Sweet forgiveness

I wonder how many Christians are out there today wondering in quiet about how saved they really are. When you honestly think about the forgiveness that comes from Christ and the human conception of it, it really is a hard idea to grasp. The reason that it's hard for us to understand is that we think of it from a emotional point of view, not a logical one. An emotional response to someone who has hurt us is to be angry and non-forgiving. This comes from the sinful nature of man. But a logical thought in the same situation says that since God is without sin, and not forgiving someone is a sin, he forgives because He can do nothing else. But He does it all out of love. Since God IS love, he has no problem forgiving us when we fall away from Him. Now all we have to do is to honestly believe that.

His unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:11-12, NLT).

Imagine yourself in the crowd as this story takes place as recorded in the Book of Luke:

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus, but they couldn't reach him. So they went up to the roof, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his mat, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

"Who does this man think he is?" the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to each other. "This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you think this is blasphemy? Is it easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Get up and walk'? I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are healed!" (Luke 5:18,20?24, NLT).

What an incredible demonstration of God's willingness to forgive.

God's holy Word tells us that Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, has set us free-free from sin, and free from the bondage of guilt that sin and the Law bring.

Maybe you're finding it hard to believe in your heart that your sin has been paid for. Perhaps you're thinking, "I have lustful thoughts toward another person." Or, "I've been taking the Lord's name in vain. God won't forgive that, will He?"

The fact is, He has forgiven you if you have placed your trust in Christ. You simply need to claim His forgiveness and believe His promise.

And think of it: It became yours the moment you believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior and as an act of your will received Him by faith into your life as your Lord and Master.

Don't allow doubt to cloud your relationship with God. Live your life in the Lord and make Him proud to have you as His child. Live a relationship of love, not guilt. He died so you would believe it.

Praying that we all come to know that truth
Pastor Mike







I've Earned A Raise

The basketball coach of a Major National Powerhouse stormed into the university president's office and demanded a raise right then and there.

"Please," protested the college President, "you already make more than the entire History department."

"Yeah, maybe so, but you don't know what I have to put up with," the coach blustered. "Look." He went out into the hall and grabbed a jock who was jogging down the hallway and says to him. . .

"Run over to my office and see if I'm there," he ordered.

Twenty minutes later the jock returned, sweaty and out of breath.

"You're not there, sir," he reported.

"Ohhhh, I see what you mean," conceded the President, scratching his head.....

. . . . . "I would have phoned."