Daily Devotional: Friday, Sept 25
Speaker: Paul Diaz Theme: Unforgiveness - a BIG bag! Weekend Music links on iTunes: Your Grace Is Enough by Chris Tomlin; Sing to the King by Passion Worship Band; Glory by Hillsong United; Mighty to Save by Hillsong. Read: John 8:1 - 11 Think: Pastor Paul brought us an important message this last weekend on unforgiveness. The context was forgiving others. As we were driving home I thought about applying the whole teaching to forgiving ourselves. I know it's often easier for me to forgive others than to forgive myself.When I have messed something or someone up the Lord is quick to remind me. In reminding me He wants to have me seek His forgiveness and restore my relationship with Him and others. However, I can also take His promptings and beat myself up with them. I can rehearse my shortcomings as easily as someone else's. And I think unforgiveness for myself leads me to all the same places Pastor Paul spoke of: it affects my relationships, holds me in bondage, gives Satan a chance to work and results in bitterness. Young mothers who lose babies, alcoholics who lose families and livelihoods, divorced couples with children, businessmen whose businesses fail all need to study this teaching. Jesus provided us a wonderful image of applied forgiveness in John 8:1-11. Jesus came into the temple courtyard and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. "In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women". Jesus led this woman from public humiliation in the temple courtyard, to all her accusers slinking away knowing their own sin, to a wonderful blessing from Him "Has no one condemned you? Then neither do I". Sometimes I need to imagine myself standing in the courtyard with Jesus, humiliated in front of all the people I'm thinking look down on me and as they slink away hearing Jesus say "Has no one condemned you? Then neither do I". Jesus was hung on the cross for us. It is enough. Getting up on the cross myself says it wasn't enough. We are forgiven and we must forgive ourselves. Do: Think about things you've done and can't forgive. Take yourself to the temple courtyard of John 8 and hear Jesus say "Has no one condemned you? Then neither do I". Pray: Jesus, I accept your sacrifice on the cross for all my sins. I won't hold on to them because your sacrifice is enough. Thank you for your grace, mercy and love. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
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Timberlake Church | 4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, Washington 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@tlcf.org | ||||||