How could God POSSIBLY love me? Seriously. You have NO IDEA of the things I have done. You know that song, "Saved a wretch like me?" Well, there has been no wretchier wretch than I. I have hurt people. Some on purpose, some not but just because I am a disgusting human being. No. I do not think you get it. I've lied, cheated, stole. I have done all kinds of horrible things. I checked. I even broke some of those Ten big ones that everyone talks about. There is NO WAY that God loves me.
"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." {Romans 5:6-8}Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you do not understand!!!
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins." (Isaiah 43:25)How could God possibly forgive me for what I have done?
Well, I have a question. Have you met Paul? Yeah. That Paul. The one that wrote a lot of the New Testament? His name used to be called Saul. He was not a nice person. Picture Hitler or a Jihadist of today. His sole reason for existence was to hunt down and abuse and kill God's chosen people. He did it well. He received great power and praise by Man and Religion for doing such a great Job. He Stole, Beat, Abused and Murdered people just because they believed in Jesus as Christ.
As a matter of fact, he was on the road to Damascus to do even more of that, when Jesus appeared to him and asked "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" Saul recounts this event and continues on to say this.
"And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ " {Acts 22:8-10}You know the rest of the Story. Saul became Paul and wrote a lot of what we now call the New Testament, in the Bible today. From Chief Sinner to one of the greatest Saints to ever walk the Earth. Tell me again, what have you done?
One of the hardest things for us to do is to, even harder than forgiving others for hurting us, is to indeed forgive ourselves. Too many times we stay in the past. We relive the things we did over and over again. This is one of the reasons Jesus said this in Luke 9:62.
"Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”This works both ways by the way. People that haunt themselves with Grief, Regret, and Unforgiveness, and those that try to live in Past Glories. The Past is the Past because it has passed and is no more. All the good, bad, and yes, even the ugly is gone. Done. Finished. God does not want you looking back all the time at the jeopardy of Today. He doesn't even really like us spending to much time looking ahead. There is enough to deal with in what we call today.
However, forgiveness of Sins is WHY Jesus came here in the first place.
"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin." { Hebrews 10:14–18 }You see, Jesus came once for a final act of FORGIVENESS of all Sin. That would include ANY Sin that you have ever even thought about committing. Once you accept God's Plan of Salvation, which is what? That's right, Salvation comes by Faith through the Grace of God. All you have to do is accept the Gift. Accept Jesus's final Sacrifice for you and your Life. Allow His Blood to be a substitute for your Blood, His Death as a substitute for your Death.
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." {Romans 10:9}That's it. You do not need to worry about anything else. You don't have to be concerned at all. Remember, The Devil knows what you have done. He NEVER wants you to forget the bad things you have done. Why? Satan not only takes great pleasure in your failures, he can even keep you from coming to God in the first place. He also can use this tactic to block true, honest Christians from becoming Witnesses. We are Saints. Yes, we are. Look it up. We are Ambassadors of Christ. Hard to do any of that if you have been shamed into silence.
Paul himself wrote this to the Churches in the Philippians.
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead," {Philippians 3:13}Imagine all the things that Paul HAD to forget. To leave behind. Stephen to name just one.
"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people."Then we see that the Jews lead by whom? Yup, Saul, Stoned Stephen to death.
"Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."Trust me, even if you have to forgive yourself for taking a life, you could not compare to the things that Paul had to forgive himself for. He had to forgive himself for being a totally different and Evil Person. Forgive yourself, God has already. He has forgiven and forgotten. Your turn.
Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..
"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"
That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}
If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}
Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!
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