God’s Instant Forgiveness..... Craig Denison

 

God’s Instant Forgiveness

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

The story of the prodigal son moves my heart to delve into the depths of God’s limitless grace. I find myself in every facet of Jesus’ words. I identify with both the son’s rebellion and the power of the father’s love. As children of God we are in constant need of reminders about God’s mercy toward us. When the world rejects us, God calls us in. When the world writes us off, God clothes us with righteousness and honor. May this transformative story of the prodigal son guide you to a deeper and more intimate relationship with your loving heavenly Father.

Scripture:“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20

Devotional:    

One of the most powerful verses in Scripture is found in Luke 15:20. Take a minute this morning to reflect on the forgiving heart of your heavenly Father as you read this Scripture: “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”   

Our heavenly Father is quick to forgive us no matter how great our sin. He longs for us to turn our hearts toward him so that he can run out to meet us in our brokenness and weakness and draw us back into total communion with him. Too often we wait to turn our hearts toward the Father. Too often we allow the lack of grace in others to instill in us a belief that God will be mad and slow to forgive us if we confess to him.

The truth is that God is constantly aware of our sin, and yet he longs for intimacy with us in every moment. You are never too dirty to be wrapped up in the loving arms of your Father. You are never too broken to be clothed with his righteousness and honor. You never step outside of being his fully loved and forgiven child. If you will turn your heart toward him the instant you sin, you will discover a continual wellspring of grace and love that never runs dry and never holds back. God is filled with grace and love for you all the time no matter how great the sin or how long it has been since you’ve turned your heart toward him.

1 John 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 moment you confess, you are brought back into total freedom and righteousness. The forgiveness of God cleanses you through and through. There is always joy, peace, purpose, and hope on the other side of confession. There is always intimate, restored relationship available to you. All that is required of you is to open your heart to the Father in faith that he will always love you and receive the overwhelming love he longs to give you.

What area of your heart has yet to receive the fullness of God’s love? Where do you need his instant forgiveness? What are you hiding from the Father in fear of how he will react to your sin? Place yourself in the prodigal son story today. Open your heart to the Father in a posture of repentance and set your feet toward him. Go to him and confess your sins, weaknesses, and need of him. Picture yourself at the feet of the Father who has run out to meet you, and receive all the love and restoration he has to give you today. There is nothing more important than allowing yourself to be fully available to your heavenly Father and taking time to be fully loved by him. May you have a transformational encounter with your Father today as you enter into guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of having your heart fully available to the Lord. Reflect on the importance of confession.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

2. Confess any sin you have and acknowledge your need of God’s love and forgiveness. Picture yourself at the feet of the Father as he runs out to meet you, and make your heart fully available to him.

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts 3:19

3. Receive the love and forgiveness of your heavenly Father. Ask him to show you how he feels about you. Ask him to help you experience the cleansing power of his forgiveness. Take time to rest in his love and allow it to transform you.

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

While God certainly knows everything about our hearts, he waits to transform, renew, and fill them until we open them up to receive. He is not a God that forces what we need but waits for us patiently and expectantly. As children of such a loving God, it’s vital that we cultivate a posture of need and receptiveness. It’s vital that we till the soil of our hearts to fully receive God’s love and bear the fruit of his presence in our lives. Take time throughout your day to check the posture of your heart and open any areas that are closed off. Allow him to guide you in every way. Trust him and live in obedience. May you live today in total communion with your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: 1 John 1

I Never Noticed This in Psalm 91..... By Jason Soroski

 I Never Noticed This in Psalm 91

By Jason Soroski

Psalm 91:1-2 has become one of my favorite passages of Scripture:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust." (emphasis mine)

When life is draining and there seems to be no time or place to rest, these words are reassuring, comforting and encouraging. When things appear to be their worst, I tend to get a bit negative, and most of us are like that. Our natural tendency is to get down and miss out on what God may be doing in our situation.

When I find myself in these negative places, my goal becomes reprogramming my mind to fend off the negative, and say of the Lord that He is my God in whom I trust, just as the writer of this Psalm did.

But there is also a deeper meaning in this passage, hidden in plain sight. In these verses, there are four names for God: the Most High, the Almighty, the Lord, my God. Why does the writer use four different names in two verses, and what is significant about it?

The first name, the Most High, is the Hebrew word Elyon. It suggests a Supreme monarch, one who is elevated above all things. The name signifies God's majesty, sovereignty, and pre-eminence. It carries a connotation of a Davidic king that reigns above all other kings, and is first used in Scripture in Genesis 14:18, describing Abraham's encounter with the priest/king Melchizedek, "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High." Melchizedek gives us a picture of Christ in several ways, and it is fitting that this story contains the first use of this name of God in Scripture. Verse 1 speaks to the protection of one who 'dwells in the shelter of the Most High,' and it causes us to ask where it is that we dwell. Do we dwell in our own self-doubt? Do we dwell in anger? Do we dwell in what could be or what could have been? Or do we dwell in the shelter of the Most High God, the Holy king of heaven who promises to protect and keep us?

The second name, the Almighty, is translated from the word Shaddai (If you are thinking of the Amy Grant song right now, I assure you you are not alone). Shaddai has many meanings, but it as you may imagine, it primarily suggests a mighty, powerful God who is strong beyond our imagination and is more than capable to supply our every need. He is the God who parted the sea and controls all of creation. In His name and in His power, there is no need that cannot be met, and no circumstance he cannot overcome.

The third name, the LORD, is the personal name for God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 6:2). This personal name for God was considered so sacred in Judaism, that the original pronunciation is uncertain, only that it contained the letters YHWH, (JHVH in Latin). It has been translated as Yahweh, Jehovah, and more often as the LORD (in all caps). The significance of this name is that it represents a relatable God who seeks for us to know Him on a deep, personal level. The God who is the all-powerful, Divine ruler of all things is also the God who knows every hair on our heads, every joy and fear in our hearts, and desires us to know Him as intimately as a friend. This God who created the universe and all it contains is not just some far-off unknowable being, but a Father, redeemer and friend.

The fourth name, my God, comes from the Hebrew Elohim. This name first appears at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." When Elohim occurs in Scripture, it is typically translated as "God." In Greek, it is translated as Theos, which is where we get our word theology. It means the one who is first, or the creator, and is technically a plural word. So it is fitting that this is how God is referenced in Genesis 1:1; as a creator who is one, yet plural (Father, Son, Spirit). The Psalmist is proclaiming that the God in whom he trusts is the same God who created all things, the first and the last, and the God who is forever faithful to His creation.

In the span of just two verses, we see the beauty of God: His ways are higher than our ways, yet we can speak to Him as a friend. What a takeaway! God is at the same time unsearchable yet so very near to us. In His shadow and in His shelter, we find strength, comfort, and rest for our souls.

Remember Your Baptism..... by Liz Kanoy

 Remember Your Baptism

by Liz Kanoy

"And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.'" - Acts 2:38-39

Three years ago on Pentecost, I attended my godson’s baptism. The pastor encouraged parents and godparents to remind their children and godchildren of their baptisms often. He also encouraged all believers to continually remember their own baptism and to remember what baptism means for those in the body of Christ.

When I was baptized at 23, the pastor prefaced my baptism by saying “there is nothing magical about this water,” and he was right. There is no magic in the water and the water itself will not change you, but there is extraordinary power and hope in the One who makes baptism possible - the One who baptizes in the Spirit and transforms the heart.

Whether you lean toward infant baptism or a believer’s baptism theologically, Christians can all agree that baptism is a symbol of eternal hope in Christ. For Christian parents, their baby’s baptism is a symbol of their promise to raise the child to know and love God. For believers, baptism is a symbol of the lasting hope they possess and a reminder of the promise that has been fulfilled.

Remember your baptism, but don’t just remember the day or the act - remember the gospel of Jesus Christ, which gives purpose to all baptisms. Remember that the Lord called you to Himself, and He chose you by name - not by any merit of your own but by His free gift of grace.

Throughout the Bible, we can see that God chose people whom we might consider not so deserving - polytheists, murderers, adulterers, harlots, liars, and all other sorts of sinners and sins combined. His point in showing us the flaws of the people He chose is to remind us that no one is deserving. He can give mercy to anyone He chooses because all have fallen short of His glory, and no one can be justified and sanctified apart from Jesus.

When you remember your baptism, remember that you were nothing and God made you new. You were without hope, but He called you His own. He has adopted you as His child and heir. Remember the sin that caused the world to fall, understand the consequence of sin for every human being, and realize your continual need for the perfect Savior who lived and died and rose for all who would believe.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Thank your Savior Jesus Christ for your baptism today, thank Him for the baptism of all those in the body of Christ and those in the covenant family, and pray for the baptism of many more--for no one is without need of grace and no one is beyond God’s reach.

Further Reading
1 Corinthians 12:13;  1 Peter 3:21;  Colossians 2:12;  Galatians 3:27; Mark 16:16

A Prayer to Remember You Matter to God..... By: Alisha Headley

 A Prayer to Remember You Matter to God

By: Alisha Headley

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples…you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” (John 15:8,16)

We all want to matter in this world. The truth is we do matter, already, exactly as we are, wherever we are, and no matter what we’ve done up unto this point. Everything changes when you let your Maker show you why you matter. The One who fashionably knit you together one thread at a time in your mother’s womb, who created you and the world we live in, says that you matter immensely to Him. It’s God that we must look to, to truly recognize our worth in this world.

God uses everything in your life for His purpose, Everything. It all matters – every ounce of it. Nothing is dropped, nothing is discredited. God wants you to flourish and grow in Him, and bear fruit for Him. We do this by giving ourselves fully to His faithful ways, trusting our lives in the hands of the master Gardner. It is then that we can grow and bear fruit and come to realize it all matters.

Every small or large seed He plants in your life is intended to grow into fruit. Yes, even the painful, hurtful things planted in your life can become fruit for His greater purpose. He will use it all for His glory just as He promises us in Romans 8:28, saying “He works all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”

Your failures matter, your relationships matter, your childhood matters, your present matters, your dreams matter, your work matters, your tears matter, your pain matters, your prayers matter, your voice matters. You dear brother and sister in Christ, YOU matter.

We were chosen to bear fruit, so take every seed planted and surrender it to the Lord for it all matters. Allow Him to water and flourish it so we can bear fruit for the glory of Him, our Maker.

Let’s pray.

Dear God,

Thank you for forming us uniquely, making us one-of-a-kind and choosing us for a purpose. Thank you that you appointed us as modern-day disciples to bear fruit for your Kingdom. Often, we wish away seasons and seeds of pain, but Lord, we pray that we would learn to embrace everything you plant in our life, for we know that trials of any kind still produce fruit.

James 1:2 says, “to count it all joy when trials come in any form because it produces the fruit of perseverance, so let it grow, for when our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, not lacking anything.” Please remind us in moments where we feel like what we have around us doesn’t matter, that it all matters to you. It’s all a part of your bigger purpose.

Uplift us today, reminding us that our story, no matter how messy it is, matters to you and will be used for good. Our mess ultimately is our message we can use to be lights in this dark world. We surrender and sacrifice everything to you today Lord. Our past, our present and our future. We want to bear fruit for you and your Kingdom. May your Word water our souls today so the seeds planted can grow and flourish into who you’ve designed and called us to be. Thank you for choosing us to partake in your beautiful garden. We love you, Lord.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen