Category: Forgiveness

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Remembering Jesus on His Birthday

For December 25, 2024
As social creatures, nearness to our loved ones is a dominant human characteristic we express particularly around the holidays. Over the Thanksgiving Holiday last year, the Transportation Security Administration reported over 2.9 million travelers screened on November 26, 2023, which was the busiest day of the year in the US, to illustrate this longing.1

In the same way we yearn to be with our loved ones, God also desires to have a personal relationship with each of us. Immediately after Creation, God demonstrated His longing for our companionship by walking with Adam and Eve in the tranquil Garden of Eden.

Although sin broke our bond with God, His love for us has remained unchanged. However, it extended beyond mere emotional feelings as He actively sought to restore our vital connection and recover a lost humanity personally.

Our Holy God, in an act of unimaginable grace, bridged the vastness of a  universe so enormous as NASA describes,

Based on the deepest images obtained so far, it’s one of about 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. Groups of them are bound into clusters of galaxies, and these into superclusters; the superclusters are arranged in immense sheets stretching across the universe, interspersed with dark voids and lending the whole a kind of spiderweb structure. Our galaxy probably contains 100 to 400 billion stars, and is about 100,000 light-years across.2

Yet He set His heart on reaching you and me, by entering our world as a human being. The Gospel of Luke records this magnificent event in Luke 2:8-14 (NKJV):

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’

Beneath a wide expanse of stars, the love of God came to a serene Bethlehem stable. Imagine those shepherds, men working in the fields, unaccustomed to visions and miracles, watching the night sky as the heavens open above them, with angels proclaiming the birth of our Savior. Their world was changed forever that night, just as yours can be as well.

There lay Jesus, God in human flesh, on a bed of straw, offered as a precious gift for every one of us.

You’ve Been Invited to New Life
Beyond a mere historical event, Jesus birth symbolized the start of a new era that invites all of humanity to come to God. Before Christ, access to God’s promises was attained through rituals, laws, prophets, and priests.

Now, through faith in Christ, God’s love and forgiveness are accessible to everyone, regardless of their past.

Choosing the Lord Jesus as our Savior opens the door to a life of purpose, hope. Yet it also restores our personal, direct relationship with our loving God; a connection that transforms our lives in profound ways, unlike anything else we could ever experience in this world, as Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) declares:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Come and experience God’s forgiveness, peace, and the joy that derives from  His presence. Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV) describes what the Lord did for us:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

A Personal Choice with Eternal Implications
There will be a day when all knees will bow and all tongues will confess Jesus Christ as Lord. The choice we make out of love rather than compulsion makes a tremendous difference.

By accepting Jesus as our Savior, we begin a heart-changing relationship with God that fills us with His love, hope, and peace. Each day there is a reason to live because we have the the assurance of eternal life with Him.

This Christmas, don’t just honor the story, welcome the opportunity. Welcome the Savior, who was born to save you and me, who walked on this earth and gave His life for us, and who is now eager to bring us into a close connection with God forever.

Open your heart and let this season be a time to discover the love,  peace, and joy that can only come from knowing the true meaning of Christmas: Jesus Christ. Won’t you welcome Him into your life today and make this Christmas a celebration of new beginnings and everlasting hope?

Happy Birthday Jesus.

What a Wonderful Savior!

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Much to be Thankful For

For November 28, 2024
Thanksgiving is a time when we can reflect on all the things we’re grateful for. This includes the right to practice our faith freely and openly, the right to speak our minds without fear of retribution, and the ability to gather with friends and loved ones for Thanksgiving.

There are those who might assert a claim to these comforts and freedoms as a matter of entitlement. However, no individual can claim entitlement to it. We should be incredibly grateful for these privileges and want to express our sincere appreciation to God for them.

We should never discredit God’s goodness, but with gratitude, acknowledge His precious gifts of love and compassion given to us each day without fail. Our gratitude and reverence should mirror those of the man in Luke 17:11-17 (NIV), who expressed a profound appreciation for the Lord’s miraculous intervention.

While on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus encountered ten lepers who desperately needed healing for their severe skin disease, a condition that brought both physical pain and social isolation.

There’s no mention in Scripture of the length of their separation from their families or the extent of their loneliness. But it does record how as Jesus came closer, they yelled out together in desperation, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

Jesus looked at intently and told them to go and present themselves to the priests. They followed obediently, and as they walked, their skin cleared miraculously; their bodies healed, and the pain of their affliction was lifted miraculously.

One out of the ten, upon realizing he was cured, and filled with joy and thankfulness, turned back. Running to Jesus, he fell at His feet, and thanked the Lord with his whole heart. Ironically, this man was a Samaritan, a despised foreigner to the Jews—yet he alone returned.

Jesus looked at him with compassion and asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go. Your faith has made you well.”

The man underwent a complete internal and external transformation. His faith in Christ created a new spiritual connection with God, allowing him to experience the depth of God’s grace, kindness, and mercy in ways he’d never experienced before.

Nevertheless, his physical recovery led to the reconciliation of his family and community ties. Though his physical recovery was remarkable, his return to everyday life was something beyond his greatest expectations.

Even today, our extraordinary God continues to shower us with love and care by recognizing each one of us as unique individuals yearning for his  personal touch. Yet, like the nine lepers who were healed and didn’t acknowledge their Healer, we often take for granted our Caregiver and the blessings He gives us daily.

Here, we downplay the importance of maintaining fellowship with God through prayer, reading the Word, regular church attendance, sharing our faith, and Christian service. Not just the clergy are called to formal service. We all are called to “occupy until He comes” (Luke 19:13) as we anticipate the glorious return of is Son who will give us “a crown of righteousness.” as Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:8 (NIV).

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but  to all who have longed for his appearing.

God made it possible for us to receive the gift of everlasting life. By repenting of our sin and placing our faith in Jesus Christ a Savior and Lord, we invite God’s grace and peace into our lives forever.

So as we celebrate this day of Thanksgiving, let us be inspired by the Samaritan leper who returned to the Lord, expressing praise and gratitude to the One True God, the source of blessings that are far more than we deserve. Could today be the day you decide to give Him your heart?

What a Wonderful Savior!

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For March 31, 2024
Calling Jesus Christ a mere teacher or miracle worker significantly undermines His true nature. While on earth, He went beyond being a kind person who dedicated Himself to improving the human condition by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, raising the dead, and restoring hope to the hopeless.

Seven-hundred years before His birth, the Prophet Isaiah predicted we would acknowledge Jesus Christ as “Immanuel,” meaning God with us. (Isaiah 7:14) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what sets Him apart from any other historical figure while also making the Easter Celebration distinctive.

Almost two-thousand years ago, the Roman government executed Jesus and guarded His tomb with armed soldiers. Today, we have ample records of His death and burial, yet the only plausible explanation for the absence of His body is the resurrection.

The empty tomb is that silent testimony to the resurrection of Christ, which has never been refuted. The Romans and Jews could not produce Christ’s body or explain where it went, but nonetheless, they refused to believe. Not because of the insufficiency of evidence but in spite of its sufficiency do men still reject the resurrection.[1]

Unlike anyone else in history, Jesus not only predicted his death but also predicted His rising from the grave as well.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep … No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. John 10:11, 18 (NLT)

His resurrection wasn’t simply resuscitation to His earthly existence, similar to those whom He brought back to life; as He would have eventually died of old age Himself. On the contrary, His resurrection serves as evidence that God accepted His perfect sacrifice for our benefit.

As a result, He became the “first fruits” of all those who have faith in Him for their eternal destiny, including us. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and we have everything to gain in Him as our hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27, Hebrews 13:8)

Amen and Hallelujah!

Moreover, because of His impeccable ministry and teachings, He is our Divine Prophet, (Deuteronomy 18:15 ff.), molding our moral and spiritual course even today. Furthermore, He reigns as the “Prince of the Kings of the Earth,” (Revelation 1:5), through His Holy Spirit and His written Word, the Bible.

Apart from these wonderful attributes, He is our Great High Priest, through whom we receive forgiveness for our sins and peace with God.

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come … Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:11-12. (NKJV)

Jesus’ perfect sacrifice covers our sin as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), who is fully capable to save “to the uttermost” all who come to God by Him, seeing He lives forever to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Only through Jesus Christ can we find righteousness and reconciliation with a holy God. By repentance and faith in Him, we receive instant forgiveness and restored fellowship with God.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13 (NIV)

Through the shedding of Jesus Christ’s blood at Calvary, we now have the privilege of approaching God boldly and can confidently expect His approval as He substitutes our imperfect life with Jesus’ sinless one. Now when God looks at us, He sees no trace of sin and condemnation. Instead, He sees the pure heart and clean hands of Jesus Christ, and that we are suitable for His eternal fellowship.

We are finally free from the overwhelming weight of sin, guilt, and shame. His Word and Spirit remind us that we can let go of our sinful past and live an abundant life as new creations, forgiven by God and covered by His blood. (John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

It’s like being brought before Jesus, like that woman in John 8:1-11. Despite our condemnation, we stand alone in the presence of our Savior and Redeemer, who asks, “Where are your accusers?” “They are gone, Lord,” we reply. “Neither do I,” Jesus tells us, “Go and sin no more!”

Our Dear Friend is our Constant Companion, never leaving us even in our darkest hours. No matter the circumstances we face, whether positive or negative, He is always present to support us. He will wipe away our tears and defend us in our struggles, filling our hearts with His joy and peace. He supplies us with all the resources, both spiritual and material; to live a life that pleases Him.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Our enduring Christian faith lies in our Resurrected Lord as we look forward to a magnificent eternal life beyond this earthly existence. Won’t you give your life to Christ today and forever enjoy His blessed life?

What a Wonderful Savior!

[1]Josh McDowell, “The Resurrection – Hoax or History,” Evidence that Demands a Verdict: Historical Evidences for the Christian Faith, rev. ed., vol. I, (San Bernardino: Here’s Life Publishers, Inc., 1979) 226.

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In Remembrance of Me!

For March 29, 2024
I’ve always found the last earthly days our Lord to be incredibly fascinating. Filled with many significant events, His last week on earth saw the pinnacle of His earthly ministry with His crucifixion at Calvary and subsequent death.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God was born for the purpose to reconcile a sinful humanity to a holy God. Yet, to achieve this, He had to forfeit His own life for our redemption as Leviticus 17:11 (NLT) teaches.

For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

God created us to be without sin so that we could live forever in His perfect world. However, because of Adam’s disobedience, we face sadness, sin, pain, illness, hardship, and death. Thus as the Bible rightly teaches, sin and death are inevitable (Romans 3:23, 5:14, 6:23).

Aware of His impending death, Jesus made the conscious choice to give up His life for you and me, allowing us to experience the full advantages of His flawless sacrifice—without partiality or distinction.

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:18-19 (NIV)

Ultimately, our Lord Jesus decided to redeem everyone, regardless of their love, hate, belief, or disbelief in Him. His motivation was based on His love for us and His longing for everlasting companionship, as the Bible teaches.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NIV)

And as He taught.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3 17 (NIV)

The Lord Jesus chose bread and wine as symbols of His crucifixion. The bread symbolizes His body, which was sacrificed for us, and the wine represents the New Covenant in His blood. He also affirms that every time we eat and drink, we do so “in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)

A familiar hymn expresses our appropriate response to these timeless truths.

                     There Is a Fountain , William Cowper (1772)[i]

There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel’s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains: Lose all their guilty stains, Lose all their guilty stains; And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in His day; And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away: Wash all my sins away, Wash all my sins away; And there may I, though vile as he Wash all my sins away.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme And shall be till I die: And shall be till I die, And shall be till I die; Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation for all our future hopes and desires. Our journey with Him involves a “faith walk” that honors the cross and reviews the incredible treasures that await us in His Father’s house.

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

As we look towards the vast spiritual reality that awaits us, our hearts cease from troubling. Won’t you choose Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior today, and allow Him to transform your life forever?

What a Wonderful Savior!

 

[i]William Cowper, “There Is a Fountain,” 101 Hymn Stories, Kenneth Osbeck, ed., (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1982) 263-265.

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Glory to God in the Highest!

For December 25, 2023
Nothing out of the ordinary happened on that particular evening when the shepherds were preparing for the long night ahead of them. But as they were settling into the quiet of that silent, starry night, while watching over their flock—it happened.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:9-14 (NKJV)

The shepherds rushed to Bethlehem and found Jesus with Mary and Joseph in the manger, just as the angels had said. With great excitement, they went about spreading the news that the long awaited Messiah; Christ our Savior and Lord had been born. Truly, now will be a time for peace on earth and goodwill toward men; glory to God in the highest!

God so loved the world that He gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that “whosoever will” can have the forgiveness of sin, peace with God, and eternal life by virtue of our faith in His death and resurrection. In addition, now that we are certain of our peace with God, we can also manifest peace and goodwill towards one another. In other words, since God forgives us, shouldn’t we forgive others too?

Psalm 118:22-23 (NKJV) reads, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.”

If human beings were responsible for our salvation, only a privileged few would obtain it. I’m glad that it’s incumbent upon God’s grace and our faith in Christ redeeming work on our behalf to secure it forever.

Won’t you give the Lord your heart and experience His glory, peace, and forgiveness today? He can change your life forever.

Glory to God in the highest. Let there be peace on earth and goodwill toward all humans everywhere through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen!

What a Wonderful Savior!   

And Happy Birthday, Jesus!

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