Daily Devotional: Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the mark of those who belong to God. .  .powerful, powerful statement from church today, and so SO true! Ephesians chapter 5 says to be followers, or imitators, of God. This doesn't exclude forgiving others. If anyone had the right to be in unforgiveness, it was Jesus as He hung on the cross. But what did He say? He said in the book of Luke, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. This is the picture of forgiveness. Jesus hanging on the Cross, looking out at the very ones who put Him there with nothing but compassion and love in His eyes. It's what purchased our forgiveness. And it was from the Father's heart. This forgiveness cannot be revoked either. Now, it's up to us to be the example and imitate God. Walk in forgiveness today.

Love is . . . Seeking

Busy. It’s a word we’ve all come to use quite frequently. I’d say one of the top ten words in a person’s vocabulary. Personally, I haven’t felt that busy in a few years, just going about my daily routine, but lately I’ve come to feel a little run down. I’ve been . . . busy. There’s a lot going on; a lot that I’m expecting to happen; a lot that I’m praying for and working towards. It feels at times like my mind is a roller coaster, going round and round, faster and faster, and the stop button is nowhere in sight. Have you ever felt that way before? This type of lifestyle can take a toll on us, physically, emotionally, spiritually. If we’re not careful, busy can take first place and we can begin to ignore what’s most important. I’ve seen this try to take place in me, and I don’t like it.

It seems that even though I spend time with God in the morning, it’s not the quality time that I used to have with Him. It’s not communing with Him. A while back I wrote a blog about not just praying or going through the motions religious tradition has taught but communing with God. Commune in the Webster’s online dictionary means “to communicate intimately.” Bond was a synonym. I will reiterate my point in this blog that I made in the former; The only way we bond with people is by spending quality time with them. By getting to know their hearts. This is exactly what God wants. He wants us to bond with Him and get to know His heart.

The Apostle Paul said after thirty years of ministry that his earnest desire was to know God. This is what it says in Philippians 3:10 in the Amplified version, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], . . .” After thirty years of preaching and being closer to Jesus than any of the disciples, Paul’s desire was to know God. Can you imagine being so hungry for God that even thirty years of getting to know Him wasn’t enough? Can you say that’s your desire? My own has been dwindling, I’m ashamed to say, but I will not allow it to go out. I am determined to be on fire for God. He is my life-source, my best friend. I want to make Him proud with how I live my life on this earth. I want to fulfill every plan that He’s predestined for me. The only way for that to be accomplished is by me seeking Him continually and getting to know His voice.  Friends, things on the To Do list can wait. Time spent with God cannot. He wants to fellowship with us, to show us things by His Holy Spirit and lead us in His direction, the path for ultimate joy and blessing in life. It’s up to us to choose.

God won’t make you seek Him. It’s completely up to us. He’s given us freewill. He told the Israelites He laid before them life and death, blessing and cursing. Then He said choose. The same goes for us in this day. Besides, don’t you think it means a little more when you want to spend time with someone, rather than being forced to? I would much rather know someone sought my presence because they desired to be near me. Make that your motive when you go to seek God. Desire to be in His presence.  Look at Psalm 42:1-2 for a moment.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

I’ve learned that the hart (which is a male deer) suffers extreme thirst from its habitat, even more so when it is being hunted. It longs for water.  When it finds an avenue for which to quench its thirst, it eagerly plunges into the water and drinks and drinks and drinks, as if its thirst can’t be quenched. This is a great example that the Psalmist uses in comparing his own thirst for God. Then he asks when shall he appear before God. The Amplified version states “behold the face of God.” I kind of like that version better.  It gives us the idea of seeking God’s face and not His hands. Seeking intimacy and fellowship with God rather than provision. (Don’t get me wrong, God loves to bless us and supply our every need! It’s alright to ask for provision. He welcomes it! But there should be times when we seek to know Him rather than the material things He can give us.)

The last scripture I want to mention is Psalm 63 verse 1. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. . .”  I want to be like David in this Psalm. Thirsty for God, longing for Him, seeking Him early to find Him in this dry and thirsty land. We can take a lot from this scripture. Think about it. Where there is no water, there is no life. Nothing can dwell in a place that doesn’t have water. There’s no life there. We can take this scripture and see the dry and thirsty land as a spiritually dead place. The people in this place have no relationship with God. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4 that He would have given her living water. He is the avenue of a relationship with God, to life. When we drink of this water, we shall never thirst. I think it’s safe to say that our land is dry and thirsty, spiritually speaking. But those of us who know God have the privilege of seeking Him and never being in want.

Make a choice today. A quality decision with heart. Fellowship or everyday, busy, life? Sometimes we forget that fellowship is life. Love God by seeking Him, His face not His hands. Strive to know Him, even when you think that you already know everything there is to know. I assure you there is so much more than we could even think.  Make God first, your top priority, and allow everything else to fall into place behind Him. Our days will be better because of it. I know I won’t regret it, and neither will you. Seek Love.

God is Love. (1 John 4:8)

It's a Relationship

When I got a hold of this, it changed my life forever.  And it changed me for the good.

God loves YOU!

Can you recall when someone spoke to you about God for the first time?  Someone trying to convert you?  So often I hear stories of people telling others who don’t believe they’re no good sinners, especially if the person being spoken to doesn’t want to listen to what the ‘Christian fanatic’ has to say.  I have nothing against these Christians; I’m sure they love God with all of their heart, but let’s face it.  Would you just want to listen to someone tell you how bad you are if you don’t pick up a religion?  Honestly, I would not.  That is why I’m here with a different message.  Not a different Gospel, I will not compromise on the Word of God, but with a message that is long overdue to some.  I’m here to tell you that God loves you, whether you love Him back or not.  Whether you don’t believe in Him or you do.  I’m here to tell you that there is so much more to God than religion.  It’s a relationship. 

The Bible says in John chapter 3 verse 16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God loved the WORLD.  God loved the unrighteous world so much, He gave His Son Jesus so the world could be saved and have right standing with Him.  Do you want to know something?  Jesus has dealt with the sin problem.  He has made it so that every man, woman, and child on this earth can be righteous, can have right standing with God and be able to stand boldly in His presence without any sense of  inadequacy.  Jesus has made it so you can reign as kings in life on this earth (Romans 5:17).  Jesus has made it so you can be healed and prosperous in every area of your life, including finances.  He has made it so you can be happy and enjoy life on this earth.  God is not a mean god.  He is good and He wants you to be blessed! He loves you more than you can ever know.  If you’re a parent, you know that you want the best for your children.  You want to protect them, and take care of them, and bless them.  Well, that’s exactly how God feels.  Jesus even says it Himself in the Bible (Matthew 7:11- If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him?)  How much more, Jesus said! God wants to do great things for you and through you.  The only thing that’s holding Him back is you.  In order for you to take part in the riches of His glory and in the birthright a child of God has inherited, you have to become a child.  How do you do that? 

Romans 10:9- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

You just have to believe in your heart that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for you and was risen again and confess that with your mouth.  When you ask Jesus into your heart, you automatically become a child of God and the angels of heaven are rejoicing. 

Now a quick message for those who already have a relationship with God, but feel unworthy or like you really messed up.  It doesn't matter where you come from, or what you did in your past, before you were saved or after, He loved you from the beginning of time.

Jeremiah 1:5- Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. . .

Think about it. When God created this world, He spoke everything into existence. But when it came time to create man, His family, Adam, His son, God took up dust and formed him, God breathed life into him. He didn't just say, Let there be man. He said Let us make man in our image, and then He formed us.  He formed man and breathed into that man His very own life and nature.  Wouldn't you say that that's love?
And maybe you've made mistakes in life. We all do. But that's the beauty of God's love. He forgives.

Psalm 103:8, 10- The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Romans 5:8- But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Psalm 103:12- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Don't let Satan con you into thinking that what you did is much too bad for God ever to forgive or love you. Because it isn't. God never stopped loving you, no matter what it was. The sin may have caused you to be separated from God and His Blessing, but He never said 'Well, now, that I can never forgive. She is not worthy of my love.' God would never say that! He IS love, and when you are in Jesus, you are the righteousness of God! No, God said, 'she may have made a mistake, but she is still my child, and I love her as much as the day I formed her in her mother's womb.' So when you make a mistake, God still loves you, and when you repent (turn away from that sin) and ask Him for forgiveness and RECEIVE that forgiveness, you are not missing anything. You're still in fellowship with him, you're still in the secret place, and never once had His love for you been diminished.

1 John 1:9-If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Listen, God loves you like He loves Jesus. Jesus said so Himself.

John 17:23- I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Say it to yourself in the mirror. God loves me! Meditate on that one thing and let it fill you until you overflow. I can guarantee you that whatever trial comes against you, when you really know that God loves you, nothing is going to seem too big. His love will complete you and take you through.