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Hebrews 8:12 – “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”
Sometimes at work we may forget an appointment, or an assignment. We may forget to return a phone call or reply to an email. Sometimes forgetting something may even hurt someone’s feelings. The Hebrew passage above will not cause anyone’s feelings to get hurt because of forgetfulness. God says He is going to forget our sins and no one is complaining. He is going to totally forget our sins. They are erased from the hard-drive. There is no way we want God to remember our sins. We are overjoyed to know our sins have been forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
God never forgets anything except those things He chooses to forget. Without God choosing to forget our sins we would all be in a world of trouble. Now that is Mercy, getting what we do not deserve. We don’t deserve to be forgiven, but we get to receive it through our Savior Jesus Christ.
The reason Jesus was the greatest gift given to this world is because through Him humans are able to receive forgiveness of their sins. He was not simply a baby born in a manger. He was born to grow, never sin, and then offer His life on the cross of Calvary for us. Jesus having fulfilled His purpose allows God to forgive us. Have a Merry Christmas Season! Think About This: The moment you asked for forgiveness, God forgave you. Now do your part and leave the guilt behind. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Gen. 42:21-22 - Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us." Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood." NASU
There had been a famine and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. When Joseph sees his brothers he recognizes them but they don't recognize him. Joseph places them in prison and accuses them of being spies. He leaves them in prison for three days and tells them they must leave one of their brothers in prison, travel home, and bring their younger brother to Egypt to prove they aren't spies.
The two best ways I know to overcome a guilty conscience if you have hurt someone:
After their father, Jacob, dies the brothers send a message to Joseph asking him to forgive them. Gen. 50:16-17 -"Your father charged before he died, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph, "Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." The brothers asked Joseph for forgiveness and it was granted to them.
I am not perfect now but thank God I am not what I used to be nor am I what I want to be. I want to do what 2 Pet. 3:18 says, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Christians are like a sign I read that says, "Under Construction: God isn't finished with me yet." We are under construction. God is working on us and will continue to work on us.
People have told you, "Let it go." You wish you could but everything you have tried isn't working. So what should be done in those situations? I would say, "You need to remember what God has done for you and that is He Has Forgiven You, so forgive yourself."
I like this saying, "When the devil wants to remind you of your past, remind him of his future." Romans 16:20 - "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." If you want to dwell on something then dwell on what God has done for you and what He will do to the devil. Think About This: Your conscience is not the voice of God; it is a gift from God. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Luke 23:39-43 - One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?"And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." NASU
I remember reading a quote in a book that goes like this: "It doesn't matter how you start. It only matters how you finish." Well, my early years were used for me. I did what I wanted to do and went where I wanted to go. Little did I know at the time the devil was playing me for the fool I was. I was on a fast track to hell. I was at a class reunion a few months ago when one of my classmates had learned that I gave my life to Christ. He said this with all sincerity, "I am really glad you changed." In other words, he was saying, "I am really glad you gave your life to Christ." He may be really glad but I am over the moon ecstatic that I became a Christian. I was like the criminals on the cross. I was headed to hell and needed forgiveness. I am happy that I was like the one criminal that realized he needed Jesus and not like the one that didn't realize his need for Him. My start in my early years not so good, but it is my finish where I want to shine for the LORD. If your start hasn't been so great, don't worry about it. Make the remaining years of your life count for the LORD.
How did he know Jesus had a kingdom? I will give you my two cents worth because he had heard either John the Baptist or Jesus preach a sermon about the kingdom, or maybe he heard both of them. Matt 3:1-2 - Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He may have heard one or both of them. We know he didn't listen to them when he first heard them, but now at the end of his life, he is ready to accept the truth and become a member of the Kingdom of God. Maybe you haven't listened to the gospel in your early days. It doesn't matter how you start it matters how you finish. Finish strong! Give your life to Christ! He can do more with it than you can.
Here is what Jesus said about entering the Kingdom: John 3:5 - Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus is telling everyone to be baptized or immersed for this is how one is born of the water and the Spirit (read Acts 2:38).
The criminal was displaying repentance and a confession of his faith in God which was what was needed under the old covenant. We are baptized into the death of Christ and Christ wasn't dead at this point. Romans 6:3 - Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? I hope you will allow God to extend one of His greatest attributes to you and that would be the forgiveness of your sins. Think About This: There is one thing for which you should be thankful - only you and God have all the facts about yourself. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word John 8:4-8 - "…they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." NASU
Jesus does what He does best in these types of situations. He doesn't answer their fictitious question. He stands up (this is the meaning of the Greek word "straightened up") and says, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Will we ever be qualified to throw stones at someone because they have sinned? The answer is an emphatic "NO" and the reason is we have to be sinless to throw stones at someone. This is something no one will ever be qualified to do for we have all sinned and have all fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
When we extend forgiveness to those who have sinned we become more like God than we will ever realize.
Luke 18:9-14 - And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." We will never be permitted to be stone-throwers, but we are allowed to have contrite hearts. Think About This: We should forgive others as quickly as we expect God to forgive us. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Gen. 41:50-51- Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." NASU
His older half-brothers detested him greatly and when the opportunity came for them to get rid of him they sold him to some slave traders. The slave traders will take him to Egypt where he will be sold again (Gen.37:18-36).
In prison he reveals the meaning of dreams to a butler and a baker. The baker will die exactly the way Joseph interpreted his dream. Joseph will interpret a dream for the butler and when it happens exactly the way Joseph said the butler doesn’t help Joseph like he said he would. He will use this knowledge later to help Joseph to be freed from prison, but not immediately.
When no one is able to interpret the dream the butler remembers Joseph can interpret dreams. Joseph is brought in and he reveals Pharaoh's dream and it's interpretation. The meaning of his dream is Egypt is will experience seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. God has given Joseph the ability to reveal and interpret the dream of Pharaoh, and because of this, the Pharaoh places him second in command over all Egypt at this time.
Joseph says, "God has made him forget…" So what about you, can you say I have had my share of troubles? Have people lied about you? Have people been jealous of you or your accomplishments? Have you been sexually harassed or physically abused? Have you been in prison for a crime you didn't commit? Have you been hurt by family members? If you are able to answer "yes" to any of these questions then let me ask you one more question.
The secret to overcoming past hurts is to ask God for help. Ask Him to help you have a Manasseh moment. God helped Joseph and He will help you. Think on These: It is far better to forgive and forget than to hate and remember. We are like a beast when we kill, men when we judge others and God when we forgive. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago |
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