Forgiveness Archives - Life Hope

What has God given you?

Ian Denness — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 11:18:57 +0000

God has given us so much!

Many couldn’t think of anything… A few said, “Not much!”

What about sunsets, sunrises, flowers, life itself, love and friendships, as well as hope!

Certainly our own human weaknesses can destroy much happiness. There are also storms, floods, earthquakes and all other events that used to be called ‘acts of God’ in the insurance small print.

However, mostly we enjoy life, when we are able to thank God for all his goodness to us.

He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.
Acts 14:17 (www.laridian.com)

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Should we say “Sorry” – to others, and to God?

Ian Denness — Sat, 24 Sep 2022 11:42:39 +0000

“Sorry” is not so easy to say…

Probably because it hurts our pride!

Some said that saying “sorry” would go against their personal self-image, and that would hurt their self-confidence and self-respect. So, they wouldn’t say it.

Most thought it was a good thing to say to others when needed.

Many complained that God wasn’t in the picture for them, and so there was no need to say “sorry” to him.

The Bible verse used was:

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…
Acts 3:19 (NIV)(http://www.laridian.com)

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Can God forgive your wrongs?

Ian Denness — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 08:04:46 +0000

“Yes” and “No”!

How does that work? Surely one or the other, or the most popular choice, “No God”!

Well, it depends on whether we try to get forgiveness for our wrongs from the ‘system’ God himself has put in place, or the way we think it is, or should be.

Pretty much everyone today admitted they had done something wrong.

The difference came with what God’s ‘system’ was for forgiving. The Bible says that God the Father had God the Son come to earth, and as a perfect human, as well as being God, be punished for our wrongs in our place. The ultimate substitute completely!

If one accepts that with all one’s heart and soul, then forgiveness is yours. We do need to change to live according to God’s principles, otherwise we would be big hypocrites!

If we don’t like God’s ‘system’, but just try to be good, then no forgiveness.

The verse with it was:

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness…”
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) (http://www.laridian.com)

Great news, if we go with it!

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“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other…” Will we do it?

Ian Denness — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 08:00:59 +0000

“Yes” was the answer!

That is, we will be kind and compassionate to each other. Great! We are all made in the image of God, so all of us have the capacity to be kind and compassionate. No one group has the sole copyright or monopoly on this ability.

However, the back narrative is seen in the picture from the market with the Bible verse: “… just as in Christ, God forgave you.”

That really is the ultimate in kindness and compassion – Jesus coming to love us and give himself for us, so that we can be restored and reconciled to God.

This is through God forgiving those who have accepted Jesus as their substitute. Forgiven for their ignoring and previous rejection of God. And then changing, because they want to please their wonderfully kind and gracious God!

Great news!

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Who do you most want to forgive you?

Ian Denness — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 02:56:13 +0000

God?

Other people?

Yourself?

They were the 3 choices!

Which would you choose?

On the day, the last was by far the most popular!

I chose the first. It is to do with the most important person I strongly believe I have most offended. Offending God is far worse for me than the way I have offended other people, as serious as that is.

As for myself, I don’t always forgive myself easily or quickly. We all have regrets!

However, offending God by ignoring him, even rejecting him previously in my life, and not always obeying him – that is the basis for my wanting to be forgiven by him.

That’s why I voted the way I did. When I was younger, there came a time when I found I could be forgiven completely by God. It was from what Jesus did, coming to live on this earth as a real human being as well as the Son of God. He willingly became our substitute by completely taking the penalty and shame we deserve ourselves from God, and thereby allowing us to be fully forgiven. I wasn’t looking for it, but it happened anyway. I am eternally grateful!

As for other people that I have offended? I try to ask forgiveness from them as necessary…

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What’s good about Christmas?

Ian Denness — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 02:46:09 +0000

Right up front I will say that for me Christmas starts and finishes with Jesus. He was the reason 2,000 years ago for it to start in the first place, wasn’t he? That’s why it is called Christ-mas. The last 3 letters meaning to celebrate.

How long will it last?

However, with so little about Jesus Christ in Christmas these days, and instead “holiday season”, “festive season”, and many others, how long will the title last?

Can our society still play for years on end with the Santa story? When will reality kick in? Holidays are great, but what about something more existential and longer-term meaningful for a hurting world?

Jesus came for us hurting people in this hurting world

No other faith has God coming down and living here and identifying with us. No other has God taking our shame and punishment for our rebellion against him, so that we can be led back to him.

That’s why Jesus came (Christmas), died (Good Friday), and rose from the dead (Easter Sunday). As the Son of God, if we are willing, since he never forces, he can take us back to God, allow our wrongs to be forgiven, and have us live with him forever on the new earth of heaven.

How good is that?

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How will we escape the wrath of God?

Ian Denness — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 11:42:30 +0000

If you don’t believe that God exists, or if you don’t believe the Bible is true, then you wouldn’t be bothered by this challenging question.

However, if you do believe both, then what does the Bible say about this?

The Bible says…

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Hebrews 10:31 (NIV) (http://www.laridian.com)

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness”

Romans 1:18 (NIV) (http://www.laridian.com)

And Jesus’ words:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28 (NIV) (http://www.laridian.com)

So, God’s wrath is coming

Why is it coming? It’s coming because of our rebellion against him. This shows itself by our ignoring and minimising him, or actively hating him. Either way, they are different levels of rebelling against him, since he is the God of the universe in which we live.

How can we escape the wrath of God?

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Acts 16:31 (NIV) (http://www.laridian.com)

Help yourself!

By accepting what Jesus has already done for us, to solve our problem. He purposely fitted into God’s plan to reconcile us by going to the cross on our behalf. He voluntarily took that wrath of God against our rebelling. Instead of each one of us being punished, he became our perfect substitute. No punishment, no wrath, remains for those fortunate people who have accepted his sacrifice. That will hurt our pride, but then there is reconciliation and forgiveness. Such love, such compassion, such empathy, such incredible kindness!

What’s the proof?

To prove that it was accepted, God brought him back to life again. God presented adequate proof that Jesus had come back to life again by him showing himself to many people over 40 days. God must have thought that was enough proof for any reasonable person to believe that it had really happened.

However, those who don’t accept this free gift of the ‘get out of jail card’, well, that will be another Post.

What do you think?

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