Daily Wisdom

 Col 3:13 “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Forgiveness is restoration. If we say we forgive but refuse to extend trust, we haven't really forgiven. We are asking the person to prove themselves to us in order to be worthy of our full forgiveness. We're making them work for our grace, which is not the model Christ exemplified. Jesus never requires us to earn back His grace, nor His trust. Remember it was Jesus’ sacrificial act that forgave us and offered us restoration with Him. When we choose to make excuses not to forgive and sacrifice for others well-being, restoration, and growth – we’re spurning the very identity Jesus died to provide. I’m eternally dead without God’s grace; who am I to manage it.

Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in me… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Pro 10:12 “… love covereth all sins.”

This is a powerful and challenging verse all in one.  Love first covers sin, not exposing it, then it forgives and forgets, without judgment. But man can be quick to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually harbor, fuel, and hold on to such pain that the regret, bitterness, and anger consume them. One must cry to God in such pain for the power to obey His injunction, “love covereth.” And then mentally dig a grave, emotionally lower the pain into the depth of the pit and spiritually cover it and plant a new beginning of green sod and white roses on top of it, and quickly walk away in love and peace. It’s then the wound that seemed spiritually deadly will heal without a scar.

When it hurts to look back, and fearful to look ahead, look up and find your peace… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Heb 9:22 “… without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness of sin).

The power of blood was seen in the Old Testament sacrifices, (vs 20 “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.) Moses spoke these words in (Exo 24:8) as he sprinkled the O.T. covenant law, people, tabernacle, and vessels. Even the N.T. covenant (Jer 31:31) was the blood of Christ shed on the cross, (Heb 9:16 “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.”) Our “testator” (Christ) was the fulfillment of every sacrifice made by man’s hand. Christ’s death disposes man’s effort for righteousness and establishes it on man’s behalf. Though only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year, by way of blood sacrifice, we now can endlessly enter the presence of God’s Holiness through prayer by the blood of Christ!

There's no atonement in the acts of man, only in the shedding blood of our Saviour… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 Joh 15:11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

How is one to abide in the love of the Lord, and He says when we abide in Him, we have His joy, and it will be full (Jn 15:11); how can we be full of joy and at the same time walking in a general cloud of guilt? This often occurs when we fail to handle sin correctly and lose sight of the cross. We must confess our sin before the Lord, but that isn’t what brings about our forgiveness. Forgiveness/grace only occurs by Christ’s way of the cross. While we are to confess our sins, our forgiveness before the Lord does not rest on our performance of pleading and begging, but only on Jesus Work of grace, not ours!  Any efforts (work) on our part to get right with the Lord only compounds our failure and fuels our guilt.

Like a car, we can only get to where the Lord wants us by remaining full of His joy… HSAY

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them…” Mt 7:12

Forgiveness doesn’t excuse another’s behavior; Forgiveness prevents their behavior from damaging your own heart.

David found himself, while already in betrayal by Absalom his own son, caught again in betrayal by either Mephibosheth (Saul’s grandson) or Ziba (Saul’s servant). 2 Sam 16; 19

But David’s reaction shows he’s come a long, long way since the glory days of ten chapters ago -  he’s better and wiser, and recognizing that this is partly his fault.

In one of his more Christ-like moments, David at the end of his civil war with Absalom takes upon himself all the sorrows of his people, and all their guilt as well, and discharges the conflict in himself.  He is the peacemaker now, at his own expense. He’s now a covenant mediator.

One who doesn’t know the value of loyalty can never appreciate the cost of loyalty.

And sadly, betrayal never comes from your enemies.

The knives of betrayal cut deep and hurt… but they also trim away the nonsense and reveals the most valuable truth of all.

When you’ve been cast out alone into a sea of betrayal, there is only One who is able to be out on the water with you.

David’s story shows us that betrayal brings forth either bitterment or betterment?

But before we choose our course against those who betrayed us remember it was our own betrayal that put Christ on the Cross and yet He isn’t bitter with us, only the better!

Before bitterness sets in, remember Jesus couldn’t get to the cross without Judas’s betrayal!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Heb 2:15

Like a small root that grows into a great tree, bitterness can spring up in our hearts fostering jealousy and dissension.  

Bitterness Breeds…. It’s poison to one’s soul and those around them, and arises through unmet expectations (Gen 27:34).

The antidote is: 1.) Learn to be content (Phl 4:11) and 2.) Learn to forgive (Lk 17:1-4)

What a person eats is not nearly as important as what’s eating at him.

HSAY... Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Eph 4:32

Love yourself enough to forgive the acts of others!  Unforgiveness unleashes a myriad of emotions: hurt, anger, hatred and eventually bitterness, all upon yourself.  Forgiveness doesn’t always heal the relationship, but it does allow God the heal your heart.  Lifting the weight of emotions that weaken you making room for those that strengthen: peace, joy, hope, love and freeing both the unforgiven and the unforgiving.  It’s ultimately defined as a promise, not a feeling. When forgiving someone you promise not to hold their sins against them, as Christ did you, and more so stop harboring internally the emotions that come by their acts. Don’t cheat yourself out of your peace because of your pride in waiting on a apology, thus allowing their weakness of embarrassment, guilt, or being ashamed to stop you from your healing. Be ok with a sorry you never get, knowing what you get in return is far greater.  To be a Christian (Christ-like) means forgiving the inexcusable, because God has forgiving the inexcusable in you.  Remember, forgiveness is not achieved by the guilty being punished, but because the wounded are merciful!  Want to feel loved, love to forgive.

To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and realize the prisoner was you.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Rom 8:1

It matters not where you’ve been, but where you are; not what you’ve done, but what you’re doing; not what you where, but who you are! Would have, could have, should have is the language of condemnation and is quickened with the passivity of regret. This is a debilitating language; you can’t un-sin you can only repent. It’s the love of Christ that leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4), not the judgment of sin. The same finger which wrote the Ten Commandments, and wrote on the wall, also wrote in the dirt “neither do I condemn thee” (Jn 8:11). God’s too good to spend another day at war with yourself; fighting a fight that has already been won.

Satan knows your name and calls you by your sin; Jesus knows your sin and calls you by your name.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in the do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” Psa 143:8

 David seeks to hear God’s pleasure in him; overcoming a night of discouragement his hope is to awaken in the assurance of God’s love and enlightened to His will and direction for him. David was not seeking comfort in his walk, but wisdom in the right direction.  The only thing new with each morning is your opportunity to live in the love God which is never new, but everlasting. Declare each morning the praises of God (Psa 59:16), asking Him to enlighten your mind with truth; inflame your heart with His love; inspire your will with courage; enrich your life with faith and servitude; pardon what you’ve been; sanctify what you have. Don’t start your day picking up the broken pieces of yesterday, live in the promises God has for you today; He has a key for every problem, a light for every shadow, relief for every sorrow and a plan for the day!

You must learn to live in your promised hope, not out of your forgiven past

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge…” Acts 7:60

Stephen spoke very similar words as those uttered by Christ on the cross (Lk 23:34). Christ had promised those living for Him would suffer as He (Lk 21:12-19); this is still true. By boldly living out our faith, we too will face rejection: “But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake…” (Jn 15:21). Yet the most profound aspect of this act was Stephen’s ability to plead forgiveness for those whose hands brought forth his suffering. Stephen applied himself to a dying work with as much composure and prayer as he did while living. Stephen’s charge poses a question, do we cry out forgiveness before Jesus for those you cast stones at us? Forgiveness clears the path before us, by letting go of that which is behind; allowing us to see the hope we have in tomorrow. Rest assured forgiveness lets the prisoner go free, but realize the prisoner was you! We often fail in seeing the goodness of God because we are to focused on the actions of others; stop trying to remember in others what God has already forgotten in you (Psa 103:12)

Don’t base forgiveness on what someone deserves, you didn’t deserve yours!

HSAY…Todd