Praise the Lord for another day and another chance to help build the Kingdom. It’s awesome day and I hope you don’t mind but I feel compelled to preach a little this morning.

Today’s Prayer

Father, I pray for people who are at a crossroad today. So often we run into trouble or come to a place where we are not sure where to turn or which way to go. I pray for Godly wisdom and guidance to make the right decisions on this path of life. I pray for light to show the way. I pray for courage to stand firm. I pray for humbleness to remain yielded to You and to know better than to rely on things, people or circumstances of this world. I pray for Your Word to remain in my head and my heart. I pray for the right words to say at the right times. I pray that I will be a good testimony always, to Your grace, blessings, and saving power. I pray that You will forgive me for holding back and give me grace and power to move forward. Lord, I’m a willing vessel in Your hands. Use me for Your glory, and bless me as You see fit. Thank You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Let’s eat.

Forgiving Ourselves

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

I reached for this scripture today because as I sat and ministered to a very close friend a day or so ago about forgiving those that you feel that have wronged you and I realized that he was being hard on himself for not seeing the warning signs. The bible tells us that apostle Peter was one of three disciples who walked with Jesus closer than the other nine. He was the most enthusiastic and the one man who was willing to step into territories where others would not dare. He was the first to step out of the boat and walk on water. He wanted to protect Jesus at times when Jesus rebuked him for having a demon influence him. He cut off the ear of the guard who wanted to arrest Jesus in the garden. As Peter matured, the Holy Spirit harnessed his many extreme emotions.

The greatest trial for Peter was when he denied the Lord just before Jesus was crucified. Three times he denied knowing Jesus. Jesus predicted that the cock would crow after the third time just to reinforce the prophecy to Peter. Peter was crushed when he realized he had failed His Lord so badly.

The Lord forgave Peter for his denial. However, gaining forgiveness from Jesus wasn’t the most difficult part for Peter. The hard part was forgiving himself. As we mature in the faith, we begin moving in victory after victory with our Lord. Then out of nowhere, an event happens that reveals our true sin nature, and we are confronted face to face with this reality. We can’t believe that we are capable of such sin. There is no good thing in us to save except the grace of Jesus Christ and His blood that cleanses us. When God looks at us, He looks at the blood of Christ that has covered our sin. He doesn’t look at our sin once we confess it.

When we have difficulty forgiving ourselves, it’s pride at the deepest level. We are making an assumption that we should never have sinned and that we are too mature to sin. This is a trap from the enemy of our souls. People who can’t forgive don’t recognize from what they have been forgiven. That includes us.

Quote of the Day

Do not only take occasions of doing good when they are thrust upon you; but study how to do all the good you can, as those “that are zealous of good works.” Zeal of good works will make you plot and contrive for them; consult and ask advice for them; it will make you glad when you meet with a hopeful opportunity; it will make you do it largely, and not sparingly, and by the halves; it will make you do it speedily, without unwilling backwardness and delay; it will make you do it constantly to your lives’ end. It will make you labor in it as your trade, and not consent that others do good at your charge. It will make you glad, when good is done, and not to grudge at what it cost you. In a word, it will make your neighbors to be to you as yourselves, and the pleasing of God to be above yourselves, and therefore to be as glad to do good as to receive it.
~Richard Baxter~

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