“I’ll never forgive him–ever!” Her words hung in the air as I prayed what to say. Would she ever hear any words of caution if I said them? I doubted she was aware of the scripture warning in Matthew 18: 21-35 that ends with, “My heavenly Father will do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from his heart.” You see, the slave owed his master 10,000 talents which the slave could not ever…
With apologies swarming around like a thick cloud of gnats these days, we need to examine the difference. To apologize, according to Dictionary.com, is “to offer an excuse for some fault, insult, failure, or injury. To make a formal defense in speech or writing.” An apology is “an expression of one’s regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another.” You can regret wronging another and still not change. You’re still not forgiven. It’s a pretend…
Isaiah 64:4 For from of old they have not heard nor perceived by ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides Thee, who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Of all the world religions of all the ages, there is no God who forgives sins, who came to earth to tell us of the One True God, who offered His own self on a cross as payment for our sins, and then died. But there…
Matthew 9:6 (Jesus said) “But in order that you may know that the son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic—“Rise, take up your bed, and go home.” The religious leaders of the day scoffed at Jesus when he told a paralytic his sins were forgiven. Jesus knew their unspoken evil thoughts against Him. He asked those leaders which was easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and…
Isaiah 42:13 The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies. When all the nations of the earth gather around Jerusalem for battle (Zechariah 14:2), Jesus will descend with a mighty shout (I Thessalonians 4:16). God’s jealousy for His people will be awakened. His wrath will descend on His enemies. Those who have…
Luke 15:20 (Jesus said) “And he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.” The son here has finally come to the end of himself and decides to come to his father and admit his wrong. He intends to ask to be a lowly servant, no longer enjoying the status of a son. The father…
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The Bible’s definition of faith is “the trust that God exists and that He is the creator and ruler of all things.” The meaning of faith doesn’t stop there. Biblical faith is “a deep conviction, a firm trust God gives to believers, resulting in eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.” As believers, we wait and hope with joy and a full confidence, for this…
Micah 7:19 He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot. Yes, Thou wilt cast all their (our) sins into the depths of the sea. Our God is a God of compassion, of mercy. He loves us deeply with a love that never lets us go. This scripture tells us that He is going to bring our bondages, our perversity, depravity, and guilt under His foot. In other words, He captures the things that put us…
With Ebola banging on our door it might be a wise thing to search God’s word, the Bible, for His prescription for our healing. He has a prescription for all our needs whether it be physical, mental, or emotional healing. Here is a page from my new book Looking Deeper. Exodus 15:26 And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear…
Mark 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive in you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. This scripture is not a nice suggestion. It’s a command. A biding principle. The next scripture after this one tells you why. It reads, “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions (Mark 11:26). So we have a choice. Forgive others and receive…