Only One Way (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Yesterday, we talked about how we can find forgiveness and mercy and grace in a relationship with our heavenly Father.

Today, Paul tells us how: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

He came to this world for one reason only: to offer redemption to mankind and a way back into fellowship with God.

He came to grant mercy and grace. He came so that we might joyfully anticipate eternity with Him

Jesus can redeem the heart of the lowest of the low. There is nothing you have done that cannot be wiped away by our Savior’s blood. You can be cleansed of every sin you ever committed.

It just takes admitting you’re a sinner and that you need a Savior. It just takes belief in Jesus as that Savior and acceptance of His sacrifice. And then it takes surrender to God the Father’s will.

You cannot save yourself. You cannot hope that the good you do somehow outweighs the bad. You can’t give more money or more time or more effort to good causes.

Only one way to salvation and eternal life with God—Father, Son, and Spirit—is available to you. Believe in Jesus. Accept the gift of His payment for your sin. Give your life completely over to Him

And accept His amazing grace and abundant mercy.

Grace and Mercy (1 Timothy 1:12-14)

Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-14

Have you thought that your past was too sinful, too rebellious, too awful to ever be in a relationship with God? Do you think you’ve done too many bad things that God would ever forgive you?

In tomorrow’s verses, Paul will describe himself as the “foremost” of sinners. And in today’s, he spelled out some of his worst sins, including his persecution of Christ-followers.

Yet he experienced God’s grace and forgiveness of sins. He was shown mercy even when he had deliberately chased down and arrested Christians. He was used by God after having approved the execution of Stephen.

When he met Jesus on the Damascus road, all of his past was wiped away. He was forgiven. He was showered with God’s grace and mercy.

And that’s how God forgives us. That’s how He gives grace and mercy. That’s how He uses us.

In spite of our pasts. Our rebellion. Our ignorance. Our sin.

If we come to Him and surrender our lives to Him, the past no longer matters. We can be pure and righteous in our Father’s eyes. And we can gladly, joyfully, and gratefully follow Him. And serve Him with all our hearts. 

No Need for Shame (2 Corinthians 4:1-2)

Today's scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

How often have you let past sin cause present shame? That momentary indiscretion. That ill-advised choice. That spark of rebellion.

It’s past. It’s done.

You’ve asked for forgiveness, but sometimes, you still feel shame.

You don’t need to feel that way. You can “renounce” those things. Why? Because we serve a merciful God. We don’t have to live in shame any longer because all our past sins have been wiped away by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are, in the Father’s eyes, white as snow.

While grace is getting what we don’t deserve, mercy is not getting what we do deserve. We do deserve condemnation. We do deserve to live in shame. But our merciful God has wiped away our sins, and He remembers them no more (Isaiah 43:25).

And if you think about it, continuing to live in shame is almost saying that Christ’s sacrifice isn’t enough. That God’s promise to forget our sins is a lie.

In the words of Paul, may that never be!

Once we’re saved through the acceptance of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we don’t need to feel any shame.

Just tremendous gratitude for God’s grace and mercy.

Forgiveness (2 Corinthians 2:1-22)

Today's scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

Yesterday, I wrote about how sad—tragic really—it is when people who call themselves Christians, part of the very body of Christ, bicker over irrelevant things. Even more tragic is when a brother or sister in Christ refuses to forgive another.

So much pain and suffering comes as a result of unforgiveness … and not necessarily for the one who needs to be forgiven.

I’m not certain of the source, but I’ve heard a saying that goes something like: “Anger is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” May I say the same thing about unforgiveness?

When a person refuses to forgive another, bitterness leaches into her own heart and soul. In fact, the other person may not even know he has slighted her. He goes on his merry way, and she is left with a bitter, unforgiving heart.

I think the enemy loves it when we refuse to forgive others. He knows that long-held unforgiveness can steal our focus off of serving and loving others. We can’t allow that to happen.

Even more, who are we who have been forgiven everything to harbor any unforgiveness? Jesus forgave the vilest of sinners—including you and me.

Two last thoughts: first, you can forgive someone even if he never asks for it; and second, forgiveness doesn’t mean approval or reconciliation.

Forgiveness is releasing the burden of anger and bitterness from one’s own heart; it is breaking free from the shackles of unforgiveness.

It is being Christ-like. 

Love .... Forgives (1 Corinthians 13:5)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5

Love does not take into account a wrong suffered.

In other words, love doesn’t hold a grudge. Love doesn’t seek revenge. Rather, love forgives, even when the other person hurts us deeply.

Forgiveness isn’t approval of the other person’s actions. It doesn’t condone wrongdoing. It doesn’t mean we have to let a person who wronged us into our daily lives. No. Forgiveness takes the burden of anger and bitterness off of our own shoulders. It allows us to love as Christ loved—loving the sinner without loving the sin.

Does this sound too unrealistic to be true? How can I forgive someone who’s abused me or taken what’s mine—or even killed my child?

It is possible with the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ. I know. The primary reason for my twenty-year rebellion was because I couldn’t—or wouldn’t—forgive those who had hurt me. My father for leaving us. Three adult men for abusing me.

My unforgiveness allowed hate and anger to fill my heart. It caused me to be miserable and pushed me into depression. Finally, when I just couldn’t take life any more, I found my way back to the arms of my heavenly Father, and with His strength, I was able to forgive. Those who hurt me never asked for my forgiveness, and my doing so didn’t say what they’d done was okay. But my being able to say “I forgive you” with a sincere heart lifted the burden that had so consumed my heart.

Holding a grudge or seeking revenge does nothing but destroy your own heart. There’s a saying that describes this well: “Anger [or unforgiveness] is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Don’t “take into account a wrong suffered.” Rather, ask Jesus to give you the strength to forgive. 

Amazing Grace (Psalm 111:4b-5)

Today's scripture: Psalm 111:4b-5

The greatest gift we receive as children of God is grace—unmerited favor. 

We deserve nothing from God. Nothing.

I take that back. We do deserve something. We are sinful, fallen, rebellious creatures who really only deserve God’s wrath and justice. We deserve punishment. We deserve hell.

What we don’t deserve is forgiveness. We don’t deserve God’s forgetting our sin. We don’t deserve His grace.

Yet, “ … God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). What an amazing grace we receive because of God’s compassion and love for us. Even knowing how sinful and rebellious I would be, Jesus still died for me.

He did the same for you.

Have you accepted the gift of God’s grace? If you have, don’t take it for granted. Thank Him, and determine to live in humble gratitude.

It’s the least any of us can do for the most He did for us.

Mercy ... (Psalm 32:10-11)

Today's scripture: Psalm 32:10-11

I know I've written about this before, but I love the word "mercy." You may have heard that grace is not getting what we do deserve. Mercy is getting what we don't deserve.

And frankly, we don't deserve anything. Absolutely nothing.

I guess I can speak only for myself, but I know I don't deserve mercy from God. I took His gift of salvation and threw it back in His face. I spent twenty years living how I wanted, making my own decisions, shutting Him out.

Then, when I hit the proverbial "rock bottom," I reached for Him, confessing the years I'd broken His heart. At that moment, I deserved condemnation. I deserved His turning His back on me just as I had turned mine on Him.

But because He is a God of mercy, I received what I didn't deserve: open arms; forgiveness; blessings; and unconditional love. God, the God of the universe, Creator of all things, Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipresent ... He loves me so much. He loves me so much He gave His own Son for me. Even though He knew how I'd sin, He still offered grace.

Mercy. I deserve to be separated eternally from Holy God. What I don't deserve is the blessing of being able to crawl on His lap and call Him, "Abba. Daddy."

Mercy. Getting what I don't deserve ... How I love mercy.

Confess Your Sin (Psalm 32:3-5)

Today's scripture: Psalm 32:3-5

Yesterday, we talked about the blessing of forgiveness. We also talked about the two paths that are often taken: using forgiveness as a license to sin (may it never be, as Paul often wrote),  or continuing to wallow in guilt. Neither is the way our Lord wants us to live.

There's a third path today's verses deal with: unconfessed sin and its repercussions. Once we confess our sins, God is indeed faithful to forgive them (1 John 1:9). We no longer need to live under their burden.

However, sometimes, we have a hidden sin—well, hidden from everyone but God, that is. We have a secret addiction or a unhealthy habit. We hold it closely, not willing to give it up. What often happens, though, is that hidden sin becomes a stronghold, an obsession. And often, that hidden sin causes other issues, including physical or emotional issues. The New Living Translation paraphrases verse three:

When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.

Now, certainly not all pain and suffering is because of unconfessed sin. Many godly, committed believers deal with chronic pain or disease. However, sometimes, we do experience physical suffering because of sin.

What's the solution? Confess! God knows our sins, even those we try to keep hidden. All He wants is for us to come to Him, confess, accept His gift of salvation, and "sin no more."

When we do, He forgives. He forgets.

Forgiven (Psalm 32:1-2)

Today's scripture: Psalm 32:1-2

Forgiven.

Stop and read that word again. We who follow Christ talk about being forgiven all the time. It's a foundational principle of our faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth to pay the penalty for our sins and to offer forgiveness.

Sometimes, though, I think we use a word so much we trivialize its meaning.

Forgiven.

It's defined as "to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve."

We say we're forgiven—and we are. Then, often, one of two things seems to happen. We either accept forgiveness and go on our merry way, living as we choose. Then we go back every once and a while to confess only to continue the cycle.

Or we continue to beat ourselves up over past sins, forgetting the second part of the definition: absolve. Absolve is defined as "to free from guilt or blame and their consequences."  

Jesus hasn't just forgiven us from our sins, He has taken the burden of those sins off of us and has placed them on Himself. Our Lord doesn't want us to live with guilt. In fact, His word reminds us:

How far has the Lord taken our sins from us?
Farther than the distance from east to west!"
(CEV, Psalm 103:12)

He has forgotten our sins. We should do the same.

If you have asked Jesus to come into your heart and forgive your sins, you are forgiven. Be grateful for what He did for you. Live to please and honor Him. Find joy in the confidence of your salvation.

For you are indeed blessed.

Forgotten Sin (Psalm 40:11-12)

Today's scripture: Psalm 40:11-12

The Bible tells us that—when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, when we accept the gift of salvation through His sacrifice—we are forgiven. Sins we've done. Sins we will do. Not only are our sins forgiven, but they are also forgotten (Psalm 103:12; 25:7; Isaiah 43:25).

So, if we're forgiven and if God doesn't remember our sin, why do we often live in regret? Sometimes, we think, "If only I hadn't [fill in the blank]." Or "I wish I'd chosen this instead of that." We allow our "iniquities [to] overtake" us. Our "hearts fail" because we continue to remember our sins ... instead of our salvation.

This isn't how God wants us to live. He wants us to live with the joy of our salvation through Jesus Christ. He wants us to experience His "tender mercies." He wants us to feel His lovingkindness. He wants to "preserve" us with His truth.

Psalm 16:11 says,

You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

This is how God wants us to live: lives full of joy as we live in His presence.

He doesn't want us to wallow in the pass or live in regret. He doesn't want us to be overtaken by sin. Rather, He wants us to be free from sin, living for Him.

That's true joy ... forever.