Tag Archives: punishment

Oh, what a tangled web (John 18:23), April 22, 2017

Today’s Podcast

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. It really is true. Best to never entangle yourself, just as Jesus taught us.
Scripture
1. John 18:23
2. Jesus: If I have spoken incorrectly, why don’t you point out the untruths that I speak? Why do you hit Me if what I have said is correct?
Devotional
1. Do you remember the game called gossip?
  1. As many as are in the crowd, usually a dozen or more, sit in a circle
  2. First person whispers something in the ear of the person next to them
  3. The message is passed along around the circle
  4. See just how accurate the story is at the end of the circle
  5. Usually not very accurate
2. Gossip is a game but it’s worse in real life
  1. Little fibs that are told to one person or another
  2. Can’t remember what’s been told when it isn’t the truth
  3. The fib changes from time to time because it was fabricated
  4. Get caught in the lie and then reputation suffers as integrity is damaged
3. Jesus faced the high priest in trial
  1. Teachings were public
  2. Many probably recorded His teachings and took them back to the priests to argue about what He taught
  3. Never could win the arguments against what He said
  4. Always based in scripture which He knew better than they
  5. Challenged their authority because of His knowledge and actions to back up His knowledge
4. Just look at My record
  1. Show me where I’ve misspoken
  2. Point out the untruths that I’ve told the crowds
  3. Give an example of something I’ve taught that is contradictory to the scriptures
  4. Give evidence that supports the need for punishment
5. None could be found
  1. Even witnesses paid to lie could not hold up to cross examination by the high priest
  2. Farce of a trial had to stand some scrutiny for Pilate to execute Jesus
  3. Had to have some evidence and some reasonable facsimile of fairness
  4. Nothing Jesus had said or taught could be used against Him
  5. Everything Jesus said was true and right
  6. Everything the prosecutors brought before the priests failed to meet the standards for any punishment, much less death
6. Jesus always shared truth
  1. Many didn’t like what He said, but He gave them the truth
  2. Today, many do not like what Christians say, but we must share the truth
  3. Only the truth can free us from the guilt of sin
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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 verdict is in, guilty as charged (John 9:39-14), March 3, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Guilty! Caught in the act and no defense can free you. Now what do you do? There is no escape, or is there?
Scripture
1. John 9:39-41
2. Jesus: I have entered this world to announce a verdict that changes everything. Now those without sight may begin to see, and those who see may become blind.

Some Pharisees (who overheard Jesus): Surely we are not blind, are we?

Jesus: If you were blind, you would be without sin. But because you claim you can see, your sin is ever present.

Devotional
1. The evidence stacks up. There is no doubt. Any question of innocence has been swept away with the overwhelming reality of what lies before the judge. There is no question of the outcome. You stand at the defendant’s table with no defense. Head down, heart pounding, you know what the only verdict can be guilty because you did it. You know you did it and God, the Judge knows you did it.
  1. Something amazing happens
  2. You’re forgiven
  3. Free to live, just follow Me
  4. Past is forgotten, files stacked on the bench just disappear
2. What we deserve
  1. Punishment for our sin
  2. Bible says only adequate punishment for our disobedience is death
  3. Separation from Him because He is a holy God and abhors evil
  4. All the ills and evil that the world can throw at us because of our selfish desires and ungodly behavior
3. What He gives us when we come to Him with a contrite heart in true repentance
  1. Grace – unmerited, undeserved favor with Him
  2. Mercy – not what we deserve
  3. Forgiveness
  4. Sins forgotten – cast into the sea to be remembered no more
  5. Loving embrace
  6. Adoption into His family
4. When we believe in Him we begin to see the law can only condemn us
5. When we trust in Him for forgiveness of our sins, we experience His grace and mercy
  1. Able to feel His spirit invade our life and change our outlook
  2. Able to extend His grace and mercy to others
  3. Able to introduce Him to others because His love reaches out through us
6. Jesus announces a new verdict that changes everything. Feel the grace and joy that brings when you accept His gift of love into your heart
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Bad things happen (Luke 13:2-5) November 23, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 134-136

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 13:2-5
Jesus: Do you think these Galileans were somehow being singled out for their sins, that they were worse than any other Galileans, because they suffered this terrible death? Of course not. But listen, if you do not consider God’s ways and truly change, then friends, you should prepare to face His judgment and eternal death.
Speaking of current events, you’ve all heard about the 18 people killed in that building accident when the tower in Siloam fell. Were they extraordinarily bad people, worse than anyone else in Jerusalem, so that they would deserve such an untimely death? Of course not. But all the buildings of Jerusalem will come crashing down on you if you don’t wake up and change direction now.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I think from the time Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden as punishment for that first act of disobedience, we seem to lay the blame for every bad thing that happens at God’s feet. It must be God’s punishment for something that caused him to go through that terrible tragedy. It must be some sin in her life that brought on that awful disease. God is punishing him for actions in his past. That must be true, right? Wrong!

There are a couple of things we can learn from these words from Jesus, though. He makes it pretty clear not all the bad things that happen to us are because of sin in our lives. The Galileans killed by the Romans were killed as a demonstration that Rome was still in charge. No reason for their murder other than they came to Jerusalem to worship and perhaps didn’t have all the right permissions stamped on their papers. The Romans ruled with an iron fist and showed their ruthless power occasionally just to let people know who still ruled them and it wasn’t those temple priests.

Jesus let those around him know the Galileans that lost their lives did nothing more or less than any others around them yet lost their lives. It’s not their individual sins that caused those bad things to happen, it’s the fact that death entered the cosmos with that first sin Adam and Even committed and so bad things happen to everyone. Trouble in life is a universal issue for all of us. We all get sick. We all face taxes and bills and mortgages. We all find laws conflicting with other laws and have to make choices as to which we will bend to follow others. We all find difficult relationships with someone somewhere.

Face it. Bad things happen to us occasionally. We can’t get away from it. Expect it. And it comes just because we breathe air on this side of dirt. If you take that first breath out of your mother’s womb, you will have bad things happen to you. It’s a fact of life and you just can’t get away. Maybe it’s like James Dobson once said, it’s to keep us from getting too comfortable here and help us remember there is a better place awaiting us. If we never had problems here, we might not long for heaven the way we do. So maybe it’s okay for bad things to happen just because.

But Jesus also indicates that sometimes bad things do happen as a result of our wrong doing. That wasn’t true for those Galileans who were killed or the victims of the tower wall that fell in Siloam, but He warns those listening to Him that they better changed their ways or bad things will happen to them soon. He says the walls of Jerusalem will come crashing down on them if they don’t change.

Those are interesting words considering in forty years the Romans will destroy Jerusalem and the temple and the whole city will be reduced to rubble. I wonder how many of those in that crowd were caught under the falling stones as catapults and battering rams smashed the walls. Some of them didn’t change their ways. We know that from their behavior toward Jesus at the mock trial, calling for His crucifixion, mocking Him on the cross.

So some of the bad things that happen to us are a result of our wrong doing. Either natural consequences of our bad behavior, like the health problems that come from drug addiction, abuse of alcohol, and a host of other illicit behaviors. Or punishment from God for our disobedience to Him like He did with the Israelites and sent a plague among the community.

The bottom line for any individual is that you know your heart. Is there any unconfessed sin there? If so, ask God to forgive it and thank Him for His forgiveness. Then recognize that all of us will suffer in this world. Accept the suffering as identifying with our Lord. He suffered and died for us and was sinless. If He suffered and did no wrong, then we have nothing to complain about when we suffer for the wrong we do. Bad things will happen to us. Use them to remember Jesus faced bad things, too. He faced them so we can enjoy good things for all eternity.

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.

Are you ready for this? (Luke 9:26-27) October 21, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Habakkuk

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 9:26-27
Jesus: If you’re ashamed of who I am and what I teach, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when He comes in all His glory, the glory of the Father, and the glory of the holy messengers. Are you ready for this? I’m telling you the truth: some of you will not taste death until your eyes see the kingdom of God.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word ashamed as:
1a : feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
b : feeling inferior or unworthy
2: restrained by anticipation of shame
But that definition is a little bit circular since it uses shame as part of its definition, so we need to look a little deeper and ask what does it mean to feel shame or guilt or disgrace. If you look at the definition of shame, Webster defines it as:
1 a : a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety
b : the susceptibility to such emotion <have you no shame?>
2: a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute : ignominy 3 a : something that brings censure or reproach; also : something to be regretted : pity <it’s a shame you can’t go>
b : a cause of feeling shame
So now let’s apply that definition to Jesus’ words.

Are you susceptible to feelings of humiliating disgrace or disrepute because of following Jesus? Do you have feelings of guilty or shortcomings or impropriety because of your faith in Christ? Does your faith bring you censure or reproach that you regret? Be careful in answering that last question. If you follow Christ, you can expect censure and reproach, but do you regret it? That’s the real question.

Do you let the world push you into their mold or make you think it’s not okay to follow Jesus? Do you let them quiet your voice in sharing the truth that He has freed you from the burden of guilt that enslaved you and now you live with His peace and joy each day? Do you live in hiding afraid to share the news that Jesus is still alive and lives in you?

If so, it’s a dangerous place to be. Jesus told those around Him, “If you are ashamed of Me, I’ll be ashamed of you when the Son of Man comes in His glory.”

We don’t know exactly what that will be like when He returns. We have some hints in Daniel, Revelations, and other eschatological writings, but those are just brief glimpses into what will be. What we know is He will return, not as the suffering servant, but as the victorious warrior over death and evil. Those who fail to proclaim Him as Lord in this life will be banished from His presence eternally.

So Jesus asks a question after His proclamation. “Are you ready for this?” If you’re ashamed of Me, are you ready to face the consequences that will come when I return? Are you ready to feel My shame toward you when I return in My glory and sweep across the earth as the victorious King of kings? Do you understand the wrath that will be poured out on all who cower because of My name when I come back from sitting at the Father’s right hand? Are you ready to face the consequences of your feelings of shame in following Me?

Ouch! Jesus’ words are aimed directly at America’s Christian population, it seems. We have buried our heads in the sand for the last several generations in our unwillingness to seem intolerant of others faith. In our misinterpretation of Jesus’ command not to judge others, we tolerate every violation of His commands among our fellow citizens and even among those who worship beside us with the crazy thought, “we’re not supposed to judge.”

We will not be the final judge and we should be careful how we judge others, but when others clearly behave in ways contrary to God’s word, that is not judgment. That is fulfilling the part of the great commission that says, “…disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands i have laid down for you.”

Do we stand for Jesus or not? Do we accept our faith in Jesus as the only way to reach heaven and please the Father or not? Do we stand with Him when the rest of the world stands against Him or not? It is always our choice, but these words from Jesus should make us consider carefully the consequences of not standing for Him now. If we are ashamed of Him now, He will be ashamed of us when we stand before Him at the judgment. What will that mean for us? If He regrets He knows us, what does that mean for us in eternity?

I must admit, I don’t know the answer to that question. But I also don’t want to be on the wrong side finding out what it means through personal experience. I don’t want Jesus to be ashamed of me when I see Him in His glory. Paul says the indignities and suffering we endure now is not even worth noting compared to the glory we will receive when we come into His presence on the other side of the veil of death.

Are you ready for this?

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.

Living forever (Luke 7:13-14) October 10, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Numbers 33-36

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 7:13-14
As soon as the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her.
Jesus: Don’t weep.
Then He came to the stretcher, and those carrying it stood still.
Jesus: Young man, listen! Get up!

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Can you imagine what that funeral was like? The town follows a poor grieving widow as she walks behind the bier of her only son. She couldn’t afford professional wailers, but many of them felt sorry for her and accompanied her anyway. She’s on her way out to the cemetery with the somber group and the people she meets on the road bow their heads in respect and grieve with her.

But then Jesus meets the small party of mourners as He comes into town. He doesn’t bow His head like the others on the road. He stops the procession. He lifts her face, looks in her eyes, and tells her, “Don’t cry.”

What a thing for a stranger to tell a grieving widow. You just lost your only son. You just lost your only means of support. You just became totally dependant on the kindness of others for your survival. Don’t cry. Sounds pretty harsh to say those things at a funeral, doesn’t it.

Of course we know the rest of the story. He went to the stretcher, and talked to the young man. Those around Him must have thought He was crazy talking to a dead man. But nonetheless, Jesus said, “Young man! Get up!” And to everyone’s surprise, except Jesus’, the young man sat up and looked around. Got up off the stretcher and went home with his mother.

There are two important points to this story. First, it shows Jesus has power over death. He showed it by raising the young man. Just by telling him to get up off the stretcher on his way to his grave, Jesus shows his spoken word brings life to the lifeless. He conquers death in hopeless situations. This event and a few other stories like it in the gospels showed His disciples before the resurrection He had power to heal even at the point of death. It should have been little surprise when as He told them He would rise from the dead, that He would. He had the power to do it.

Second, death was not part of God’s plan from the beginning. It came as a result of our disobedience. Death entered the world because of Adam’s sin and affected all creation ever since. We all die because death made its entrance and until Jesus returns and the new heaven and earth come into being, death remains a part of the curse of that first sin.

Jesus recognized the flaws created by that first sin in our world. He saw death for what it was a penalty that must be paid for the sins of man, but one that God never wanted us to have to pay. He wanted us to live. He wanted us to enjoy this world and all that is in it. But we corrupted it with our selfish desires and disobedience to Him. We brought death into the world and He is the only one who can remove it. So He showed us in this one event what He wanted for all of us. Life.

So how should we live knowing that God wants life for us and not death? How should we approach every day if we understand that God intended death never to be part of what we experience, yet we face it every day just the same? Is God unjust because death is here even though He didn’t want it to be? Should we blame God for the predicament we’re in having to face death?

Certainly, we can’t blame God for something that is our fault. We brought sin into the picture. It is our self-centeredness that is at the heart of every sin. We want what we want instead of what God wants and that’s the beginning of every sin. So when God tells us what the outcome will be when we don’t make Him first in our life, can we blame Him for the result when we don’t put Him first? I don’t think so. He tells us the rules and even shows great mercy and grace and forgiveness when we ask.

And the question of how should we live? That depends on whether He is Lord of your life. If God is not Lord of your life, death is real and continues. The cessation of this physical life means eternal separation from God and eternal punishment for the sins you’ve committed. Real death begins. If He is, death holds no power over you. You have the assurance that the cessation of heartbeats and breath just passes you from this physical world into the presence of God, but life goes on. It is in a different place, a different body, a different environment that we cannot yet understand, but life continues with God eternally. We cannot understand or imagine what it will be like. But life continues.

Jesus knew what the Father intended and showed us by raising the young man to life again. His hope is that all of us will choose life, which means choosing Him as Lord. It’s the best way to live both now and forever.

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.

Some despised their ruler (Luke 19:11-27), October 6, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Luke 19:11-27

Set – Esther 9; Luke 19

Go! – Esther 9-10; Luke 19

Luke 19:11-27
¹¹ The crowd has been listening to all this, and everyone assumes that the kingdom of God is going to appear at any moment, since He’s nearing Jerusalem. So He tells them this parable:
Jesus: ¹² A ruler once planned a journey to a distant country to take the throne of that country and then return home. ¹³ Before his departure, he called 10 of his servants and gave them each about three months of wages. “Use this money to buy and sell until I return.” ¹⁴ After he departed, the people under his rule despised him and sent messengers with a clear message: “We do not want this man to rule over us.”
¹⁵ He successfully assumed kingship of the distant country and returned home. He called his 10 servants together and told them to give an account of their success in doing business with the money he had entrusted to them.
¹⁶ The first came before him and said, “Lord, I have made 10 times the amount you entrusted to me.” ¹⁷ The ruler replied, “Well done! You’re a good servant indeed! Since you have been faithful in handling a small amount of money, I’ll entrust you with authority over 10 cities in my new kingdom.”
¹⁸ The second came and said, “Lord, I’ve made five times the original amount.” ¹⁹ The ruler replied, “I’ll entrust you with authority over five cities.”
²⁰ A third came and said, “Lord, I have successfully preserved the money you gave me. I wrapped it up in a napkin and hid it away ²¹ because I was afraid of you. After all, you’re a tough man. You have a way of taking a profit without making an investment and harvesting when you didn’t plant any seed.”
²² The ruler replied, “I will condemn you using your very own words, you worthless servant! So I’m a severe man, am I? So I take a profit without making an investment and harvest without planting seed? ²³ Then why didn’t you invest my money in the bank so I could have at least gained some interest on it?” ²⁴ The ruler told the onlookers, “Take the money I gave him, and give it to the one who multiplied my investment by 10.”
²⁵ Then the onlookers replied, “Lord, he already has 10 times the original amount!”
²⁶ The ruler responded, “Listen, whoever has some will be given more, and whoever doesn’t have anything will lose what he thinks he has. ²⁷ And these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to rule over them—bring them here and execute them in my presence.”

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Have you ever paid attention to the first and last of this parable? You’ve probably heard sermons and stories about the ruler who entrusted his wealth to his servants and they multiplied his riches according to their abilities. You’ve probably heard about the one who hid the master’s money and gained nothing during his master’s absence. You’ve probably heard the reprimade and punishment the servant received and how what was given to him was taken away and given to the one who multiplied the master’s money the best.

But have you ever paid attention to the first and last of this story? When the ruler went away, there were those who didn’t want the ruler to return because they despised him. And when the ruler returned from his conquest of another country, he called for those to be brought before him and executed.

There are those within the human race that despise Me despite My attempts to show them My love. Despite the fact that I created each of you and enable you to live and breathe each day. Many of you despise Me. Many of you despise Me because I give you rules to live by even though they protect you within a community and teach you to love as I love. Many of you despise Me because of your selfishness and your desire to satisfy your base instincts in ways that are harmful to the delicate balance of that provides good for all things within My creation.

I know what is best for all My creation and I know what is best for you. I gave you an established set of rules and commands to enable you to live together and care for My creation. I gave you a way to live abundantly. I even made a way to come back to Me when you were far from Me. I still love those who hate Me and want to live far from Me. But one day I will return and those who still despise Me will feel My wrath. I am a holy God and true to My word. My word tells you that those who do not follow Me will be punished eternally for their failure to recognize Me as their Lord and Master. Trust Me, you do not want to be in that group.

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.

Vengeance belongs to God (Joshua 20), Mar 24, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Joshua 20
Set – Joshua 20; 1 Corinthians 9
Go! – Joshua 18-20; 1 Corinthians 9

Joshua 20
¹Then the Eternal One spoke to Joshua.

Eternal One: ² Tell the Israelites, “You must set apart cities of refuge, as I directed you through Moses, ³ so that anyone who accidentally or unintentionally kills a person may flee there. These cities shall be set up as a refuge from anyone seeking blood revenge. ⁴ If the slayer flees to one of these cities, he can stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain the case to the elders of that city; then the fugitive will be taken into the city and given a place, and he will live among them. ⁵ If the person seeking to avenge in blood comes after him, the people of the city may not give up the slayer since the neighbor was killed by mistake and there was no premeditation or prior hatred. ⁶ The slayer may remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation. And when the high priest who currently holds the office dies, then the slayer may return home to the town from which he fled.”

⁷ So they set apart and consecrated Kedesh in Galilee (in the hill country of Naphtali), Shechem (in the hill country of Ephraim), and Kiriath-arba (Hebron, in the hill country of Judah). ⁸ Beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer (in the desert plateau from the tribe of Reuben), Ramoth in Gilead (from the tribe of Gad), and Golan in Bashan (from the tribe of Manasseh). ⁹ These, then, were the cities set aside to be sanctuaries for all the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who killed a person accidentally could flee there and not die at the hands of someone seeking blood revenge until there was a trial before the congregation.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Vengeance is Mine. It was true during the most violent times of ancient biblical history and is still true today. The laws that meet out punishment for crime is necessary to keep order in society, but ultimately, I will dole out the appropriate punishment for the sins and evil of the world. Vengeance is and always will be Mine and belongs to no one else.

You might say, “But you don’t know what he or she did to me.” Yes I do. I know all things. Still, vengeance belongs to Me alone. That’s the reason I set out the cities of refuge in the early days of the nation of Israel. I wanted reason and justice to prevail, not the heated emotions that follow an action. I know the motive and intent of men’s hearts and so I own the final say in giving the punishment due each, not you.

I didn’t want family members to conduct mock trials and hold the blood of the innocent on their hands because of rash decisions made in the heat of the moment. The cities of refuge reduced that opportunity and placed it into a more just system. Witnesses must prove guilt before priests who I would hope would also consult Me before making their final decisions about the guilt or innocence, and punishments given to accused.

Laws changed through the years and you no longer go out and kill those who wrong you. But I’ve see society at work. You can kill in more ways than with knives and guns. Words can ruin and destroy people just as easily as weapons. You can cut as deeply as a dagger with your words and ruin reputations with just a few sentences on a piece of paper or a few characters in an email. But remember, vengeance is Mine, not yours.

There are no more cities of refuge. I wish there were. I wish I could take all the times people exact revenge on another person, separate them, and put one into a city of refuge until real believers can consult Me on what should be done. What a different world it would be! How much violence, gossip, and discord would decrease if I could do it!

Think about the cities of refuge the next time you think you’ve been wronged and want revenge. Remember vengeance is Mine, not yours. Don’t let yourself get trapped by your emotions and do something you’ll regret. I’m the Avenger. Vengeance is Mine…always. Let Me handle the outcome. I will, trust Me. Yes, I want all to come to saving knowledge of Me and have their sins forgiven, but I also know best how to deal with the consequences, the guilt, the restitution, the punishment in this life and the next. I am the one who can bring justice to the world. After all, I give you My grace and you don’t deserve it either. All have sinned and come short of My glory. But I am the giver of grace and mercy. I am also the deliverer of justice and wrath.

Vengeance is Mine, not yours.

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.