Category: Forgiveness

  • Hope for the walking wounded

    Hope for the wounded spirit

    I stood talking with a Christian acquaintance who said, “God gave me a wonderful opportunity to do something special, and I didn’t take it. Now I’m afraid He won’t ever use me anymore.” 

    I’ve sometimes heard variations on that theme, “I fell back into terrible sin, and I’m afraid God won’t ever forgive me again.” “I wandered away from my faith for a while, and now I’m sure He won’t take me back.”

    Sometimes they are nonbelievers who have never been inside a church. They believe the lie “I’m too wicked for even God to save me.”

    These are ordinary people in great pain. If you saw them, you probably wouldn’t know they feel like they’re dying on the inside

    They might be sitting next to you on a Sunday morning; they might be ministering in your church, or they might even be part of your family. They might be workmates or neighbors. Often, they slowly and quietly slip away from the church, or never come near it because of self-imposed shame.

    When we’re physically injured, we usually get some form of medical help to heal our bodies. When we’ve been injured spiritually, we often run from the source of healing. Satan lies to us and tells us we can’t ever be forgiven. We’ve been hurt in the past by sharing with someone in the church when we shared our pain. Maybe our church doesn’t condone sharing.

    Like a bad physical wound that doesn’t receive attention, a wound to the spirit that doesn’t receive tending just keeps on bleeding. Infection sets in and makes the wound even messier. The pain festers, our spirit weakens, and we fall further and further away from the one who can heal us.

    Our healing comes from the Lord.

    But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 ESV

    I’m going to go out on a limb here and probably offend some people because there are different interpretations for this verse. If you disagree with me, I’m sorry, but that’s life sometimes. This verse isn’t a promise that God will heal all our physical ailments in this lifetime. Yes, He can do that and often does, but it isn’t a guarantee.

    It means that for our sin He brings healing. He heals our wounded and battered spirit. That’s the mot important healing there is, to be made right again with God. That’s an eternal healing not simply a transitory physical healing.

    God heals, and God forgives.

    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ESV

    He makes us new again.

    Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

    If you’re one of those people who is wounded in the spirit and wondering if you can ever go back, YES, YES, GOD LOVES YOU. HE’S WAITING WITH OPEN ARMS. RUN INTO THEM.

    Until next time, if you’re wounded in the spirit, run to our great healing God.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    I’ve met people who believe they’ve messed up too badly for God to ever use or forgive them again. Scripture shows that no matter how deep that wound runs, God heals it, forgives us, and makes us new.

    TAKEAWAY

    If you’re carrying an old wound over something you didn’t do or a way you failed God, hiding it only lets that wound fester, the same way an untreated physical injury gets worse.

    Isaiah 53:5 promises that Christ’s wounds bring you spiritual healing first, restoring your standing with God, even though total physical healing isn’t guaranteed in this life.

    1 John 1:9 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 promise that when you confess, God forgives you completely and makes you a new creation, so there’s no version of your past that keeps His arms closed to you.

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  • The Call You Can’t Ignore

    A bugling Elk - The call you can't ignore

    There are some distinctive sounds. In an urban area, it might be a smoke detector, a police or ambulance siren. In the wilderness, it might be the bugle of an elk, the howl of a timber wolf or the laugh of a loon. There is a call that we must not ignore, the call to repent.

    All of us are sinners in need of God’s grace. None of us can redeem ourselves in God’s eyes. That’s only made possible by accepting the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on our behalf. We recognize our sins and inability to remedy the situation. Then we repent and accept Jesus’ sacrifice by faith.

    It sounds easy. Salvation is free for the asking, but in truth, the vast majority of people will reject the call. Everyone hears it, but most are willing to walk away. We are without excuse.

    For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

    Despite the call to repent.The people of Jesus’ day even rejected Him directly.

    There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to what was His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. John 1:9-11

    That might discourage us from calling people to repent and accept Jesus. Yet the very next line in John’s gospel makes it worthwhile.

    But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

    For those who will repent and turn, the rewards are both incredible and eternal. We must continue to proclaim the truth even though most will reject it.

    The Holy Spirit transforms hearts, but God has called His church to be beacons of light, evangelists, and proclaimers of truth. He alone is responsible for the results, but you and I are blessed to share in bringing people rewards beyond measure.

    We testify to the truth in word and deed. We testify through our love for those in and out of the church. We proclaim the call to repent and accept Jesus

    We pray for those we love, but we also pray for and forgive our enemies.

    The work the LORD has done in our lives and continues to do calls out to a dark and hurting world. Do not despair, my dear friends, some will hear the call and open their hearts.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

    Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone) 

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    SUMMARY

    God makes Himself known to every person through creation and conscience, leaving no one without excuse — yet most will still reject the call to repent. For those who do respond, the reward is becoming children of God, making the proclamation always worth it.

    KEY POINTS

    Every person hears God’s call to repent, but most will suppress the truth and walk away 

    Salvation is free by faith in Christ’s sacrifice, yet rejection — even of Jesus Himself — is the more common response 

    The few who receive Him make continued proclamation of the gospel eternally worthwhile

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