Becoming Unshakeable In Times Of Shaking

– Part 2 (Forgiveness of Sins)

preached by Pastor Joseph Prince on 2 November 2008

as noted from CD only by Yeo Choon Meng Terence

- this is a continuation from the 19 Oct 2008 sermon

Introduction

This message is intended to help the listener became unshakable in the times we are living in.

The times may be unstable BUT God is FIXED.

Bible Economics

Bible economics is based on the metals, gold and silver. That is, money in biblical terms is always gold and silver.

However, today’s economy is different and is based on paper money. Moreover many countries such as the US are heavily in debt. This shows how the world today is so divorced from Bible economics.

The best solution to the debt problem is actually to tackle each debt individually. However what is proposed today by governments is to either tax their citizens in order to repay the debts or to print more money. Both solutions are akin to giving more cocaine to a drug addict — they represent temporary relief but the situation only worsens later!

God’s economy is based on (1) sowing and reaping; and (2) labouring to produce increase (Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth [gotten] by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase”)

[Editor's comments: Take a look at some other translations which I find especially relevant in these times where all sorts of financial products are imploding -- NLT "Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows. " or NKJV "Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase." or NIV "Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow." or ESV "Wealth gained hastily [* or by fraud] will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.]

The stock market is something which does not fit into the dynamics of either (1) or (2) above. There is no sowing or labouring contemplated and the aim is to achieve quick success. The stock market is thus risky ground.

Pastor states clearly that he is not forbidding stock market investments but stresses that this is not the biblical ideal for financial increase.

Gold is real wealth.

Gold is the first mentioned metal in the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 2:11-12 “The name of the first [is] Pison: that [is] it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where [there is] gold; And the gold of that land [is] good …” and Gold is the last mentioned metal at the end of the Bible (Revelation 21:21 “And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.”)

We can infer from this that Gold has an enduring and eternal quality. Moreover the first mention of gold in the Bible is that it is “good”. Pastor caveats that this is not an encouragement to go out now to invest in gold!

Hebrews 12:18-28 – Mt Zion and Mt Sinai contrasted

v 18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,

v 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard [it] begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

v 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.”

v21 And so terrifying was the sight [that] Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

v22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,

v23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn [who are] registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

v24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than [that of] Abel

v25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more [shall we not escape] if we turn away from Him who [speaks] from heaven,

v26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.

v27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

v28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

v29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.

We are to take note of Him “who speaks from heaven” (Heb 12:25) and that He will remove “those things” that are being shaken (Heb 12:27). God is shaking the earth and atmospheric heaven (Heb 12:26).

There is a good reason for the shaking. Man-made things are shaken (Heb 12:27) but whatever that is of God remains!

Sickness is by devil. Therefore it can be shaken. Health is from God. Therefore, health cannot be shaken. Debt is man-made can this can be shaken! Provision is from God and therefore cannot be shaken!

Make sure everything is built the solid rock of Christ! God wants things in your life that cannot be shaken.

We see in Heb 12:28 that it is only with God’s Grace that we can serve God “acceptably” and that likewise, it is only with God’s Grace that we have Godly Fear. Grace empowers you to have a wholesome ‘dread’ of displeasing Him. This Godly Fear is a fear borne out of love for Him. It is not a fear that repels.

Whatever that is not of Grace, God will consume out of you e.g. sin, etc (Heb 12:29). God of course does not consume out of you things which are borne out of Grace e.g. righteousness from Christ imputed on you, etc.

God speaks to build up and not break up (Heb 12) and Heb 12:29 is a verse of encouragement.

Context of Hebrews 12

What causes the “voice” of Heb 12:25-26 to speak? It is the blood of Jesus.

Zion symbolizes Grace. Sinai (pronounced sē·nah’·ē ) represents the Law.

Root cause

The biggest problem is fear, worry and anxiety in people’s hearts and NOT financial crisis!

What is the root cause of fear, worry and anxiety? It is fear of God or a sense of separation from God. Fear of lack etc is only the manifestation or fruits of the root cause.
In other words, once you have a sense of separation. The result is stress, sickness, etc. The root cause is hat you don’t have a sense that your sins are forgiven!

If we REALLY know that God loves and forgives us, and that you are in Christ, you will have full confidence that He will will provide for you just as He feeds the birds (Matt 6:26).

Sinai

Sinai = Sin (torns) + Ai (ownership) = My Thorns!

The Law became a thorn in the side of Israel. The Law constantly reminded them how they fell short. They were reminded how they had not done this or that according to the Law — accusations constantly.

Moses was the very best of them under Law [Num 12:3 "(Now the man Moses [was] very meek, above all the men which [were] upon the face of the earth.) and Exo 33:11 “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend”]

Yet the Law condemned Moses. The Law condemns the best of us. Contrast this with Grace! Grace embraces the vilest sinner! Hallelujah!

Heb 12:18 indicates that the top of Mt Sinai was burned with fire till blackness. We learn from this that there is no revelation from Mt Sinai / Law and there is instead a sense of darkness, gloom etc.

It is important to stay clear of Mt Sinai because we want to avoid what happened to the children of Israel — what they saw in Mt Sinai ultimately went into their hearts. They became legalistic, etc.

Mt Sinai was so terrifying that the children of Israel begged Moses to speak on their behalf to God. In Hebrews 12:20 tells us that anybody that approached the mountain would be “shot with an arrow”. The fiery darts (Eph 6:16) of the devil have their power from the Law!

How do you know if you are under Law?

Moses in Heb 12:21 was “exceedingly afraid” — this is the condition when were are under Law!

If you are always asking, how am I to God, you are under Law. You should have settled this question long ago. Keep reminding yourself that you are accepted in the beloved Son of God.

We have come to Mt Zion

Hebrews 12 tells us that we have not come to Mt Sinai but to Mt Zion. Hallelujah! Angels, God etc also have moved to Zion (Heb 12:22).

God does not want this low level Law-based relationship with us. He does not want to turn His back on us and to consume us.

God wants us instead to be on Zion. He wants us to live by the resources of heaven and not the world’s banking system.

From Heb 12:23, we learn that God is the Judge of all. God has judged as righteous through the blood of Jesus. Once the highest judge in the universe has declared us righteous, we ARE righteous.

We learn in Heb 12:24 that we must embrace “Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant” and His Blood i.e. “the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than [that of] Abel”

Jesus blood speaks better things because it speaks of mercy, forgiveness, etc. Abel’s blood spoke of vengeance.

Heb 12:25 tells us to “See that you do not refuse Him who speak”. The context and interpretation of Heb 12:25 is that you don’t refuse the blood of Jesus.

Jesus died outside time for ALL sins committed in the past, present and future. No sin escaped. All sin was punished on Jesus.

Do people really believe their sins are forgiven?

Many don’t fully believe that their sins are forgiven and they are they are therefore as per Hebrews 12 on shaky ground, and they are subject to fear and trembling and are allow themselves to be affected by the financial crisis. By not fully believing that their sins are forgiven, they are not sure that God will help them as they are not sure that the sin barrier no longer exists.

If you believe that your sins are forgiven, you will have robust faith and confidence in Jesus Christ. You are on solid ground.

Don’t refuse the voice that speaks better things

The Main Clause of the New Covenant is: Forgiveness of Sin

In other places in the NT, it is referred to as “remission of sin”.

The Holy Communion

In instituting the Holy Communion, Jesus in Luke 22:19 and 2 Cr 11:24 said to take the bread and wine in “remembrance” of Him. We should thus take communion in the spirit remembering what Jesus has done for our sin.

Indeed the word “give thanks” is eucharis in the Greek and which has become another name for the Holy Communion. Eucharis means: Good Grace

In the last supper, Jesus gave thanks / eucharis for the bread and the wine.

Therefore, we should be in a spirit of thanks giving to God when we partake communion for His finished work. Instead, in many places, this is the opposite. People are saying prior to communion you must search your heart for sins and confess them as if you don’t, you will have taken communion ‘wrongly’ and will die. It is as if the Cross has not taken place!

Matt 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

The Greek word translated into “remission” can be also understood as: forgiveness.

Jesus died for unworthy people including all the people in the body of Christ. When we are sin-conscious during Communion, we are saying the Cross is not enough. The act of being sin-conscious during communion is partaking “unworthily” as per the warning of 1 Cr 11:29. The expression “unworthily” thus refer to the action and not the actor.

Jesus died for all sinners. We thus do not have to again pre-qualify to participate in Communion!

Once we partake of the bread and wine, we are to be conscious of TOTAL forgiveness for ALL sin in Jesus Christ. We are not to have an OT mentality where every year blood must be offered again for sin.

If you come to God like your sins are not forgiven, that is partaking “unworthily”.

It is like the debtor who has had his debt paid in full, coming before the creditor and begging and grovelling for debt forgiveness. This is unworthy behaviour.

Everyone who partakes the Communion has sin. When we come to the Communion, come believing that all sin has been imputed to Jesus. It is a fallacy that you can’t take communion if you have sin. Come to the Lord’s supper, judging the bread as the Lord’s body broken, judging that you are therefore healed. Judge the wine as the Lord’s blood, judging that you are righteous by His blood. This is judging and taking communion WORTHILY.

Come to God with a sense of forgiveness.

Coming to God thinking that you still have sin is UNWORTHY behaviour. Judge yourself forgiven!

During Communion, it is time to remember your Saviour. It is NOT the time to remember sins.

But in many places, they STILL recall their sins! This is refusing “the voice” of Heb 12:25 that “speaks”. The result is that these folks are shaken, and are full of fear about the financial turbulence, and they believe that God causes sickness and disease, etc.

Partaking with any sense of sin consciousness is: partaking “unworthily”.

When we drink the cup of wine. Don’t drink for forgiveness of sin. Drink because you know that your sins are forgiven. Drink knowing that the cup is a constant reminder that you are forgiven and render thanksgiving to the LORD for sins forgiven.

Take bread as constant reminder that your body is and continuously whole. Not that you are trying to be whole and require healing.

Forgiveness of sin is the mother of all blessings!

We are eternally and present-tense forgiven always!

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Forgiveness of sin in not just the “door”

Forgiveness is not just the door to the Christian faith. Forgiveness is not basic. Forgiveness is the fundamental of Christian faith. Forgiveness is the WHOLE of Christian life. Forgiveness is THE main plank of our faith in Jesus Christ.

The moment you fall from time to time, instantly recall that you HAVE forgiveness of sin. When you live in that state of forgiveness, you stumble less, and in turn you also forgive others.

Living under that state of consciousness that you are forgiven produces the power to live holy lives and does not produce licentiousness.

Adolf Saphir

David Baron and Adolf Saphir were messianic jews who lived in the 19th century.

[Editor's Comments: You can read up more about Adolf Saphir at http://www.newblehome.co.uk/saphir/index.html]

Saphir said this: “The forgiveness of sin is not merely the beginning, it is the foundation, the source, that is to say, it is the mother of divine blessings”

The moment you doubt that you are forgiven, you forgo divine blessings.

When churches reveal Jesus, people queue up to attend

Mark 2:1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.

Mark 2:2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

Mark 2:3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.

Mark 2:4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

Mark 2:6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

Mark 2:7 “Why does this [Man] speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Mark 2:8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?

Mark 2:9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘[Your] sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?

Mark 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”–He said to the paralytic,

Mark 2:11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

Mark 2:12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw [anything] like this!”

The paralytic was impotent in his feet. He needed to walk. Yet Jesus said to him that his sins are forgiven. The moment you believe that you are forgiven by God, this is the end of your disease. When you believe this you can “take up your bed and walk”. Forgiveness is the mother of divine blessings.

This of course does not mean that preaching on healing is no longer relevant. Rather any preaching on healing must be premised on one’s sins being forgiven. Healing must not be preached in isolation.

Jesus Commission to his disciples

Luke 24:27 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Jesus before he ascended to the Father after his resurrection commissioned his disciples to preach remission of sins (ie. forgiveness of sin) and repentance from dead works to all the nations.

When forgiveness of sins is powerfully and clearly preached, people’s faith for healing and prosperity arises.

Don’t have mixture. It is error to believe that you are only forgiven up to the point you accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour and that for future sins, you are only forgiven if you confess them. When Jesus Christ died, you were not born, thus all your sins were future. Therefore, Jesus died for all sins, past, present and future. We don’t need to repeatedly confess any new sins in order for them to be forgiven. This is sin consciousness. This is man’s doctrine in limiting God’s forgiveness. This is resorting back to the OT blood sacrifices of bulls and goats and refusing the “voice” that “speaks” (Heb 12:25).

When you have mixture, you tend to be shaking and fearful, and subject to stress caused disease, you are in effect still on Mt Sinai.

Believing Right

There is something about believing right, the result is that you live right.

When you are so conscious of the forgiveness of sin, your heart is so full of love. When we receive forgiveness, there is a holy effect E.g. you are patient and let other drivers go first etc.

However when we forget that we are forgiven, it is a life of stress, and we even become legalistic to others. E.g. We are not courteous on the road and refuse to let the other motorist through because he has not signalled, even though we would only be delayed by one minute. The attitude then becomes one where others must deserve our forgiveness.

Sancitify yourself

When you believe you are forgiven, you sanctify yourself close to the LORD.

It is like keeping yourself close to the sun which just melts away all the sin like ice.

Teachings which say that Grace produces licentiousness, or which short-circuits your sense of forgiveness, or which states that you must search your hearts for sin, ARE NOT FROM GOD.

Alabastar flask of fragrant oil

Luke 7:36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.

Luke 7:37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that [Jesus] sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

Luke 7:38 and stood at His feet behind [Him] weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped [them] with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed [them] with the fragrant oil.

Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw [this], he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman [this is] who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

Luke 7:40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

Luke 7:41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Luke 7:42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Luke 7:43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the [one] whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

Luke 7:44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped [them] with the hair of her head.

Luke 7:45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.

Luke 7:46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

Luke 7:47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, [which are] many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loves little.”

Luke 7:48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 7:49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Luke 7:50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

The woman in the story of Luke 7 is probably a prostitute because Luke 7 calls her a “sinner” and it is probably this sin / occupation which is very recognizable to the society of that day and labels her as such.

Jesus is very approachable. He is approachable even to the greatest sinner. The woman was thus not afraid to approach him. Most people are not drawn to people who are holy. But Jesus is different and special. He is approachable and draws all sinners.

The woman when she poured out the oil on Jesus was probably spending a substantial amount of her savings (maybe even a year’s wage) on Jesus — savings which were earned by giving up her soul in her occupation as prostitute. We believe that as she anointed Jesus with the oil, Jesus was restoring her soul and more!

In Jesus’ day, they reclined while eating, thus it was in this position that the woman in Luke 7 was weeping and anointing Jesus’ feet.

Jesus in Luke 7:40 shows that He had perceived what Simon had said to himself in Luke 7:39. Jesus knew the Pharisee’s thoughts.

In another incident, the pharisees had accused Jesus of eating and associating with sinners such as winebibbers etc. Jesus explained that it is the sick who need doctors. If we humble ourselves and say we are ’sick’, we qualify for Jesus.

Jesus was more blessed by the appearance of this woman than the dinner hosted by Simon. Up to this point, he does not appear to be excited until the woman appeared. That is the beauty of Jesus. He loves to minister.

Simon merely called Jesus “teacher”. He did not regard Jesus as Lord and Son of God. This is in stark contrast to the woman who did.

Jesus begins to narrate the parable in Luke 7:40 and he stresses that the creditor in Luke 7:42 “freely” forgave the debtors. This is the style in which Jesus forgives. He FREELY forgives us.

Both the action and the style in which the action is expressed are important. Jesus / the creditor freely forgave the debtors. We can admire the style of Jesus’ forgiveness.

The more you emphasize forgiveness in your life, the more you end up loving Jesus. You end up achieving the grand summation of the 10 commandments, that is, to Love God with all your heart, and all your soul. There is no greater holiness than this. As otherwise, you can have the actions without loving God.

Bible scholars tell us that Jesus has met this woman before as she is bearing the fruit of a previous encounter. Her actions in weeping and anointing Jesus are not to seek Jesus forgiveness but an expression of thanksgiving in the knowledge of her forgiveness. The woman is just so grateful to Jesus.

Notwithstanding this, Jesus tells her in Luke 7:48 that her “sins are forgiven”. We are need constant reminding from Jesus and His Word that we are forgiven!

This woman could well be Mary Magdalene or the woman caught in adultery whom Jesus saved in the Temple from stoning.

Jesus says in Luke 7:50 that the woman’s faith has saved her. But the woman said nothing. Yet Jesus said she had faith. We learn from this that if you believe in your heart, Jesus sees further and beyond words. In fact, in this case, Jesus saw the measure of her love for Him.

Jesus said that the woman’s faith “saved” her. The word translated into English as “saved” is the Greek: sozo which can also be understood as healing.

The reason for faith is knowing we are forgiven.

It is so beautiful in turbulent times to see folks walking in divine peace with God — this is ‘cool’ behaviour.

You can tell how much you believe you are forgiven by the measure of peace you have in your heart towards God.

As the parable in Luke 7 illustrates, the more you realise how much you are forgiven, the more you will love God. This principle is not being actively preached in the wider Christian world. That may be the reason why in some places there is little love for God. Even if this principle is preached, it is often diluted or subject to so many conditions that you don’t think that forgiveness is a free gift from God.

Noah’s 3 sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth

In Acts 8, the Ethiopian eunuch was saved.
In Acts 9, Saul is saved.
In Acts 10, Cornelius is saved.

Thus all 3 races are represented: the Ethiopian (Ham), Saul (Shem) and Cornelius (Japheth).

Shem is the ancestor of all the middle-eastern people such as Arabs, Jews, Persians.

Shem means ‘the name’ because they are chosen to bear the name of God. Indeed the Jesus and the Jews came from this line.

Ham means ‘anger’ and is the ancestor of the Egyptians, Africans.

Japheth means ‘enlargement; he shall spread about’. He is the ancestor of the Caucasians.

Where did the Chinese and Indians come from? Probably from one or more of the 3. Indeed it does not matter, as today we are in Christ.

In Gen 9:22-27, we are told the story of Ham who is cursed in his descendant Canaan because he saw his father’s nakedness and told his brothers about it.

Lesson: Curse arose because when your brother sins, you tell the whole world about it

Gen 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

The Hebrew word translated into English as “told” is transliterated as nagad and connotes: to proclaim, to celebrate with praise. Pastor says it connotes reporting to his brothers with “glee”.

The 2 other brothers went backwards to cover their father’s nakedness and did not see his nakedness. Both brothers were blessed by Noah and God.

In Acts 8, we see that the first group cursed, the Hamites were saved first! God is so gracious! The last shall be the first indeed!

In Acts 9, the Semites (Saul) were saved. In Acts 10, the Japhethites (Cornelius) were saved.

Why did God give honour of saving Ham first? Jesus came to redeem us from the curse. So the first group cursed, gets redeemed first. Where sin abounds, Grace super-abounds.

The Hamites also had great faith as the Ethiopian just read his bible and believed. The only question that he had was who the bible is talking about. God thus sent Philip to tell the Ethiopian that the bible spoke of Jesus. The greatest honour was thus placed on Ham.

In Acts 9, the Semites were saved. But they needed a heavenly vision i.e. Jesus appeared to Saul.

In Acts 10, Japheth (Cornelius) was saved but Cornelius needed a heavenly visitor – the angel.

Angels don’t have the honour to preach good news as the Blood of Jesus was not shed to save them. They just protect and prepare way. That is why the angel had to tell Cornelius to call for Peter to preach to him (Acts 10:5).

At first Peter had a superiority complex as a Jew towards Cornelius as recorded in Acts 10:21 “Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what [is] the cause wherefore ye are come?”

It is only after the explanation given in Acts 10:22 “And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee” that Peter comes around in Acts 10:34 and says he perceives that “God is no respector of persons”

Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

What were the words which Peter spoke which at this point the Holy Ghost fell?

Acts 10:45 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

The word “fell” is the same word in Greek [used to mean to: fall into embrace] in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:20) where the father runs to the son and “fell on his neck, and kissed him.” The Holy Spirit is likewise running to embrace you in love.

If God has pronounced you forgiven, how dare we not forgive ourselves.

If you believe that God remembers your sins no more, He will be your God and write his laws on your heart and guide you always.

If someone is on an isolated island with no communications and really desires God. Is he condemned? No. God will find someway to reach him. He will move heaven and earth to reach him. The story of Cornelius illustrates this.

The more you rest on His once and forever act of putting away our sins on the Cross and rest on His forgiveness, the more we see His fruit and His victory in our lives.

Copyright © 18 November 2008 Yeo Choon Meng Terence. All Rights Reserved.