“Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13)
In last week’s blog, I talked about seeking forgiveness from God. But the prayer…..
Every Home Has a Hush
There’s an old Spanish saying that “Every home has a hush” – everyone carries a burden in some form or fashion. But it was the poet Robert Browning Hamilton who suggested that difficulty can be a strong teacher:
“I walked a mile with Pleasure; She chatted all the way; But left me none the wiser, For all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow; And ne’er a word said she; But, oh!…..
A Coming-Alongside Love
During a recent conversation about the function of God’s people within the Church, the topic of forgiving others when they confess sin that shocks us was discussed. But we are not called to forgive when someone confesses to us. According to 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”, God has already forgiven each of us when we repent…..
Forgiven
In last week’s devotional there is a list of characteristics of who I am in Christ. I did not include forgiven because it is the basis on which every other characteristic depends. There are a number of related terms that the Bible uses with this characteristic – like propitiation, justification, and sanctification – and they are all components of God’s forgiveness. Propitiation is the reason for, justification is the remedy from, and sanctification is the result of forgiveness.
Jesus…..
Forgiveness
After watching the movie “Overcomer” I found the Holy Spirit prompting me to consider my own unforgiving heart. It began with the drunk driver who caused the collision last summer and left me with a great deal of pain that continues to plague me. It included the Christian friend who revealed unrelenting hypocrisy in her blast at a perceived offense on my part. And it included the parents of a student I had in class one year who unfairly…..
Forgiven, Therefore Forgive
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
In the middle of the excruciating pain of crucifixion, Jesus proclaimed forgiveness for his tormentors. But it was not the first time He had talked about forgiveness. He had spoken numerous times about forgiveness during His ministry on earth.
In demonstration of His power and authority to forgive sins, He spoke in terms of forgiveness of sins when He healed the paralytic in…..