Are my sins too big…
Filed in NHL |Morning Journal,
The title for this entry comes from an article by Billy Graham that I read this morning. Wanted to share it up front. Someone wrote Doctor Graham about a sin in their past that still haunted them. This is what the writer said, “I’ve asked God to forgive me, but I still feel guilty. Is this because God hasn’t really forgiven me? Maybe it ws too big a sin for Him to forgive.”
Here is Billy Graham’s response (in part):
“No sin is too big for God to forgive, and the reason is because every sin we have ever committed — every one, without exception — was placed? on Christ when he died on the cross for us. Jesus didn’t die just for our small sins; He died for all of them! The Bible says, ‘He forgave us all our sins.’ (Colossians 2:13)
“This is why I invite you to turn your life over to Christ, by repenting of your sins and trusting him alone for your salvation. If you have never done so (or if you are uncertain if you have done so) pause right now and ask him to forgive you and cleanse you from all your sins — and he will…
“… But I believe God wants you to take another step — and that is to seek the forgiveness of those you have hurt. This won’t be easy, and some of them may reject you when you tell them you are sorry for what you did, but you still need to take that step. Not only will it help clanse your own heart and mind, but it will show others the transforming power of Christ in your life…”
I’ll come back to this stuggle of ‘are my sins too big’ in a bit.?
Had a memory triggered this morning while reading about the corrupt cops in Tijuana, Mexico. The Mexican government sent in three thousand federal officers to see to the ‘cop related’ crime wave. Weapons were taken away from the local police and the crime wave immediately began to drop.
This struck close to home. Our ship was at port in San Diego. The Captain warned the crew not to go to Tijuana. Of course in the youth of my stupid days, that is exactly that a friend and I did.
Here’s the short side. I’m walking down the street when a police car pulls up. They put me in the back seat, drive down three or four blocks and pick up a lady who was standing outside a restaurant. She was also placed in the back seat.
At the police station I asked what the charge was. They said, ‘For following a well known prostitute.’ Then they ask how much money I had. ‘Forty dollars.’ ‘Your fine is forty dollars.’
Ended back aboard ship with one mad Captain. The moral of the story is — Always listen to the Captain (Jesus). He will keep you out of trouble. :)
Had such a pleasant morning. My devotions will shortly begin with the book of Job. All I did this morning was prepare my heart beforehand for the of reading Job. First wanted to study more about the book itself. I’ll wait until tomorrow to actually begin my Scripture read.
Did my pre-study. Afterwards I simply mediated on the goodness of the Lord and had my prayer time. Went to the office to? work on ‘Ask the Pastor’ responses and catch-up on emails.
9:00 a.m. - CJ is doing something of a change for him. He has taken full ownership of the pillow that Betty got for him yesterday. Wherever the pillow is, that’s where General Claudius Josephus is.
What makes this odd is that CJ will? never get too far from me. When I move to another room, CJ is right with me. That has changed 100%. I can leave his pillow in my office and that is where he will stay. (Put his pillow right in front of my office window.) If I go to our sitting area, CJ may come by to check on his ‘ownings’ then back to his pillow. What a buddie.
10:15 to 11:00 a..m - My vine swinging, tree riding, creek fishing, skinny-dipping, swimming hole partner, watermelon patch raiding cousin came by for a great visit. Royce Fletcher is from my ‘other’ Fletcher cousin’s family. Two of daddy’s sisters married two Fletcher brothers. Plenty of Fletchers to go around.? I enjoyed his visit so much.
Let’s come back to ‘are my sins too big?’? One thing that bugs me the most is the misteaching of the Scriptures. You have people trying to teach the Bible who know little to nothing about covenants, about time issues, about why each book was written, to whom it was written, and other such like needed information.
A good example is how some people become paronoid over whether they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit. No one can blaspheme the Holy Spirit in the sense that it is set forth in the? gospels. This was purely a Jewish sin of the time. It had to do with the appearance of the Messiah, of the signs and wonders that validated who Jesus really was.
Blasphemy had to do with a people group who made themselves? an enemy of God,? thus an enemy of the Holy Spirit. It was a sin of vast proportions that was especially charged to the people who should have accepted Jesus with open arms, but rather railed against Him. (I’m happy to respond further? if any reader has questions.)
Another issue that disturbs me is when God’s people? are filled with insecurity largely because they? do not understand the message of the cross properly. They don’t realize that the? new covenant is entirely of God. No person will ever saved because they became good enough. The whole human race is bad enough to? need a Savior.
This is why the apostle wrote, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing? by the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:5 nasb.)
The point is that Satan has nothing to accuse a believer of. His power to accuse was disannuled at the cross. The sins of our whole life were placed on the cross and judged in Christ. In return we are given the very righteousness of God Himself. How can Satan make a charge against God’s righteousness?
Does this mean that we are free to sin? It means just the opposite. We are freed from the power of sin to separate us from God. Paul said that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is found in Jesus Christ.
It also means that in our spirit nature, God has placed a new principle of life. This new principle is the inward call to live a life of God-towardness. (That is what godliness actually means.)
Ok … Nuff for now.
Can’t wait to begin the book of Job tomorrow. In the Bible, Job and others who write wisdom literature are called sages, or wise men. There is so much wisdom in Job. Hopefully we can nibble at it just a bit.
12:00 p.m. - Guess I’ll go ahead and sign out for now.
This is my final word for the day — Laugh a lot. With yourself be true. Don’t beat up on your neighbors. And if you have a hard time resting properly, buy a BIG new pillow and curl up on it. It works for CJ.
Blessings,
Buddy
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