God’s Instant Forgiveness..Craig Denison Ministries

 

God’s Instant Forgiveness

 Craig Denison Ministries

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

Conquering Fear..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Conquering Fear

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 63

Every one of us will experience moments of apprehension, and denial or trying to hide from it will do no good. When fear arises, ask yourself the following questions: Where does it come from? (You know it isn't from God.) Has God ever failed me in the past? Does He promise to meet all of my needs? Does He keep His promises?

If we read the Bible, we'll find countless stories of God's faithfulness. For example, Paul lived through hardship, persecution, pain, and all kinds of terrible circumstances. The apostle wrote these well-known words: "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). This testifies to the fact that for those who trust in Him, God turns every difficulty, loss, and separation into something good.

From Abraham to Isaiah to David to Job to Jonah to Paul to John, we see God's constant love and care for His people. His Word is a lamp that will give us clear guidance when circumstances are bleak. It offers the best direction we will ever find. When we meditate upon it, pray over it, grapple with it, and incorporate it into our lives, His light chases away the darkness. The psalms, in particular, are helpful in dealing with fear.

God, the sovereign ruler of this universe, is in control of your life. Don't make the mistake of thinking He isn't, simply because He does not operate according to your will and schedule. If you read your Bible and meditate on it, you will find genuine strength in His promises.

Is it Time to Change Your Conversations?..Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

 Is it Time to Change Your Conversations?

By Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 

“Avoid godless chatter because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” - 2 Timothy 2:16

When I was younger, people used to tell me I should be a lawyer because I always liked a good debate. If I had a position I believed in, I would defend it and fight to the end to hold my ground, no matter what. Well, I never became a lawyer, but that innate desire to win an argument or prove a point still dwells within me. However, as I have gotten older (hopefully wiser), I realize there is great wisdom in knowing when it is time to stop talking. One specific type of conversation we all need to reduce and remove from our lives is godless chatter. 

What is godless chatter?
The word for godless chatter can also mean empty talk, empty disputing, or worthless babble. Here is how this verse reads in other translations.

• “But avoid all irreverent babble and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], for it will lead to further ungodliness” - (AMP)
• “Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.” - (NLT)

Godless chatter can be irreverent. It can be profane, but most of all, it is worthless and has no value in your life. I used to drink a lot of punches. Fruit punch, berry punch, tropical punch, you name it, I was drinking it. I would drink a half gallon every couple of days. What I didn’t realize was how many calories were in these drinks. I discovered I was consuming empty calories. They were increasing my daily calorie intake and my waistline, but they weren’t providing any real nutrition in exchange. Thankfully, I don’t consume juice like that anymore. Godless chatter is the same thing. You may exchange words and engage in conversation, but they are not building you up. They are just empty calories.

How do you know when it is godless chatter?
Looking at this verse closely reveals an indicator that will tell you when you are engaging in godless chatter. When your conversations are godless, your behavior will be as well. Godless chatter leads to godless behavior. When godless words and conversations come from your mouth, godless activities will soon follow. If you don’t believe me, let me give you just one example from recent memory—the decision to wear a mask or not wear a mask during COVID-19. Just me saying that may generate some emotions in you, and if it does, I want you to hold on to those emotions for a moment.

During COVID-19, Christians were getting into many disputes over whether or not to wear a mask, and you may have been involved in some of those disputes. People viewed wearing a mask through many lenses. Political, spiritual, and every other lens you can imagine. I know this firsthand because many people reached out to me to share their thoughts on wearing a mask, those for it, those against it, and everything in between.

For a moment, remove the thinking about ‘to mask or not to mask’ and think about the level of division this issue caused among Christians. It led to fights, arguments, disagreements, churches splitting, and people leaving the church. Some pastors would not let anyone in their building unless they wore a mask. At the same time, other pastors threatened to throw anyone out of their building if they came in with a mask. Some might say it wasn’t about a mask. It was about something bigger. If something bigger led you to godless actions, then the core of that activity was godless chatter.

You might think this was all warranted behavior. However, from what Paul told Timothy, we can judge the worth and value of the conversation by looking at the actions that come from it. The reason this was godless behavior is that it led to quarrels, fights, and division. Even if the discussion was worthwhile, the actions that accompanied it proved it was an ungodly conversation. Try as you might; there is no way to justify that as godly behavior. Especially when Jesus said the world will know we are his disciples by how we love one another. 

Intersecting faith and life:
If we are going to put Paul’s word into practice, then that means we must know when it is time to stop talking. That may mean walking away from arguments, even the ones you know you can win. You do this because you are more concerned about godly living and upholding Christ’s reputation than being right, regardless of who you trample in the process. We have witnessed the consequences of people trying to prove themselves right, and it has done nothing to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus. I challenge you from this point forward; let’s commit to being men and women who will engage in godly conversations that spur on godly behavior. Honestly, this is our only choice because, as we have seen, the alternative is not too pretty.

Sometimes your wisdom is displayed not by the words you choose to say but by the words you don’t.

Further Reading:

• Proverbs 15:1-2
• Proverbs 20:3
• Titus 3:9-11

I Never Noticed This in Psalm 91..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.

A Prayer to Live in Love..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer to Live in Love

By Meg Bucher

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” - 1 John 4:16 NLT

It’s hard when the people we love the most in this life disappoint us. It’s painful when those people, who we trust with our hearts, hurt us. It’s easy to replay scenes and conversations over and over in our minds, letting anger and frustration stew and steer us. Pride blurs our vision of ourselves, each other, conversations, and those scenes we replay. In fact, our brains are capable of editing those scenes and conversations dependent upon which alibi we allow ourselves to marinate in. Thoughts can wreak havoc, and our minds are powerful. We can manage to craft a great defense in our minds, but all it does is hold us hostage. 

Living in love, as John wrote in the verse above, releases us from the burden of alibis and stewing over injustice and hurt. The hurt is real, but we don’t have to bathe in it. We have the power, through the Holy Spirit living in us through Christ Jesus, to take our minds back by giving the hurt to Him. He defends us, purifies us, forgives us, strengthens us, and walks through the hurt with us. But we must give it to Him. We must stop fighting and start the process of forgiving, whether an apology comes our way or not. 

Living in love is redirecting our trust from ourselves to God. He is Love. He is the only one capable of piloting the seas and swells of hurt in our lives. We are going to hurt others, and they are going to hurt us. In fact, the closer we get to our people, the better chance for bitter hurt. It’s a guarantee. Instead of digging our feet in, stubbornly defending our alibis, and building walls around our pride, we can be free. We can let go, look in the mirror, and realize we are all on the same team, fighting the same battle with our sinful selves, and loved by the same God who has the power to restore peace despite it all. Let’s pray to live in that kind of love.

Let’s Pray:

Father,
Praise You for this day and Your purpose for it. This is the day You have made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. God, we know how much You love us, and we have put our trust in Your love. You are love, God, and all who live in love live in You, and You in them. Glory to You, the One True, Triune God. Abba, Father; Jesus, Messiah; Spirit, Counselor. It’s through You we find the strength, power, and determination to live in Love. 

When we are tempted to stew and steer our situations, remind us, Holy Spirit, to release our grip on it to You. Help us to be unoffendable, Father. Let us remember the love and forgiveness You have for all of us, to send Your One and only Son Jesus to die for our sins …to rescue us …and Jesus, thank You for willingly walking to the cross to die so that we may know what it is to live in Love. Not just here on earth, but for eternity. 

Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to abide in us, comforting, counseling, advocating, and helping us through our everyday lives. Teach us what it means to live in Love, Lord. Help us to fully accept Your love, and willingly pass it on to the people You have purposefully placed in our lives. Father, let us be quick to apologize wholeheartedly when we have caused hurt. And let us be quick to forgive before we receive an apology. 

Jesus, we need You. We can’t live in love without You. Come into our lives in a fresh, undeniable way today. Heal the deep hurts we are tempted to hold on to and dig back up. By the power of Your Holy Spirit take those offenses away permanently. Help us to let go of any offenses we are holding onto and rid our hearts of any unforgiveness preventing us from living in the freedom of Your unconditional love. 

We pray today, and every day, to live in love, Father.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.