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ARE WE REALLY GUILTY?

By: Lee Pierce
 

Do your actions in life ever bring on feelings of guilt before God? I know mine do, quite regularly I’m afraid. I know for a fact that I sin several times a day, every single day! The good news—if you can call it that—is I usually feel very guilty when I recognize that I’ve sinned.  And I typically rush to ask God to forgive me, and, this is most important I believe, I ask for that forgiveness after I’ve apologized to Him for my actions.

 

But do I really need to ask God for forgiveness? I’ve written about this before. I long ago came to believe that to ask God for forgiveness once we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ is not necessary. We can surely be sorrowful when we sin and can rightfully apologize for those actions, of course. But ask for forgiveness again? Maybe not; in fact maybe that’s a sin of disbelief in itself!

 

I was reading about forgiveness recently and about the quandary of objective truth versus subjective feelings. When I sin, objectively I’m truly guilty. I may or may not subjectively feel guilty (hopefully, my conscience has been well informed by the Word and the work of the Holy Spirit and I always feel guilty when I have sinned!). But the fact remains; when I sin I’m factually guilty before God. I’ve broken His law. In a passage I read in Dr. R.C. Sproul’s Tabletalk, it stated, “…our transgressions of God’s law provoke in us a subjective sense of guilt that can be quite burdensome.” Amen to that, and I would want it no other way!

 

The way this should work is this: when we sin, we confess our sin to God and then turn from that sin. But, at least for me, sometimes, those feelings of guilt just hang on. I recognize clearly that God has been so good to me and does so much for me that I often feel guilt so deeply when I fail Him. But here is the bottom line: I think I should rather be feeling sorrow for my short-comings rather than guilt. I hate it when I hurt God with my failings but I shouldn’t feel guilt. No, God long ago has forgiven me when I accepted His Son as my Lord and Savior. As Tabletalk put it: “To question our forgiveness when we have confessed our sin to God and turned from it…is to incur more sin. It is a sin to disbelieve God, and that is what we do when we hold onto our guilt….” And the article concludes with this great thought: “For when God forgives us, He forgives us forever.”

 

So, when you sin—which you will, of course—express your sorrow for that to God (apologize to Him), and then move away from that sin, confident that God has already forgiven you. And then work hard to please Him by your efforts to avoid that sin. God, more then any other, knows we’re fallen creatures, quite capable of repeated sin, yet He stills loves us and shows us that love every day without fail.



VENGEANCE AND RETRIBUTION

By: Anita Mondragon
 
 
The big thing now days is getting even…having vengeance…retribution.
 
I was watching a movie the other day and heard this statement:  “I’ve studied the grand masters of Eastern Philosophy, and discovered that retribution is the only way to cleanse the soul…”
 
Well, I’m here to tell you that THE MASTER says different!  In Romans 12:19 KJV Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
 
Holding a grudge…being bitter about past hurts…wanting to get even will NOT cleanse your soul!  It will make you just like the person you hate!  
 
Take your hurts to Jesus.  Leave them at His feet.  He will avenge you!
 
 
 


A LICK, AND A PROMISE

By: Anita Mondragon

Has anyone ever heard that phrase? I heard it in my growing up years all the time.

We cleaned house twice a week when I was growing up. We’d clean on Tuesdays and Fridays. Fridays were the ‘deep clean’ days…in case someone showed up for dinner on Sunday. My dad was a Baptist preacher for over 40 years, and it was inevitable that someone from church would come for Sunday dinner! So mom wanted the house CLEAN!

My mom always said we should make the house spic and span on Fridays. Tuesdays were more like ‘pick up’ days…hence, her phrase, “Just give it a lick and a promise and we’ll do better on Friday.” Now in case you still don’t understand that phrase, it simply means: “Go over it lightly-pick up what is seen, and give it a promise to do better the next time around.”

I was thinking about this the other day. That’s how we are with God most of the time. When we ‘repent’ of our wrong doings, we go over our sins lightly. We ‘confess’ what we see on the surface without ever getting to the root of the problem. That’s why we keep doing the same sin over and over again! Oh, we ‘promise’ God to try and do better, but we never really let Him get down deep in our conscience or our heart and allow Him to clean house!

Tuesdays were easy…but Fridays were hard! It took time and effort to find all the hidden dirt and junk that cluttered up the house and made it dirty. Our Christian life is the same. We can go to church on Sunday, sing our songs, lift our hands and utter “Amen’s” until the cows come home…but if we fail to truly repent before God, and confess our sins, and ask him to cleanse us…it’s only a lick and a promise…an empty promise.

Do you want a clean heart? David said in Psalm 51:10-19: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”

If we want to bring the lost to Christ, a lick and a promise lifestyle won’t cut it! Let God give you a DEEP CLEANING! Let every day be a Friday in your heart and life!



HE IS WITH ME

By: Tiffany Penn
 
“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” -Matthew 19:14
 

HE IS WITH ME

I am scared of the dark
But I should not be,
Because a very special Person
Is here with me.
 
His name is JESUS.
 
He whispers in my ear,
“There is nothing to fear”
So I lay back because
 
JESUS is with me.
 
 
 
 
 


He Knows Your Name!

By: Art Herrera
 
Freedom Friday :
 
As a kid growing up in a Bible Believing, Preaching Church my wife Andrea Sainz Herrera learned a song that I’m sure many of you know. It’s based on a story found in Luke 19 and it begins like this:
Zaccheus was a wee little man,
And a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a sycamore tree,
For the Lord he wanted to see.
It’s a catchy little song but don’t write it off as just a song for kids because the story it tells, found in Luke 19:1-10 carries some profound truths. I encourage you to read it in your devotional time.
I want to share a few things with you from this passage. The first actually comes from the last verse in the text, and I believe that’s a perfect summation of Jesus’ mission:
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.
The word lost here doesn’t just mean something misplaced, like a set of keys, It means something that has lost its purpose. Something that is not fulfilling the purpose for which it was made. It’s broken, not functioning.
Zacchaeus was lost, broken. And the truth is every person is lost without Jesus – we are all failing to fulfill the purpose for which we were designed.
Jesus came to find us and restore our function, redeem us for God’s purpose.
look at what happened when Jesus encountered Zacchaeus on that road. There are four things I want you to notice that happened to Zacchaeus, but they also apply to you and me when we really want Jesus in our lives.
 
1. He knows your name
As he was passing by, Jesus stopped, looked up into the tree, and called Zacchaeus By Name. He didn’t point and say “hey you”, he called his name. Jesus had a personal encounter with Zacchaeus. And he calls each of us by name. Jesus is calling you now.
 
2. He makes you what you aren’t
Zacchaeus’ name means “pure” but as a tax collector, someone who cheated other Jews and was rejected by them, he was anything BUT pure. That is, until Jesus called him
 
3. He welcomes you as a friend
We find Jesus inviting Himself over to Z’s home. Even though he didn’t know Zacchaeus, he stopped and said, “I must stay at your house today.” He treats Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector like a dear friend. Not only does he invite himself but he brings his buddies and says, “we’re staying for dinner.”
Jesus wants to make himself at home in your heart. (Side note) My daughter Christian Mendez says about Christianity, ” it isn’t a religion, it’s a relationship.” Jesus wants a personal relationship with you.
 
4. He changes your life
In verse 9, Jesus says, “today salvation has come to this household.” Zacchaeus joyfully received Jesus Into his home (heart).
The story continues that it wasn’t simply a matter of sharing a meal. Z’s heart grew. After meeting with Jesus things were never the same for him. And that’s what happens for us when we encounter Jesus, welcome him in, and experience a changed heart.
 
Jesus was just passing through Jericho that day. And He’s still passing through today, inviting each of us into a relationship where we’re HIS friend, no longer lost, but restored to our God-given purpose.
Have you invited Jesus Christ into your house (heart) if not what’s stopping you. You can pray this simple yet sincere prayer inviting Jesus Christ into your heart. Jesus the door of my heart is open and I invite you to come in and wash me clean from all my Sins, today I accept you as my Lord and Savior, in Jesus mighty name.
If you prayed that prayer I welcome you to the family of God.
To God Be The Glory.
P.A
 
 


TIME AGAIN

By: Esther Hernandez

The Covid19 pandemic which resulted in the shut of our country and most of the world in March of 2020 brought anxiety, fear, uncertainty; loss of life, loss of income, loss of homes, and loss of that sense of control that most of us liked to believe we had about our future.  It forced us to stop and slow down from all our running around – going here, going there, no time for this and no time for that, and no time for what is really important.

 

I was taught to slow down and take account of the things which are important to me.  Which are no things at all.  They are my family, friends, neighbors, people and my relationship with my heavenly Father.  These are what I embraced in my heart.  In constant petitions to my Father for their welfare, safety, and provision was how I kept them near.

In slowing down, I was able to remember life with them and the many, many blessings my heavenly Father had bestowed on me and my family.  I had time to recount the tiny fingers and toes, the sleepy eyes and smiles that came after.  I’ve been blessed with memories of lunches, laughter, tears and united prayer with family, friends and neighbors.  These too had been greatly missed.  Now I see my loved ones with more love, patience, compassion, tenderness and time. 

My heavenly Father has become more necessary in every scope of my life.  His mercy and compassion are still new every day, and His love still stretches to the most remote parts of the earth. 

I have been given time again to reach the lost and hurting.  Our communities are filled with fear, anxiety, a sense of hopelessness, poverty, hunger, homelessness, lawlessness and a senseless taking of life.  I will not waste time because time may be taken from me again.  2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.  Paul said in Romans 13:11, “The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber. . .”  Here I am, Lord.  Use me.  Give me a heart like Yours. 

 



My Hand

Just sitting there quietly, I happened to look at my hand. As I studied it and thought of how well it has served me over the years, I began to marvel at its capabilities. Consider that a hand can do very small, precise things like pick up a small screw off a work bench. Conversely, that same hand can wield an axe to fell a large tree, or run a powerful jack hammer to break up concrete, or, in concert with our amazing eyes, can swing a bat and drive a baseball over 400 feet for a home run!

 

Most tools and other functional objects I use to equip me for life are intended for one purpose. Whether it’s a hammer, a screw driver, or a laptop computer, they’re intended to do one thing—not so the hand!

 

As I sat there contemplating my hand and its amazing versatility, it occurred to me that my hand is just one component of an overall incredible construct: the human body. Prepare to be in awe when you take the time to consider other amazing body parts. Consider the functionality of your eye, for example. Or the constant pounding sustained by your feet, or your heart that faithfully beats a few billion times over a typical lifetime—Of all that God has created, mankind has to be the epitome of God’s great artistry, created in His own image [Gen 1:27] and He called it “very good.” [Gen 1:31]

 

As I thought about my amazing body and how creative, wise, and artistic God is, another thought occurred to me. The Bible says in Romans [Rom 1:19-20] that we know intuitively that God made all of creation and, as it goes on to say, we are fools if we deny that and fail to honor Him.

 

That led me to another associated thought: if we look around us, we have to conclude that a very powerful Being (and artistic being, we call Him God) created all that we see.  Yet, as it occurred to me, we would know virtually nothing about God except what He has created and that which we can see with our eyes. So how did our knowledge increase: He told us!

 

Yes, what a wonderful gift is the Bible, the Word of God. Without it we would not know the name of God (or that of His Son). But, with the Bible in our hands, we can read words that came forth from the very mouth of God Himself! And stories of His interactions with men and women just like us. Not to mention the works of His Son on our behalf to buy our freedom from sin and death! God gave us His Word just so we could know Him so much better.

 

I can only conclude that He must love us a lot given His efforts in creating me and you, and in His work to give us the Book that tells us all we need to know about Him. I hope you read it often!



WHAT BIBLE WAS HE READING?????

By: Anita Mondragon

This past weekend, my husband and I took a little ride to Colorado Springs to help our son and his girlfriend move her things down to Denver.  The mountains were beautiful, although a little hazy.  I was really enjoying myself until I happened to see a sign on the placard of a community church across the street.  Here’s what it said in huge bold letters-all caps:  God is queer.  Happy Pride!  I had to think of that verse in the Bible that says,   

There is no fear of God before their eyes.-Romans 3:18. 

How could a pastor, or even a member of that church have the fear of God in their hearts?  They must be reading a different Bible than me!  The name of the “church” by the way was, Grande Vista, which means, ‘great view, or wide view’.  Unfortunately, the view of the world is so wide that they want everyone to feel included.  But the Bible says,

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:” -Matthew 7:13  Then it goes on to say this: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:14

 

Am I saying we are to hate these people that are gay?  NO!  We are to hate the sin…but LOVE and pray for the sinner!   God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this very sin, BUT, he was willing to spare it if there were five righteous in the city.  God says in Romans 5:8,

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

The word, commendeth according to the dictionary means:  to entrust for care or preservation.  That means God wanted to preserve mankind so he gave us His love and sent his only Son to die for our sins! 

 

The REAL church-BELIEVERS need to wake up and speak the TRUTH to the lost.  After all, where would you and I be if someone had not told us of the love of Jesus?  I’d be on that broad way to destruction….  But thank the Lord…someone told me the truth and led me to Jesus and His forgiveness!  

 

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR!  READ YOUR BIBLE! 

 “Search the Scriptures, for the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you won’t come to me so that I can give you this life eternal!-John 5:39-40  

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.-John 14:6  

Jesus also said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. “-Matthew 11:28

 

WOE TO THE SHEPHERD THAT LEADS HIS FLOCK TO BE DEVOURED BY WOLVES!



Tuesdays Talk: If you don’t know Jesus, can you know the Bible?

By: Pastor Art Hererra
 
“But the Natural Man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because They are Spiritually Discerned.”
1 Corinthians 2:14
My grandfather once told me a story of how he had presented the gospel to a very intelligent man, a college professor. The simple gospel is that we gain eternal life by Believing and trusting in Jesus alone. After much discussion the professor told my grandfather that he would not believe the Bible until he understood it. My grandfather then told the professor, “Then you will die and spend eternity in hell, because you will never understand it until you believe it.” That unfortunate truth is exactly what this verse is telling us.
Much of the Bible does not make any sense to us until we believe in Jesus. We do, however, know enough so that we can either accept Jesus in childlike faith, or reject Him, and that will determine our eternal fate. But once we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, as the verses above tell us, and the things that are in the Bible begin to make more and more sense to us.
Have you invited Jesus Christ into your heart if not what’s stopping you. You can pray this simple yet sincere prayer inviting Jesus Christ into your heart. Jesus the door of my heart is open and I invite you to come in and wash me clean from all of my sins, right now I accept you as my Lord and Savior, in Jesus mighty name.
If you prayed that prayer I welcome you to to the family of God.
If you need help message me and Together We Will Beat Up The Devil.
To God Be The Glory.


IT’S WHO YOU KNOW…

BY: Anita Mondragon
 
Have you ever heard this statement…”It’s not WHAT you know…it’s WHO you know?
 
Well, I’m here to tell you that we as Believers need to stand on that saying and start using it to give God the glory!  The world uses it to climb over some more deserving than they are.  They use someone’s name to their advantage to be picked above someone much more qualified-just because they KNOW someone at the top!
 
We need to remember WHO we are in Jesus Christ!  We need to remember WHO’s child we are…WHO we belong to!  We are heirs with the Only begotten Son of God Almighty!  
 
I’ve heard some Christians say, “I can’t go out and witness!  I don’t know very much about the Bible or all the Scripture references and the like…” OR  “I’m just a new Believer-what can I say?” OR  “I’m too old to testify…”  And the excuses go on and on….  But the Bible says in Psalm 107:2-8,  

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
 
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!  REMEMBER WHO YOU KNOW!!  THEN GO OUT AND SAY WHO HAS REDEEMED YOU!



One Response to “Forgiven- A Daily Devotional”

  1. Anita says:

    What a great prayer! As Believers, this is the kind of stuff we should be seeking God for on a daily basis!
    Thanks for the reminder sister Francine!
    -anita

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