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.

Am I Really Forgiven?

Wow! It's been a LONG time since I wrote a post, but I'm excited to write what God has shared with me. Recently I got out of a difficult relationship (one reason why I haven't blogged that much). 

I dated this man for nearly six months, and by the end of it, I felt almost completely broken down. I made so many bad decisions and was disobedient to God and those I loved, that after it was ended I felt how could God ever forgive me? Even though I’ve been a born again believer of God for over five years and have studied to know Him more than I even studied in school, I had been knowingly disobedient all because of my emotions. I’ve learned in my years of study that God loves us no matter what we do, that He forgives us of every sin, and He forgets them. But in this, for some reason, the devil kept making me think Could He really forget the way I’ve acted, and the bad decisions I have made? Can He really speak to me again and wrap me in His presence again after how I’ve acted? Will He reveal His heart to me again after what I’ve been? The devil tried to tell me no. But you know what? God stepped in to tell me the truth, as He always will if we’ll just refuse to listen to those lies from hell and start listening for Him.

I asked Him one night as I laid in bed, “Father, please let me know that even though I may have done wrong, you still have great things for me.” And this is what He said.

“Remember the prodigal son.” Now I’ve read this parable many times, but I’ve never truly had a deep revelation of it, but now I do, and I’d like to share it with you. We begin in Luke chapter 15 starting in verse 11 through 24.

“And he (Jesus) said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger? I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

Now here this father is and his young son asks him for his inheritance. The son asks for what his father has laid up for him. And the father gives it. Then the son decides he wants to live life his own way and leaves the comforts and benefits of his father’s house. The young man completely wastes all that his father had given him, and, after a famine ensues, comes in to an agreement with a man not from his own country. The son makes a covenant with someone outside of where he belongs, and not only does he do that, but he takes a job feeding pigs. This is completely disgraceful for a Jewish man because the Mosaic Law classifies pigs as unclean animals. So the son goes against everything he has ever learned or lived by. But, he finally comes to his senses and realizes the mistakes he has made. He’s heartbroken at what he’s become, so much so that he doesn’t even feel worthy to step into his father’s presence as an equal, but as a servant. He feels completely worthless as a human being, a disgrace to his father. But he goes home, knowing that was the one place where he was safe and had provision. He’s ready to tell his father this great speech of his unworthiness, how his dad should just make him a servant, but his father sees him while he’s approaching their home. Notice this, his father sees him, not his decision to go out on his own, not his bad choices or mistakes, he sees his beloved son, and he runs to his boy and falls on his shoulders, overjoyed that he has come home. The man doesn’t even let the boy finish his speech when he begins to tell his dad how unworthy he is. No. The father tells his servants, go and get the best robe that we have and clothe my son in it, go get the ring of our family and put it on him, go get some shoes to put n his feet, and bring that fatted calf that we’ve been saving and kill it so we can have a party, for my son was gone and now he’s home!

 And there’s something more to that fatted calf than just meat for their party. In the Old Testament, in order for a person’s sin to be covered, blood had to be spilled. God killed an animal in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned so it’s blood could cover their sin. He put in the books of the Law that sacrifices had to be made in order for the peoples’ sin to be covered by the blood. Isn’t that beautiful? Now think of this story in light of the father being God and the son a believer that decides to go his or her own way.

We say to God, give me all that you have laid up for me, Lord. And because He’s a giving God, He gives it. But then we make the decision to leave, to go our own way, listen to our own reasoning, being led by our own will rather than His. We waste the wisdom and knowledge He bestowed upon us, waste the blessings and financial provisions He’s always given, until we completely forsake everything He had taught us. But then one day we come to our senses, our eyes are opened and reality sets in. What am I doing?!?! I had everything in my relationship with God! He taught me from His Word and gave me the ability to produce wealth (Deut. 8:18), He healed me, cared for me, led me, clothed me in His righteousness and gave me right standing in His sight! What have I done?!?! And then the devil sets in on our minds, telling us, You know, you’re not worthy to be called a son of God anymore. Not after what you’ve done. So we begin to feel unworthy, but we know that being in that place with our Heavenly Father was the only place we actually had true peace and joy and full prosperity, complete wholeness so even though that shame and guilt is weighing down our consciousness, we go back to Him. We go ready to say Lord I messed up. I messed up so bad that I don’t think I’m even worthy for you to use me anymore, but please, Father make me your servant.

But God in all His goodness, sees us afar off, and runs to us. He meets us with open arms and says to us, My son, my daughter. You are my beloved, my precious child. I see you, not your sin or what you did. I see you. And He tells those ministering angels (Hebrews 1:14), those servants of His, to go, get the best robe, get the best that we have and clothe my child in it. Go get that ring, that symbol of being in My family and place it upon her finger, go get those shoes of peace, that symbol of a harmonious relationship with Me, and place them upon his feet, and go, bring forth my Son, the One Who shed His blood for this one’s sin, in order that it may be completely washed away, that I may remember the wrongdoings no more. For my son, my daughter was dead, he was out of correspondence with Me, but now he’s home, he’s found, and he’s Mine!

That’s awesome to me. That’s how God sees us, my friends. Even after we sin, even after we go our own way. When we come back to Him, He’s ready to receive us. He’s ready to pick up right where we left off and bring us into all the glorious plans that He has for our lives. So don’t allow the devil to place guilt and shame upon you when you make a mistake. Remember the truth. Remember the prodigal son, and remember the love that your Father has for you.  

Lady White's Book Trailer!

Barn Door Book Loft: Gina Bovyn's White Lady

Check out Gina's latest author interview!

Barn Door Book Loft: Gina Bovyn's White Lady: Gina Bovyn wanted to pursue a writing career since she was a little girl.

Update on Gina's Book: Lady White

Hey everybody! It's been a while since I've posted, but things have been very busy around here. I'm going to try to start posting regularly again soon. Right now, though, I have some news about my book.

I have an author interview scheduled to be posted Feb. 27-28 on the Barn Door Book Loft's blog. When it's posted I'll be sure to add the link so you can check it out. :)  God bless!

Giving Thanks in the Season of Thanksgiving



What are you thankful for?

Too often we allow the rush of the holiday season to take our minds off of what is truly important. We're thinking about the turkey and the stuffing, the desserts and the table setting, but is that what Thanksgiving is? Rushing around the kitchen, getting angry about nobody helping to prepare a meal that takes five hours to complete and ten minutes to eat?

All year long we have things that we have to do. Between work, taking care of kids, helping with homework, cleaning the house, washing that pile of laundry that seems like when it's almost gone, it magically reappears, and on and on and on. But how often do you stop and look around you? How often do you thank God for that job you get up every morning to go to, for those little pattering feet you hear running around the house, the ability to help with homework, for the home that you live in, and yes, even for those clothes it seems you're always washing? These are things that are taken for granted sometimes, and yet when a day comes that is set aside to remember these things, we let it pass us because we allow the worry that dinner needs to be perfect override the chance for us to enjoy what we've been blessed with.

Recently, I heard from a friend of mine and her dad just passed away. He wasn't an old man, but middle aged, in his prime. He was about my own dad's age. And it made me think. Life is a journey, but in the whole scheme of time, a person's years are not very long. So often we live day after day as we did the day before. We do the same things, go about with the same attitudes, see the same people. But are we making the most of it? Are we showing those around us how much they mean to us? Are we showing those special people in our lives how much we love them even when they do that little thing that always irritates us, like leaving their socks on the floor? We let little things get on our nerves, but these are the things we would miss the most if one day we woke up and they were all gone.

Thanksgiving is not about the perfect dinner, or even making the perfect day. It's about being around the ones you love the most, and having a full day to enjoy them, to show them, "I'm thankful for you".

This is my nineteenth thanksgiving, and I love spending the day with my parents. My dad doesn't have to get up at 4 in the morning to spend all day at work. We get to spend time with him and enjoy having him around for the day. I get to learn my mom's secrets for making a great meal and it's just a gloriously peaceful day. But, you know something? I can hardly wait until I have a family of my own and I get to hear my dad, father-in-law, and husband rooting on their favorite team, our kids running through the house and playing, and cooking a Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, mother-in-law, and my own little girl. I want to have a huge family dinner, so we can all sit around the dining room table, have great conversation, and learn all over again why we're thankful for each other.

This Thanksgiving season, I challenge you to slow down and take in your blessings. Enjoy your kids, show your spouse how much they mean to you and how thankful you are to have them in your lives, tell your parents you love them and you appreciate all they've done for you over the years. And most of all, thank God. Thank Him for life, for love, for everything.

God bless, everyone, and have a great Thanksgiving. 

The Blessing and The Blood (Part One)

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; 1 Peter 1:18-19

It's a sorrowful thing to dismiss the power in the blood of Jesus because of ignorance. As a Believer, you can't. The blood is one of the most important things to know about in our relationship with Jesus, because without it, none of the promises in God's Word would be ours. That's why in this post I want to give you some information to bring you into the light on this subject.

From the above verse, we know the blood of Jesus is precious. It's something to be treasured. Why? Because there is never going to be anything else like it. Jesus' blood will not be shed again, and it will not be reproduced in this earth. It was shed once, and that one time was enough to cover all the sins we'd ever commit and bring into the Believer's possession all the promises of God. We need to prize the blood of Jesus and what it's accomplished for us.

The blood of Jesus has redeemed us, or freed us, from sin. (Ephesians 1:7) In the Old Covenant, a high priest would enter in to the Holy of Holies to offer the atoning sacrifice for his own sins as well as for the Israelites once ever year. The atoning blood of these sacrifices only covered the people's sins, which was why the ritual had to be repeated annually. There was always a reminder of their iniquities hanging over their heads. The annual sacrifice. But Jesus, a Lamb without blemish and without spot, being our High Priest, offered up Himself as our sacrifice into the Holy of Holies of heaven, once on the cross to redeem us eternally. Let me explain it this way. Whereas the Israelites had a reminder of their sins, the blood of Jesus has completely washed away our sin. It's no longer there. As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

1John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Israelites had to have an annual sacrifice to receive forgiveness and cleansing. Jesus only had to shed his blood once and we have an everlasting flow of cleansing blood washing us free of all iniquity. Now don't mistake me and think that gives you a free right to sin. No! It doesn't! We are to desire to be pleasing to our Father in heaven who has loved us so much that He's provided a way for us to be forgiven and freed from sin and cleansed of all unrighteousness so we could come before Him boldly without any sense of guilt, shame, or inferiority. Because of the blood of Jesus we can stand in Almighty God's presence and ask for whatever we may need and know that he has heard us and is willing to give to us what we've requested because we're clean in His sight. That is nothing to think lightly of. Jesus' blood differs completely from that of goats and bulls, for His blood that was shed was not atoning blood but remitting blood, and purges our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:12 AMP) It's not giving us a right to sin, but is giving us a right to live on this earth in the presence of God the Father. This is only one thing the blood accomplished. There's so much more!

-We've been purchased by the blood of Jesus. (Acts 20:28) In Genesis, when Adam committed high treason against God by bowing his knee to Satan and giving the devil the authority over the earth that God had given him, man's nature, which was that of God's very own,  was changed to the nature of Satan. But when Jesus shed His blood, he purchased us back to God. When we are born again, our nature is changed and we are born of God.

-We've been cleansed by the blood, as I've stated already, and are no longer stained by sin. (Revelation 1:5)

-We've been emboldened by the blood to come before God's throne of grace ( Hebrews 10:19)

-We've been reconciled unto God by the blood of Jesus. (Ephesians 2:13) We have fellowship with Him.

-We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) Satan has been defeated by the blood of Jesus. And when he attacks us with trials and our minds with doubt, we can throw his defeat in his face by testifying what the blood of Jesus has accomplished on our behalf. Our sure and already gotten victory.

-We've been justified by the blood of Jesus. (Romans 5:9 AMP) Which means we've been brought into right relationship with God. And lastly, but certainly not least,

-We have peace by the blood of Jesus. (Colossians 1:20)

These are just a few major points about what the blood of Jesus has accomplished for us. I encourage you to go through the Word of God and study these scriptures and find out even more. I'd love to hear what the Lord shares with you. Check back often, because next time I'm going to post on one of my favorite topics about what the blood has given to Believers. The Blessing.