Luke 23:34-35
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While
the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his
clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he
should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The
children and I sometimes use a little “punch card” system to reward
good behavior. I punch holes in a card numbered one to twenty, and when
the child gets all 20 numbers punched, he/she gets to pick something
out of my “prize” basket. Yesterday, I started cards with Timothy and
Nathan. They didn’t get all 20 punches, but they got a few. Late in
the afternoon, the boys disappeared upstairs – after I had told them,
“Don’t go upstairs.” I went to get them, and I said, “If you don’t go
downstairs right now, I am going to tear up your punch cards, and you
will not get to count those punches toward a prize!”
Nathan
stomped his feet and began to and cry. “That’s AWFUL!” he wailed! “Why
would you do that? That’s a TERRIBLE thing to do to tear up our
punches.” He was absolutely furious with me! And I had to turn away, so
that he wouldn’t see me laugh. It’s easy to forgive an
almost-four-year-old for such an outburst. In fact, it’s often easy to
forgive our children for a lot of things, because they honestly do not
know what they are doing. At best, they do not fully grasp the
ramifications of their words and actions.
I am not sure whether the Roman soldiers truly knew what they were doing to Jesus or not. I think
what Jesus means in this passage is that they don’t fully grasp the
implication of their actions. They have no idea the consequences that
will result. This seems to be somewhat confirmed by Matthew 27:54,
where…“ The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake
and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said,
‘This man really was God’s Son!’”
So what does all of this mean
for us? I believe there are times when we sin and/or offend others…and
we truly don’t have a full grasp of our words or actions. And that is
where Jesus stands in the gap for us and says to God, “Forgive them, for
they don’t know what they are doing.” He paid the price on the for our
ignorance and carelessness, even before we were born. I also believe
there are times that people offend us or mistreat us, and we are called
to be like Jesus…to offer them grace, mercy and forgiveness - just as He
has done for us so many times.
It may be a whole lot harder to
forgive a teenager or adult than it is a young child…but we still must
try. We must ask Jesus to equip us with whatever we need to operate in
mercy…to say, “Maybe he/she didn’t have the whole picture.” Yes, Jesus
could have climbed down from the cross and settled things totally with
the Roman soldiers. He could have clearly demonstrated to the
satisfaction of their understanding, that He was truly the King
of the Jews. But because Jesus stayed on the cross, those of us who know
Him and comprehend the ramifications of this loving act understand
clearly WHO He is.
Because Jesus stayed on the cross – and
suffered and died for our sins – we are forgiven…forever and ever. Only
the true King of Kings would do this! And as His children, we are
called to demonstrate this same mercy and forgiveness to others…to be
sons and daughters of the Most High King and operate in grace and
understanding. There will be days when we want to stomp and scream and
cry out, “Why would you do such a terrible thing?” But instead, we must
say, “Father, forgive them…as You have forgiven me.” Are you ready to
truly act like a child of the KING and operate in mercy and
forgiveness? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label forgiveness of our sins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forgiveness of our sins. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 16, 2016
Isaiah 1:18
Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My
sister Suzanne had a birthday last week, and a childhood friend shared a
photo with us of one of HIS birthday parties, which she and I
attended. We must have been about 6 and 7 in the picture, and I had on a
red checked dress (that I am positive my mother made) with white
ruffles down the bodice. I had an almost instant recollection of a red
checked dress that very well may have been this same one. I was playing
in our yard one spring/summer day, and I picked up the neighbor’s
kitten. It promptly pooped all down the front of my dress. My mother
was VERY upset…and we were forbidden to ever play with kittens again!
No doubt, Mother had a cleaning challenge on her hands…and I cannot recall if there was a permanent stain on the dress. Today, we have all sorts of Pinterest “sure-fire” stain removers… Tide® pens…OxiClean™…Shout®…and more. Still, there are some stains that cannot be removed. But today’s children will never quite know the angst that WE experienced as youngsters when we got a stain on our clothing. I can remember being quite worried about the trouble I would get in for getting my clothes dirty…can’t you?
This is such a comforting scripture verse. As I read it, I was instantly transported back to childhood…but this time, I heard the Master saying, “It’s okay…come on over here and snuggle with Me, and I’ll take care of that stain. I know it looks bad right now…but it will be as good as new soon!” What comfort lies in these words! How blessed we are to know that Jesus can fix ANYTHING…and that He is ready and willing to do so!
Several times, I have told Timothy, Zola and Nathan a version of this…”Don’t worry…I’ll fix that”…or “I can get that pizza/strawberry/chocolate stain out!” But there will be plenty of things in life - including a few “marks” - that I cannot remove. Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus can…and will? I am so comforted to know that we ALL have a refuge in Jesus…and He truly does wash us as white as snow.
You may have the perfect solutions to soils and stains in your laundry cabinet. But I can guarantee you that the ultimate “Stain Remover” is only a prayer away. If you have not surrendered to Jesus, please stop and invite Him into your heart today. Run to His open arms…snuggle against His chest…and let Him remove every single stain, once and for all. Know that His “Tide® pen” is always handy when we stumble and get into something we shouldn’t.
All we have to do is call on Jesus, and He will restore us to pristine condition! I will never forget that red checked dress – or the day I upset my mother – but I know that she got over it. Better yet, I know that Jesus does not hold a grudge…or keep a list of my past transgressions. They have truly been washed “as clean as fresh fallen snow”- and “white as wool” – and it doesn’t get any better. Isn’t it time you asked Jesus to handle your stains, once and for all? Will this be the day that He makes you forever clean?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Laverne/Steve James |
No doubt, Mother had a cleaning challenge on her hands…and I cannot recall if there was a permanent stain on the dress. Today, we have all sorts of Pinterest “sure-fire” stain removers… Tide® pens…OxiClean™…Shout®…and more. Still, there are some stains that cannot be removed. But today’s children will never quite know the angst that WE experienced as youngsters when we got a stain on our clothing. I can remember being quite worried about the trouble I would get in for getting my clothes dirty…can’t you?
This is such a comforting scripture verse. As I read it, I was instantly transported back to childhood…but this time, I heard the Master saying, “It’s okay…come on over here and snuggle with Me, and I’ll take care of that stain. I know it looks bad right now…but it will be as good as new soon!” What comfort lies in these words! How blessed we are to know that Jesus can fix ANYTHING…and that He is ready and willing to do so!
Several times, I have told Timothy, Zola and Nathan a version of this…”Don’t worry…I’ll fix that”…or “I can get that pizza/strawberry/chocolate stain out!” But there will be plenty of things in life - including a few “marks” - that I cannot remove. Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus can…and will? I am so comforted to know that we ALL have a refuge in Jesus…and He truly does wash us as white as snow.
You may have the perfect solutions to soils and stains in your laundry cabinet. But I can guarantee you that the ultimate “Stain Remover” is only a prayer away. If you have not surrendered to Jesus, please stop and invite Him into your heart today. Run to His open arms…snuggle against His chest…and let Him remove every single stain, once and for all. Know that His “Tide® pen” is always handy when we stumble and get into something we shouldn’t.
All we have to do is call on Jesus, and He will restore us to pristine condition! I will never forget that red checked dress – or the day I upset my mother – but I know that she got over it. Better yet, I know that Jesus does not hold a grudge…or keep a list of my past transgressions. They have truly been washed “as clean as fresh fallen snow”- and “white as wool” – and it doesn’t get any better. Isn’t it time you asked Jesus to handle your stains, once and for all? Will this be the day that He makes you forever clean?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 10, 2016
1 John 1:9
But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I wish you could have been in the car with me this morning as Timothy, Nathan, and I drove home from the library. It was hot when we got in our car, and I turned the air conditioning on full blast. Timothy asked, “Will we sweat in heaven?” I told him probably not! Then he asked, “Who makes the laws in Heaven?” I told him that God makes the laws…and Timothy wanted to know what kind of laws God makes. I told him “Good ones!”
A conversation ensued about heaven and God, and Timothy added…“Even if I am bad, God will still love me.” So we started talking about Jesus and how He died on the cross for our sins…and when we tell Jesus that we are sorry for our sins and ask Him to forgive us, He does – forever and ever. This doesn’t mean that we can act badly. In fact, because Jesus loved us enough to do this, we should want to thank Him by doing our very best not to sin.
Imagine, if you will, the indignity of a 4-year-old and a seven-year-old as we talked about how badly Jesus was treated. They were aghast that “those mean people” did such awful things to Him – particularly on the cross…and both readily said, “I will beat them up for that!” I tried to explain that 1) this is not possible; and 2) Jesus would not want this. We still have a lot of work to do as the children mature enough to understand the grace and mercy of Jesus…but hopefully, you are in a far different place!
So let me spell this out for you. Yes, we should be offended by how Jesus was treated. But think of how you and I have treated Jesus. What if He got offended about that? Where would that leave us? Would we have the gift of salvation and the promise of Eternity with Him? If we fail to forgive others…do we really honor all that Jesus has done for us?
I stressed to the boys that Jesus wants us to love other people…to share His message with them and tell them how much He loves us. We cannot do that if we are busy beating each other up…literally and figuratively – with thoughts, words and actions. So I hope that today, you will stop and examine your life and your attitudes and behaviors. Where have you failed to forgive…and where have you dishonored Jesus in doing so?
Make this the day that you redouble your efforts to demonstrate your gratitude for all that Jesus has done – and continues to do for us. Ask Him once again to forgive YOU for your transgressions...then get busy showing others what it means to glorify Him in every aspect of your daily living. And thank Him that when we get to heaven, sweat will never be a concern!
©2016 Debbie Robus
But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I wish you could have been in the car with me this morning as Timothy, Nathan, and I drove home from the library. It was hot when we got in our car, and I turned the air conditioning on full blast. Timothy asked, “Will we sweat in heaven?” I told him probably not! Then he asked, “Who makes the laws in Heaven?” I told him that God makes the laws…and Timothy wanted to know what kind of laws God makes. I told him “Good ones!”
A conversation ensued about heaven and God, and Timothy added…“Even if I am bad, God will still love me.” So we started talking about Jesus and how He died on the cross for our sins…and when we tell Jesus that we are sorry for our sins and ask Him to forgive us, He does – forever and ever. This doesn’t mean that we can act badly. In fact, because Jesus loved us enough to do this, we should want to thank Him by doing our very best not to sin.
Imagine, if you will, the indignity of a 4-year-old and a seven-year-old as we talked about how badly Jesus was treated. They were aghast that “those mean people” did such awful things to Him – particularly on the cross…and both readily said, “I will beat them up for that!” I tried to explain that 1) this is not possible; and 2) Jesus would not want this. We still have a lot of work to do as the children mature enough to understand the grace and mercy of Jesus…but hopefully, you are in a far different place!
So let me spell this out for you. Yes, we should be offended by how Jesus was treated. But think of how you and I have treated Jesus. What if He got offended about that? Where would that leave us? Would we have the gift of salvation and the promise of Eternity with Him? If we fail to forgive others…do we really honor all that Jesus has done for us?
I stressed to the boys that Jesus wants us to love other people…to share His message with them and tell them how much He loves us. We cannot do that if we are busy beating each other up…literally and figuratively – with thoughts, words and actions. So I hope that today, you will stop and examine your life and your attitudes and behaviors. Where have you failed to forgive…and where have you dishonored Jesus in doing so?
Make this the day that you redouble your efforts to demonstrate your gratitude for all that Jesus has done – and continues to do for us. Ask Him once again to forgive YOU for your transgressions...then get busy showing others what it means to glorify Him in every aspect of your daily living. And thank Him that when we get to heaven, sweat will never be a concern!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2016
Acts 1:14-22
The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers. One day there were about one hundred twenty of the Lord’s followers meeting together, and Peter stood up to speak to them. He said:
My friends, long ago by the power of the Holy Spirit, David said something about Judas, and what he said has now happened. Judas was one of us and had worked with us, but he brought the mob to arrest Jesus. Then Judas bought some land with the money he was given for doing that evil thing. He fell headfirst into the field. His body burst open, and all his insides came out. When the people of Jerusalem found out about this, they called the place Akeldama, which in the local language means “Field of Blood.”
In the book of Psalms it says, “Leave his house empty, and don’t let anyone live there.”
It also says, “Let someone else have his job.”
So we need someone else to help us tell others that Jesus has been raised from death. He must also be one of the men who was with us from the very beginning. He must have been with us from the time the Lord Jesus was baptized by John until the day he was taken to heaven.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There is much about the story of “Holy Week” that is sad and horrific. But for me, one of the most hopeless parts is the story of Judas Iscariot. Jesus knew that Judas would betray him…and yet, He washed his feet in the Upper Room alongside the other disciples. Jesus shared the bread and the cup with Judas. And Judas took a bribe of 30 silver pieces in exchange for kissing Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to “make” Him for Roman soldiers.
Many are shocked to read this account in the Book of Acts about how Judas died. In Matthew 27:3-10, we are told that Judas threw the money at the high priests and then went out and hanged himself. The silver was used to buy a “Potter’s Field” for burying the poor and homeless, and it was given the name of “Murderer’s Meadow.”
There is much argument about which account is more accurate…but the bottom line is that Judas Iscariot realized that he had done a terrible thing. He committed a truly egregious sin…he denied His Lord and Savior. But Judas was not the only person who did this. Peter denied his own association with Jesus THREE TIMES before the night was out. Yet he did not take his own life. And the difference in the choice these two men made had eternal consequences.
What does this mean for us? I truly believe that had Judas come to Jesus and humbled himself, Jesus would have forgiven him, just as he did for Peter and the thief on the cross. Jesus forgives each of us when we ask Him to do so. And that is the primary message of this passage from Acts 1. There is NOTHING that can separate us from Jesus when we humbly admit our sins and failures and ask for His forgiveness. We are human…we will all sin and fall short. But Jesus stands ready, willing, and more than able to redeem us. This promise turns a devastatingly dismal passage of scripture into one of hope and promise!
I also find the last verses to be interesting. The Disciples are told to choose a replacement for Judas…someone who knew and loved Jesus and could speak of His teachings to others. It seems to me that there is a message for us there, as well. We can sit and wring our hands over all that is wrong in our world. We can gripe and complain about those who speak and act in a manner that is detrimental to the work of Jesus and furthering God’s Kingdom. But we are instructed to get up and get going…to move forward with the work of our discipleship…to select and encourage those who are involved in this mission with us – and to nurture their efforts alongside our own.
Two messages of hope vs. a choice mired in despair. We can opt to wallow in our sin and self-pity…and maybe even completely turn our backs on Jesus. Or we can learn from Judas’ critical mistakes and renew our efforts to serve in Christ’s army…to seek His forgiveness and follow Him for all of our earthly lives – and into Eternity. The choice may not be an easy one…but the path of Hope and Promise seems pretty clear to me. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers. One day there were about one hundred twenty of the Lord’s followers meeting together, and Peter stood up to speak to them. He said:
My friends, long ago by the power of the Holy Spirit, David said something about Judas, and what he said has now happened. Judas was one of us and had worked with us, but he brought the mob to arrest Jesus. Then Judas bought some land with the money he was given for doing that evil thing. He fell headfirst into the field. His body burst open, and all his insides came out. When the people of Jerusalem found out about this, they called the place Akeldama, which in the local language means “Field of Blood.”
In the book of Psalms it says, “Leave his house empty, and don’t let anyone live there.”
It also says, “Let someone else have his job.”
So we need someone else to help us tell others that Jesus has been raised from death. He must also be one of the men who was with us from the very beginning. He must have been with us from the time the Lord Jesus was baptized by John until the day he was taken to heaven.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There is much about the story of “Holy Week” that is sad and horrific. But for me, one of the most hopeless parts is the story of Judas Iscariot. Jesus knew that Judas would betray him…and yet, He washed his feet in the Upper Room alongside the other disciples. Jesus shared the bread and the cup with Judas. And Judas took a bribe of 30 silver pieces in exchange for kissing Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to “make” Him for Roman soldiers.
Many are shocked to read this account in the Book of Acts about how Judas died. In Matthew 27:3-10, we are told that Judas threw the money at the high priests and then went out and hanged himself. The silver was used to buy a “Potter’s Field” for burying the poor and homeless, and it was given the name of “Murderer’s Meadow.”
There is much argument about which account is more accurate…but the bottom line is that Judas Iscariot realized that he had done a terrible thing. He committed a truly egregious sin…he denied His Lord and Savior. But Judas was not the only person who did this. Peter denied his own association with Jesus THREE TIMES before the night was out. Yet he did not take his own life. And the difference in the choice these two men made had eternal consequences.
What does this mean for us? I truly believe that had Judas come to Jesus and humbled himself, Jesus would have forgiven him, just as he did for Peter and the thief on the cross. Jesus forgives each of us when we ask Him to do so. And that is the primary message of this passage from Acts 1. There is NOTHING that can separate us from Jesus when we humbly admit our sins and failures and ask for His forgiveness. We are human…we will all sin and fall short. But Jesus stands ready, willing, and more than able to redeem us. This promise turns a devastatingly dismal passage of scripture into one of hope and promise!
I also find the last verses to be interesting. The Disciples are told to choose a replacement for Judas…someone who knew and loved Jesus and could speak of His teachings to others. It seems to me that there is a message for us there, as well. We can sit and wring our hands over all that is wrong in our world. We can gripe and complain about those who speak and act in a manner that is detrimental to the work of Jesus and furthering God’s Kingdom. But we are instructed to get up and get going…to move forward with the work of our discipleship…to select and encourage those who are involved in this mission with us – and to nurture their efforts alongside our own.
Two messages of hope vs. a choice mired in despair. We can opt to wallow in our sin and self-pity…and maybe even completely turn our backs on Jesus. Or we can learn from Judas’ critical mistakes and renew our efforts to serve in Christ’s army…to seek His forgiveness and follow Him for all of our earthly lives – and into Eternity. The choice may not be an easy one…but the path of Hope and Promise seems pretty clear to me. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 11, 2015
Ecclesiastes 7:20
And there is not a single man in all the earth who is always good and never sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, I was called for jury duty. I was not actually seated on the jury, but I did have to sit through a few hours of “interview” in which both the prosecuting and defense attorneys outlined the case and made determinations about the qualifications of prospective jurors. The defendant – a 34-year-old man – was charged with robbing a McDonald’s employee at gunpoint, then attacking two witnesses with a knife. I read news reports later that stated the man was convicted on all counts and sentenced to over 50 years in prison.
In the blink of an eye, this young man’s life changed forever. I have no idea what events led up to this situation. I did not hear the arguments and testimonies presented in court. Sitting with his attorneys in the courtroom, there was nothing extraordinary about this person's appearance…he did not have the “look” of a “criminal”. Yet a jury of his peers apparently deemed him to be one.
In the eyes of the LORD, you and I are not all that different from this young man. Okay…so we probably have not robbed someone at gunpoint…but we have sinned all the same. We have lied, gossiped, said and done hurtful things, shown disrespect, stolen, and otherwise dishonored our relationship with God – and others. In the blink of an eye, we have misspoken, stepped on someone’s toes, or done something we shouldn’t.
I have to wonder if the young man in the courtroom felt God’s presence, even as he was being sentenced to more than a half-century behind bars. Do we still feel God’s presence when WE sin? Because the truth of the matter is that God is still with us…still available…still ready to forgive and restore us. Jesus forgave a thief on the cross and welcomed him into Paradise. No one knows us better than God…no one more fully understands our sinful nature than He. That is why we read in Lamentations 3:22-23 that…“It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day.”
Do not get confused…this is not a “free pass” to sin and then expect God to forgive you. But whether you are having a “good” day…or you have already slipped up more times than you can count…God wants to redeem and restore you. The key is to humble yourself before Him, admit your mistakes, and genuinely commit to doing better. Wherever you are today…whatever is happening…God is only a whisper away. Have you spoken with Him yet? Isn’t it time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
And there is not a single man in all the earth who is always good and never sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, I was called for jury duty. I was not actually seated on the jury, but I did have to sit through a few hours of “interview” in which both the prosecuting and defense attorneys outlined the case and made determinations about the qualifications of prospective jurors. The defendant – a 34-year-old man – was charged with robbing a McDonald’s employee at gunpoint, then attacking two witnesses with a knife. I read news reports later that stated the man was convicted on all counts and sentenced to over 50 years in prison.
In the blink of an eye, this young man’s life changed forever. I have no idea what events led up to this situation. I did not hear the arguments and testimonies presented in court. Sitting with his attorneys in the courtroom, there was nothing extraordinary about this person's appearance…he did not have the “look” of a “criminal”. Yet a jury of his peers apparently deemed him to be one.
In the eyes of the LORD, you and I are not all that different from this young man. Okay…so we probably have not robbed someone at gunpoint…but we have sinned all the same. We have lied, gossiped, said and done hurtful things, shown disrespect, stolen, and otherwise dishonored our relationship with God – and others. In the blink of an eye, we have misspoken, stepped on someone’s toes, or done something we shouldn’t.
I have to wonder if the young man in the courtroom felt God’s presence, even as he was being sentenced to more than a half-century behind bars. Do we still feel God’s presence when WE sin? Because the truth of the matter is that God is still with us…still available…still ready to forgive and restore us. Jesus forgave a thief on the cross and welcomed him into Paradise. No one knows us better than God…no one more fully understands our sinful nature than He. That is why we read in Lamentations 3:22-23 that…“It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day.”
Do not get confused…this is not a “free pass” to sin and then expect God to forgive you. But whether you are having a “good” day…or you have already slipped up more times than you can count…God wants to redeem and restore you. The key is to humble yourself before Him, admit your mistakes, and genuinely commit to doing better. Wherever you are today…whatever is happening…God is only a whisper away. Have you spoken with Him yet? Isn’t it time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 10, 2014
Acts 10:4-6
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, a Facebook friend posted a “video” about a man who died and was summoned for judgment by God. To his horror and shame, his life and all of the mistakes he had made – every sin he had committed - was reviewed. Then an angel looked in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and the man’s name was nowhere to be found. The man was thrown into the "lake of fire" known as Hell.
The video concluded with a look at how things could have gone, had the man only surrendered his heart to Jesus and asked for His forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminded us that…”Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.” And the words of Isaiah 1:18 were presented to assure us…”This is God’s Message: ‘If your sins are blood-red, they’ll be snow-white. If they’re red like crimson, they’ll be like wool.’”
My friend accompanied this post with these words…”Powerful, hopefully by sharing this I can inspire someone, just as I was!!!” I hope so, too…because the real message of Christmas is not found in the tinsel and the garlands, the packages and the parties. The true message of Christmas lies in the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ…our promise and hope that God sent to earth in the form of a tiny baby. The message of Christmas really lies in the story of Easter…the crucifixion, death and resurrection of the Christ Child – all to pay for OUR sins and mistakes.
The real gift of Christmas is the anticipation of eternity spent in the presence of God. This gift is open to all of us who will freely choose to follow Jesus. As we read Peter’s words to the church in Acts, we are reminded that the door is open to any and ALL who choose to accept this gift. God plays no favorites, indeed! If you have received the gift of salvation in Jesus, every other gift is just fluff…something nice to tide you over until heaven – but made all the more enjoyable because of that confidence.
What is the message of Christmas for you this year? Have you received the ultimate Gift? Jesus is standing at the door…holding it open for you to enter into an eternal relationship with Him and live in His presence forever. Aren’t you ready to cross the threshold?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, a Facebook friend posted a “video” about a man who died and was summoned for judgment by God. To his horror and shame, his life and all of the mistakes he had made – every sin he had committed - was reviewed. Then an angel looked in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and the man’s name was nowhere to be found. The man was thrown into the "lake of fire" known as Hell.
The video concluded with a look at how things could have gone, had the man only surrendered his heart to Jesus and asked for His forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminded us that…”Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.” And the words of Isaiah 1:18 were presented to assure us…”This is God’s Message: ‘If your sins are blood-red, they’ll be snow-white. If they’re red like crimson, they’ll be like wool.’”
My friend accompanied this post with these words…”Powerful, hopefully by sharing this I can inspire someone, just as I was!!!” I hope so, too…because the real message of Christmas is not found in the tinsel and the garlands, the packages and the parties. The true message of Christmas lies in the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ…our promise and hope that God sent to earth in the form of a tiny baby. The message of Christmas really lies in the story of Easter…the crucifixion, death and resurrection of the Christ Child – all to pay for OUR sins and mistakes.
The real gift of Christmas is the anticipation of eternity spent in the presence of God. This gift is open to all of us who will freely choose to follow Jesus. As we read Peter’s words to the church in Acts, we are reminded that the door is open to any and ALL who choose to accept this gift. God plays no favorites, indeed! If you have received the gift of salvation in Jesus, every other gift is just fluff…something nice to tide you over until heaven – but made all the more enjoyable because of that confidence.
What is the message of Christmas for you this year? Have you received the ultimate Gift? Jesus is standing at the door…holding it open for you to enter into an eternal relationship with Him and live in His presence forever. Aren’t you ready to cross the threshold?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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