Pastor, Speaker, Author, Counselor
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It was a black Friday, over 2000 years ago that Jesus said” It is Finished “ and made a way for you and I to be reconciled to God,
there were not any shortcuts, Christ paid the full price for our salvation, death, the price we could not pay, for sins He did not commit. Have you ever received the gift of salvation, forgiveness, grace or love that God is giving to all who will receive Him? If not as we enter this Christmas season, with God’s help you can turn black Friday into Freedom Friday, freedom from the penalty of Sin and Death. God loves you and I and gave His Son to redeem us all, through this act of mercy, grace and love by Christ Jesus is the only we can be with God the Father. Jesus didn’t come to condemn, He came to save the world, of which you and I belong to. We condemn ourselves when we reject Christ. We are all sinners, you and I alike. Your sin is no greater than mine. The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God, physical and spiritual death. Eternal life, love, and freedom are found in Christ alone. All of us can only change and come to God through Christ Jesus, there is no other way, period. The decision you make today will affect the rest of your life, for eternity! God’s word says this: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.” John 3:16-18 CSB “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”John 14:6-7 CSB “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”Romans 3:23 CSB “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans 6:23 CSB “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”Romans 10:9-13 CSB
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Have you thanked God for all He has done for you?
Living a life of Thanksgiving is a choice we get to make each day, are we grateful for all God has done and is doing in our lives? We all need to take time today and recognize the blessings we've come to take for granted. Let us focus on what we have instead of what we don’t have, when we do this, it will improve our attitude. Be thankful for our trials for in them we grow. Be thankful for our limitations for in them God is limitless. Be thankful we don't know everything, for everyday we can learn something new. Be thankful for our weakness, for in it God is strong. Be thankful in all we have for, the Lord gives and He takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. It’s easy to be thankful for all the good things. But, a thankful life is a life of fulfillment, be thankful in all things in our setbacks we learn how much we need God, take every opportunity to praise, Him, thank Him and call on His name. God’s word says this: “Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.” Job 1:20-22 CSB “Listen, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Protect my life, for I am faithful. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Be gracious to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant’s life, because I appeal to you, Lord. For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to all who call on you. Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my plea for mercy. I call on you in the day of my distress, for you will answer me. Lord, there is no one like you among the gods, and there are no works like yours. All the nations you have made will come and bow down before you, Lord, and will honor your name. For you are great and perform wonders; you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name. I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor your name forever. For your faithful love for me is great, and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol. God, arrogant people have attacked me; a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me. They do not let you guide them. But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. Turn to me and be gracious to me. Give your strength to your servant; save the son of your female servant. Show me a sign of your goodness; my enemies will see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped and comforted me.” Psalms 86:1-17 CSB “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. As it is written: He distributed freely; he gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone. And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”2 Corinthians 9:7-15 CSB This week we celebrate Thanksgiving, one of my favorite times of the year.
We of all people should live a life of gratitude, and be thankful unto God above for every blessing He has poured out on us. If we started thanking God now for each blessing, we would no longer be able to complain or bicker, we would not argue amongst ourselves over trivial things that really don’t matter. We have a choice how we live! We can be a sweet aroma to God our Father, a sweet aroma of life and gratitude to those around us, or we can be the stench of death and garbage. We have more than enough to be grateful for and we have all that we need in Christ Jesus in Him we have the victory over all the things around us, including sin and death. Starting today let us determine in our hearts that we will live as an aroma of life, we will live a grateful and gracious life honoring God who has given us His all, in all we say and do. God’s word says this: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things? For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 CSB Life is uneasy things are happening always, and we can not stop what comes our way, life is what it is, uneasy.
Sickness, death, brokenness, loneliness, depression, hatred, violence, wickedness, poverty, separation, all these things take their toll on the human soul. And all these things exist because of the fallen nature of man, sin, and death, are all part of the curse and they touch every single life on this earth. They are all attempts to create a crisis of faith, doubts to make mankind believe there is no God in heaven, and if He's there why won't He stop this? These questions are nothing new, God has answered them from the beginning, and the crises of faith we have today are the same ones that every man and woman has fought through since Adam and Eve. Abraham doubted God when he went to Egypt and he lied to the Pharaoh about Sarah, David doubted God's strength and counted the number of people, John the Baptist sent his followers to ask Jesus are you the one? As he sat in jail awaiting execution, the disciples ran when Jesus was arrested and Peter denied Him in front of the crowds. A crisis of faith can be a stepping stone, we can focus on the crisis, things we can not change, or we can take ourselves out of the crisis and focus on the cross and what Jesus has changed and done for us already , we need to take a moment and look back over our lives, and see the times Christ has always been there for us, how He has blessed us, and how these crisis moments make up the story of our lives and how they are inter-connected to a merciful, mighty God who allows is to walk with Him. God has great plans for you and me, He has given us victory over the world, over sin and death, by taking our place and bearing the penalty for our sin, death. Then He rose again so we may walk with Him in a new way, life everlasting. I don't know what exactly may be causing your crisis of faith but God does, and He is faithful, He will see you through, when we focus on Him and realize this life is temporary and where we are going is eternal, our crisis becomes little and our faith will grow stronger. God’s word says this: “Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart. For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If one died for all, then all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised. From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 CSB “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up. In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Hebrews 12:1-4 CSB “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith — more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.” 1 Peter 1:3-12 CSB We live in wicked times, when we are trying to serve the Lord by living in obedience to His word, and we are attacked by a wicked society, and a floundering church that has sold out to worldly values it becomes a struggle.
Jesus lived in such times also, but He lived in total obedience and submission to God the Father. The hard part for us is when we take our eyes and hearts off of Christ, we only see us, and our problems, but really it is not that the world is striving and we are struggling, it is the world struggling because we are striving in Christ and they are trying to steal our hearts and minds. We must learn to live in total obedience to Christ, by submitting to Him in all things. This is a natural battle that we are in, but we have a responsibility to keep our hearts and eyes on Christ, instead of envying the world and it’s pleasures or treasure, pray that Christ will be revealed and the world would turn from the false hope it holds onto, to the hope that we have in Christ for eternity. This is why Jesus taught us to pray,: “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13 CSB We can’t do this life, that is a christian life without Christ, we must surrender all to Him. Is Christ the desire of our hearts? If so let us keep our hearts and eyes on Him for He is the author and finisher of our faith. Let's not trade the eternal for the temporal, Jesus was tempted and tested by the devil himself, yet He overcame and so can we when we ask for His help and guidance. God’s word says this: “Don’t let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the Lord. For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed. Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course.”Proverbs 23:17-19 CSB “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. ” Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ” Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God. ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him. ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.” Matthew 4:1-11 CSB “Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains.” ”Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14 CSB My prayer for America is this, that God will expose those who are destroying our Nation, that He would change their hearts as only He can through Christ or remove them from power and influence.
I pray that His hands of mercy and grace be upon this Nation as He calls us to repentance and that we turn back to Him, that He shines His face on us again as He restores us to His glory and grace. The road to redemption is paved with repentance, we must turn from our ways and follow Christ. For He alone is God, and He alone can change a persons heart, for He has changed and continues to change mine. He alone can destroy a Nation or restore a Nation. He alone can turn the heart of leaders like a river, making it go which ever way He chooses. He alone can turn the hearts of the people back to Him. God’s word says this. “Listen to my words, Lord; consider my sighing. Pay attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly. For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you. The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who tell lies; the Lord abhors violent and treacherous people. But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you. Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my adversaries; make your way straight before me. For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues. Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against you. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you. For you, Lord, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.” Psalms 5:1-12 CSB “Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the lyre; make music to him with a ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song to him; play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout. For the word of the Lord is right, and all his work is trustworthy. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the Lord’s unfailing love. The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the water of the sea into a heap; he puts the depths into storehouses. Let the whole earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spoke, and it came into being; he commanded, and it came into existence. The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; he thwarts the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation. Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord — the people he has chosen to be his own possession! The Lord looks down from heaven; he observes everyone. He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from his dwelling place. He forms the hearts of them all; he considers all their works. A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be rescued by great strength. The horse is a false hope for safety; it provides no escape by its great power. But look, the Lord keeps his eye on those who fear him — those who depend on his faithful love to rescue them from death and to keep them alive in famine. We wait for the Lord; he is our help and shield. For our hearts rejoice in him because we trust in his holy name. May your faithful love rest on us, Lord, for we put our hope in you.” Psalms 33:1-22 CSB “A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses. All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs hearts. Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. The lamp that guides the wicked — haughty eyes and an arrogant heart — is sin.”Proverbs 21:1-4 CSB “For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says the Lord of Armies, “not leaving them root or branches. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall. You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the Lord of Armies. “Remember the instruction of Moses my servant, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”Malachi 4:1-6 CSB We don't have to leave our homes to see the moral decay in our Nation, from those who are elected to lead our Nation to the crimes in the streets of our cities, our Nation is morally bankrupt.
Hatred is pushed by the media, our educational institutions and politicians, it is heartbreaking, this is not the Nation I grew up in, this is not the Nation that God has shed His grace on, what happened? How did we get here? The answer is simple, we have turned our backs on God ,we have walked away from truth, love, mercy and justice, we have been played as fools by the enemy of our souls and we have willingly followed like sheep to slaughter. The best way, and the quickest way to destroy a Nation, is make God our enemy. Are we there yet? I fear the day, God says enough! We as a nation are vile, we seek and serve ourselves murdering innocent children, casting off those who are less fortunate, celebrating sexual perversions, throwing caution to the wind in the name of tolerance for strangers, while being intolerant to our fellow Americans who don't say the same things we do or believe the same as we do, we have wondered away from God, we must repent , and pray for mercy before God shows His wrath to this rebellious society. We need to have such a relationship with God that it is better than life, we should desire God, walk closely with Him, our relationship with God should be above all other relationships, we should be so close that everything else can fall apart and we will be okay. When we come to the point in our lives where we say just give me Jesus, He then sets on the throne of our lives. The prophet Isaiah spoke these words thousands of years ago, but you would think that they are headlines for today. God’s word says this: “Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save, and his ear is not too deaf to hear. But your iniquities are separating you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not listen. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers, with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongues mutter injustice. No one makes claims justly; no one pleads honestly. They trust in empty and worthless words; they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity. They hatch viper’s eggs and weave spider’s webs. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched. Their webs cannot become clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their works are sinful works, and violent acts are in their hands. Their feet run after evil, and they rush to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and wretchedness are in their paths. They have not known the path of peace, and there is no justice in their ways. They have made their roads crooked; no one who walks on them will know peace. Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we live in the night. We grope along a wall like the blind; we grope like those without eyes. We stumble at noon as though it were twilight; we are like the dead among those who are healthy. We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions have multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us. For our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: transgression and deception against the Lord, turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far off. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The Lord saw that there was no justice, and he was offended. He saw that there was no man — he was amazed that there was no one interceding; so his own arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him. He put on righteousness as body armor, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. So he will repay according to their deeds: fury to his enemies, retribution to his foes, and he will repay the coasts and islands. They will fear the name of the Lord in the west and his glory in the east; for he will come like a rushing stream driven by the wind of the Lord. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 59:1-21 CSB “What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you? You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely? But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:1-8 CSB We grow tired of praying for other people and ourselves, but God doesn’t, God embraces our prayers and our tears when we come to Him and pray for salvation for our family and friends, when we ask Him to heal others or help us, God loves the prayers of His children, we should never grow tired of praying for something or someone!
God's word says we should "devote" ourselves to prayer and be "alert" in prayer. Our persistence in prayer expresses our faith that God answers our prayers, He loves to hear our petitions and request for He is God, as a matter of fact, the Holy Spirit prays for us when we don't know what to pray, and Jesus prays for us daily, this shows us the power, the necessity, the pleasure God takes in prayer. Our faith shouldn't fade or faint God answers us slowly or doesn't answer us the way we think He should, for God's way of working things out is always perfect, for His glory and our good. When we feel tired of praying, remember God is present, He is always listening, He always answers, He knows best. Let's not grow weary in our prayer life, for prayer is a lifeline for us and others, God longs to hear from His children, He wants to bless and guide us, He wants to help us in every area of our lives and our family and friends, we must learn to pray and surrender all to Him. God's word says this: “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him. “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” Matthew 6:5-15 CSB “In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:26-28 CSB “Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” Colossians 4:2-6 CSB Most Christians never experience victory in their lives because they have never realized we are in a war.
They live this life in the physical and not the spiritual, but we are both physical and spiritual beings, for only we are created in God's image, not angels, not animals, only mankind. Until we stop trying to be gods, we will never be able to walk with God, surrendering our all to God is not optional, it is required. Walking and living by faith is not a life of comfort, it is a life of conflict, no one is called to sit in a building and worship God, we are called to go and to make disciples, and along the way, we will confront evil, for we are light in a dark world. To grasp the peace of God in this life, we must surrender and acknowledge Christ is Lord of all, all we have, all we are, everything and everyone in our lives belong to Him, starting with us. The good news is victory is ours, because victory is His, He has overcome sin, death and the world the war is won , the battle rages not for the soul that belongs to Christ, rather it rages for the souls that are not His yet, stand firm, keep the faith for He will fight these battles! God's word says this: “But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:12-14 CSB ”He must increase, I must decrease.” John 3:30 CSB “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:25-33 CSB “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 CSB “For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 CSB I have no fear in life for the Lord is my shepherd, no matter if I am in the pastures of peace or deep into the valleys of despair, He is there protecting and providing all the way, He guides and guards with His staff and rod.
When obstacles are in our way, or when we have walked down the wrong path, or just lost our way, He is always near, God waits, He nudges us back on track, carries us or drag us back to Him, at other times He runs to us and reaches us. I can say these things with full authority and confidence from my own life, this has been me more than once, He has rescued me.. I am grateful and thank God for this life , He has put us each on a journey towards the promised land, He draws us ultimately to Him, but in our stubbornness we reject Him, until we come to the end of ourselves and learn that He is with us every step of the way, working in us teaching us to submit to Him, when we learn and surrender to Christ, He becomes our victory over life's challenges, our victory over sin and death. We all need to slow down and enjoy the journey we are on and follow Christ into eternity. Peace, hope, joy, and love are not found in circumstances, things or others they are found just beyond the realm where we live, they are found only in Christ and where He is. God’s word says: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.” Psalms 23:1-6 CSB “He also said: “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! ’ So they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ “‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:11-32 CSB “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — in heaven and on earth and under the earth — and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.”Philippians 2:1-18 CSB There are forces battling against mankind that are hell-bent on destroying us, and we seem powerless against them, we are unable to fight this battle in the physical realm but we certainly can fight this battle in prayer, in the spiritual realm
Most Christians don't understand prayer is a weapon, because they don't understand we are in a war. We are in a war that has raged since God cast Lucifer out of heaven, we are in a war where the outcome has already been determined, where the enemy can only disrupt our lives, but he can destroy those who don't belong to God, so will we fight from victory? Fight for our families? Fight for our friends, communities, Nation? The question we must ask ourselves in the midst of the war in all the things that come against us is this: Do we trust God? We should never let the presence of our enemy make us doubt the presence of God, a faith untested is not truly faith, if our faith is based on our circumstances then we have faith in the wrong things, we should always trust God, in the calm and as the battle rages. Wherever, whenever we are praying God hears us, do not be discouraged by the battle, for it always rages, and God is with us, and nothing will separate us from the love of God. Don’t be amazed at the size of the enemy's numbers, be amazed at what God is doing and trust Him to bring us through. If God is for us and He is, then who can be against us? God’s word says this: “They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him. He lived in the tombs, and no one was able to restrain him anymore — not even with a chain — because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, don’t torment me!” For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” “What is your name?” he asked him. “My name is Legion,” he answered him, “because we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region. A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there. The men who tended them ran off and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs. Then they began to beg him to leave their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him. Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.” Mark 5:1-20 CSB “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but offered him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans 8:31-39 CSB “I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving according to the flesh. For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 2 Corinthians 10:2-6, CSB “Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was thrown out — the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows his time is short.”Revelation 12:7-12 CSB Our land needs healing, our elected leaders need to lead, our neighbors need hope, our communities need help, our nation needs to be restored, none of this will happen without God’s help, and God will not help rebellious children who ignore Him and live their own way.
We the church must turn our hearts back to God, repent and pray, then we will see the mighty hands of God restore our lands. Jesus said my house shall be called a house of prayer, oh how far have we fallen away. If we choose to continue without God, without repentance, without prayer, then we are without hope. We are not the first nation to turn from God, but we might possibly be the last before Christ returns, the Nation should follow the Church as an example, and sadly our Nation has, as false Churches have lead the way away from God, and helped create gods of our making, who are pleased with our choices, lifestyles, and sin, as long as we are happy. The true Church follows Christ no matter what the culture says or does, for there is only one truth, one life, one way, and that is in Christ. God as He is, Christ as He is and the Holy Spirit are mostly ignored on Sundays, and every other day of the week, but the day set aside to worship Him, has become nothing more than pomp and circumstance, pleasing our egos as if to say, look God what I have done for you. We need to fall on our face, repent and live our lives according to the word of God, nothing else, no religion, no philosophy, no political garbage, just live and love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds and souls, and love our neighbors as ourselves, this means we will live in obedience always to Christ. The prophets spoke about this, and Jesus made it clear when He was here amongst us, billions of people will all stand before God one day, they will feel rejected when God says depart from me for I do not you when in reality they have always rejected GOD, He never rejected them. God’s word says this: “In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was made king over the Chaldean kingdom — in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy. So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: Ah, Lord — the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands — we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land. Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel — those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, because we have sinned against you. Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has broken your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. The promised curse written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against him. He has carried out his words that he spoke against us and against our rulers by bringing on us a disaster that is so great that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done under all of heaven. Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to your truth. So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all he has done. But we have not obeyed him. Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and made your name renowned as it is this day, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us. Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of your servant. Make your face shine on your desolate sanctuary for the Lord’s sake. Listen closely, my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion. Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name. While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the Lord my God concerning the holy mountain of my God — while I was praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the first vision, reached me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering. He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding. At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God. So consider the message and understand the vision: Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city — to bring the rebellion to an end, to put a stop to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an Anointed One, the ruler, will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will be rebuilt with a plaza and a moat, but in difficult times. After those sixty-two weeks the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the coming ruler will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come with a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations are decreed. He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.” Daniel 9:1-27 CSB ““Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers! ’Matthew 7:13-23 CSB “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.” John 3:16-18 CSB “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.” 1Timothy 2:1-6 CSB “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him. This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey his commands.” 1 John 5:1-2 CSB My hope, my faith is not in Government, political parties or people, it is in Christ alone.
My Political views do not determine my Faith, on the contrary, my Faith determines my Political views. The end result is that God will put in power who He chooses, and He will bless or judge according to His will, mankind is only blessed because God chooses to bless, God also judges and those He blessed He holds accountable, to whom much is given much will be required. I will: stay faithful to God, and His word, that means I stand up for the defenseless, the unborn, the fatherless and motherless, acknowledge biblical marriages, be a good steward of all our resources, pray for those in leadership, share the gospel truth with everyone I can, no matter what others say or do, with God’a help I will follow Christ. God’s word says this: “The Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten. But the one who did not know and did what deserved punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.”Luke 12:42-48 CSB “If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.” 1 Peter 4:14-19 CSB “You are to say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David — you, your officers, and your people who enter these gates. This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from his oppressor. Don’t exploit or brutalize the resident alien, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place. For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses — they, their officers, and their people. But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by myself — this is the Lord’s declaration — that this house will become a ruin.’” Jeremiah 22:2-5 CSB “A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses. All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs hearts. Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. The lamp that guides the wicked — haughty eyes and an arrogant heart — is sin.” Proverbs 21:1-4 CSB God has not called us or equipped us to save the world, He has called us to follow Him and obey Him. We put needless pressure on ourselves believing we have to save the world. We can not save ourselves from the penalty of sin, let alone anyone else. God doesn’t need us! Never has, never will. God never looked for anyone to assist Him in saving the world. ( Side note: We can't let pride sneak in and lie to us. We are not like God, nor ever will be, He is eternal, everyone else is created, which means if we have a beginning, we will have an ending, God does not have either.) This doesn’t mean God isn’t calling us to work with Him on mission to be Christ-like with our neighbors, God brings us into His story to reach others, He doesn't need us to supply His needs,He doesn't need our money, He doesn't share His glory, rather He graciously invites us in, to bless us, fellowship with us, give us our needs and be with us, as He reaches others through us. He never commanded us to go and save the world, He said to follow Him, go make disciples and baptize them as He saves the world. God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit have things under control, we are invited into their story, to shine their glory on a lost and dying world, stop trying to save everyone, this will only frustrate us and disappoint us, not everyone will come to Christ and be saved, this is sad but we can not change that, we can start following and listening to Christ and living as He has called us, and let Him use us to reach as many others as He chooses. God’s word says this: “Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 CSB “As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.”Mark 1:16-20 CSB “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. He will glorify me because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you. “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. For the Father, himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:7-15, 25-33 CSB “as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as an atoning sacrifice in his blood, received through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus. ”Romans 3:10-26 CSB If you’re a child of God, forgiveness is not a suggestion it is a command, it should be a part of who we are without question.
Yes, people will hurt us, some intentionally or unintentionally, but we have done the same thing, and when we do we want forgiveness from those we have hurt. Besides that, we who have been forgiven by God for every sin, past, present, and future cannot hold this over someone, for God has completely forgiven us. Forgiving someone isn’t about their character or what they’ve done forgiveness is about our character and how we respond. Anything less than total forgiveness is unforgiveness. Jesus came not to be worshipped as a baby, not to be celebrated as a teacher or wise philosopher, He came to cleanse us of our unrighteousness, to forgive us of our sins against God, He came to reconnect us to the Father and be our Lord and Savior. He is the only one who can forgive us of our sins and reconcile us to God the Father. Each of us is guilty before God of sin, without the forgiveness of Christ and the shedding of His blood on the cross we can’t be forgiven, we did nothing to earn this forgiveness, nor do we deserve this forgiveness, or should we receive it continually every day. But God in His grace gives it to us freely. Our world holds onto things that separate us from God, and each other, we are an unforgiving people. As Christians we must be the example of forgiveness, for we are the sons and daughters of God, we are to be examples of His love, grace, and forgiveness every day to those around us. Giving forgiveness may not be easy, but with the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can forgive others as Christ the Son has forgiven us. Forgiveness sets us free from the chains of hurt, anger, frustration, betrayal, it puts control over these things back in our hearts and hands, and allows us to live freely. Are you ready to be free today from the bondage of unforgiveness, then ask God for His help, peace, and strength to do so. God’s word says this: “So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!” Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” So he got up and went home. When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men. As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”Matthew 9:1-13 CSB “Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven. “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him. Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. “At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything’ Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. “That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35 CSB “Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:17-32 CSB |
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