice. It becomes so common place, but as I sit here and I contemplate the reality of it, I am so...I can't even think of the right word for it...closet thing I can think is embarrassed. I am so sorry that without the blood of Jesus that we are detestable. That we do wicked things. God, please help me. Please give me wisdom and understanding. Let me be on fire for you! I don't ever want to be lukewarm in my love and devotion to you ever again. I never again want to slip into a life of spiritual complacency. I want to be diligent in training to know your voice. Thank you for never giving up on us. In Jesus name, Amen.

God is real. Jesus is real. The Holy Spirit is real. And our opposition the devil, Satan, is real. Our life is but a vapor, we have a call to LOVE.

And because I love you!!! I wanted to share one of my favorite things...I am giggling right now because the depth of the conversation above and my goofy transition into a favorite thing. I was thinking about it this morning though, I used to buy things to fasten bags shut...you know what I am talking about; those little clips for chip bags and stuff. BUT, I bought a bag of 50 clothes pins for $0.99 at Walmart, talk about a bargain!