Matthew 6:12 6/25/2019*

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

For years I knelt in locker rooms and recited this pre-game prayer with teammates. But I would always quietly change this one line.  I would say “forgive my debts and ‘help me’ to forgive my debtors”.

Why? …. Because I wanted real forgiveness, not the kind I offer to others. 

I knew the forgiveness I offered came at a high price:

1.    You must feel horrible about yourself.

2.    You must never forget that you failed.

3.    You must understand my forgiveness is temporary and if you stumble again your guilt will all come flooding back.
 

That is not how God has forgiven me…and it is not how I am to forgive others.

Jesus said exactly what He meant to say … I unwisely edited that sentence because it is difficult to live out…it is also incredibly important. It is the linchpin that provides the freedom for me to reflect the heart of God.

We are commanded to love others - and love does not require others to carry the weight of their failures for the rest of their life.

The price paid for our redemption was too great for it to be temporary or partial.  The forgiveness Jesus offers is so complete that once pardoned, our sins are forgotten. (Hebrews 8:12) We are made new and restored to a perfect relationship with Him.  

In this verse He says I must offer the same.

That kind of forgiveness might be difficult for me to accomplish… but if thoughts of your sin creep back into my mind ... I must intentionally take them captive and allow the blood of Christ to cover your iniquities as completely as it has covered mine.

Jesus meant precisely what He said …I am to forgive, as I have been forgiven…The bar is extremely high but if we clear it…it will set us free. 

Is there someone you need to forgive today?  Remove their chains and you will discover that you are the one who is liberated.

It may be a long fight…. You may have to battle those feelings for a while…but it is easier than carrying the weight of unforgiveness….and your freedom is worth the effort.

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” –C.S. Lewis

Psalms 91:1 6/18/2019*

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

It is said that real estate values are determined by three things…location, location, location. The same can be said of Spiritual real estate. Where you dwell spiritually impacts how you live.

Anxiety and fear are everywhere in our society.  We deal with those emotions every day.  Exhausted, confused, and scared seems to be the norm. But that condition is the exact opposite of rest, and this “911” Psalm says our spiritual location can provide the remedy.

The background on my computer is a photograph of a baby polar bear at the entrance of a cave.  Behind him, inside the cave you can just make out the image of the mama bear … huge, powerful, and watching.

That background is there to remind me that if I dwell in the shelter of the Most High…I am well protected in His shadow. No anxiety can invade that sanctuary. My safety is determined by my proximity to my Father.

Like the baby bear, when I am close to my protector, I am untouchable…if I wander off, I am defenseless. There is no middle ground.  My safety is not found in my strength but in the power of the one who loves me. 

If you are experiencing fear and anxiety it could be that you have wandered from home. You have drifted away from the most powerful Guardian that has ever existed.

Turn around…deliberately DWELL with your Heavenly Father.  That doesn’t mean go to church once a week, it means live each moment in God’s love…Make that your permanent residence…. Rest there and let God deal with those who would harm you.

The enemy is a liar and fear and anxiety are his favorite subjects, but they are empty and powerless when you live under the protection of The Almighty God of the universe.

Pick up your shield of faith and run to your Father… and for the first time in long time…rest. Take a nap in His shelter knowing that His unimaginable power protects you.

If you want a visual, Google “mama polar bear and cub” and see a reminder of where you live spiritually… a picture that hints at what the shelter of the Most High looks like.

Let that picture remind you that your peace can never be disturbed when you rest in the shadow of the One that loves you. 

“You're safe not because of the absence of danger, but because of the presence of God.”

Anonymous

Matthew 18:12 6/11/2019*

 “… If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”

What do you think of when you read this parable?

Jesus is talking about how valuable each of us are no matter how far we have drifted from Him. How much He loves each one of us individually.

Have you, like me, read this verse and been amazed at the drug users, thieves, and prostitutes that Christ has joyfully carried back from their wanderings?

If so, then like me, you missed it.  

How can I say this nicely?... YOU are that lost sheep. You and I are the ones He had to go find.

He didn’t say the sheep ran away…He said it wandered off. Maybe It wandered off because it thought it was safe. It thought it didn’t need the Shepherd like those really bad sheep do.

Like the Pharisee that prayed “thank you, God, that I am not like other people.” (Luke 18:8) I have been guilty of being impressed at how much God can love other sinners…when I should be astounded that He can love me.

How subtle is the temptation to think of others when I read this passage?

Pride and self-righteousness are deadly, and they flourish when I have the wrong view of myself. This verse makes it crystal clear that I have a problem with my opinion of me…. my default position is that I have always been better than most … that is a fatal flaw.

If you struggle in this area realize that God knows you…the real you, and He came to find you anyway.  Take a long look in the mirror and humbly thank God for covering the sin in your life and for constantly tracking you down when you wander from the herd. Stand amazed that His love makes you clean.

If you keep the right perspective of who you are…you will see others through the eyes of Christ and be eager to find sheep who have wandered off…. and as one that has been lost yourself…you can help lead them back to safety.

“Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.”
- Charles Spurgeon

Luke 23:43 6/4/2019*

“And He said to him, "I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise."

Do you ever look at all the pain and suffering in the world and feel like God couldn’t be concerned with your problems?

This verse might give you some insight into that idea. 

In this passage, Jesus was on the cross at the most critical moment of God’s plan to redeem all of humanity. He was in unspeakable pain and in the midst of fulfilling prophecies which had been written thousands of years earlier about His death….and yet He paused.

At the most important moment in all of human history, Jesus turned to a thief on a cross next to Him to comfort him and deliver him from his sin. Jesus put the process that would bring salvation to all the world on hold to love a sinner.

I don’t know the guy’s name that was on the cross next to Jesus…but every angel in Heaven does.  They must have watched in amazement as their King stopped to ease the pain of this condemned criminal.

When the enemy tries to convince you that you don’t matter.  When you can’t imagine God caring about your problems because of who you are, and what you’ve done. Remember this verse…. He didn’t come to save the masses. 

He came to save individuals…He came to save you.

The plan of salvation is universal…but it is a very personal matter to Jesus.  He knew you before you were born. He knew all that you would do, and the price it would take to redeem you. Jesus did what He did because He loves you, and your situation matters to Him.

Cry out to Him today, and all of eternity will stop and wait as He turns to you to comfort and deliver you.  Rest in that truth, rely on this example, and know that He loves you personally and no matter what else is happening…He cares about your problems. He is aware of your suffering… and He has purchased your pardon.

There's no place too dark for God's light to penetrate and no heart too difficult to be set aflame by His love.
- Sammy Tippit