{"id":255,"date":"2009-02-11T08:17:12","date_gmt":"2009-02-11T06:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/galmin.co.za\/myblog\/?p=255"},"modified":"2009-02-11T08:17:12","modified_gmt":"2009-02-11T06:17:12","slug":"thought-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.galmin.co.za\/?p=255","title":{"rendered":"Thought 8"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"salvation_400\"

Forgiveness<\/p><\/div>\n

Who hasn\u2019t thought that at one time or another? The devil would love to keep us in self-condemnation for the things we have done or failed to do. He knows it paralyzes us and prevents us from making the kind of impact that God intended for us<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

I just read yesterday of a young teenager who accidentally struck his 5 year old sister, with a car, tragically killing her in their driveway. <\/span>And as tragic as it is for a child to die in that way at such a young age, the greater tragedy is the difficulty this young man will have forgiving himself. <\/span>Though few of us have faced something as dramatic as this, we all need to overcome the thoughts that try to accuse us for what we have done. <\/span>Hopefully, as well, this message will get to that young man and provide the encouragement he will need in this challenging time.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s beat this thought into the ground\u2014hasn\u2019t it beaten us long enough!<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Realize that we only deserve forgiveness because of the blood of Jesus.<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/strong>Not because what we did wrong \u201cnever happened,\u201d or it wasn\u2019t that bad. <\/span>Give up rationalizations and excuses. <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>It was <\/em>that bad, but God is even MORE good! <\/span><\/span><\/strong>James 2:13 says mercy triumphs over judgment. <\/span>His mercy toward you TRUMPS your judgment over yourself. Believe that God is bigger than what you did. <\/span>In Luke 22, Peter denied the Lord 3 times, and Jesus forgave him. <\/span>Later, Peter preached the first sermon after Jesus rose from the dead, and 3000 people were saved in a day! <\/span>Peter was able to forgive himself when he knew Jesus had accepted him. <\/span>In the same way, realize that you have been accepted by God, no matter what you have done\u2014simply by believing in the work of the cross of Jesus Christ. <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Give up your right to hold against yourself ANYTHING <\/span><\/strong>that God Himself does not hold against you. If God can forgive you, you can forgive yourself. His standard is absolute perfection, and He forgives you. <\/span>Psalm 103:12 says, \u201cAs far as east is from west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.\u201d <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Stop rehearsing what you did. <\/span><\/strong>It\u2019s done. <\/span>It\u2019s over. Now accept the 2nd chance that God offers. Philippians 3:10 says \u201cforgetting what lies behind, and reaching forward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

5.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Believe that guilt doesn\u2019t come from God.<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/span><\/strong>He doesn\u2019t impose guilt on you to try to get you to stop doing something. <\/span>Romans 2:4 says it is His lovingkindness that leads us to repentance. <\/span>Since this guilt and shame doesn\u2019t come from God, there can be only one other source\u2014the devil. <\/span>James 4:7 says, \u201cSubmit to God—-resist the devil—–and he will flee from you.\u201d <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

6.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Give up the SELF-PUNISHMENT<\/span><\/strong>\u2014some people have said to themselves: \u201cI\u2019ll make myself feel bad to pay for what has been done.\u201d <\/span>Why should we pay the price that has ALREADY been paid for what we\u2019ve done wrong? Stop beating yourself up\u2014no one beats us up better than ourselves. <\/span>The fact is whatever we have done that we can\u2019t seem to forgive ourselves for is already forgiven. <\/span>By trying to \u201cpay for what we have done,\u201d we are insulting the very blood of Jesus that HAS PAID the price in full.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

THINK IT & SAY IT…<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

I receive mercy today, because of the blood of Jesus. Though I didn\u2019t deserve it, God proclaims over me, that I am \u201cnot guilty\u201d. <\/span>Where I have failed, God\u2019s mercy triumphs over judgment. <\/span><\/p>\n

I give up my right today to hold ANYTHING against myself\u2014I deserve to be punished, but Jesus took THAT punishment for me. <\/span>I forget what lies behind and press on, moving forward in my life with God, even though I feel like I have blown it beyond repair.<\/span><\/p>\n

I reject this guilt and self-condemnation that the devil is trying to put on me. <\/span>God is the God of 2nd chances. I will no longer try to make myself feel bad to pay for what has been done. <\/span>The price for what I did or failed at has been paid in full by God! In Jesus\u2019 name!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep moving forward,<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n