Tag Archives: forgiveness

Forgive! (Colossians 3:1-16) December 7, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Colossians 3:1-16

Set – Colossians 3-4

Go! – Colossians 1-4

Colossians 3:1-16
¹ So it comes down to this: since you have been raised with the Anointed One, the Liberating King, set your mind on heaven above. The Anointed is there, seated at God’s right hand. ² Stay focused on what’s above, not on earthly things, ³ because your old life is dead and gone. Your new life is now hidden, enmeshed with the Anointed who is in God. ⁴ On that day when the Anointed One—who is our very life—is revealed, you will be revealed with Him in glory! ⁵ So kill your earthly impulses: loose sex, impure actions, unbridled sensuality, wicked thoughts, and greed (which is essentially idolatry). ⁶ It’s because of these that God’s wrath is coming upon the sons and daughters of disobedience, so avoid them at all costs. ⁷ These are the same things you once pursued, and together you spawned a life of evil. ⁸ But now make sure you shed such things: anger, rage, spite, slander, and abusive language. ⁹ And don’t go on lying to each other since you have sloughed away your old skin along with its evil practices ¹⁰ for a fresh new you, which is continually renewed in knowledge according to the image of the One who created you. ¹¹ In this re-creation there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and conqueror, or slave and free because the Anointed is the whole and dwells in us all.
¹² Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind. ¹⁴ But above all these, put on love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together. ¹⁵ Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful.
¹⁶ Let the word of the Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the Spirit, and keep on singing—sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with thankfulness.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It seems that every day there’s news of another shooting. Another terrorist or someone filled with anger loses control and unleashes that anger on the innocent just because they can. Lives face eternity instantly and families are changed for a lifetime. Do I expect you to really live the life Paul talks about in the face of such wickedness in the world? A life of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? Do I expect you to forgive even those who wreck families forever because of their wonton disregard for life?

The answer is yes. Think about the conditions Paul faced. When he wrote these words he found himself chained to a Roman guard in prison. He didn’t know if he would live or die. He faced trumped up charges of treason against the state, a clear sentence of death if found guilty. After 25 years of following My directions, Paul had been beating, imprisoned, flogged, stoned, and left for dead. But I wasn’t finished with him yet. I still had work for him to do.

What does Paul do with each of his tormentors? He forgives. He tells you to live a life such that your persecutors, your enemies will marvel at your failure to seek revenge for their cruelty. As I did from the cross, Paul understood those who persecuted him didn’t know what they were doing. Satan blinded their eyes. He pulled a veil over them so they could not see the truth of My word and acted out of ignorance. Just look at the actions they took. Plotting murder to uphold their law! How could they justify breaking the law to keep the law? Their blindness caused by Satan’s schemes.

Forgiveness is not for your enemies so much as it is for you. Forgiveness is important for you to move on with your spiritual and emotional health with things go badly for you at the hands of others. They may or may not even know the trouble they’ve caused you and sometimes wouldn’t care if they did. But living a life of unforgiveness hurts you much more than it does them. It creates bitterness in your life. It causes you to think like the world instead of like Me. It keeps you from a life of love.

There’s another important reason to forgive. I told you several times as I walked with you that you would experience forgiveness from Me in the same measure you forgive others. So you need to forgive. You need to let go of vengeance and revenge. You must release your anger and hateful thoughts against your brother. You must forgive the wrongs done against you. I forgive in the same measure you forgive, so you must forgive your brothers and sisters if you want My forgiveness.

It might sound impossible, but not when you give yourself fully to Me. When you let Me control your life, I give you the strength to forgive. I let you see others the way I see them. So you can say, like Paul, Peter, Steven, James, Thomas, John, and all My saints who have gone before you, “Forgive them Father, because they don’t know what they are doing.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

A wonderfully horrible day (Luke 23:26-43), October 10, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Luke 23; 26-43

Set – Nehemiah 3; Luke 23

Go! – Nehemiah 3-4; Luke 23

Luke 23; 26-43
²⁶ On the way to the place of crucifixion, they pulled a man from the crowd—his name was Simon of Cyrene, a person from the countryside who happened to be entering the city at that moment. They put Jesus’ cross on Simon’s shoulders, and he followed behind Jesus. ²⁷ Along with Him was a huge crowd of common people, including many women shrieking and wailing in grief.
Jesus (to the people in the crowd): ²⁸ Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me. Weep instead for yourselves and weep for your children. ²⁹ Days are coming when people will say, “Blessed are the infertile; blessed are the wombs that never bore a child; blessed are the breasts that never nursed an infant.” ³⁰ People will beg the mountains, “Surround us!” They’ll plead with the hills, “Cover us!” ³¹ For if they treat Me like this when I’m like green unseasoned wood, what will they do to a nation that’s ready to burn like seasoned firewood?
³² Jesus wasn’t the only one being crucified that day. There were two others, criminals, who were also being led to their execution. ³³ When they came to the place known as “The Skull,” they crucified Jesus there, in the company of criminals, one to the right of Jesus and the other to His left.
Jesus: ³⁴ Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.
Meanwhile they were drawing lots to see who would win Jesus’ clothing. ³⁵ The crowd of people stood, watching.
Authorities (mocking Jesus): So He was supposed to rescue others, was He? He was supposed to be God’s Anointed, the Liberating King? Let’s see Him start by liberating Himself!
³⁶ The soldiers joined in the mockery. First, they pretended to offer Him a soothing drink—but it was sour wine.
Soldiers: ³⁷ Hey, if You’re the King of the Jews, why don’t You free Yourself!
³⁸ Even the inscription they placed over Him was intended to mock Him—“This is the King of the Jews!” This was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
³⁹ One of the criminals joined in the cruel talk.
Cynical Criminal: You’re supposed to be the Anointed One, right? Well—do it! Rescue Yourself and us!
⁴⁰ But the other criminal told him to be quiet.
Believing Criminal: Don’t you have any fear of God at all? You’re getting the same death sentence He is! ⁴¹ We’re getting what we deserve since we’ve committed crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong at all! ⁴² (turning to Jesus) Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.
Jesus: ⁴³ I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

What a wonderful, horrible, gloriously, terrible day that was. As the Son of God, the day of My crucifixion was the pinnacle of success for My mission. I became the sacrifice for all humankind’s sins. No longer did anyone need to bear the burden of guilt Satan laid on your shoulders because of your failure to follow Me. You could come to the Father in all His holiness because I died for you. He forgives you because I forgive you.

What a glorious opportunity for you and for Me. Finally, the bridge between us was complete. My death, My sacrifice closed the gap that kept us apart. My blood paid the penalty that you could not pay and you could come into the presence of a holy God without fear of instant wrath. My blood covered your sins.

As the Son of Man, that day was the most horrific experienced among men. I died the most terrible death imaginable. The Romans had to create a new word, crucifixion, to describe the humiliation, horror, and agony associated with this new form of execution. They were masters at bringing their prisoners just to the point of death and keeping them alive for days as they hung on the cursed tree. Only because of the request of the priests and the coming Sabbath were the other criminals’ legs broken to speed their deaths. I gave up My life willingly. No one could take it. I proved that many times during My ministry. I could have done it again as the Son of God on the cross. But as the Son of Man, I gave up My life for you.

I endured the pain, the humiliation, the agony of that day for you. The Father turned His back on Me as I hung there as I shouldered your sins. Then I died. My blood dripped down the rugged wood beams and out across the rugged rocks of the hillside. My blood covered your sins as it covered My body and covered the cross.

It was a horrible, wonderful day for God and humankind. Remember it well.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

No substitutes (Ezra 10:1-17), October 8, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ezra 10:1-17

Set – Ezra 10; Psalms 131; Luke 21

Go! – Ezra 9-10; Psalms 131; Luke 21

Ezra 10:1-17
¹ As Ezra was praying his confession and weeping and bowing on the steps of the True God’s temple, a huge group of Israelite men, women, and children joined him in weeping. ² Shecaniah (son of Jehiel the Elamite) then spoke up.
Shecaniah: You are right. We have forgotten our True God and have married foreign women from pagan nations. But there is hope for Israel yet. ³We shall make a new covenant with our True God, promising to banish our foreign wives and their children. You and the others who follow the laws of our True God must guide us in this, so that we obey the law. ⁴ So stand up! Helping us follow the law is now your responsibility. Do not be afraid; we will support your actions.
⁵ So Ezra stood up and persuaded the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear an oath to banish their foreign wives and foreign children. When everyone had taken the oath, ⁶ he entered the temple chamber of Jehohanan (son of Eliashib) and continued mourning the exiles’ unfaithfulness by fasting from food and water.
⁷ Those who had sworn the oath sent letters declaring it throughout Judah and Jerusalem telling all the returned exiles to assemble in Jerusalem ⁸ within three days. The counsel of chiefs and elders agreed that anyone who was not here would forfeit all his possessions and his status within the assembly. ⁹ Not surprisingly, all the men from Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within three days, in spite of the winter rains. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, everyone sat in the courtyard in front of the True God’s temple—shivering under the weighty matter and the heavy rain.
Ezra: ¹⁰ There is no doubt that you have abandoned His ways and have married foreign women, adding to the list of Israel’s sins. ¹¹ Now you must confess these sins to the Eternal God of your ancestors and do as He pleases: break away from the pagan nations and your foreign wives.
Assembly (loudly): ¹² You are right. We must do what you’ve told us to do. ¹³ But look around. There are too many people here to house in this city, and the rains will not allow us to stay outside for very long. Also our sins are too horrible to be adequately dealt with in a day or two. ¹⁴ Allow our chiefs to represent everyone in this assembly right now. Then each person in every city who has married a foreign woman can come back with his civic leaders at a scheduled time. We can then continue the inquiries until our True God withdraws His wrath from us about these sins.
^15-16 With the exception of four men, Jonathan (son of Asahel), Jahzeiah (son of Tikvah), Meshullam, and Shabbethai (the Levite), everyone supported this plan. Ezra selected one leader from each tribe to represent his people and recorded their names. These tribal leaders then gathered on the first day of the tenth month to begin the inquiries. ¹⁷ By the first day of the first month, the investigations of all men who had married foreign women was finished, and the offenders were recorded.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Do you see a problem here? It’s the same problem I see every day among those who almost believe in Me. The crowd gathered in the rain and heard My words, but were more concerned with the rain on their heads than the storm clouds in their hearts. They knew their sins and knew their sins must be cleansed, but asked that representatives be sent to take care of it instead of staying to take care of their own sins.

Today, too many of you think your godly parents or grandparents can pray for you and that will be enough. Too many of you think your “representatives” in the church or your representative offerings will absolve you of your guilt. It doesn’t work that way. I sacrificed Myself for your sins, but in return I demand your all. I want you, not your representative.

I spilled My blood for you. I don’t care that it rains a little on your head. I died for you. It shouldn’t matter that you get a little cold or uncomfortable to stay and accept My forgiveness. What does it take to get you to understand that representatives don’t work? Only four of those surrounding Ezra understood the importance of what was happening that day. Only Jonathan, Jahzeiah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai recognized that everyone needed to stay in My presence until the work was completed.

Too many of you today say a little prayer, cry a few tears, confess enough to feel better and then go about your merry way without doing the necessary work you need to let go of yourself and let Me really clean you up from the inside. It starts in an instant when you give yourself to Me, but takes a lifetime as you become like Me. No one can represent you in that transforming work. No one can take your place in giving yourself completely to Me. I want you and no one else in your place. I died for you and would not allow a substitute for My sacrifice. I will not accept a substitute for you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

East to west, not a very short distance (Psalm 103), July 29, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready -Psalms 103

Set – Psalms 103; 2 Peter 3

Go! – Isaiah 57-59; Psalms 103; 2 Peter 3

Psalms 103
¹ O my soul, come, praise the Eternal
with all that is in me—body, emotions, mind, and will—every part of who I am—
praise His holy name.
² O my soul, come, praise the Eternal;
sing a song from a grateful heart;
sing and never forget all the good He has done.
³ Despite all your many offenses, He forgives and releases you.
More than any doctor, He heals your diseases.
⁴ He reaches deep into the pit to deliver you from death.
He crowns you with unfailing love and compassion like a king.
⁵ When your soul is famished and withering,
He fills you with good and beautiful things, satisfying you as long as you live.
He makes you strong like an eagle, restoring your youth.
⁶ When people are crushed, wronged, enslaved, raped, murdered,
the Eternal is just;
He makes the wrongs right.
⁷ He showed Moses His ways;
He allowed His people Israel to see His wonders and acts of power.
⁸ The Eternal is compassionate and merciful.
When we cross all the lines, He is patient with us.
When we struggle against Him, He lovingly stays with us—changing, convicting, prodding;
⁹He will not constantly criticize,
nor will He hold a grudge forever.
¹⁰ Thankfully, God does not punish us for our sins and depravity as we deserve.
In His mercy, He tempers justice with peace.
¹¹ Measure how high heaven is above the earth;
God’s wide, loving, kind heart is greater for those who revere Him.
¹² You see, God takes all our crimes—our seemingly inexhaustible sins—and removes them.
As far as east is from the west, He removes them from us.
¹³ An earthly father expresses love for his children;
it is no different with our heavenly Father;
The Eternal shows His love for those who revere Him.
¹⁴ For He knows what we are made of;
He knows our frame is frail, and He remembers we came from dust.
¹⁵ The children of Adam are like grass;
their days are few;
they flourish for a time like flowers in a meadow.
¹⁶ As the wind blows over the field and the bloom is gone,
it doesn’t take much to blow us out of the memory of that place.
¹⁷ But the unfailing love of the Eternal is always and eternal
for those who reverently run after Him.
He extends His justice on and on to future generations,
¹⁸ To those who will keep His bond of love
and remember to walk in the guidance of His commands.
¹⁹ The Eternal has established His throne up in the heavens.
He rules over every seen and unseen realm and creature.
²⁰ Adore Him! Give Him praise, you heavenly messengers,
you powerful creatures who listen to
and act on His every word.
²¹ Give praise to the Eternal, all armies of heaven—
you servants who stand ready to do His will.
²² Give praise to the Eternal, all that He has made
in all corners of His creation.
O my soul, come, praise the Eternal!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I put the vision in the psalmist’s head about sins being cast away as far as the east is from the west. He could have said as far as the north is from the south, you know. But he didn’t. I didn’t want him to use those directions. I wanted him to use east and west. You might not have thought much about why, but I did. He might not have even thought about it at the time except that the sun rose in the east and set in the west. Maybe he thought about sins being blotted out the same way the sun is blotted out of the sky each night.

I wanted him to use those directions, though, because I knew that one day science would catch up with navigation. Men already navigated by the stars. They knew about the cardinal directions and that each of them went on endlessly. Except they don’t.

Today you know the truth. North stops at the north pole and south stops at the south pole. You can’t continue to go north or south when you’ve reach those two places respectively. As soon as you take another step, you’re headed in the opposite direction. So there is always a limit as to how far removed your sins would be if I let the psalmist use the expression “as far as the north is from the south”. The limit would be the distance from the north to the south pole, or 12,430 miles.

But how far is the east from the west? Begin traveling west and stop when you hit east. Sorry, there is no stop sign. You can circle the globe a million times and you’ll still be traveling west. It never ends when you travel east or west. The psalmist didn’t know that at the time. His concept of the world then was a flat world held up by pillars over an endless ocean. You know the earth is one of My planets circling one of billions of suns in one of billions of galaxies within this things you call a universe.

How far is east from west? You can’t get there in a million life times. That’s how far removed I take your sins when I forgive you. Come to Me and ask. I’ll do the job. Then you just follow Me and see what else I can do.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The covenant takes two parties (Hebrews 10:1-18), July 13, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Hebrews 10:1-18

Set – Isaiah 15-16; Hebrews 10

Go! – Isaiah 15-18; Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:1-18
¹We have seen how the law is simply a shadow of the good things to come. Since it is not the perfect form of these ultimate realities, the offering year after year of these imperfect sacrifices cannot bring perfection to those who come forward to worship. ² If they had served this purpose, wouldn’t the repetition of these sacrifices have become unnecessary? If they had worked—and cleansed the worshipers—then one sacrifice would have taken away their consciousness of sin. ³ But these sacrifices actually remind us that we sin again and again, year after year. ⁴ In the end, the blood of bulls and of goats is powerless to take away sins. ⁵ So when Jesus came into the world, He said,
Sacrifices and offerings were not what You wanted,
but instead a body that You prepared for Me.
⁶ Burnt offerings and sin offerings
were not what pleased You.
⁷ Then I said, “See, I have come to do Your will, God,
as it is inscribed of Me in the scroll of the book.”
⁸ Now when it says that God doesn’t want and takes no real pleasure in sacrifices, burnt offerings, and sin offerings (even though the law calls for them), ⁹ and follows this with “See, I have come to do Your will,” He effectively takes away the first—animal sacrifice—in order to establish the second, more perfect sacrifice. ¹⁰ By God’s will, we are made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus the Anointed once and for all time.
¹¹ In the first covenant, every day every officiating priest stands at his post serving, offering over and over those same sacrifices that can never take away sin. ¹² But after He stepped up to offer His single sacrifice for sins for all time, He sat down in the position of honor at the right hand of God. ¹³ Since then, He has been waiting for the day when He rests His feet on His enemies’ backs, as the psalm says. ¹⁴ With one perfect offering, Jesus has perfected forever those who are being made holy, ¹⁵ as the Holy Spirit keeps testifying to us through the prophet Jeremiah. After he says,
¹⁶ “But when those days are over,” says the Eternal One, “I will make
this kind of covenant with the people of Israel:
I will put My laws in their hearts
and write them upon their minds,”
then He adds,
¹⁷ I will erase their sins and wicked acts out of My memory
as though they had never existed.
¹⁸ When there is forgiveness such as this, there is no longer any need to make an offering for sin.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Did you hear what Jeremiah told you in his prophecy? “I will put My laws in your hearts and write them upon your minds. I will erase your sins and wicked acts out of My memory as though they had never existed.” That’s what I want to do for you. I’ve done all that is necessary on My part to make that happen. But I created you with a free will. You get to choose whether you will accept My plan for your life. You get to choose whether I will erase your sins and wicked acts from My memory.

Covenants always involve at least two parties. I have done My part. You must do yours also for the terms of the covenant to be complete. Your part is to believe on Jesus, My Son, for the forgiveness of your sins. Believing, of course, is more than just saying He exists and died for you. It means acting on that belief. It means turning to Him for that forgiveness. It means repentance.

Almost everyone can quote John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son.” Let Me give it to you in a more modern translation. “For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.”

That’s the point. Everything available to you from the world will never save you from everlasting destruction. It can offer no lifeboat, no lifesaver, no instant cure for sin. Sin leads to everlasting destruction and only I can cure it. But like any disease for which you go to the doctor, you must accept the cure. It the same with My cure for sin. The only cure is Jesus’ blood, but you must believe in His cure and accept it. It means following Him. It means giving up your past life and living the life I want you to live.

The new covenant makes the cure for sin possible. It took the sacrifice of My Son to enact My part of the covenant. It takes your acceptance of the gift and following after Him to enact your part. You won’t be sorry we enact the covenant together.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Mephibosheth, a story of forgiveness (2 Samuel 9), May 4, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 2 Samuel 9
Set – 2 Samuel 9; Matthew 21
Go! – 2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18; Matthew 21

2 Samuel 9
David: ¹ Is anyone from Saul’s family still around that I could honor for the sake of my friend Jonathan?

² One servant from Saul’s household, Ziba, was still alive, and they brought him to King David.

David: Are you Ziba?

Ziba: At your service, Majesty.

David: ³ Is anyone from Saul’s family still alive to whom I could show the kindness of God?

Ziba: Jonathan has a son who is still alive; he is crippled, unable to use his feet.

David: ⁴ Where is he?

Ziba: He lives with Machir, son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.

^5-6 David sent for Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth and had him brought to Jerusalem from the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. When he arrived, Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul, laid facedown on the floor and honored the king.

David: Mephibosheth!

Mephibosheth: At your service, my king.

David: ⁷ There’s no need to be frightened. I intend to treat you kindly for the sake of your father, Jonathan, who was my loyal friend. I will return to you all the territory that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table.

⁸ Mephibosheth again prostrated himself before the king.

Mephibosheth: What am I to you that the king should look with favor on a dead dog like me? I am as one of your servants.

⁹ Then the king summoned Ziba, who had been Saul’s servant.

^David: Everything that belonged to his grandfather Saul and his family I have returned to your master’s descendant. ¹⁰ You, your sons, and your servants will work on his farms and bring in his produce, so that he and his household will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat at my table.

Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.

Ziba: ¹¹ I am your servant, and you are my lord and king. Whatever you command I will do.

From then on, Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table as though he were one of David’s own sons. ¹² Mephibosheth had a young son, Mica; and all who lived in the house of Ziba became Mephibosheth’s servants and worked for him. ¹³ Mephibosheth remained in Jerusalem, where he always ate at the king’s table. He was lame and could not walk on either foot.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The verses you just heard about David’s care of Mephibosheth are important. They tell an important story that partly depicts the reason I chose David as king to succeed Saul. It’s part of the reason I called him a man after My own heart.

David had every reason to despise the descendants of Saul. As king, Saul did everything he could to search David out and kill him. He put him in the hardest parts of the battlefield. He gave him impossible tasks that he felt sure would cause David’s death. Saul chased him across the countryside to put an end to him. And in the ancient world, sons carried on the feuds of their fathers, especially among royalty when thrones were threatened.

Instead, David forgave Saul’s descendants. He found Mephibosheth and brought him into his home. David not only forgave him, but treated Mephibosheth like one of his own sons. That’s forgiveness. That’s reflective of My forgiveness of you when you come to Me in repentance. You can come to Me with a repentant heart and know that I will forgive your sins.

It also reflects how I want you to treat your enemies. Mephibosheth was in no position to cause harm to David any longer. He couldn’t walk. He had no kingdom. His grandfather’s servants had taken over the property when Mephibosheth’s nurse fled with him to save his life at the news of Saul’s death. He had nothing. David did what I do for you when you come to Me. David restored his life. He gave him his property. He treated him like a son.

Not so with Ziba. Later in David’s life you’ll remember he fled from Absalom and Mephibosheth was left on his own. Because he was crippled he couldn’t care for himself. Ziba and his family had the responsibility to care for him, but assuming David would never return, saw instead an opportunity to seize Saul’s property for himself again.

David returned to his throne. Ziba paid the price for his wrongs. Mephibosheth found his place at the king’s table again. Be careful how you treat your enemies when they are defeated. Remember the story of David and Mephibosheth. Remember how he treated the son of his the one who wanted him dead. Forgiveness ran through David’s veins. He understood mercy and grace. He received it and shared it generously. I do, too.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

His name fit, Nabal was a fool (1 Samuel 25:23-44), Apr 22, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Samuel 25:23-44
Set – 1 Samuel 24; Matthew 8
Go! – 1 Samuel 25-26; Psalms 63; Matthew 9

1 Samuel 25:23-44
²³ When Abigail saw David, she dropped quickly from her donkey and fell to the ground in front of him, bowing.

Abigail (at David’s feet): ²⁴ My lord, any guilt here falls on me. Please let me, your servant, speak, and may you hear the words I speak. ²⁵ My lord, you must not take seriously the words of this worthless man, Nabal. His actions have proven that his name and his nature are the same: Nabal is a fool. Unfortunately I, your servant, did not see the young men you sent.

²⁶ Now, my lord, as the Eternal One lives and as you live, since the Eternal has kept you from senseless killing and from seizing vengeance yourself, may your enemies and all who seek to harm you, my lord, be like Nabal.

²⁷ Now, please, accept my gift and distribute it among the young men who are with you. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s shortcomings. The Eternal will certainly make my lord’s house into a lasting dynasty because you fight on behalf of Him, and no evil will be found in you as long as you live. ²⁹ If anyone dares to rise up against you and seek your life, then you will be protected by the Eternal One, your True God, who will launch the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

³⁰ When the Eternal has done for my lord all the good things He has promised and has installed you as ruler over all Israel, ³¹ you will never have to be grieved or conscience-stricken for having shed blood needlessly or for taking vengeance into your own hands. When He has dealt generously with my lord, I pray you will remember me, your servant.

David (to Abigail): ³² Blessed is the Eternal God of Israel, who sent you here today to intercept me. ³³ And blessed is your wisdom—blessed are you—for keeping me from shedding blood needlessly and from taking vengeance into my own hands. ³⁴ For as surely as the Eternal God of Israel lives and sent you to me, if you had not hurried out to meet me, tomorrow there would not have been a single male left alive in Nabal’s household.

³⁵ Then David accepted her gifts.

David: Arise, and return home in peace. I have listened to your words, and I have granted your request.

³⁶ Abigail returned to Nabal, who was holding a kingly feast in his house. Nabal’s heart was light because he was very drunk, so Abigail chose not to tell him anything until the next morning. ³⁷ The next morning, when he was sober, Abigail told him about her meeting with David and he went cold inside. ³⁸ About 10 days later, the Eternal One struck down Nabal, and he died.

³⁹ When David heard this news, he blessed God.

David: Blessed is the Eternal One, who protected my honor from Nabal’s insults and who kept me, His servant, from executing evil. Instead, the Eternal One turned Nabal’s evil back on him.

⁴⁰ Then David sent servants to Carmel asking Abigail to be his wife.

Servants: David has sent us to bring you to him so that you can be his wife.

⁴¹ She stood, and then bowed to the ground before David’s servants.

Abigail: I am your servant, willing to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.

⁴² Then Abigail quickly got up, mounted her donkey, and went with the messengers of David attended by her five handmaidens. Not long after, she married him.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel; she and Abigail were both wives of David. ⁴⁴ By this time, Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s former wife, to Palti (the son of Laish) from Gallim.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Nabal was a fool. He lived up to his name. Parents should be careful what they name their children because that happens too many times. You know his story. David’s men camped on his property and so protected his land from thieves and bandits. No one who might do him harm dared come close to his property as long as David’s men were around. They knew David’s reputation and would never risk taking on the warriors under David’s control for the price of a few sheep. So Nabal, for all those months, had free security from David’s mighty men.

David in return asked for a few loaves of bread and a little meat to feed his troops one day. But Nabal, the fool, refused. In fact, Nabal humiliated the men David sent with the request. Not a smart move. Nadal once more proved himself the fool. David set out to kill every man in Nabal’s household and destroy everything he owned.

Fortunately for those in Nabal’s household, he had a much smarter wife than he. She raced to David when she heard about his plans and begged for forgiveness for her husband. She used his name’s meaning as the excuse for his stupidity and saved David from his vengeance and saved the lives of all under Nabal’s roof.

My warning to all from this story is simple. Treat your neighbors well. Understand that they might be doing things for you that you really aren’t aware. Turning them away in their time of need is not conducive to your continued good health. Second, forgiveness and kindness always works better than rude and crass behavior. Third, remember I work behind the scenes with My servants. Take care of them. You don’t know how I might intervene in your life to use you to help them. Be ready to do so, though. It’s always to your advantage also.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Welcome to the family (Mark 3:13-35), Feb 24, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 3:13-35
Set – Numbers 16; Mark 3
Go! – Numbers 14-16; Mark 3

Mark 3:13-35
¹³ Jesus called together a select group of His followers and led them up onto a mountain. ¹⁴ There He commissioned them the twelve. [Later He calls them His emissaries.][a] He wanted them to be with Him. He sent them out to spread the good news ¹⁵ and to cast out evil spirits [and heal diseases].[b] ¹⁶ Here are the names of the original twelve: Simon (whom Jesus called Peter, meaning “the rock”), ¹⁷ James and John (the sons of Zebedee, whom Jesus called “the Sons of Thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew (the tax collector, also called Levi), Thomas, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon of Canaan (who was also called “the Zealot”), ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot (who one day would betray Jesus to the authorities in Jerusalem so God’s purpose could be fulfilled).

²⁰ Jesus and His disciples went into a house to eat, but so many people pressed in to see Jesus that they could not be served. ²¹ When Jesus’ family heard about this craziness, they went to drag Him out of that place.

Jesus’ Family (to one another): Jesus has lost His mind.

²² The scribes, for their part, came down from Jerusalem and spread the slander that Jesus was in league with the devil.

Scribes: That’s how He casts out demons. He’s casting them out by the power of Beelzebul—the ancient Philistine god—the prince of demons.

²³ When Jesus heard this, He tried to reason with them using parables.

Jesus: Listen. How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ A kingdom that makes war against itself will collapse. ²⁵ A household divided against itself cannot stand. ²⁶ If Satan opposes himself, he cannot stand and is finished.

²⁷ If you want to break into the house of a strong man and plunder it, you have to bind him first. Then you can do whatever you want with his possessions. ²⁸ Listen, the truth is that people can be forgiven of almost anything. God has been known to forgive many things, even blasphemy. ²⁹ But speaking evil of the Spirit of God is an unforgivable sin that will follow you into eternity.

³⁰ He said this because the scribes were telling people that Jesus got His power from dark forces instead of from God.

³¹ When Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived, they couldn’t break through the crowd, so they sent word in to Jesus that He should come out to them. ³² The crowd was pressed in tight around Him when He received the message, “Your mother and brothers [and sisters][c] are waiting outside for You.”

³³ Jesus looked around.

Jesus (answering them): Who are My mother and brothers?

He called into the silence. No one spoke.

³⁴ At last His gaze swept across those gathered close, and Jesus smiled.

Jesus: You, here, are My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does the will of God is My true family.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Until you are born of both water and the Spirit, you really can’t understand Jesus’ comment about those around Him being His mother and His brothers. Once adopted into the true family of God, things change for you. Sometimes, your earthly family embraces you because they too are part of My family. Sometimes, though, you will find yourself ostracized by your earthly family when you let Me decide the direction for your life. You will no longer be welcome in the circle you once inhabited, even among your family.

I see it happen over and over again as men and women harden their hearts, sometimes to their own children. You would think that a mother’s love would overcome such bitterness and evil in the heart of humankind, but it doesn’t. They think personal momentary pleasure outweighs the eternal gain of following Me because of the darkness in which the world walks. Of course, it never works. The consequences of fallowing your own way, your own wisdom always ends in disaster. Many who have gone before you can tell you the pain and misery they endured because of the consequences of their actions.

So My children get misunderstood, get pushed aside, get persecuted, suffer, even die because of the message of peace and hope they share with their lost and dying friends and family. The barbs of truth cut deeply into the hearts of men and women and the pain causes an immediate reaction. One of either hatred and a desire to quiet the voice of My messenger or one of repentance and weeping at My altar seeking the hope I can give them through the forgiveness of their sins.

Some people try to ride the fence and take neither side, but it doesn’t work. You see, men’s minds are bent toward evil because of the carnal nature that comes as a result of Adam’s sin. So the fence walkers tilt toward evil and always fall off the fence. They can’t stay there. They can’t walk that think rail. They will always fall to the side of evil unless they come to a place of repentance and complete reliance on Me.

Those that come to Me, though, I forgive. I give hope. I adopt into My family. They always have a host of brothers and sisters ready to support them, love them, care for them, treat them like the brothers and sisters they are. When adopted into My family, you are never alone.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God can even use you (Acts 9/1-20), Feb 2, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 9:1-20
Set – Exodus 33; Acts 9
Go! – Exodus 33-34; Psalms 16; Acts 9

Acts 9:1-20
¹Back to Saul—this fuming, raging, hateful man who wanted to kill every last one of the Lord’s disciples: he went to the high priest in Jerusalem ² for authorization to purge all the synagogues in Damascus of followers of the way of Jesus. His plan was to arrest and chain any of Jesus’ followers—women as well as men—and transport them back to Jerusalem. ³ He traveled north toward Damascus with a group of companions.

Imagine this: Suddenly a light flashes from the sky around Saul, ⁴ and he falls to the ground at the sound of a voice.

The Lord: Saul, Saul, why are you attacking Me?

Saul: ⁵ Lord, who are You?

Then he hears these words:

The Lord: I am Jesus. I am the One you are attacking. ⁶ Get up. Enter the city. You will learn there what you are to do.

These are shocking, unexpected words that will change his life forever.

⁷ His other traveling companions just stand there, paralyzed, speechless because they, too, heard the voice; but there is nobody in sight. ⁸ Saul rises to his feet, his eyes wide open, but he can’t see a thing. So his companions lead their blind friend by the hand and take him into Damascus. ⁹ He waits for three days—completely blind—and does not eat a bite or drink a drop of anything.

¹⁰ Meanwhile, in Damascus a disciple named Ananias had a vision in which the Lord Jesus spoke to him.

The Lord: Ananias.

Ananias: Here I am, Lord.

The Lord: ¹¹ Get up and go to Straight Boulevard. Go to the house of Judas, and inquire about a man from Tarsus, Saul by name. He is praying to Me at this very instant. ¹² He has had a vision—a vision of a man by your name who will come, lay hands on him, and heal his eyesight.

Ananias: ¹³ Lord, I know whom You’re talking about. I’ve heard rumors about this fellow. He’s an evil man and has caused great harm for Your special people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ I’ve heard that he has been authorized by the religious authorities to come here and chain everyone who associates with Your name.

The Lord: ¹⁵ Yes, but you must go! I have chosen him to be My instrument to bring My name far and wide—to outsiders, to kings, and to the people of Israel as well. ¹⁶ I have much to show him, including how much he must suffer for My name.

¹⁷ So Ananias went and entered the house where Saul was staying. He laid his hands on Saul and called to him.

Ananias: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, sent me so you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see. So he got up, received the ceremonial washing of baptism identifying him as a disciple, ¹⁹ ate some food (remember, he had not eaten for three days), and regained his strength. He spent a lot of time with the disciples in Damascus over the next several days. ²⁰ Then he went into the very synagogues he had intended to purge, proclaiming,

Saul: Jesus is God’s Son!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:
I can use the most unusual people to do My work. Sometimes I use people with great character and seemingly unblemished pasts. People like Joseph who withstood incredible tests of his power to forgive. He forgave his brothers, the jailer, Potiphar and his wife, the cupbearer, so many who could have freed him from a life of prison and slavery long before he met Pharaoh on that fateful day when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams.

But often I use those you might never expect to carry My message. Men and women who understand My forgiveness because they have experienced deep forgiveness themselves. They still suffer the physical consequences of their crimes quite often. They pay in this life with poor health, lost family, wrecked lives for the poor choices they made along their path. But they know My grace and mercy. They experience My forgiveness. They understand peace in their heart and life, sometimes for the first time. And share with others in extraordinary ways.

No one in Saul’s day would have thought to choose him as My spokesperson to the Gentiles. After all, he sought to destroy My church. He sought to find and arrest all who believed My Son was the Way to life eternal. Saul found pleasure in finding, arresting, and trying My believers. Who would think I could use this man as the one to propagate faith in My Son and the doctrine of the New Covenant He established with all people who would trust in Him?

But people forget that “all have sinned and come short of My glory.” No one meets the standards of holiness set out in My laws. It is only by the blood of My Son, Jesus that any can come near. It is only Jesus’ sacrifice that makes it possible for any to find forgiveness and wholeness in life. So whether morally good, like Joseph, or corrupted and out to slaughter My sons and daughters, like Saul, it isn’t until you come to Me in repentance and accept My gift of forgiveness for your sins that you can come into My presence and find your real purpose in life.

When you come to that point, though, what a difference I can make! What a life I can give you! How I can change you inside and out! Try Me and see for yourself. Saul did on that road to Damascus and never looked back. I want to do something special in your life, too…if you’ll let Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

A lesson in forgiveness (Genesis 50:1-21), Jan 20, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Devotional

Today’s background scripture comes from Genesis 50.

I’m always surprised when someone truly forgives another, but the guilty cannot forgive themselves. That’s what happened with Joseph’s brothers. Joseph learned many years before I was working all the events of his life to save his family. Some of his trouble came because of his behavior, the proud announcement of his dreams to his brothers, the flaunting of the coat his father gave him above his brothers.

I know his father contributed to Joseph’s early problems with pride. I used his brothers’ envy to help humble him. The methods I used probably seem pretty harsh to you, but I had Joseph under My care the whole time. He needed to understand humility. He needed to understand forgiveness. He learned to forgive his brothers while in the service of the prison guards and came to understand I knew what I was doing in his life.

Joseph understood forgiveness. He could have shown anger and bitterness toward Potiphar’s wife for falsely accusing him. Instead, he forgave her and became responsible for caring for all his fellow prisoners under the direction of the captain of the prison guard.

Joseph could have complained about the cupbearer who forgot him for two years after he was restored to his position with Pharaoh according to the dream Joseph interpreted for him. Instead, he continued to patiently carry out the duties the captain of the guard gave him each day. He forgave the cupbearer long before the cupbearer remembered his oversight and told Pharaoh about one who could interpret the dreams I give men from time to time.

Joseph understood the power of forgiveness. But his brothers never forgave the way Joseph did and so didn’t understand their brother could forgive the way I forgive. They didn’t understand I worked through the events of his life to bring good to all those around him. They didn’t understand I could weave the evil events into a greater good and bring restoration and peace into broken relationships. Even after Joseph welcomed them into the palace and told them. They could not forgive themselves and felt they must create a story to avoid punishment from Joseph for the guilt they carried. Joseph’s forgiveness of their actions extended grace and mercy, not punishment. Just like My forgiveness.

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Genesis 50:1-21
Set – Genesis 50; Luke 20
Go! – Genesis 49-50; Psalms 8; Luke 20

Genesis 50:1-21
¹As his father passed on, Joseph threw himself onto his father’s face, crying and kissing him. ² Then Joseph told the physicians in his service to embalm his father and prepare him for the journey. So the physicians embalmed Israel. ³ It took 40 days to embalm him because that’s how long it takes to embalm a body properly. And the Egyptians paid their respects by mourning and weeping for him for 70 days.

⁴ When the time of mourning had passed, Joseph addressed Pharaoh’s household.

Joseph: If I have found favor with you, please speak to Pharaoh on my behalf. ⁵ My father made me swear an oath. He said, “I am about to die. I want you to bury me in the tomb I made for myself in the land of Canaan.” So I ask that you allow me to go out of Egypt to bury my father. When I have honored his request, I will return to Egypt.

Pharaoh: ⁶ Go up to Canaan, and bury your father as he made you swear to do.

⁷ So Joseph went up to Canaan to bury his father. And all of Pharaoh’s servants went with him in a long procession that included the elders of Pharaoh’s household and the land of Egypt. ⁸ Joseph’s own household, his brothers, and his father’s household joined in the solemn march. Only their children, flocks, and herds were left in the land of Goshen. ⁹ Both chariots and charioteers accompanied him as well. It was a grand procession. ¹⁰ When they came to the threshing floor of Atad near Canaan but still beyond the Jordan River, the great company of mourners paused to observe seven days of mourning for Joseph’s father. The weeping and lamentation grew so loud that ¹¹ the people who lived there, the Canaanites, could not help but notice the profound grief expressed on the threshing floor of Atad.

Canaanites: The Egyptians must have experienced a terrible loss to mourn so deeply.

This is why this place of mourning that lies beyond the Jordan was renamed Abel-mizraim.

¹² So Jacob’s sons carried out his last instructions as he had directed. ¹³ They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite so he could have a place to bury his family. ¹⁴ After he had buried his father, Joseph gathered his brothers and the vast company of mourners who had journeyed with him to bury his father, and they all returned to Egypt.

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers began to realize the implications of their father’s death, Joseph’s brothers began to worry.

Joseph’s Brothers: What if Joseph still bears a grudge in some way against us and decides to pay us back in full for all of the wrong we did to him?

¹⁶ So they sent a message to Joseph.

Joseph’s Brothers’ Message: Your father gave us this instruction before he died. ¹⁷ He told us to say to you, “Please, I beg you. Forgive the crime of your brothers and the sins they committed against you. They were wrong to treat you so badly.” So please do what your father asked and forgive the crime that we, the servants of the God of your father, committed against you.

Joseph cried when they spoke these words to him. ¹⁸ And his brothers approached and fell at his feet.

Joseph’s Brothers: Look! We are your slaves.

Joseph: ¹⁹ Don’t be afraid. Am I to judge instead of God? It is not my place. ²⁰ Even though you intended to harm me, God intended it only for good, and through me, He preserved the lives of countless people, as He is still doing today. ²¹ So don’t worry. I will provide for you myself—for you and your children.

So Joseph reassured them and continued to speak kindly to them.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.