Zondervan Inspire

He Wants You to Be with Him

From the Editor: This picture reminds me of some of the children I ministered to in El Salvador two summers ago. It was amazing to watch them respond to God’s love.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

Jesus places a high value on his relationship with us. How high a value? He died on the cross to make a relationship with him possible (see John 15:13). He wants us to be with him where he is for all eternity (see John 17:24). Look again at these two facts, and let them overwhelm you for just a moment: He died for you. He wants you to be with him.

The way in which Jesus values his relationship with us is one of the greatest motivations for pursuing stronger relationships with each other. John puts it this way: "Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other" (1 John 4:11). Read More from This Book.

 

From The Relationship Principles of Jesus by Tom Holladay

 

Divine Authority to Forgive

From the Editor: Whenever I encounter someone who says that Jesus is not God, this passage that so clearly points to the divinity of Jesus often comes to mind.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God (Luke 5:20–25).
Listen to Luke 5:17–25  |  Watch the Inspiring Video

From Inspired By ... The Bible Experience™: The Complete Bible

New Every Morning

From the Editor: I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad God gives second chances.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

In the book of Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah looks back at the destruction of Jerusalem. The judgment on them was painful, but God would not leave them ruined. Eventually, after they acknowledged their disobedience and confessed their sin, God would forgive and restore them. He would allow them to start over once more. And he does the same for us.

Maybe you have experienced the discipline of God in your own life. You have suffered painful consequences for sinful choices you have made. Perhaps you feel that God has left you there. If so, remember that although God is just, he is also full of mercy. His compassions never fail. He promises to forgive us when we come to him and confess what we have done or not done. No matter how you have offended God, you can have hope because of his great mercy. You can always have a fresh start with him because of his compassions are "new every morning."

From New Women's Devotional Bible

Everyone Knows Two Things

From the Editor: I’m finding Faith & Doubt by John Ortberg to be an intriguing work, not like his usual fare, but geared more toward those who are searching for answers. He gently addresses questions many have about Christianity all the while presenting it as both reasonable and appealing.

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith

Every human being knows two things: There is a way we ought to behave. We do not invent this code; we only discover it. We might be fuzzy on the details of it sometimes, but we have a general idea of what it is. We also know that we don't live up to this standard. We all fall short. We need forgiveness. We need grace. We need to get fixed.

Every time people argue, they are implying that the universe is not an accident, that there is a moral order built into the way things are, because it was put there by Somebody, and that Somebody is God. The good news is that he is a gracious God. That's part of why I believe in God.

From Faith & Doubt

by John Ortberg

Any comments or testimonies today?

Receiving God's Forgiveness

From the Editor: Another great thought from Ann Spangler. She really knows how to get to the heart of the matter. Any other thoughts on this subject?

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

I don't like having my weakness exposed. I find it hard to look squarely into my heart, to have my self-illusions punctured. Perhaps by slowing down and allowing myself to feel the pain, not to wallow in it, I will be given the grace to recognize what led to my failure. Maybe God will give me not only his forgiveness but the kind of self-understanding that will help me break out of the habits and patterns that lead to sin. Perhaps receiving God's forgiveness, like extending it, is for most of us a process rather than an event.

From The Tender Words of God

by Ann Spangler

Stand in the Light

From the Editor: I love how Ann blends personal experience, word studies, scripture and plain ole’ truth to say something so simple yet so profound. Her explanation of repentance is so spot-on. It’s not about simply asking for forgiveness; it’s a change of direction, attitude, behavior. Paul describes this concept of repentance in Ephesians 4:22-24 as putting off, renewing, and putting on. Any other thoughts on this subject?

Wishing you blessings today,

Keith 

I realize that forgiveness can be a process. It begins when I decide to forgive. But it can take time for me to let go of my emotional reactions to what someone has done and my desire to see them suffer for it. But God doesn't have emotional reactions. His forgiveness happens instantly — the moment I repent.

I remember the first time I realized what a positive thing repentance is. The Greek word that often translates "repentance" in the New Testament is metanoia. It expresses the idea of turning, of doing an about-face, of heading away from one thing so you can head toward another. It's not just a turning away from the disintegrating power of sin but a turning toward the creative, life-giving power of God. It's choosing to stand in the light rather than to linger in the darkness.

From The Tender Words of God

by Ann Spangler

Grace to Forgive as I Have Been Forgiven

I started thinking about how I had responded during the early months of the Iraq war when Saddam Hussein's two sons were killed. "Yes!" Both times, my response was instinctive, like cheering for my favorite football team. But then a discomfiting thought crept in. Was Jesus rejoicing at the death of these two men? I turned back to the Scriptures. "Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. If you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. How many times should you forgive? Seventy-seven times." These were Jesus' words. But really, I have to forgive rapists and mass murderers?

This Jesus, he asks so much. Yes, but he gives so much.

I can remember the sense of sheer mercy that came to me years ago when I finally admitted my failings and opened myself to God’s forgiveness. As I thought back to how gracious God has been, I felt willing to pray for a change of heart. Instead of cheering the demise of those men in Iraq, I wanted the grace to forgive as I had been forgiven, to let pure justice remain where it belongs — in God's hand.

From The Tender Words of God

by Ann Spangler

Any comments or testimonies today?

We Are Wired for God

Without forgiveness, our lives would be hopeless because our connection with God would be broken forever. Like buildings wired for electricity, we are "wired" for God. But sin breaks that connection. Without God's forgiveness, we would be like a city that has suddenly gone dark because of an irreparable break in its electrical grid. Because of God's great compassion and his desire to restore our vital connection to him, he graciously extends forgiveness to anyone who asks and who is also willing to extend it to others.

In the New Testament, Paul views forgiveness not just as the removal of guilt for past sins but as deliverance from the power of sin itself. The primary Greek word in the New Testament for divine forgiveness is aphesis. It is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that brings forgiveness for all who belong to him.

From The Tender Words of God

by Ann Spangler

Any comments or testimonies today?