Tag: Forgiveness

Six terrific truths about Time

Here are :

First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.

Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.

Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.

Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time…pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.

Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.

Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.

It seems today is the day to emphasize “Forgiveness”

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Everywhere I turned today, I ran into new tidbits about “Forgiveness”.  I don’t believe in coincidence, because I believe in the verse Romans 8:28  which reads . . . And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. NIV

So . . . it seems He is trying to bring home to me a truth that needs to be reexamined!

forgiveness6

dont-judge1forgiveness4

forgiveness God's promise

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Forgiveness is an act of love and obedience

It isn’t dependent on who the person is, what the person has done or how many times they have done it.

In fact it really has nothing to do with the person who hurt you.

It is all about you and your relationship with God.

I’m so thankful that He loves me enough to command me to do this. Because at the end of the day I know I can say, “God of second chances and new beginnings … here I am again, Please forgive me…

Daniel 9:18

We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

This message makes me stop and think.

Do I really love my enemies?And better yet, who are my enemies? Do I really have any?

First of all, we are so blessed that we do not have to endure the kind of persecution referred to in this story. But if we did, what would be our attitude? our response?

On a routine day, how do we respond to our neighbors when they do something that displeases us?

Do we vent to them?

Take it out on them?

Are we passive aggressive?

Do we fuss and fume about it in our homes?

Do we love, instead?

Food for thought!

~ Sharon

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… Matthew 5:44

Perhaps the most difficult of Jesus’ commands is to love even our enemies. A true Christian always seeks another person’s highest good—even when mistreated. Brother Andrew says “The Christian’s only method of destroying his enemies is to ‘love’ them into being his friends.”

Romanian pastor, Dr. Paul Negrut, was visiting an old friend in Romania named Trian Dors in his humble home. As Paul entered, he realized that Trian was bleeding from open wounds. He asked, “What happened?”

Trian replied, “The secret police just left my home. They came and confiscated my manuscripts. Then they beat me.”

Pastor Paul says, “I began to complain about the heavy tactics of the secret police. But Trian stopped me saying, ‘Brother Paul, it is so sweet to suffer for Jesus. God didn’t bring us together tonight to complain but to praise him. Let’s kneel down and pray.”

“He knelt and began praying for the secret police. He asked God to bless them and save them. He told God how much he loved them. He said, ‘God, if they will come back in the next few days, I pray that you will prepare me to minister to them.’” Paul continued, “By this time I was ashamed. I thought I had been living the most difficult life in Romania for the Lord. And I was bitter about that.”

Trian Dors then shared with Paul how the secret police had been coming to his home regularly for several years. They beat him twice every week. They confiscated all his papers. After the beating he would talk to the officer in charge. Trian would look into his eyes and say, “Mister, I love you. And I want you to know that if our next meeting is before the judgement throne of God, you will not go to hell because I hate you but because you rejected love.” Trian would repeat these words after every beating.

Years later that officer came alone to his home one night. Trian prepared himself for another beating. But the officer spoke kindly and said, “Mr. Dors, the next time we meet will be before the judgement throne of God. I came tonight to apologize for what I did to you and to tell you that your love moved my heart. I have asked Christ to save me. But two days ago the doctor discovered that I have a very severe case of cancer and I have only a few weeks to live before I go to be with God. I came tonight to tell you that we will be together on the other side.”

RESPONSE: Today I will destroy my enemies only with love.

PRAYER: God give me Your kind of love for my enemies—so they too will love You.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS)
A daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks

© 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission

Related articles

Those who trust in God are no longer guilty

The worst sin

What is the worst sin we can commit?

And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

John 16:8 NLT

What would you consider the worst sin you could commit? Adultery? Stealing? Murder? You might be surprised by the answer the Bible gives.

The worst sin — and the one with the most far-reaching consequences — is this: to refuse to believe in Jesus Christ.

Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit convicts guilty men and women of sin “because they do not believe in Me.” (John 16:9) On that final day, it will not so much be the sin question as it will be the Son in question. All sins can be dealt with and forgiven if we believe in Jesus.

We must not forget that knowledge brings responsibility. It is a grave thing to shake off the conviction of the Spirit.

Jesus said the Spirit came to convict us “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:11). The ruler or prince of this world, Satan, was judged at Calvary. When Jesus went to the cross and died in our place, Satan lost his death grip on humanity.

The spirit convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment, but He wants most of all to give us assurance of forgiven sin. Why not let Him do what He really desires to do? Why not come to Jesus? Or if you have already done that, help someone else to follow your example.

Adapted from Breakfast with Jesus by Greg Laurie (Tyndale House), pp 222-24

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

SPIRIT OF FORGIVENESS

… “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15

A Spanish father and son were estranged. The father later went to search for his son. When he could not find him, the father put this ad in the Madrid newspaper:

“Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father.”

Saturday noon, 800 Pacos showed up at the office looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.

Forgiveness is one of the most powerful actions that Christians can perform. The world does not understand the ability or reasons to do this because it is most unnatural in a dog-eat-dog world. There is also pain to be overcome because behind every act of forgiveness lies the wound of betrayal; but there is far more pain and emotional, social, physical damage done when we do not forgive.

An Asian Christian apologist says, “If I am asked what separates Christianity from other religions, or what’s different about Christianity, aren’t all religions the same when you get down to it?’ one of the first things that I would say is bound up in this one beautiful word: forgiveness.”

Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive a brother who sins against him. He thinks he is magnanimous and suggests seven times! Jesus makes his famous reply, “…not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:22).

Jesus then shares a parable about a man who, after much pleading for mercy, was forgiven for much and yet would not forgive another person who owed him little. In the parable, the master throws the man into jail to be tortured until he pays back his large debt. Then comes the conclusion: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).

RESPONSE: Today I will forgive others who hurt me because God has commanded it and because my own forgiveness depends on it.

PRAYER: Lord, give me a spirit of forgiveness toward others who hurt me, just as You have forgiven me.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS)
A daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks

© 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission

Take out the Trash

Who wants to live with yesterday’s rubble? 

Who wants to hoard the trash of the past? 

You don’t, do you? 

Or do you?

I’m not talking about the trash in your house, but in your heart. 

Not the junk of papers and boxes but the remnants of anger and hurt. 

Do you rat-pack your pain? 

Amass offenses? 

Record slights?

A tour of your heart might be telling. 

A pile of rejections. 

Accumulated insults. 

No one can blame you. 

They’re innocence takers, promise breakers, and wound makers.  

They’re everywhere and you’ve had your share.

Jesus answered Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21 and 22 when he asked:  “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus said.  “Seventy times seven!”

Do you want to give every day a chance?  

Jesus says to get rid of the trash. 

Give the grace you’ve been given!

~ Max Lucado

From Great Day Every Day

The Secret of Forgiveness

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered. 

Psalm 32:1”

Is it still hard to consider the thought of forgiving the one who hurt you?

We’ll never be able to wash the feet of those who’ve hurt us until we allow Jesus,

the one we’ve hurt, to wash ours. 

That’s the secret of forgiveness. 

You’ll never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you.

Watch Jesus as he goes from disciple to disciple. 

Can you hear the water splash?  Keep that image. 

John 13:12 says, “When he had finished washing their feet…” 

Note, he finished washing their feet. 

He left no one out. 

That’s important! 

It means he also washed the feet of Judas. 

Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer.

That’s not to say it was easy for Jesus. 

That’s not to say it’s easy for you. 

That IS to say—

God will never call you to do what he hasn’t already done!

~ Max Lucado

More than Forgiveness

“This is my commitment to my people: removal of their sins.” 

Romans 11:27,

The Message

God does more than forgive our mistakes;

he removes them!

We simply have to take them to him.

He not only wants the mistakes we’ve made.

He wants the ones we are making.

Are you making some? . . .

If so, don’t pretend nothing is wrong . . .

Go first to God.

The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross.

~ Max Lucado

Daily Promises – August 26 – You shall obtain mercy if . . .

Matthew 5:7 KJV
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Promise #238: I will show mercy to those who are merciful to others.Even in secular surroundings, there is an often quoted verse from Jesus that we call the ‘golden rule’.

Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you.
Even the world recognizes that this is a universal principle.
Mercy works the same way. There is a promise for mercy for those who are merciful to others.

It is that simple.
How much mercy do I need in my life?
Do I need just a little, or a lot? 
And of course my answer is always…
“I need as much mercy as I can get!”The way that I can walk in mercy (for myself) every day is by simply extending mercy to those around me.

The person who cuts me off when I am driving,
the miserable store clerk,
the friend who might have offended me in some way.
If I forget that I need mercy myself,
I may forget that I need to extend mercy to others. Think of the areas that you need mercy in your own life.

For your shortcomings, for your failures, etc.
Do you want mercy to cover every area where you fall short?
Then shower mercy on others on every occasion
because mercy is receiving something we don’t deserve.We know that God’s love for us is unconditional and we can’t do anything to earn or deserve it.

However, there is a principle in God’s kingdom that is at work
everytime we sow something…
because what we sow, we will eventually reap.
I know that I need mercy today,
so I pray that I will have the wisdom to sow mercy wherever I go!

Ask for More

“Lord, teach me what you want me to do,

and I will live by your truth.” 

Psalm 86:11

When kindness comes through grudgingly, we’ll remember God’s kindness to us and ask Him to make us more kind.

When patience is scarce, we’ll thank Him for His and ask Him to make us more patient.

When it’s hard to forgive, we won’t list all the times we’ve been given grief.

Rather, we’ll list all the times we’ve been given grace

and pray to become more forgiving.

~ Max Lucado

Think you’re an exception?

Those who trust in God are no longer guilty

 

For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal.

Romans 3:23 NLT

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

James 4:17 NLT

Details, please?

(1.) Remember what St. John says: “If our heart condemn us, God is stronger than our heart.” The feeling of being, or not being, forgiven and loved is not what matters. One must come down to brass tacks. If there is a particular sin on your conscience, repent and confess it. If there isn’t, tell the despondent devil not to be silly. You can’t help hearing his voice (the odious inner radio), but you must treat it merely like a buzzing in your ears or any other irrational nuisance. (2.) Remember the story in the Imitation, how the Christ on the crucifix suddenly spoke to the monk who was so anxious about his salvation and said, “If you knew that all was well, what would you, today, do or stop doing?” When you have found the answer, do it or stop doing it. You see, one must always get back to the practical and definite. What the devil loves is that vague cloud of unspecified guilt feeling or unspecified virtue by which he lures us into despair or presumption. “Details, please?” is the answer. (3.) The sense of dereliction cannot be a bad symptom, for Our Lord Himself experienced it in its depth — “Why has thou forsaken me?”

C. S. Lewis in Letters to an American Lady
Quoted in The Quotable Lewis edited by Wayne Martindale and Jerry Root (Tyndale House), p 278

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Daily Promises – August 13 – Forgiveness and healing are among God’s many benefits

Psalm 103:2-3 KJV

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;


Promise #225: Forgiveness and healing are among My many benefits.

When a person is interviewing for a new job, one of the questions that they would typically ask is “Could you tell me about the benefit package for this job?” Different jobs have different benefits. Health care, dental plans, retirement plans, etc. In this promise, David is worshipping God and reminding himself not to forget all of the many benefits that come as part of the package when we are in relationship with God. In verse 3, David declares two of these benefits… Forgiveness and healing.

It is interesting that David needs to remind himself not to forget all God’s benefits. The Lord exhorted the Israelites to not forget all the miraculous things that He had done for them in the past. That is why they created monuments of His goodness and annual feasts… so they would remember and not forget.

In Luke 22:14-20, Jesus shares the passover supper with His disciples and encourages them to remember Him every time they partook of the bread and the wine. It was important to Jesus that His disciples didn’t forget the price that He was going to pay for their complete salvation.  For it is in the remembering of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, that we continue to partake of the fullness of His life. My encouragement to you today is to bless the Lord with all your soul and don’t forget all His many benefits!

~ Barry Adams

Daily Promises – August 8 – Jesus will cleanse us from all sin

1 John 1:7 KJV
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Promise #220: If you walk in the light, the blood of My Son Jesus will cleanse you from all sin.

Jesus is called the Light of the World. In Him is no darkness, only brilliant, glorious light. The good news of the gospel is that when we receive the free gift of God, which is the life of His own Son, we are completely cleansed from all unrighteousness and forgiven from all our sin. We have become children of the light because we are now joined completely into the holy life of Jesus. Romans 8:1 says because of this exchange, there is therefore now no condemnation for us.

Our adversary the devil is called the accuser of the brethren. His aim is to continually bring accusations against us that would somehow cause us to feel ashamed and run and hide from God. When you hear these accusing voices, declare the finished work of the blood of Jesus over your life for it is the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood that keeps us walking in the light!

We have no need to hide in shame from God. Jesus Christ has secured our place in His Father’s heart and His blood has covered our past sins, our present sins and our future sins. You can rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. When He cried it is finished! on the cross, He meant it. Does this mean that we can go on living  a sinful life? God forbid! However, we can rest assured that if we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light, His blood cleanses us from ALL sin.
Photo by Barry Adams

Was Jesus ever angry?

When Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers and animal-sellers, He showed great emotion and anger (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22). Jesus’ emotion was described as “zeal” for God’s house (John 2:17). His anger was pure and completely justified because at its root was concern for God’s holiness and worship. Because these were at stake, Jesus took quick and decisive action. Another time Jesus showed anger was in the synagogue of Capernaum. When the Pharisees refused to answer Jesus’ questions, “He looked around at them in anger, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts” (Mark 3:5).

Many times, we think of anger as a selfish, destructive emotion that we should eradicate from our lives altogether. However, the fact that Jesus did sometimes become angry indicates that anger itself, as an emotion, is amoral. This is borne out elsewhere in the New Testament. Ephesians 4:26 instructs us “in your anger do not sin” and not to let the sun go down on our anger. The command is not to “avoid anger” (or suppress it or ignore it) but to deal with it properly, in a timely manner. We note the following facts about Jesus’ displays of anger:

1) His anger had the proper motivation. In other words, He was angry for the right reasons. Jesus’ anger did not arise from petty arguments or personal slights against Him. There was no selfishness involved.

2) His anger had the proper focus. He was not angry at God or at the “weaknesses” of others. His anger targeted sinful behavior and true injustice.

3) His anger had the proper supplement. Mark 3:5 says that His anger was attended by grief over the Pharisees’ lack of faith. Jesus’ anger stemmed from love for the Pharisees and concern for their spiritual condition. It had nothing to do with hatred or ill will.

4) His anger had the proper control. Jesus was never out of control, even in His wrath. The temple leaders did not like His cleansing of the temple (Luke 19:47), but He had done nothing sinful. He controlled His emotions; His emotions did not control Him.

5) His anger had the proper duration. He did not allow His anger to turn into bitterness; He did not hold grudges. He dealt with each situation properly, and He handled anger in good time.

6) His anger had the proper result. Jesus’ anger had the inevitable consequence of godly action. Jesus’ anger, as with all His emotions, was held in check by the Word of God; thus, Jesus’ response was always to accomplish God’s will.

When we get angry, too often we have improper control or an improper focus. We fail in one or more of the above points. This is the wrath of man, of which we are told “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20). Jesus did not exhibit man’s anger, but the righteous indignation of God.

Article from http://www.gotquestions.org/

The Rule of the Kingdom

We must not become tired of doing good.

Galatians 6:9

When we are mistreated, our animalistic response is to go on the hunt. Instinctively, we double up our fists. Getting even is only natural. Which incidentally, is precisely the problem. Revenge is natural, not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Giving grace is the rule of the kingdom . . .

To forgive someone is to admit our limitations. We’ve been given only one piece of life’s jigsaw puzzle. Only God has the cover of the box.

Max Lucado

The Mythology of Forgiveness

The Mythology of Forgiveness

Posted: 02 Jan 2009 01:00 AM CST

By Jon Walker

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Jesus doesn’t categorize sins by which ones to forgive instantly and which ones we can hold over the offender’s head until we decide it’s time to forgive.

We live in mythology when we think forgiveness is based on our feelings, or on our authority. Some of the myths we live by are explained by Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life:

  • “I’ll forgive when he proves he should be forgiven.” Biblical forgiveness doesn’t carry any conditions. It can’t be earned; it isn’t deserved; it can’t be part of a bargain as in, “Do this and I’ll forgive you.” God gives you forgiveness freely because Jesus paid the bloody price of your sin debt on the cross.
  • “If I forgive, she’ll get away with what she did.” Forgiveness doesn’t mean you condone or agree with what has happened. When you forgive, you’re not letting her get away with what she did; she’ll still face the consequences of her behavior. You may choose to remove some, or all, of the consequences, but that is a choice independent of forgiveness.
  • “If I forgive him, he’ll keep hurting me.” Forgiveness doesn’t mean your relationship remains the same. You may need time to trust again, to see if his repentance is genuine, and if he’s faithful toward rebuilding your trust in him. And if his offense is abusive or places you in danger, you can forgive him, but maintain your distance.
  • “If I forgive her, she’ll be free to do it again.” Frankly, she’s free to do it again anyway, whether or not you forgive her. On the other hand, you’re free to forgive her, even if she doesn’t seek forgiveness or show any sign of remorse.

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2008 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Forgive—Again?

Forgive—Again?

By Jon Walker

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21–22 (NIV)

Just because someone sins again, doesn’t mean you can revoke, in a sense, the forgiveness you’ve already given. Forgiveness is a choice, so you don’t take it back so much as you choose to be offended again.

Peter struggled with this dilemma and thought he was being generous, under Jewish law, when he suggested to Jesus that he should forgive someone up to seven times.

But Jesus emphasized the unlimited generosity of forgiveness by expanding beyond the limits of Peter’s capacity to forgive; not seven times, said Jesus, but seventy-seven times.

God’s forgiveness is ever-expanding; we can’t run beyond its borders; we can’t bankrupt the account. In God’s refrigerator of grace, the container filled with forgiveness never goes stale and always has a current freshness date.

I’d hate to think my conversion to Christianity is dependent upon being perfect after my conversion instead of being dependent upon God’s infinite, indestructible, and immovable grace. If it is dependent upon my perfection, then I fell from the race long ago.

And perhaps you did, too?

There’s always a flip side to our conflicts with other people. When we’re hesitant to give grace, we forget that we, too, need grace.

Jesus says we will be judged by the standard by which we judge. Is it seven? Seventy-seven? Or, unlimited?

Didn’t Jesus say it only had to be seventy-seven? Yes, but he didn’t say you couldn’t go higher, and he wasn’t speaking about his own unlimited capacity to forgive. If each of us only had seventy-seven forgiveness tickets per person per lifetime, then I ran out many, many, many years ago. Thank God that he is faithful to forgive and actively seeking to restore each of us into the family of God.

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2008 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Forgiveness

I was particularly drawn to this subject because of the problem I’ve had in my life when it comes to forgiveness and anger.

I had a seething anger that dominated my thinking and affected everything for 52 years of my 63 years of life. When I chose to finally address it (by the way it was a problem with my grandmother who had preached hell, fire, and damnation and was totally anal when it came to anything that didn’t fit within her scope of thinking from her spiritual point of view. She had been extremely judgmental and required us to follow her ideas or never hear the end of it. When I was a child, she would come into our home, requiring my mother to leave the room when she wanted to speak to my father. She would rant and rave to us if we had on shorts, or lipstick, and tell us we were going to go to hell, etc., ad nauseum. Being the adamant, outspoken upstart that I was, I would cringe with anger and inwardly want to beat the crap out of her.)

These feelings, as I mentioned pervaded my subconscious thoughts, and I think I acted them out toward other people, rather than my grandmother, for most of my life.

Why? ‘Cause I was taught NOT to be disrespectful to my elders when I was a child, so certainly I couldn’t say a word in my growing-up home life. I moved away from my hometown and lived far away for years until I was 52. Then I moved back to my hometown area at that time. Consequently I was in closer proximity to her (I called her the battle-axe).

Long story, hopefully a little shorter now:

One day I purposely decided to go see my grandmother. My husband and daughter and I went and picked her up from a group home and took her for a picnic. I had determined I was going to address that old lady right then and there and give her a piece of my mind. (Obviously, she had already possessed a piece of my mind for all those years, ’cause I had allowed her to.) LOL

Lo and behold, as I talked to her, it hit me like a ton of bricks as I listened to her side of the story (after having told her how I had hated her all those years).

I allowed myself to try to see her point of view from her.  As I listened, I realized she actually had had a horrible life herself.

Something inside of me snapped into place during that time with her. God worked a miracle inside of me, and I was able to actually love her and forgive her.

You see, anger had eaten me alive. 

Unforgiveness had done the same. In those moments, I realized that “unforgiveness” and turning from anger is actually more detrimental to the one who holds onto those feelings, not the one those feelings are related to. 

I realized we have choices. We can either give those thoughts and feelings over to God and let Him be in charge, or we can go our own way full of anger and unforgiveness and let it gnaw away at us like a cancer.

I hope if you relate to this story, you’ll feel free to share it with me.

Sharon

Forgiven

Forgiven

Grace is the kindness
and favor of God
extended to you. It is nothing
you can earn or deserve.
Grace is God saying to you,
You can do nothing to
to save yourself;
there is no need to even try
because I have done it all.
I have given My Son
to die for you and He has
made the perfect sacrifice
for your sin.
Come and receive
My free gift.

The scripture reference that I would like to share with you follows:


Psalm 103 (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.

 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
         And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
         And forget not all His benefits:
 3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
         Who heals all your diseases,
 4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
         Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
         So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 6 The LORD executes righteousness
         And justice for all who are oppressed.
 7 He made known His ways to Moses,
         His acts to the children of Israel.
 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
         Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
 9 He will not always strive with us,
         Nor will He keep His anger forever.
 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
         Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
         So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
 12 As far as the east is from the west,
         So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
 13 As a father pities his children,
         So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
 14 For He knows our frame;
         He remembers that we are dust.

 15 As for man, his days are like grass;
         As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
         And its place remembers it no more.[a]
 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
         On those who fear Him,
         And His righteousness to children’s children,
 18 To such as keep His covenant,
         And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

 19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
         And His kingdom rules over all.

 20 Bless the LORD, you His angels,
         Who excel in strength, who do His word,
         Heeding the voice of His word.
 21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
         You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
 22 Bless the LORD, all His works,
         In all places of His dominion.

         Bless the LORD, O my soul!