God's Thoughts

 Isaiah 55:8,9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s love and mercy are beyond human understanding. We are quick to judge and quick to serve justice. Many times our first reaction is, “They deserve what is coming to them.” Israel turned their backs on God. Why should God pursue them? God told Isaiah, tell my people to turn back to me, tell them I have water and food to satisfy their hunger. Tell them I will listen to their cries of confession of sin and unbelief. Let them know that I will not turn them away if they only seek me. Time after time, Israel rejected and left the covenant that God made with them, yet God continues to call out to them. 
We may have friends and loved ones that have turned away from God and their faith for whatever reason. They cannot see their way back to God and don’t feel that they deserve God’s mercy. They have lost their way and in their thinking God is far away, and nowhere to be found. They have failed God over and over again and have given up trying to serve Him, and like the prodigal son, they seek to find happiness in the pleasures of this world. But in their lostness, God's thoughts are toward them and desires that they should turn from their ways of sin and turn and run to Him. With jealous love, God pursues them and shows His love and mercy. His thoughts are of love and forgiveness, thoughts of reconciliation, thoughts of redemption. This type of thinking is beyond comprehension. We must not give up on those that God has not given up on. Let our thoughts be like Jesus, and love others unconditionally and extend hope to all who have lost their way.

Seek Him with all your Heart

 Jer 29:13

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Every year this day holds special meaning for me. It is the day that I found the Lord to be real to me. It was a turning point in my life that I still hold as the most important day of my life. It was a Thursday evening in a small church in Cucamonga, California. I don’t remember the message that Rev. J.E. Cook preached that revival night. I just remember seeking to find forgiveness and acceptance. 51 years ago, I knelt at an altar of prayer as these strangers gathered around me praying that God would save me from a life lived in sin to a new life in Christ. The journey since that day remains the same. I still seek and search for Him with all my heart. He has never failed me, and is always there when I need Him. It has been a life of seeking, a desire to know the will of God. “Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt. 6:33 has been the journey and destination theme of my life. The path to my eternal destination is filled with failures, disappointments, and unwanted circumstances, but through it all He has never been a disappointment or led me astray. As I continue this journey, I pray that the Lord will let me see my kids and grandkids come to Him as I have known Him. He is everything to me and each day, I will seek Him with all my heart, and will be found by Him.

Let Us Draw Near to God

 

Heb. 10:22

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

It is not possible to draw near to God when sin is in the heart. There is a gap that separates us from having fellowship with God. As sinners, we live in darkness and God is light. There is no fellowship for those who live in darkness with the light. To have fellowship is to have communion, and a person who dwells in darkness is living a life of sin, and sin is enmity against God. It is not subject to God and is not able to draw near to Him. But Jesus bridged the gap, taking our sins and nailing them to the cross with His blood provided a way for us to draw near. Before we can draw near to God, we must confess our sins. If we humble ourselves before God, He is faithful to take our sins and cast them in the sea of forgiveness, not to be remembered against us anymore. God will hear the prayers of a sinner that repents of their sins and has a heart that is broken, and is sorry for their sinful ways. It is only with a clean heart and pure motives that we can begin to draw near to God. It is God’s will that we live in the light. As we walk in His light, we start to draw near to His desires for our lives. Let us put aside the sin that easily besets us and pray with a pure heart to live in the light of God’s presence.

Return to the Father

 Jer.4:1
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

Israel, God chose these people to show the nations of the world that there was a God in heaven who ruled the affairs of men. Truth was revealed through Abraham and his descendants, and the many prophets that God sent to reveal God’s plan for all that will follow Him. But the hearts of the people turned away from the commandments that God had given them to live by. They wanted to be like other nations of the world who served idols and gods of nature, or images of earthen clay. This was an abomination to the God that called Abraham out of his country to serve a God that cannot be seen by men, but one that is seen by faith. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God called out to Israel to put away their sin and return to the truth they once knew. Israel left the ways of Jehovah God, they backslid from the teaching of their fathers. God still loves the backslider. He still chases and desires those that have left the faith to return to Him. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The conditions for those who once knew the Lord are required by all who want to reconnect and have fellowship with Jesus Christ. Confession and repentance, a turning away from sin are not negotiable. He loves us, and wants us, but we must be willing to leave our sinful way to follow wholly after God.  He waits with open arms and is faithful to call us back. Drop the sin that so easily besets us and let us run back to the one who loves us and desires to forgive us.

Forgiveness is a Choice

 Col 3:13
bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Is it possible to forgive, but not forget? When life happens, things sometimes happen to us that cause deep hurt. They are imprinted in our memories and don’t go away. When God forgives our sins, they are cast into the sea as far as the east from the west. (Psalm 103:12). God says, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer.31:34) To forgive means to “send away”. The slate is clean. God's forgetfulness means that He will not bring it again and hold us accountable. When we confess our sins, He forgives our transgressions and wipes them away with His precious blood. The blood now covers sin and shame and we are made clean, whiter than snow. When others do things to us or our loved ones, the temptation is to become resentful and bitter toward those who have caused hurt. Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice. I may never feel like forgiving, but by the grace of God, I choose to forgive. Forgiveness does not take away the hurt and disappointment, but it does bring peace to the heart. We can take it to Jesus, and leave it at the foot of the cross, and give it to Him. Healing is sometimes made easier when apologies are made, but apologies may never happen, and forgiveness may not happen in a moment of time, but God’s love and grace is able to bring healing and forgiveness to a heart that seeks it!

Forgiveness for All

 John 8:11
Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.

The power of forgiveness by Jesus is found in the words, “neither do I condemn you.” Who can forgive sin but God. God hates sin and does not tolerate it. The Scribe and Pharisee were not incorrect.  The law was clear what happens to those who violate His commandments. I find it curious that they did not also bring the man who was also found in the very act. God in the OT punishment for adultery was for both the man and the women. It was a serious break of the law to violate one’s marriage vows. The deity of Jesus gave Him the power to overrule the law, for He is the giver of the law. As God in the OT often showed mercy, Jesus who knew the heart of this woman, spoke words of mercy. The laws of our land do not arrest or punish those who commit adultery, but God’s word is not mocked, whatever man sows, that shall he reap. Every man will answer to the deeds done in the flesh when they meet God face to face at the judgment. But as long as we live, there is forgiveness for all who will come to Jesus and ask. He reaches out with tender love and care, and there is no sin that His blood will not cover. It is not God’s plan that man continue in sin, Jesus told the lady to go and sin no more. “He who is born of God will no longer live in sin.” (1 John 5:18). The example of Jesus given to us here, should help us to see that there is hope for all who stubble in sin, and like Christ, we should also show love and compassion.

Learning to Forgive

Mat 18:27
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Jesus, desiring to show his disciples what forgiveness looks like, told the story of the king that forgave his servant, but the servant would not forgive the person who owed him money. The king, hearing about this, could not tolerate the injustice and changed his mind, and required his servant to pay it all. The moral of the story is, If you want forgiveness, you also must be willing to forgive others who did you wrong. Forgiveness is a willful choice that is made because the love of God constrains us to forgive. We realize that we are sinners and in need of forgiveness. Jesus, who died for you and me, paid the ultimate price and forgave us saving us from eternal damnation. When we feel that we have been betrayed or wrongfully accused by someone, it comes with real pain and disappointment. Forgiveness does not always come easy and sometimes over time, the pain eases up, but never goes away. David Branon writes in Our Daily Bread, “Forgiveness at its fullest can be realized when both parties move toward healing and reconciliation. And while it doesn’t remove the effects of harm done or the need to be discerning in how to address painful or unhealthy relationships, it can lead to restored ones—testifying to God’s love and power. Let’s look for ways to “extend forgiveness” for His honor.” We forgive because He has forgiven us, and He is our great example of how to live each day of our lives.

Pressing Toward the Prize

 Philip 3:13,14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,.. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The past is behind me. The things of the world have been left behind. I have come to the understanding that I am nothing, and all my good works are but waste and fruitless in obtaining salvation. Going to church, following all the rules of behavior and ritual all come short. Like the rich young ruler, evening keeping all the moral laws of God, I still come empty handed. I now press toward the cross of Christ, looking only to Jesus for grace and forgiveness. There is now a higher calling, a calling to be more like Jesus, a desire to obtain the perfect mind of Christ. Looking for the day where this body will be resurrected and adamic perfection is obtained, mortality becomes immortality. But until that day, we press toward Christian perfection, our hearts can be perfect before God. Keep your eyes on the goal, the prize of eternal life. The journey may not be easy, but it will be worth it all. Keep pressing on!

Walk in Light & Darkness

 1 John 1:6,7
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not tell the truth: But if we walk in the light…
Do born again believers still sin? This is one of the divides between Calvinist and Wesleyan teachings. Books have been written for centuries on this topic. Greater minds than myself on both sides of this topic have exhausted its depth. The scripture given to us in this passage does appear that it is possible for a Christian to sin. The real question is, are Christians able to live a life without sinning? Calvintist will say that because we are born with the nature of sin, we will always sin in thought, word, or deed because we are human and not perfect. Wesleyan teaches that the work of entire sanctification, will change the natural bent to sin to a bent to live holy. That as long as we walk in the light, keep our eyes on Jesus, that we can avoid walking in darkness. The secret is to stay in the light. When we allow the temptations of the devil to deviate us from walking in the light, we find ourselves walking in darkness. It is not God’s will that we walk in darkness. It is possible to stray from the truth, but God does not give up on us. He said if we acknowledge that we have sinned, and strayed from the light, He is faithful, He is merciful, He is a God that forgives when we come to Him in broken and contrite spirit. If we willfully remain to walk in darkness, and continue in our sin, we have broken fellowship with the Father, and we are living a lie. Making mistakes due to our humanity is not sin. We still need to ask God for grace and even forgiveness when such actions are brought to our attention by the Holy Spirit. That is walking in the light.

In My Youth

 Psalm 71:17

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

God first spoke to me in my youth. Raised in a religious Catholic home, I knew the importance of church and the reality that there was a God. But, I did not know Him. I was familiar with the teachings of the church, having been confirmed at age 12, and taught the 10 commandments and the rules of the church. But in my youth, I came to know that Jesus was more than God’s Son who came to earth to die for the sins of man. I came to understand that He came for me. Confession of sin was personal, like King David, I went straight to the source for forgiveness of my sinful ways and sinful heart. Confessing my sins to a priest gave me a sense of relief, but it did not give me peace that passes understanding. From the time of my youth, I came to the realization that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I devoured His word. I meditated on His word day and night, His word I hid in my heart that I would learn to please Him. “Hither-to, I have declared His wondrous works”, and His marvelous grace. Almost 50 years later, I still desire to know more of Him. He is everything to me, may I continue to declare that He is good and desires only what is good for me.

Prayer Request

Matt. 6 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…Give us this day our daily bread…And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Prayer request please! Let us praise God for who He is. Let us pray for our daily needs, that God will supply just what we need. Let’s not forget to pray that God will give us a forgiving heart. There will be those who will not always treat us well. Let’s remember that the devil is out to destroy our relationship with Jesus, he will tempted us to turn from the paths of doing what is right. Pray that God will give us the strength and will to resist. Last, but not the least, Let’s keep our hearts surrender to God’s will and do whatever He ask us to. Now, we don’t want to leave out praying for the souls of others, those who are going through tough times, and, the sick around us. Lord, teach us how to pray, let us stay focus on things that matter and will make an eternal difference.

Disagreements

Col. 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Disagreement are unavoidable. They are going to happen. Not every one will see things the same way. Some disagreements with be strong and there is no compromise of opinion and it is possible to walk away having ill will toward those you disagree with. Forgiveness of one you have a disagreement with is not to be sorry that you have different prospective on an issue or problems, but forgiveness for any feelings of resentment or hurt feelings. Compatibility and relationship are not built on thinking alike, but the ability to love and show kindness one to another even after a heated quarrel. Above all things, put on love which covers a multitude of sins or quarreling.  Let God’s peace, that lives in both your hearts rule in the end.  

The Look of Jesus

Luke 22:54 61a, 62 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter… And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

That look! Look of tenderness, love, and yes, sorrow. A look that caused Peter to weep for his betrayal. He who said he would go to the ends of the earth, dropped the ball when it really counted. But that look was also a look of forgiveness. The Lord who knows our frame and our weakness, our failures and shortcomings does not cast us away. He knows the way we have taken and wants us to get back up. If we have sinned, confess to Him our failure. If we have erred in judgment, He see our humanity. Jesus looks and has compassion on us. Let us weep with joy that He cares, and wants us to come unto Him.

Heart Perfect Toward God

2 Sam. 12:13 1 king 11:4  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die..Solomon’s…heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

The Amazing mercy of God does not always do away with the consequence of sin. What man reaps, he will sow. David, a man who had a perfect heart toward God found himself wanting. The faithfulness of God revealed to David the error of his way. David’s heart was seen as perfect because once he acknowledged his sin, he humbled himself before God. Remorse and guilt troubled the heart of David until he laid it all out before God. The life of David illustrates to us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive. It also shows us that even though we can live right for most of our lives, that sin can separate us from having right relationship with the Lord. Justice was served, David lost his son, and his sin was made open in public. But, his soul was saved because he cried out to God and asked for forgiveness. God, who sees the motive of every heart, saw that David’s motive was perfect in his confession, and God had mercy.

The Mercy of the Lord

Psalm 103:17,18 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;..To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

He is a God of love and mercy. His love reaches to the deepest and most insignificant parts of the earth. Yet, to them that fear Him and keep His commandments His mercy is promised them and to their children. God is no respecter of person, and will have mercy on all that will enter into His gates. All have sinned and come short of God’s approbation. But mercy was extended. We were all condemn to everlasting punishment, but the mercy of God made a way of escape. He is a God of compassion and desires to forgive all that are willing to confess their sin(s) and to keep His covenant. Love and mercy follow all that abide in Christ. Those who live in Christ do not have to ask for His love and mercy, for God’s love and mercy abides in those who live in Christ and keep His commandments.

Give All To Jesus

Luke 23:46 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: 

Resigned to the will of God. I give it up and place my life into your hand. Jesus, the God-man gave up His earthly life, made himself willing to be the supreme sacrifice for sin. There on the cross, He speaks some of His final words, “Father, I offer up my life” A very intimate prayer that implies a close relationship with God the Father. We must come to a place in our lives where we come to the end of ourselves and submit everything to God. In His love and mercy, He forgives us of our unrighteousness and makes our heart clean from those sins we have committed, but now entreats us to give it all up. Our desires and wants, all that we hold dear to our hearts. Into His hand we commit “self” to let God do what He desires. “Commit thy way unto the Lord, and He will direct thy path”  

One Offering

Hebrew 10:12.14  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;…  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Them that are set apart, believing that Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins, He hath made them perfect in heart. Because of Adam’s transgression, all born into this world are born with sin, but God sent His son to be the one offering to redeem man from his sinful state. We have not yet arrived, and we are a work in progress. Perfect in heart, with a singleness toward the will of God. But we are earthen vessels, prone to weakness and failures. Our body and mind, and emotions are imperfect and subject to breaking down. God takes this vessel, fills it with His Spirit and uses it for His purpose. He is the potter, we are the clay. He is molding and making us into His perfect will. We need to keep are hands off the wheel and let Him do what He must to make us what we ought to be. 

God is Against Evil

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

The character question, do I choose to do good or do I choose to do evil. This should be a no brainer. Choosing to do good or live righteous is given with promise that the Lord will watch over those who do good, and He listens to the prayers of those who choose to live a life that follows His commandments. Choosing to do that which is evil or forbidden in God’s word is to have the wrath of God to face. This is pretty harsh when we think that God is love, pours out His grace, and desires to show mercy. Hard to think that this kind of God is against those who refuse to follow His ways and choose to do evil. God is holy, and the very nature of God is against that which is unholy, or evil. He is also a God of forgiveness and will not turn anyone away that will humble themselves before Him and confess their wicked ways. He desires fellowship with His fallen creation and has provided a way to have fellowship with Him. The cross has bridged the gap between sinful man and a Holy God. To those that refuse to turn from their wicked ways and do what is right, will face the judgment of the Lord for their choices. As long as we have breathe, we have a choice to do right or do evil. God does not make that choice for us. We decide if we will walk with God and do good, or abide in sin and do evil. 

Whiter Than Snow

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Sin is not removed by the acts of good deeds. It is a stained that is stamped deep in the heart of mankind. The root of evil is rebellion against God and an unwillingness to believe that God is holy and just. Sin, conceived in the heart of man since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of creation rules the nature of man. But also within the heart of man is a desire to know God, and to find meaning in life. Though our sins be as a stain that cannot be removed, God entreats us to come to Him. Christ died to remove the stain of sin from our heart. He, who is sinless, gave His life for you and me. Even if our heart is wicked, heinous, and commits immoral acts, we can come to Him in confession. God is not unreasonable. He is a God of grace and love. No matter the sin, He is willing to forgive and remove. He is able to wash our sins away and give us a heart that is whiter than snow.

Thy Sins Forgiven

Luke: 7:48,50 And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven…Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

“By faith are you saved, not of works lest anyone should boast” Paul, the Apostle would later pen as he wrote his letter to the Romans. Our sins whether they be few or many, small or big all separate us from having a right relationship with God. Everyone born into this world is in need of forgiveness. The Pharisee who works diligently to live righteous by following all the rules given by God and conjured by man is still a sinner in need of forgiveness. The good moral person who seeks to please others by doing deeds and works worthy of praise needs forgiveness. For all have sinned, and have come short of God’s approval. “There is none righteous, no not one” (Roman.3:10) We all owe a debt we cannot pay by any works we can do. Christ came to pay the debt, He did not owe, we needed someone to take our sins away. Jesus, the Son of God has the power to say, “Thy sins are forgiven” for He is God and He paid the price that we may have the peace of God.