Do You Know Who I Am? by Daphne Delay

DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

Have you ever had days where you feel so bad for how you have acted?  Maybe it was an outburst of anger, or a judgment against someone.  Maybe it was just a lack of faith in an area, or a moment of insanity, or simply a period where you just forgot about God and His Word?  When you do come to your senses you feel ashamed because you know there is no real excuse.  Sure, you could think of one if you tried hard enough, but then you'd just be guilty of justifying your sin (which of course, is another sin). 

But then, because you love God, you pray and repent and seek forgiveness.  As His creation, we have this promise that when we "confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).  Yet as wonderful and true as this promise is, have you ever still just struggled with questions like: Why do you put up with me God?

  

I remember when I was a new Christian, just learning the basic principles of the Word of God, I would often say to Him, "Do You know who I am?  Haven't You seen the things I've done?"  I would hear of His great mercy and longsuffering and it would boggle my mind to think of it.  Could it all be true?  Is God really that forgiving?  Doesn't He know who I am and what I have done?  Doesn't He see my failures and shortcomings?  The scriptures would bring comfort to me as I would read or hear a minister speak of the love of God: "Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Hebrews 10:17); "As far as the east is from the west that is how far He has removed our rebellious acts from Himself" (Psalm 103:12); "I, even I, am He that blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25).  Yet, no matter how many times I heard it, it was still an act of faith on my part to believe it because of those driving questions: "Do You know who I am?  Haven't You seen the things I've done?"  

Since then, I have grown in the Lord and in knowledge and understanding of His Word.  I have embraced these truths and His faithfulness.  Yet even now, I have my days where I wonder how He puts up with me!  I know that no one is perfect, but it still grieves me greatly when I have momentary flesh fits and outbursts.   The devil doesn't have to put guilt and condemnation on me because I am mad at myself without his help!  And then here come those same questions once again: "Do You know who I am?  Haven't You seen the things I've done?"  And I wonder how He uses me at all.

But then... The loving Spirit of God says to me: "Do you know who I am?  Haven't you seen the things I've done?"  And then I remember how Abraham lied and said his wife was his sister, yet God forgave him and made him the father of many nations.  I remember that David was an adulterer, yet when he repented, the Lord blotted out his transgressions and called him a man after His own heart.  I remember how Paul said he was an ignorant and insolent man, the chief of all sinners, and yet God gave him great revelation of who we are in Christ.  And my answer has to be: Yes God, I know who You are.  I have seen the things You've done.

You are my High Priest, the One who ministers for me.  You are my Interceder, the One who pleads, negotiates, and asks for mercy on my behalf.  You are my Savior, my Redeemer, my Rescuer, my Knight in shining armor.  You are My Mediator, my go-between and my umpire.  You are my Advocate, the One who supports, promotes, and believes in me.  You are my Surety, my security and guarantee.  You are my Lord, the captain, commander and ruler of my heart.  I have seen Your faithfulness when I wasn't faithful.  I have seen Your love when I wasn't lovely.  I have seen Your longsuffering when I was stubborn and Your grace when I was undeserving.  I have seen You open blind eyes and deaf ears.  I have seen You take a child of the devil and turn him or her into a child of God.  I have seen You in creation.  I have seen You in the eyes of others.  I have seen You work through the hands of many and the hands of few.  Yes, Lord, I have seen You.

My mistakes are there and unfortunately will not completely go away.  "For we all stumble in many things.  If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body" (James 3:2).  It is no excuse for sin, but it is a part of our make-up nonetheless.  The thing to remember is this: "Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world.  Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.  We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world and that by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.  That is why He is the one who mediates the New Covenant between God and people.  Therefore if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.  In this way Jesus has become the surety of a better promise.  And for this reason Christ died and came back to life so that He would be Lord of both the living and the dead" (Hebrews 9:11; 7:25; 1 John 4:14; Hebrews 9:14-15; I John 2:1; Hebrews 7:22; Romans 14:9).

So when you are tempted to ask God: "Do You know who I am?  Haven't You seen the things I've done?"  Be prepared for His answer: "Do you know who I am?  Haven't you seen the things I've done?"

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Go & Sin No More by Daphne Delay

GO AND SIN NO MORE  

When we received our new life in Christ, we were told about the forgiveness of God.  In most cases, faith was birthed in our hearts for salvation based on the message of God's grace.  Then, as we grew in our faith, we began to learn and transform into the image of Christ as we applied the scriptures to our lives, not just being a hearer, but also a doer of His Word.  And then further yet, we were challenged to continue raising the standards in our lives, striving for excellence in our Christian walk so that His Light would be seen in us and therefore glorify our Father in heaven.

With all this said, I wonder if we really grasp the love of God?  I will tell on myself: I often get on a soapbox about sanctification (the accountability of Believers to keep themselves untainted from the world).  It grieves me when I (or anyone else claiming to be a Christian) takes the grace of God for granted thinking we can live however we want and plead forgiveness later.  But if I'm not careful I could become like a Pharisee and get too far in the other ditch not allowing God's merciful grace to teach us as we journey through life.

In considering these things, I have found a snapshot in the Word of God that fully portrays the love of God to us.  The story I'm about to relay will be a familiar one, but let's look at it not just as initial salvation but as a true picture of God's continuing love, understanding, and instruction.

Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [court], and the people came to Him in crowds.  He sat down and was teaching them when the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery.  They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him. "Teacher," they said, "This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery.  Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [womenoffenders] shall be stoned to death.  But what do You say [to do with herwhat is Your sentence]?"  This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him.  But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.  However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."  Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger.  They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.  When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, "Woman, where are your accusers?  Has no man condemned you?"   She answered, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either.  Go on your way and from now on sin no more" (John 8:2-11, Amplified). 

Do you realize this is still what Jesus is saying today?  "Go and sin no more."  When the devil, our own conscience, or anyone else, brings an accusation against us, do you realize God's first reaction to us is the same as Jesus had with this woman? "Go and sin no more."   She was obviously guilty just as we are, but Jesus showed compassion and understanding.  He was not condoning her sin by understanding her sin, but He was showing the nature of God by not condemning her.  

When we find ourselves guilty of sin, we should be bruised with sorrow over it.  Just because God offers grace doesn't mean we should take it lightly.  A great price was paid for atonement.  The covering over of our sin did not come cheap.  But at the same time, we need to understand that the heart of God still understands and desires to teach us ...for the next time.  What next time?  The next time we fail.  Unfortunately, we will again.  But hopefully it is not the hundredth time for the same thing.  Failing again and again for the same thing would be like the children of Israel going around the same mountain for forty years: they were not learning their lesson!  But Jesus said to the woman, and He still says to us today, "Go and sin no more."  That's our instruction.  That means, "Learn your lesson.  Receive forgiveness.  Don't do it again."

I have had to go to God on occasion and express my sincere remorse for failing again at something I had recently asked forgiveness for.  Times like that doesn't necessarily mean we are taking forgiveness for granted.  On the contrary, it could simply mean we are just growing.  The danger would be if we fail again (and again) at the same thing and we're NOT grieved by it.  But just as a child learning to walk, stumbles, picks themselves back up only to stumble again as their legs grow stronger, we sometimes fail because our spiritual legs are weak too.  God understands this.  This is why He says again (and again), "Go and sin no more."

Our response should be, "Yes, Lord."  And then our actions should match our words.  When sin is revealed in our lives, we must repent.  When Jesus sent His disciples out telling them to tell men that they should repent, that word is defined in the Greek as meaning to think differently.  Isn't' that interesting?  Repentance isn't just an action, it is a mental decision.  We must first decide and recognize the wrong in our life before we can change it.  If we don't recognize the sin in our lives then how will we ever know what needs to change?  "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know Gods will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect" (Romans 12:2, New Living Translation).   

In our pursuit of perfection (our attempt to reflect Christ as best as possible), may our spirits become more in tune with the words of Jesus.  May we take His words seriously when His love picks us up out of the ashes and says again, "Go and sin no more." 

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Can We Forgive by Daphne Delay

Can We Forgive?       

Two people I love very much had a war of words recently; and like with any conflict, their initial reaction was to quit the relationship. Broken, hurt, and disappointed, their feelings wanted to call the shots.  But as Christians, we are not to live by our feelings because feelings change.  Instead, the Bible instructs us to be led by the Spirit.  

Paul addressed these feelings in his letter to the Romans: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that is good I do not find" (Romans 7:18).  In other words Paul knew God's Word, and even had a desire to carry it out, but struggled against his feelings to follow through with what he knew to do.  We can know we need to forgive and take the high road, but the wrestle to do it is overpowering at times.  We often just throw up our hands and say, "That's it.  I'm done... forget it!"  And that's exactly what the devil wants the believer to do.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against principalities and powers of darkness..." (Ephesians 6:12).  We must remember Satan is our enemy, but he often comes at us in the form of flesh and blood.  He will use the weaknesses of our nature (and even our ignorance of spiritual principles) to deceive us.  And in most cases, he is able to suggest to the one offended that they are justified in their reaction.  But God said, "The wrath of man does not produce righteousness" (James 1:20).  No matter how much the devil suggests that you are right in your anger, the truth is "Your anger can never make things right in God's sight" (New Living Translation). 

Instead, we are instructed to "...lay aside all [anger, malice, and wrath] and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).  And herein lies the key: it is our soul that wants to retaliate and stay angry, not our spirit.  The soul of man is his mind, will, and emotions.  On the other hand, "The spirit of a man is is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart" Proverbs 20:27). The soul is where selfishness abides; whereas the spirit is where God abides - and God is love.

In fact, Psalm 18:28 says, "For You will light my lamp [my spirit]; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." God understands the soul of man and the conflicts associated with his mind, will, and emotions. Therefore, He promises to enlighten this area that is capable of producing darkness. But He can't do this without our participation. I often tell people, even if you have to grit your teeth while doing it, you must choose to forgive as an act of your will. The reason it's okay to forgive even when you don't "feel" like it is because the battle is really between your soul and spirit at that point. Love, God's love in you, desires to forgive because there is great power and victory in forgiving; whereas your soul will kick and scream all the way. So the question is: who's in control?

"Those who sow to the flesh [or soul] will of the flesh reap corruption, but those who sow to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Galatians 6:8). Why else did Paul say, "For those who live according to the flesh [or soul] set their minds on the things of the flesh..." (Romans 8:5a)? It's because it's easy to listen to the voice of the flesh. It's easy to re-hash and meditate on the offenses of the flesh - but at what cost? 

Jesus said, "Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9, Amplified). When you choose to forgive as an act of your will (not just because you "feel" like it), God blesses this choice. He has called us all to be makers and maintainers of peace. And if our desire is to be used by God then we must submit our soul to His Word. We don't have to worry about being a doormat, abused and stepped on by others. God will give us wisdom. He simply asks that we "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness [His way of doing things], then all these other things will be added unto us" (Matthew 6:33).

So can we forgive? Absolutely! As an act of our spirit and by the power of God.

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70x7 by Tamera Ford

70x7

Forgiving, most will agree that it is important to do. How many times have we agreed in our head that we should forgive but held onto unforgiveness in our heart?

It’s easy to do. Have you ever had to clean the house and come across an object that you just don’t know where to put? You really don’t want it but you don’t want to throw it away either.  In those situations, I am always tempted to just shove it into my closet instead of dealing with it. The problem is that my closet becomes a mess, unorganized and full of unwanted items. Unforgiven situations and people can be the same way, yet instead of the closet being a mess, it’s our heart.

Matt 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “ I do not say to you, up to seven times but up to seventy times seven.

Jesus tells us don’t just forgive seven times, forgive 490 times.  Why? Unforgiveness doesn’t hurt anyone but you. Holding on to even a small part of the problem clutters up your heart. 

In chapter 18, Jesus continues to tell a parable about a man who wanted forgiveness but would not give it. 

We all would be lost in darkness if we were not forgiven by the mercy of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Accepted or not, Jesus has provided forgiveness of sin for all mankind. He has given forgiveness without looking at if we deserve it.

Choosing to not forgive someone and yet relying on the forgiveness Jesus has given makes us a hypocrite. Unforgiveness not only clutters up our heart but also makes us a hypocrite. Yuck.

You may think that the situation you need to forgive is too awful and you just can’t do it. Ask yourself what will your heart look like a year from now, 10 years from now if you continue to shove that sin away and hold onto the anger?  

God’s ways are always best. His ways keep us free and allows us to walk in His best uncluttered!

I encourage you, if you need to forgive 490 times a day, do it. Don’t shove unforgiveness into your heart and tell yourself you’ll deal with it later. Choose to forgive today.

Need to pray? Father, I choose to forgive ________________ for what has happened. I am grateful for the forgiveness I have received and will be quick to forgive others. Help me to deal with the emotions attached to this situation. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus name, amen.

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Can You Forgive? by Tamera Ford

Can You Forgive?

Sometimes, people do things that hurt and disappoint us. What do we do with those feelings? When we expect people to be a certain way and they fall short, how do we respond? It’s not always easy to get past being let down by someone you love or turning the other cheek when a stranger takes advantage of you. People can cause us great pain if we allow them. It’s easy to look at others and highlight their flaws and the things they have done to hurt or disappoint. The hard part is looking at yourself and recognizing that you may have done the same thing to another.  We all make mistakes. In fact, we all have caused hurt and pain at one point in our lives. 

How do we get past it?

Forgive. Realizing that we all fall short daily and that the mercy of God is given to us freely, allows us to appreciate the gift of forgiveness. When we know Him, we also know the power of His forgiveness. He has forgiven us of our sins when we did not deserve to be forgiven. 

Can you forgive also? Can you let the pain or disappointment go and forgive?

Matt 6:14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Forgiveness frees us and allows the love of God to work in our lives. Unforgiveness keeps up locked up in the pain and causes us to put up walls. That is no way to live.

I encourage you today, forgive. Making the step to forgive allows us to walk in the love He has so freely given. Don’t stay locked up in unforgiveness. Don’t allow the devil to steal your joy and peace. Forgive. You are not alone. The Lord knows how to do it and He will walk with you as you choose to forgive those who have hurt or disappointed you.

Need to pray? Father, Help me today as I choose to forgive. I ask for your joy and peace to flood my heart as I let go of the unforgiveness I have held toward ______________. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. In Jesus name, Amen.

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