Month: August 2014

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 8
I received Christ when I was twelve. For the next eight years, my thoughts about God and Christianity and faith in Jesus were all directed toward finding answers to two questions:

1. How do I stop sinning?
2. What am I supposed to do when I sin?

Since I couldn’t stop sinning, the second question concerned me the most. I believed I was supposed to confess, repent, and then ask God to forgive me. And, IF I really meant it, God would forgive my sin. But I was never sure that He had. My formula for forgiveness didn’t work.
A pattern developed in my life. The patterns always started with a sin. The sin caused guilt and an intense fear of punishment. Out of this fear of punishment, I pleaded with God for forgiveness and promised him I would do better. And then the next sin came. I would go through the same process all over again, but I never felt forgiven. My formula for forgiveness didn’t ease the guilt or cast away the fear.
Soon I wondered if I was even saved. So I added to the formula. Confess, repent, ask God for forgiveness, and ask him to come back into my life. It was like my heart was a revolving door.
I was desperate to know God’s forgiveness. But with all my begging, pleading and promising, I never felt forgiven. Back in those days, I was desperately trying to earn something that had already been given to me by grace. I had already received the gift of forgiveness the day I believed on Jesus’ name.
The same is true of you.
Forgiveness Challenge #8 – Have you ever thought that God would one day unleash all his anger on you? Have you ever looked deep inside and recognized fear as the driving force in your life? Consider this: fear turns grace into a reward. Ask God to reveal the truth of Hebrews 10: 17, 18 into your heart.
“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 7
Barbara was not happy with what she was hearing on the radio broadcast. As a matter of fact, she was downright mad!
The subject for the day was the New Covenant, and specifically, the fourth promise of the New Covenant: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary” (Hebrews 10:17, 18).
Jesus’ accomplishment, or as one writer put it, his achievement, means your sins are no longer an issue to God. They’ve been forgiven. Nothing more needs to be done.
From a human perspective, this doesn’t sound right. It seems that there must be something we need to do when we sin. This was Barbara’s issue. “When we sin,” she argued, “we are supposed to say we are sorry and ask God to forgive us.” That’s how we think. The problem is that grace doesn’t conform to our way of thinking.
There is nothing wrong in saying to God you are sorry for your sin. You can ask God to forgive each and every sin as well. However, the sorry in your heart and the confession on your lips does not bring about God’s forgiveness. If they did, forgiveness would cease to be an act of grace on God’s part.
Forgiveness of sins has already been given to every believer. Jesus already dealt with your sin. He took the punishment and forgave it once and for all. In Christ, you are a forgiven person.
Forgiveness Challenge #7 – Instead of focusing on your sin, begin to train yourself to focus on Christ’s finished work on the cross, the forgiveness of sins. When you sin, remind yourself of this verse:
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Ephesians 1:7, 8a).

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 5
Jesus was crucified at a place we call Calvary. It was nine in the morning when soldiers nailed his hands and feet to the cross and then suspended him between heaven and earth.
At noon the sky darkened. It was the darkest moment in human history. God was making Jesus, the one who had no sin, to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).
At three in the afternoon, Jesus said in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And then….
In victory, he cried out, “It is finished!” With that cry, he gave up his spirit.
This was no ordinary death suffered by no ordinary person. This was Jesus, the Lord and creator of all, offering himself as the perfect Lamb of God. His achievement removed the barrier that stood between God and man. It shook the foundation of the world and it raised people to life. This was God saying to mankind to take note, to stop and consider the implications.
Christ Jesus, as the Lamb of God, took away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Forgiveness Challenge #5: Do you believe that Jesus’ death at Calvary was sufficient to take away your sin? Are you willing to rest in His finished work and trust that your sins have been forgiven once and for all? According to Acts 10:43, what did you receive the moment you believed in Jesus?
“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 4
Why did Jesus have to die? He is the Son of God. He has all authority on earth and in heaven. Yet, he died a cruel and excruciating death? Why?
The answer is found in Hebrews 9:22.
“Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”
This verse answers the why of the cross. If Christ had not shed His blood, there would be no forgiveness of sins.
But Jesus did die. He did shed his blood. In his blood is the forgiveness of sins. And, in Christ, you already have it. The death of Jesus Christ is the way of forgiveness.
What can we take from this? First, God desires to forgive. He doesn’t want you to face the judgment and the penalty your sins deserve. Second, Christ was willing to carry out the desire of his Father. Consider these words, “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book'” (Hebrews 10:7).
Jesus died to do the will of his Father. He shed His blood to forgive your sins. There was no other way.
Forgiveness Challenge #4 – When you struggle, remember that Christ shed his blood for you. This means your sins are forgiven. The cross of Christ is the way of forgiveness. Commit Hebrews 9:22 to memory, note it in your Bible, and open your heart to the truth in this powerful verse:
“Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 3
Mark records a fascinating story in his Gospel account. A group of people were gathered at a house in Capernaum to hear Jesus preach the Word of God. The house was packed wall to wall with no room for another person.
After Jesus started preaching, four men arrived carrying their paralytic friend on a stretcher. They had heard about Jesus and his healing touch. This was their opportunity to help their friend. They were determined to find a way to get their friend into that house. The only option they saw was through the roof. They climbed atop the roof, cut an opening and then lowered their friend on his stretcher.
This was faith in action. When Jesus saw it, he looked at the paralytic and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Does Jesus’ response seem strange to you? His statement confused the crowd as well and certainly raised the eyebrows of the teachers of the law.
They were thinking, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7). These teachers of the law packed deep theological truth in that seven word question. They clearly understood that forgiveness originates with God. God, and no one else, has the power and authority to forgive sins.
Only God can forgive because he is the offended party, the person that we ultimately wrong. Our sins are against him. We are in his debt
Jesus addressed their issue before they ever uttered a word. “Why do you question these things in your hearts?” (Mark 2:8). Then Jesus pressed his point. “…the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Jesus, God in human flesh, with authority and power, forgave the paralytic.
What is fascinating is the paralytic’s silence. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t ask Jesus to heal him and he certainly didn’t ask Jesus for forgiveness. In fact, he wouldn’t have even been there except for the heroic efforts of his friends. And, yet, Jesus delivered mercy with four simple words, “Your sins are forgiven.”
And He says the same four words to you.
Forgiveness Challenge #3 – Do you truly believe that Jesus has the authority and power to forgive your sins? Read Mark 2:1-12. What does this story teach you about forgiveness? Study Ephesians 1:7:
^” In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

The 28 Day Forgiveness Challenge — Day 2
On seven different occasions, Jesus explained “to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21).
The first time occurred immediately after a break-through moment for the disciples. Through his teachings and miracles, Jesus was causing quite a stir! The “water cooler” talk had people wondering who this miracle worker was. Jesus took his disciples aside and asked them, “Who do people say that I am?”
Then he turned the question on them. “Who do you say that I am?” This is the most compelling and most important question that has ever been asked.
After Jesus asked the question, Peter was the one who stood to answer. With confidence in his voice, he declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This wasn’t information Peter figured out on his own. God the Father revealed the truth to him.
Jesus is both Lord and God. The Gospel hinges on this truth.
To conclude that Jesus is simply a mere man, or a great teacher, or even a prophet raises all sorts of questions about the validity of his sacrifice on the cross. How could the death of a mere man take away your sins? His identity as both Lord and God validates everything he ever said or did. When he says to you, “your sins are forgiven,” you can rest confidently that they are.
Forgiveness Challenge #2: What about you? Who do you say that Jesus is? Mark 14:61-62 is a key passage for study. “But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” and Jesus said, “I am…”