Imperfect People, Forgiven People

 

if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

In this scripture passage, God gives us a path to reach Him. Let’s look at that path and see where it leads us.

God tells Solomon that those who are called by His name are to HUMBLE THEMSELVES first. In order to do this we have to admit that we are NOT perfect. Only God is perfect.

If we slip up and say bad things (words, thoughts, or phrases), or if we do hurtful things to others, we have to ADMIT them to Him and ASK FORGIVENESS. By doing this we tell God that we know or thought or action was wrong and that we are sorry for our behavior, That means we MUST present ourselves before Him with clean hearts.

He then tells Solomon that we are to SEEK HIS FACE. What does this mean? I take it to mean that we are to search for God and pray, no matter how long it takes. We are to spend Quantity time with God in prayer; get to know Him. This requires spending time in prayer and not praying “on the run.”

Next, God tells Solomon, and us, we need to REPENT, to turn away from our evil, sinful, and wicked ways. We are to turn completely around and get away from those influences that cause us to disobey His Word.

God then tells Solomon that when believers do these four things, God will HEAR OUR PRAYERS, FORGIVE OUR SINS, and HEAL OUR LANDS.

As I sit here in my living room, I think of all the nations that are entrenched in war. I think of all the threats to yet other nations.

All we can do is pray and ask God to forgive us of our past sins and seek His guidance during these upcoming days.

Thank you, WOTY 2023

 

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I chose you for my word this year, not knowing what to expect. You have taught me so much. Here are just a few lessons I learned.

* I need to ask God’s forgiveness throughout each day. Sometimes immediately after I mess up.

* I need to let go of hurts, present and past, in order to grow closer to God.

* I discovered that the dysfunction in families could be dealt with by people forgiving one another.

* I have come to believe that friendships might not end if the people involved would forgive each other.

* We are to “forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you”. Ephesians 4:32 (This scripture always makes me stop and think.)

This has been an exciting adventure learning about forgiveness. I believe studying this word and applying those lessons to my life has made me grow closer to God. These lessons will be with me always.

David’s Thought about His Sin

 

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Against You, You only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in Your sight--

                                                                                Psalm 51:4 (NKJV)

Words of David

David, confronted by Nathan the prophet, realized that he had sinned by his actions with Bathsheba.

He knew he had transgressed God’s law immediately when he heard the story that Nathan told.

David instantly went into a state of seeking forgiveness for his sin. The baby died and David came out of his “sackcloth and ashes” state and went in to provide comfort to Bathsheba.

In today’s world we may have dealt with people who take the attitude of: “Yes, I did it; and I will do it again.”

David’s message here seems to be part of his repentance process. He considers himself to be blessed because God forgave him. (Psalm 32:1-2)

God extends to each of His children the privilege of repentance and receiving His forgiveness. It is always our task to seek forgiveness and to repent of our wrongdoings.

We, like David, must come to realize that we ultimately sin against God. If we don’t seek His forgiveness, we will face consequences. Some parents have taught their children that all actions have consequences. I wish that all parents would realize that and convey it to their children.

How a Friend Sees Forgiveness. Part Two

 

Jesus and the Children Cross Roads Prayer Garden/Quiet Spirit/

This entry is the second part of the One Word Assignment for August.

What does my word mean to you?

Forgiveness means to let go and forget the “trespasses”.

What do you think is the opposite of my word?

If I don’t forgive others the pain and guilt are more of a burden on me than on them.

Do you think about this word rarely or often?

Often

Where does this word pop up in your everyday life?

In my thoughts.

Can you give me suggestions for better experiencing or practicing this word?

Driving on the roads. Being patient with working/talking with customer service people that being patient and forget when they are busy.

This friend recently had a wreck and totaled her car. The day I asked her these questions was the day she found out she could get her new car.

The Basics of Forgiveness

 

Forgive- Webster’s New World Dictionary defines forgive as:

(1.) to give up resentment, or the desire to punish, to pardon.

(2.) to overlook an offense,

(3.) to cancel a debt.

I once heard that, when we forgive someone for something, we do it in order to help ourselves get over or through a hurtful condition.

When we ask Jesus into our hearts, we ask Him to forgive us for our sins. In the Lord’s Prayer, we ask: “Forgive us our trespassed (transgressions) as we forgive those who trespass (transgress) against us.”

Also, I read where a person can forgive and it be on three different relational levels. I am sorry, I don’t remember the source.

1.) Forgive and forget, letting the relationship continue as nothing has happened.

2.) Forgive but be wary of a recurrence of the transgression. This may keep the relationship cordial but not like it was before.

3.) Forgive but sever ties with the other person. Sometimes we have to do this in order to go on with our lives.

When the hurt is serious, we can approach God and ask Him to forgive that other person for us. I personally know He does this when we ask Him.

                                                                         

How a Friend Sees Forgiveness. Part Two

 

Warner Sallman

This entry is the second part of the One Word Assignment for August.

What does my word mean to you?

Forgiveness means to let go and forget the “trespasses”.

What do you think is the opposite of my word?

If I don’t forgive others the pain and guilt are more of a burden on me than on them.

Do you think about this word rarely or often?

Often

Where does this word pop up in your everyday life?

In my thoughts.

Can you give me suggestions for better experiencing or practicing this word?

Driving on the roads. Being patient with working/talking with customer service people that being patient and forget when they

are busy.

This friend recently had a wreck and totaled her car. The day I asked her these questions was the day she found out she could pick up her new car.

How A Friend Sees Forgiveness Part One

 

Albrecht Durer

I took my best friend out to lunch to celebrate her birthday. (It was almost two weeks earlier.)

I had printed off the questions about my word and forewarned her I needed help with something. Here are the questions and her answers.

What does the word forgiveness mean to you?

God forgives us and renews us.

What do you think is the opposite of forgiveness?

Unforgiving or hard-hearted.

Do you think about the word forgiveness rarely or often?

Every
day, I ask God to forgive me.

Where does the word forgiveness pop up in your everyday life?

I think of this in prayer and living with others. It is a daily practice.

Can you give me any suggestions for better experiencing or practicing the word forgiveness?

Read God’s Word. Study devotional books. Talk to God and see what He tells you.

The instructions I received were to ask a couple of friends their thoughts on my word. I haven’t seen anyone but this lady. I will be asking another friend when I see her. Hence the designation of “Part One”

Apostle's Creed

Sallman painting

 1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:

5. The third day he rose again from the dead:

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:

10. The forgiveness of sins:

1l. The resurrection of the body:

12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

Since our church's disaffiliation of our old denomination and joining a new denomination, we have been reciting The Apostle's Creed at the beginning of most services. I find this refreshing to do. These words give me a lot to think on. 

My Senses and Forgiveness

 

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Can forgiveness be experienced through our senses? Do I see an object in my home that reminds us of having been forgiven?

Yes, there are several objects in my living room that remind me of forgiveness. On a small wooden shelf sits a plate with the words, “God bless our marriage”. My husband bought this for me when we were shopping at an outlet mall. The significance of this plate is the writing on it. He is not one to talk about his relationship with God or with the church. Due to his health, he does not attend church with me.

Do I hear words that remind me of forgiveness?

When our son calls us, just before we hang up. I always tell him that we love him. He always responds with, “I love you, too.” Our son has had some hurdles to get over as he has gone through life.

Do I taste things that remind me of forgiveness?

Whenever I eat fresh sweet corn on the cob,or watermelon I think of the farmers who grew those crops and the work they do to get it to market. I taste the forgiveness of God in each bite. He has forgiven me so that I can enjoy good summer produce.

Can I feel God’s forgiveness as I go through each day?

Yes, I feel God’s presence, especially when I am stressed by worldly circumstances. His presence reminds me that I have been forgiven and can stand tall against the issue before me.

Can I smell forgiveness?

Yes, When I have chosen to bake something. I don’t always bake muffins, cakes, or cookies due to my husband’s health. But, when I do, I can smell that sweet aroma of God’s forgiveness wafting through our house.

Forgiveness Is Vital

 

focusmagazine.org

...when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Words of Jesus

Jesus shares a very basic thought with His disciples, the importance of forgiveness.

What this passage tells me is the importance of forgiveness. In order for God to be able to forgive us of our sins, we have to forgive those whom we believe have caused us hurt.

A young woman was sobbing as I went into the restroom after church service one Sunday. She shared with me why she was terribly upset. An older woman who served on a committee with her had said something that was very hurtful about a project that the younger woman had worked on. As far as I know, the issue was not handled correctly. The result, the younger woman and her companion and eventually her daughter and grandchildren left the church. Also, the older woman seems to attend services spasmodically. In essence, as I see it, this issue never got resolved in a Christlike manner.

I wonder: How many times in Christ’s kingdom has forgiveness not been practiced when it should have been.

I have written before that when we can’t extend forgiveness to another person, we can ask God to forgive him or her for us. I have had to do this. It helped me to get over some deep hurts and to function in my life.

From time to time, we need to examine our lives to see whether we need to extend to or ask forgiveness of someone. This is very important to who we profess to be in our Christian walk.

Forgiveness Is Vital

 

<I>...when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. </I> Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Words of Jesus

Jesus shares a very basic thought with His disciples, the importance of forgiveness.

What this passage tells me is the importance of forgiveness. In order for God to be able to forgive us of our sins, we have to forgive those whom we believe have caused us hurt.

A young woman was sobbing as I went into the restroom after church service one Sunday. She shared with me why she was terribly upset. An older woman who served on a committee with her had said something that was very hurtful about a project that the younger woman had worked on. As far as I know, the issue was not handled correctly. The result, the younger woman and her companion and eventually her daughter and grandchildren left the church. Also, the older woman seems to attend services spasmodically. In essence, as I see it, this issue never got resolved in a Christlike manner.

I wonder: How many times in Christ’s kingdom has forgiveness not been practiced when it should have been.

I have written before that when we can’t extend forgiveness to another person, we can ask God to forgive him or her for us. I have had to do this. It helped me to get over some deep hurts and to function in my life.

From time to time, we need to examine our lives to see whether we need to extend to or ask forgiveness of someone. This is very important to who we profess to be in our Christian walk.

Be Kind, Forgive

 

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,

forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)

Several years ago, as I prepared a Sunday school lesson, I first found this verse in preparing a Sunday school lesson. I was caught by the last section. forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Recently, I read an obituary of a lady who had been a member of the church I attended as a teenager. It said that she had been a member of the BYKOTA Sunday school class. I remembered one of my friends back then telling some of us that the name stood for Be Ye Kind One To Another.

We need to be forgiving to one another because God has forgiven each of us for our sins. I am not aware of anything done by another person can compare to what we may have done when we sin against God. He forgave us when he was on the cross. We must learn to forgive those who have caused us hurt.

Later on, I had an occasion to confess something to a neighbor of ours. I wrote her a note and explained that I had said something that caused hurt to some of her family. She called me and said, “We’ve been friends for too long to let something like that come between us.” I truly felt forgiven for my error in judgment. 

That neighbor lady now resides in heaven, and I know she is in my cloud of witnesses. 

At the end of Jesus' discourse on the Lord's Prayer, Jesus tells us it is imperative that we forgive others in order for God to forgive us. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Forgive Others

 

Patsy York 

For if you forgive men their trespasses,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But, if you do not forgive men their trespasses,

neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV)

Words of Jesus.

These verses appear at the end of the Lord’s Prayer. In that prayer Jesus, modeled for his disciples, asks God to “… forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Some translations say “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

The message Jesus gives us here is the importance of forgiving. One synonym for forgive is excuse; another one is over look. In finances, when a bill is forgiven it is canceled.^1.

When God forgives one of His children of a sin, He never thinks of that issue again. I believe it would be very nice if people could emulate Him and forget the error when someone in their life messes up and they express their sorrow.

 When God forgives one of His children of a sin, He never thinks of that issue again. I believe it would be very nice if people could emulate Him and forget the error when someone in their life messes up and they express their sorrow.

The graphic at the top of this post graced one of the tables at our church's Easter breakfast.  I took pictures of several of them to use here on my blog.

1. New World Dictionary Webster’s

Confession, Forgiveness

 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered.

I acknowledged my sin unto You,

And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions/ to the LORD,”

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Selah

Psalm 32:1,5 (NKJV)

These are the words of David. “Most scholars agree that Psalm 32 and Psalm 51 were responses to David’s sin with Bathsheba. “ ⁽¹⁾

What is David saying in these verses?

He is telling those who might read his writing that those who seek God’s forgiveness will receive blessings from the LORD.

In the second section (verse 5), David states that he confessed his sin to God. He did not hide that sin from the LORD. I have read that in order to be forgiven, we have to tell God what we did in order to acknowledge the severity of it and that we have learned that what we did was wrong.

We have all done things that, later, we realized were sinful and not what God expected of His children.

The good news in all of this is that God forgives us for our sins, when we confess them and ask His forgiveness.

We have a God who loves us, who has saved us from sin, and who forgives us when we do sin.

1. Jeremiah Study Bible, Study note, page 726

Revival

 

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If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Last Wednesday, February 8, 2023, On Asbury University’s campus in Willmore, Kentucky, Revival broke out after chapel. It was a spontaneous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, People from the area there heard of it and decided they HAD to go. Colleges across the nation sent busloads of people to witness and be a part of this happening.

Four colleges from the state where I live sent busloads. Our pastor and his wife journeyed down to Willmore to be a part of the happening. (He went to seminary there.)

In February, 1970, Asbury College (its name then) was the sight of another revival that spread across the nation. I personally know of a gentleman, and possibly his wife, who were saved at a meeting here in my hometown that was a part of that Asbury Revival.

We need revival in our land. We truly need to follow God’s instructions here and set the ground for Him to forgive us of our sin and heal our land.

There is so much unrest in our nation. We can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the television news without hearing of senseless killings. We can’t seem to get along with our neighbors. We see our younger generations self-destructing by the choices they make.

I believe that the passage from 2 Chronicles that I cited above has a message for each of us today and will be appropriate for believers until Jesus returns to earth.

We do have to pray!

My Word of the Year for 2023 (January Link-up)

 

Lisa Notes WOTY

Each month on the 23rd, I will be posting thoughts about my word for this year.

A. WHERE IS MY WORD?

I have seen my word in my devotional reading.

“
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. Even as God, in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4: 32(NKJV) 

Several years ago, I was preparing a Sunday school lesson and was caught up by this verse. Last fall, I realized that I may have done somethings that I needed to be forgiven for.

Where can you put it so you can see it more often?  I am unsure of where I could post this in my home. Maybe in the front of my journal. I will search out a place and let you know.

 

B. WHAT DOES MY WORD LOOK LIKE?

 

What does your word look like to you? I am not an artist, and my phone camera is stubborn.

Imagine with me the following scene:

Jesus standing beside me with his arm around my shoulder and smiling down on me.

That is what my word looks like to me.

 

C. WHY THIS WORD?

 

Why did you choose this word?

I realize that I am a sinner—a sinner saved by grace. This is very important to my spiritual life. I cannot be judgmental about what others do. I am responsible for my own behavior. When I go to stand before Jesus, I want to be able to say that I led the life He wanted me to lead.

Bear with one Another in Love

 

canyonville christian academy

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3(NKJV)

Words of Paul written to Ephesian believers.

walk worthy of the calling

He encouraged them to live in a way that reflected God to others. He goes into detail as to how that would look. As we read those words, they can also apply to us who live in the 21^st Century.

with all lowliness and gentleness,

As believers in Christ, we must abandon all thought of ourselves as being better than others. We must also respond to each other with tenderness, no matter how others treat us.

bearing with one another in love,

Believers must accept those around us in love and be available for others as we can be. I sometimes find this difficult to do given the mindset of those in the world.

endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit

Paul’s purpose in his ministry was to introduce people to Jesus Christ and then to educate them in the ways of Christ. His goal was to unify those converted to the faith.

in the bond of peace.

Paul tells his readers, then and now that all we should do must have peace as its ultimate aim. I have had times when someone in the business world has been almost rude in response to a question I asked. In one instance, the woman could have explained their position better than she did.

Do you find it difficult to bear  certain people in your life?

God Keeps Promises

 

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                                         Therefore know that the LORD your God, 

                                               He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant 

                                               and mercy for a thousand generations with those who 

                                               love Him and keep His commandments. 

                                                                                        Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJV)

Words of Moses to those Israelites who did not know of God’s attributes and goodness. (These pilgrims were 60 years old and younger.)^[1] Deuteronomy means “retelling”

In this passage, Moses tells them that God is faithful not to just them and their parents but to those who love Him and keep His commandments for a thousand generations.

Moses states that God will keep His promises (covenants) and mercies for a very long time. (When I was a teenager, a youth group advisor said a generation was usually, on average, 26 years.)

There is a condition in this thought. The people must love God and keep His commandments. I once heard that if we break one of the Ten Commandments, we have broken them all. While this statement sounds harsh, I understand it. I believe it may have a domino effect.

It is the duty of God’s children to model Christlike behavior, to exemplify how He wants us to live our lives before others, and to speak loving words on His behalf.

Yes, we all fall short of these goals. When we fail, we need to seek His forgiveness and start over again. His grace and mercy allow us to do this.

______________

[1] Jeremiah Study Bible, David Jeremiah, Worthy, Hatchette Book Group, Study Note page 238.

We Must Give Thanks

 

      

 

For the word of the LORD is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.            Psalm 33:4-5 (NKJV)

 

The psalmist tells us some wonderful thoughts about our LORD. He writes that His word is always correct; when we follow what he tells us, we will never go astray.

 

He continues by reminding that God works in truth; the Lord will not steer us in the wrong direction. It is up to us to listen to and obey what He tells us.

 

God delights in His children when He sees them living righteously for Him. He also delights in them when they seek justice for others and themselves.

 

The Lord showers goodness down on the earth. He gives us beauty in nature. He provides fresh fruit and vegetables during the summer. He allows us to have people in our lives who are good to us. These people display His goodness to us.

 

For every way the LORD displays His goodness to us, we must give thanks.

 

 

We Must Forgive

 

Daily Verses,net

 

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another even as Christ forgave you, so you must all so do. Colossians 3:12-13 (NKJV)

 

The Apostle Paul conveys this message to the believers at Colossae. This is basically the same message he gives the Ephesian believers. However, he goes deeper with the meaning of being kind. He writes that we should “put on” these attributes as we dress ourselves for each day.

 

tender mercies

 

If we should have issues with someone, we must approach that issue carefully and speak with tender words. We don’t always realize how we come across when we just blurt out the issue that is on our hearts.

 

 kindness

 

Even when we have issues with another person, we should approach that person with kind words because we don’t know what they might be going through in their personal lives.

 

 humility

 

We should always remember that each of us is no better or no worse than other people. God made us all. He allows each of us to have experiences and circumstances that allow us to grow. We should learn to practice humility in all our interactions with others.

 

 meekness

 

As people of Christ, we should learn to take the gentle path when dealing with people. We must realize that we are imperfect beings.

 

 longsuffering

 

I love this word. It is an old English word that means “patience”. We must have patience in this world as we deal with others. I walk with a cane. It takes me a while to go from “point A” to “point B”. I appreciate those who cross my path when I am shopping and they either wait as I get past them or help me by holding a door open for me. With all the upheaval going on in our nation, we all could benefit from having some more patience.

 

 bearing with one another

 

Sometimes, we become aware of the need those who are hurting have. We can do this through praying for them and their need. Maybe we can do something more practical. Taking someone to the doctor or to the ER, going to the grocery store for them. Our church has a food pantry that is open twice a month. This is a ministry that has grown over the years.

 

 forgiving one another

 

To get beyond hurts, we have to forgive each other. Someone once asked me to forgive her but then said, “But, I didn’t do anything.” The only way I could forgive her was to ask God to do it for me.

 

Forgiveness from God wipes away the record that He has on us. When we ask forgiveness from another person, we attempt to clear the air between that person and ourselves.