The Cost of Forgiveness. Part [1] 01/11/2024 (Evening thought)

Isaiah 53:4 Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Forgive Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster To forgive is to stop feeling resentment against (an offender) or to give up resentment of or claim to requital for (an insult) or grant relief from payment of (a debt). In seeking to understand more thoroughly the nuts and bolts of forgiveness, there are some basic things which we must grasp.

When the Bible speaks of God granting us grace, and mercy, full, and free, it is free to us, but it costs God a whole lot, because the very concept behind forgiveness is the fact that someone has to pay for it. In our first passages we see Jesus, who took it upon Himself to voluntarily pay the debt we owed, but in doing so, it cost Him His life, and a whole lot of pain, heartaches, suffering, and shame.

Yet, He followed through with His promise to pay our debt, thereby setting us free from the inevitable consequence of sin. So yes, forgiveness, as it comes to persons from God through Christ is God’s free gift but we should never forget that it had costs associated with it, so that it could be materialized. We are going to amplify this concept, since some might be considering forgiving an individual without having to pay in some form or fashion.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!

A Day of New Beginnings. Part [13] 01/10/2024 (Morning thought)

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus finds him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Jesus, may also find it necessary to go looking for us personally as He once did with the infirm man, so as to issue a personal caution against relapsing into the former errors. Instead of dwelling on our failures, or licking our wounds, let us instead treasure the new lease on life God may grant us, determining by His grace to stay connected this entire new year. God is in the business of putting Humpty- Dumpty back together again.

[The Desire Of Ages pp 324] When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.

And if folks will cooperate with Him, a day of new beginnings could translate into a victory that lasts unto eternal life, for this is the will of God concerning us. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture which should help us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, and if we do, God, according to His gracious purpose will heal both body and spirit in due time.

Jude 1: 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!