Forgiveness

Everyone knows trouble, for some, our trouble was brought by another person and the anguish and pain is with us still. It may seem impossible to forgive that person - don't they deserve a full punishment for what they have done? 

Jesus is here to help; He always wants the best for us (Matthew 7:11); He is the great reconciler and restorer (Colossians 1:19-20). I pray that my experience and testimony will help you, I bring understanding from my own healings, and from much study. Praise Jesus that the effects of unforgiveness are today being recognised among God's people.
 
For many years Galatians 5:1 has been a favourite Bible verse - I sought freedom and have found freedom, and peace, in Jesus, "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
 
When Jesus died and rose from the grave He defeated death and sin, humanity's two biggest problems since The Fall (Genesis 3). "For our sake [God] made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
 
Jesus is our shepherd and will guide us and care for us all the days of our life (John 10:11, 14:6). He has given us tools to help us. The Lord's Prayer is one such, a beloved and perhaps the most spoken prayer on Earth. (On Easter Sunday 2007, it is estimated that two billion people spoke this prayer).
 
"Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen".
(Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13, in words I learned as a child).
 
We see that Jesus links our being freed from our sins to our forgiving others and setting them free from their sins against us. This is a theme throughout the Bible.
 
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25).
 
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).
 
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13).
 
Healing Our Heart
 
To forgive someone who has hurt us may seem unfair and unreasonable, but with prayer and perseverance Jesus will bring us through, we will be released from our anger and pain. O, the relief, the healing of our heart!
 
Along the way we see the truth of what our friend Bev P. says: "Unforgiveness is like us drinking poison and hoping the other person will get sick". Often the person who hurt us is unaware of our pain, they carry on with life with no burden from their wrongdoing. 
 

Our emotions of resentment, anger and our desire for revenge produce a bitterness in our heart, (medical people know this as a "toxic thought pattern"). Our Bible warns us about this: "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no bitter root springs up and causes trouble, by it many are defiled" (Hebrews 12:15). Those emotions are "bad fruit" in our life, the opposite of the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23) which Jesus grows in us (Luke 11:13).
 
This is a spiritual problem which cripples us and has profound impact on our ability to help others (Ephesians 2:10).
 
Another thing. God is in charge of justice. "Do not seek revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord'" (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).
 
It may be that the offending person is already remorseful; we humans learn to wear masks to cover our negative feelings. I have been amazed at the number of seemingly successful, outgoing, "comfortable" people who have confided in me their deep insecurities and profound feelings of guilt and shame. The repentance we hope to see may already be present. Our worry will not help us or them.
 
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2). How many times did I read these words before they came alive in my heart? Prayer is needed before we can release everything to our Lord Jesus.
 
Christians remind one another: "Let go and let God"; our children love to recite a favourite memory verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6). I find these thoughts uplifting in times of difficulty. Paul calls on us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16), this is a conscious process which bears precious fruit.
 
Here is a song which brings joy to my heart, especially when I am troubled:
 
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
 
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
 
Eight great verses! Joseph Scriven, 1855.
 
My Testimony
 
Twice I have had major healings through forgiveness, (and a thousand other healings too).
 
Arthritis: I was at work and reached out to answer the phone. A searing pain shot through my right shoulder, I was frozen, totally surprised. My boss sent me to see a doctor who said: "John, this is arthritis; often it will strike out of the blue like this. There have been big advances in treatment, and we will begin by trying this medication which helps many people like you". I was upset. "We will try?", I responded, "you are not sure what to prescribe?" The doctor explained that there was no way to determine the best medication for any arthritis patient, and no guarantee at all of success. Some people suffer terribly for life. Not encouraging news.
 
At the pharmacy I waited in line behind two women and could not help overhearing their conversation, (I totally believe that this scene was set by our mighty Lord Jesus). One woman said: "O, that Sonja, she still complains all the time. She has seen every doctor and they can't help her. I keep telling her: arthritis is a disease caused by unforgiveness. She just refuses to forgive that ex-husband of hers".
 
I had about 20 minutes to wait for my tablets and nothing to do but ponder those words. Unforgiveness? Arthritis? "Jesus, were those words for me?" The medication I was prescribed did no good at all, neither did the doctor's second "try".
 
My morning quiet times took on a whole new shape. I looked at my life: Who has hurt me? Who do I resent or hold in unforgiveness? Also, how do I forgive? Just saying the words will not be enough, God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
 
This was a battle. When I thought I was done, Jesus would soon bring to mind another person or event to be forgiven: from my childhood, my teens, my 20s, from friends, family, even from myself. From betrayals, from  mistakes and misunderstandings. Three times I thought I had completed this task.
 
Then the pain went away and I had full use of my shoulder once again, and still do to this day. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. This was big. I was still young, with a wife and six growing children. Jesus has faithfully kept me mobile all these years since.

Every Day: We Christians progress towards "unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God; until we become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). But we still seem able to hurt one another and be hurt ourselves: in marriage, in family, and with others. We can cause or feel offence or pain. Trish and I have learned to repent often and forgive each other quickly (Luke 6:37). "Short accounts" are good. I often think of our marriage as a lovely long conversation.
 
Cancer: More recently I had a big fight with prostrate cancer. By the time they found the tumors they were well established. My doctors decided that radiation was the best treatment for me. I was told that there was hope for success but the risks were high; our prostrate is near several major body parts and the cancer can easily spread.
 
A prayer friend sent me some links from a Christian doctor who studied medical advances in the light of what God's Word says about health and healing. I watched the talks, downloaded the big PDF book and had it printed. Jesus made it plain that I was to clear the "toxic thought patterns" from my life; these included anger at the declining state of our culture and the world, and once again, unforgiveness, of myself and of others. A weeks-long prayer battle followed.
 
I re-learned to: ".. take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). I pondered what "every" means!
 
Once again I prayed and sought forgiveness for my own sins, prayed and forgave others, and myself. Once again this process needed to be repeated. It is very hard work. My knowledge of my dependence on Jesus became radiant. I sought to ensure that nothing would impede the flow of His grace to me.
 
I went through my treatment as one of a cohort, we were together every weekday for months. I was at peace and made a remarkable recovery. Most of the other men appeared to suffer more, in every way, as the radiation affected us; they seemed to feel a great weight as their days slowly passed. My days were filled with life and prayer, Jesus was manifestly with me, He kept my spirit, my soul and my body for me. At the same time I was able to do less around the house and apologised to Trish. "O John", she replied, "you are fine, you could be all grumpy and demanding but you are not, we can manage, it is ok". Bless her! Jesus was with us in every way.
 
Jesus Helps
 
Jesus is complete love, its source and its essence: "So we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them" (1 John 4:16). We know that Jesus is "always" here with us (Matthew 28:20).
 
My prayer for you: Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that, by your Spirit, you encourage and help this person who is reading what we have written together, to let go of all those they hold in unforgiveness, even them self, and that he or she may find the peace and the freedom only you can bring". Amen.
 
Favourite Bible Verses 
 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).
 
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
 
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
 
Thank you Jesus my beloved friend (John 15:15).
 
Bless us all, come Lord Jesus.
 
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Amen.

Ascended and Glorified

I think that I am getting a deeper understanding of faith.

As Christians we know faith, it is fundamental to our view of life and the world since Jesus became a vital part of everything for us. Our understanding grows - faith grows as we grow in our "knowing" God, the God of all Creation, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit who guides, teaches, counsels, and comforts us daily.
 
This present time of my growing in faith is through my seeing more of the "bigness" of God. Some guys were talking about God's bigness and how He created all the stars on the fourth day (Genesis 1:14); He simply stretched out His hand and put them in place, even a thousand light years away, because He chose to, and it was in His design.
 
"It is I who made the earth and created humankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshalled their starry hosts" (Isaiah 45:12).
 
"He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south" (Job 9:9). 
 
The Bear and Orion are about 800 light years distant from Earth (at approximately 9.5 trillion kilometres or 5.9 trillion miles for one light year). The Pleiades are about 444 light years. These distances are beyond comprehension, nevertheless our God created, (Genesis 1 and 2), and will do so again (Revelation 21:1). He is omnipotent, all powerful, (Matthew 19:26); when His Word says He did these things, we can totally believe that He did. God is also omnipresent, this means that He is present everywhere, all the time (Psalm 139; Matthew 28:20). Awesome.
 
Over the years I have heard many people teach about "faith"; mostly they talked as though faith is like a muscle and if we "huff and puff" enough it will grow stronger. I believe that faith comes from knowing Jesus and growing in Him, more and more.
 
Through Jesus we can know God personally and relationally in our spirit (Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:17). We know Him as our Saviour and Shepherd (Luke 1:47; John 10:11) and even historically, and by learning more and more about Him from the Bible and the many resources available to us, and too, by hearing His voice in our own heart, and experiencing His touch in our life. All this will grow our faith. 

While I was reading the words "ascended" and "glorified", many Scripture verses and earlier understandings came together for me. Suddenly I saw Jesus as endless, and also His Kingdom, and His presence in the world and in us. Bigger, present, working, effective, without limit.
 
Sometimes I (briefly) think God is not doing enough, even though I know this is an untrue and disloyal thought. Things are getting worse - beyond our earlier troubles, we are now watched by more cameras everywhere and live with high inflation right around the world. It seems that every aspect of our worldly life is being corrupted or controlled, and we can do nothing about any of this.
 
Happily we are assured that God knows and cares (1 Peter 5:7), therefore He must be allowing all this terrible sin in the world, just as He did for ancient Israel: "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people .." (2 Chronicles 7:13).
 
In the Old Testament we see that God wanted to change people's hearts: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). But the people wanted material prosperity and prestige and worldly power. 1st Samuel 16:7 reminds us: ".. the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart". Jesus' apostles asked: "Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6): material prosperity and prestige and worldly power!
 
Is our God, even today, still waiting for His people to change their hearts towards Him and away from the world, our comforts and our flesh?
 
Jesus assured the Jewish leaders that He and Father God were always at work (John 5:17). Happily the evidence of the "ascended and glorified" Jesus doing "greater things" (John 14:12) is all around us. We need eyes to see.
 
Jesus is the centre of everything. "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him" (Colossians 1:16). I smile as I remember this favourite verse. In Bible college we learned: "Jesus is always the answer!" Even now He sits on His throne sharing His Father’s "Lord(ship) of all creation" (Acts 10:36), and "His principal activity is intercessory prayer" (John Yates, 2024); Jesus prays for us, His people, without ceasing (Hebrews 7:25). There are so many testimonies to the timeliness and power of His prayers.
 
When we are saved, Jesus becomes central to us, each one. We Christians call this our "first love"; that time when our "new life" (Acts 5:20) is truly new, and such a delight after how life was before Jesus came and took us to himself. We got to know the "ascended and glorified" Jesus. He is God in fullness, having completed our Father's work on Earth; He was crucified on a cross, and gave His life blood to pay the full price for our wrongdoing, our sins, for all sin, for all time. Jesus died and was buried; yet, by the power of God's Holy Spirit, He triumphed over sin and death (Romans 6:4, Ephesians 1:18-20) and rose again to life (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Jesus brings us into His family, we become children of God (1 John 3:1).
  

Even more, through baptism in Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to live inside each one of us. This is part of the promise of salvation under the New Covenant (Acts 1:8). We become God's "dwelling place" (Revelation 21:3), His "temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16), this is spiritual. Every Christian is a "living stone" (1 Peter 2:5), a part of the very fabric of God in the world.
 
"God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). When Jesus "ascended" and was "glorified" in Heaven, things became new. His work on Earth was complete, our work just beginning. We are to be His "ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20) and His workers here (Matthew 10:8). By His Spirit Jesus gives us the grace, strength and power to live for Him, (Galatians 5:16-26). But we have to choose and act, develop new habits and make effort.
 
We can only do any of this with God's strength, in Jesus Christ by His lovely Holy Spirit, our teacher, counselor, comforter and guide (John 14:26). And for this we need faith, God's kind of faith (Mark 11:22), the "certain" kind of faith that our Father has (Hebrews 11:1).
 
"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you" (Romans 8:11).
 
Praise Jesus, despite how things appear, we have His constant help. Even now He intercedes for us from the throne room of God. He will guide us to act in our world today, just as He led those early Christians in the New Testament of our Bibles. Let us press on in prayer and keep seeking Him (Matthew 21:22; John 16:24). Let us cling to the faith given to us by our lovely "ascended and glorified" Jesus. Amen.
 
How many heroes of the faith do we know? We have read the Bible and books and biographies about people called to evangelise or minister healing, start an orphanage or a refuge, or to give scones to strangers in city streets.
 
Right now, many people are starting home churches or another ministry. This may seem counter-cultural in these days of mega churches and magnificent sound systems, TV and Internet broadcasts, well resourced programs and huge mailing lists, but it is totally in line with the Bible's teaching. We are all called to minister (Ephesians 2:10).
 
It is also a big change for the person; they will (even more) give their life to Jesus. Christian work is not just Sundays, it involves being ready at any time to help people, sometimes with urgent needs, or perhaps to open one's home, week after week. It will often mean keeping one's job, like Paul (a maker of tents), to provide income (Acts 18:3) because any giving received may be needed for ministry to others (Acts 20:35).
 
What we do may affect only a few people, but these few will receive the greatest blessing known to humankind; they will encounter Jesus! (See John 7:38).
 
Even more, there will be a need to pray for all those who participate in the work, just as Jesus prays for us. These are not "our" people, they belong to Jesus, We simply share with Him in His "ascended and glorified" work of interceding for His church and the world.
 
Jesus calls on each one of us to disciple others. Discipling is not much seen in the church today; our call to this essential task is largely being bypassed. My reading of Scripture tells me that we all have a duty to teach and encourage others and help them to grow; and also that we never outgrow our own need to be discipled too. 

In the early church, Jesus' people would gather to share together and encourage one-another (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 14:26). They mostly met in homes (1 Corinthians 16:19; Philemon 1:1-2). The Bible says they also met in Synagogues and I can see how this would be. In our newlywed days when Trish and I were new believers, we thought of ourselves as charismatic Christians. We would attend church as was "normal" for our denomination, and afterwards, at cup-of-tea time, we would "gather"; then we would encourage one another, share thoughts, Scripture, songs, prophetic words and prayers. These times, and our prayer meetings and times of ministry, were profoundly rich and satisfying. We were "being church" together.
 
We were aware that we had been "baptised in the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:8; Revelation 22:17), just like the first Christians in the "upper room" at Pentecost (Acts 2:4). We had been given "gifts of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and were learning to minister in these gifts. We would "one another" one another (Acts 2:42-47). We knew we had been "set free" (Galatians 5:1), we were "alive in Christ" (Colossians 2:13), and living "life in the Spirit" (Matthew 10:8; Acts 19:6). We called this "every member ministry". Our Bibles assured us that all this was normative Christianity.
 
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, Jesus' words).

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).

 
The early church did not have dedicated "church" buildings, professional pastors and "leaders", nor "worship" teams. Neither did they have "services" where a lay congregation were served structured deliveries from-the-front. There were no professionals, no "lay" people, no pre-arranged content, no "front", and certainly no stage. Be assured though, the people would have come prepared; early on I was taught to ask: "Lord Jesus, what would you like me to bring to the prayer meeting, (or group, or Bible study)?" He would always give me something, a Bible verse, a thought, a prayer, a teaching, a song. Then I would find that others would also bring something towards that same "Holy Spirit theme" that day; Jesus prepared us and equipped us for what He wanted us to discuss.
 
(We did not copy what the "church" or other people or groups were doing, we sought Jesus’ guidance as to what He wanted us to do).
 
The "ascended" Jesus was "glorified" among us, simply, without fuss and from love.
 
Amen. 

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:8-11).
 
Yes. Amen.
 
Favourite Bible Verses -
 
"For in Him we live and move and have our being .. For we also are His children" (Acts 17:28).
 
"These whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Romans 8:30).
 
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Take It By Force

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12, Jesus' words). 
 

When I was a new Christian I learned that my "force" was not enough. I knew that I was saved, that Jesus had forgiven my sins and brought me into His fold. But I was not in relationship with Him, neither did I know His Father as my father, not intimately as "Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6). I had a long time of big struggle.
 
I tried as hard as I could but I did not obtain "conviction" or "power" (1 Thessalonians 1:5), and this bothered me enormously. Parts of my life were going well, but the rest was emptiness and uncertainty. I knew people who had "got it" - they had some spiritual maturity, they were growing in Jesus, they were moving into the reality of their "adoption as children of the living God" (Ephesians 1:5) - they were "alive in Christ" (Romans 6:11) and had begun the lifelong process of "renewing their minds" (Romans 12:2).
 
I would read my Bible. I went to all the prayer meetings and conferences and learned from some truly great teachers. I loved Communion, the Lord's Supper. I was sincere. Sometimes I cried tears of joy. When people asked my denomination I would say that I was "a committed Christian", meaning that I belonged to Jesus more than to a local church or any group, and that Christianity was a main focus in my life - I wanted to be the man Jesus wanted me to be.
 
Already I knew that Christian life is a struggle. The Bible says we will receive gifts which help us; that force alone will never win the day. (Paul, who contributed so much to the early church and to our Bibles, struggled mightily and often, he knew that he had little "force", see Acts 9:23-25, 13:50, 14:5-6, 21:11, 21:31-34).
 
John Baptist was Jesus' cousin. Even before he was born, John was filled by Holy Spirit (Luke 1:44), he "leaped for joy in Elizabeth's womb". John committed all his life to God even though he did not know when he would be called upon to do what is recorded in the Bible; he was to announce the coming of Israel's promised Messiah.
 
John lived in the desert. No supermarkets and work-wear stores for him, he ate rough and wore rough clothes. He went out there and meditated on God's word and prayed. He was committed, he became stalwart.
 
Remember, John was born 400 years after God had last spoken to Israel, His "treasured possession" (Exodus 19:5). The people followed their Jewish traditions, and "the law and the prophets" (Acts 28:23), but had received no new word from their God until John. Four hundred years - about sixteen generations. No word.
 
John must have been sure; sure and strong and courageous. He began his ministry of announcing Israel's Messiah (John 1:15). He would have had nothing but faith, truly believing that he had heard God say "go, speak now".
 
John did not know who he was to announce as Messiah until Father God had the dove come and rest on Jesus and spoke aloud from Heaven, "this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). John and Jesus were just a few months different in age. Jesus lived simply as a carpenter, I am sure that John was surprised; Jesus was so ordinary, He was his cousin, a part of his extended family. But John obeyed and baptised Jesus. Jesus was, and is, the Saviour of all humankind. John had "eyes to see and ears to hear" (Acts 28:27), and was "obedient" (1 Peter 1:2). 
 

The world desperately wants all the blessings of "the Kingdom of God"; people will say "yes, I will go to Heaven when I die, I am a good person". Their desire is so strong that they will use great force to justify their claim.
 
At the same time, the human desire for security and respect is universal; I now believe that being in Jesus' (spiritual) arms is the most secure and safe place in the world. Jesus is with us "always" (Matthew 28:20), and we can always know we have value and are loved (1 John 3:1).
 
I have worked in big businesses and in government departments, almost always they are managed by those with political skills and for many managers appearances mattered more than substance, personal ambition was more important than the true mission. These ones understand "force". My response to all this is to remember that "small is beautiful", I simply seek to follow Jesus’ leading, and to keep a low profile.
 
God’s Way
 
Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). When we come to Him we are given the assurance that we are forgiven our sins and set free from their burden. We are loved and can be at rest. We do not need "force". We are brought into God's family and have an eternal Saviour caring for us and providing strength when we have none (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus is always the same (James 1:17). 
 
All our life we have been encouraged to dream dreams and to set goals, then to work very hard to reach them. It is no wonder then that the people of the world are forceful towards God's Kingdom and His people, they are trying to achieve a great and worthy goal in the world’s way. But God is gracious: 
 

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:2-5).
 
The great, ever repeating, tragedy of the Fall, as I see it, is that Satan offered those first two humans a lesser version of what they already had. Adam and Eve were in intimate relationship with God, they worked with Him during the day, caring for the "vast array" of the Creation, and in the evening they would "walk and talk together", the three of them, "in the garden". They would have known what pleased God, thus they knew fully what was "good" and what was "evil", (that is, everything that does not please God).
 
God offers us Adam’s and Eve’s original potential today, not as Satan offered, by separating our self from God, but by joining with Jesus. In Him our conscience can discern right and wrong and be at peace. In Jesus we are being made whole (Colossians 2:9-11), as only Jesus can bring healing, and the world cannot even counterfeit (1 John 2:27).
 
We can see this same thought expressed when Jesus was asked about His ministry, He gave a Kingdom answer about the people blessed by His mission: "'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor" (Luke 7:22). A message of hope for all. Good news. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ! Here we see love, compassion and power; but not "force".
 
"The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love" (Psalm 103:6,8). We Christians are to participate in Jesus’ works.
 
None of this is available to those who seek to "take it by force" (Matthew 11:12), their heart is wrong, their motive is wrong, their objective is wrong, and they will depend on them-self. We know that the way for us to "run the race" (1 Corinthians 9:24), is to "abide in the vine" (John 15:5), fully depending on Jesus as "shepherd" and "Lord" (John 10:11), and to use the "spiritual gifts" He has given us by His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7).
 
No other faith group has these assurances, (least of all the humanists, possibly the most popular "faith" in the West in our time). Some gods say "maybe; if you follow all my rules and practices and sacrifices, I may help you if it pleases me". Such faith is based on works, which is simply religion and is uncertain. Only Jesus’ followers are ever sure of their salvation and their God.
 
Jesus was offended by religion and religious practice. Our God seeks relationship with His people, Spirit to spirit, such close relationship that we are brought into His family. Jesus' Father becomes our Father, we are made sons, in fullness, "sons and daughters of the living God" (2 Corinthians 6:18). (In Bible language, we are all "sons" because we are brought fully into Jesus' inheritance, just like a first born son in Bible times).
 
At the Creation, Elohim God created a glorious place full of truly wondrous and beautiful things; today we call this "the Universe", or "our ecosystem". Then God created humankind, "man" and "woman", in His own image and likeness, and commanded that they should rule over the world and care for it in all its complexity (Genesis 1:26-28). Surely an awesome undertaking and responsibility, worthy of our Lord Jesus.
 
Nevertheless, we seem able to get ourselves into trouble. We do wrong and feel guilt and shame. We are hurt and feel betrayal or pain. All our "force" cannot overcome these feelings. We need God's "benefits", His "free gift"; for those who belong to Jesus, who have faith in the one who died and rose for all of humanity (Romans 5:15-16, 6:23; John 8:36).
 
We Are Forgiven Our Sins
 
Forgiveness is a major theme of both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible, and is a key element in the gospel of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is Himself God and at the same time, the human Son of God (a mystery). He gave His sinless and perfect life to pay the price so that we can be forgiven and set free, He empowers us to forgive.
 
The Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2-4; Matthew 6:9-15) includes us asking our Father to "forgive us our sins" followed by God's desire for us that "we also forgive everyone who sins against us"; our forgiveness is bound together with our forgiving.
 
All sin is wrongdoing against God, it all hurts Him, so it is costly for Him to forgive, He paid with the life of His only Son (John 3:16). Yet our Father God is always ready to forgive us when we repent and acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour. This is God's grace towards us at its most profound (Ephesians 2:8).
 
We are free to live the life He planned for us from the beginning. (See Galatians 5:1, John 10:10, and 1 Thessalonians 5:16). We can see why God wants to forgive us, so that there will be no barrier between us, no impediment to the flow of love from Him to us, each one, and from us to Him. Such a blessing. 
 

When we remember past hurts from other people they can be as sharply painful as when they were new. (Often, physical pain is not so long remembered). Our desire to not forgive the one who hurt us is understandable, but, truth is, unforgiveness hurts us more and more as time passes. Unforgiveness becomes bitterness, and bitterness is a slow poison. (Hebrews 12:15) "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many".
 
We are then able to see, hear and obey: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
 
We are told "Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7), Jesus wants us to "wait on Him" (Psalm 27:14). We are not alone, His strength will be there for us when we need it, our "force" will never be enough.
 
The world may be a scary and dangerous place, but I can have peace and hope, because I am a forgiven child of the living God, and His Son Jesus is my big brother! Hallelujah.
 
Praise Jesus. Amen.
 
Favourite Bible Verses
 
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63).
 
"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).
 
"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'" (John 11:40).
 
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
 
"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,  and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ" (Colossians 2:9-11).
 
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