Let It Go

Matthew 6:12, 14-15
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
"For if you forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

When my grandchildren were babies, they went through the same developmental stages as most, where they practiced their motor skills. Somewhere after the first four months or so, my youngest grandchild's favorite activity was honing his fine motor skills by grasping a desired object and then hurling it over the side of his high chair or crib. He seemed to have great fun releasing everything from a cup of juice, to toys, clothing, food etc., and letting it go. It was something profound to him in the release, although it was not as much fun to parents, sissy or Nana after the first twenty retrievals. Countless times we picked up, much to his delight. The more we picked up the cast away item, the more encouraged he was to laughingly toss it away. Getting rid of as many objects as possible, before those slated for pick-up stopped playing the game, seemed to be the idea. How could letting go be so edifying, so soul satisfying?

In the model prayer found in Matthew, Jesus tells us to forgive the people who have hurt or offended us; to share in the joy of letting go. Can you imagine letting someone off the hook upon which we have them ensnared? Yet, that is exactly what forgiveness is. It is to give up the desire to punish someone, to pardon for wrongs done, to cancel a debt owed.

I can almost hear a chorus of voices saying, "But you don't know what they did to me. I am not going to let them get away with that!" But perhaps these considerations may be helpful as you decide whether or not to forgive. Forgiveness does not mean that you were not really wounded. It does not mean that you lost and they won. It does not mean that you are weak. In fact, it takes more moral strength to let go of bitterness than to hold on. It does not mean that they were somehow right to do what they did and you were wrong to feel pain or anger. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you will get instant amnesia and forget everything that happened or that you will immediately feel better.

But, a wise friend once told me that "acid corrodes the vessel that houses it", and more likely than not, your unforgiving spirit hurts you more than it hurts them. In some cases, the person is not even aware that you have been distant or resentful because of them. They may have just thought that you had a nasty disposition. Little did they know that you could turn your sunny personality on for others and off for them. They may not have known that you were hurt and may not have cared. Meanwhile, unforgiveness was causing you to lose sleep, get migraines, and develop digestive issues. It may have colored your relationships with others, as the darkness reserved for the offender spilled over onto everyone and everything else in its path. Unforgiveness steals joy,and peace. It interferes with our growth and maturity. Nothing good comes from holding on to the toxic waste of unforgiveness.

Now I know that most have struggled with feelings of unforgiveness at some time or another. I realize that some of you may have been through some heavy and outrageous things at the hands of others. For you it may have been abuse, slander, betrayal by friends, or discrimination by your school or employer. For others it may have been abandonment by a parent or spouse. In some counties war loosed enemies who thought it not wrong to physically torture. The list of wicked, unkind acts goes on and on. I believe that you may have suffered much and I wish that it had not happened.

Yet, I hear the voice of Jesus saying forgive your debtors-forgive those who have trespassed against you. This passage reminds us that we are forgiven and we are to forgive others. In fact, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." While we were still offensive to the Father, He sent a remedy for our condition. He sent His Son, Our Lord, to endure betrayal, desertion by friends, public humiliation and death by torture. He did it for us, in spite of us. He forgave us and let us go...debt cancelled.

Jesus tells us, essentially, that if we think forgiveness is a great idea for anyone (us), then it is a great idea for everyone (those who offend us). In fact verses 14 and 15 tell us that our relationship with the Father is impacted by our unwillingness to forgive.

Paul echoes Jesus later in Ephesians 4:31-32 saying, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Perhaps you'll join me in this prayer, "Lord help me to forgive the one who hurt me. (You insert their name.)I am so grateful that You are so full of grace and mercy in your dealings toward me. Help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to pass that mercy on to others. Lord, release me from pain, hurt and disappointment as I now refuse to hold on to anger. Fill me with the joy that only comes as I forgive and let go.

Thy Kingdom Come

Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
What a wonderful prayer and yet how much do we mean it? In this short verse we are acknowledging that God is king and rules in His kingdom. This means He is Sovereign and is in control. There is no higher authority. He made us and has the right to tell us how to operate in relation to His world and to Him. Psalm 24 makes this clear: The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters. Our Great God is King and He reigns. His kingdom is the whole realm of His authority. It is not just localized to a geographical location.

Jesus continually preached the kingdom of God saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15. In other words the kingdom of God is God's ruling. Jesus called people to enter the kingdom and submit to God's Lordship. Jesus taught that the kingdom may not impress many at first glance, but it is something incredible,like a bush large enough to shelter all of God's creatures. Mark 4:30-32

The disciples asked when Jesus would establish His kingdom and were told that only the Father knows that. Yet, we can see that God has reigned in the past. "For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a Great King over all the earth." Psalm 47:2 He reigned in Jesus' time. "The kingdom of God is at hand." Mark 1:15 In fact, the people declared Him king on Palm Sunday when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem. Jesus established His kingship during His sacrificial death and resurrection. He is Sovereign now although satan's influence on the hearts of man keep it from being seen perfectly. His kingdom will come in perfection upon Jesus' Second Coming. At that time, not only will people acknowledge Jesus in their hearts but His kingdom will be visible and will endure forever. At this time the Father will exalt Christ to the highest place of honor and authority. "Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11 Past, present and future, God's kingdom is not bound by the constraints of time.

Matthew 6:10 says, Lord, extend your reign over our lives. Help us to do everything we can to please you. Help us to joyfully do all that you command. Let your will be done in every aspect of our lives. Let us so live that others are drawn to accept your will for their lives, also. Let Jesus come in power and perfection so that He reigns completely on earth right NOW as He does in heaven.

All those who accept Jesus accept an invitation to enter into the kingdom. We can rejoice that He reigns over our lives, "...for the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17

Reign on, King Jesus!!

Light is Made for Shining

Matthew 5:14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill can not be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

There are many beautiful, limestone, underground caves in Missouri. When my children were small, we took a tour to the Meramac Caves. There we saw ancient limestone formations in rooms large enough to accommodate a nice crowd. The guide did a great job showing us the various levels in the cave and the formations reminiscent of a ballroom, a stage, etc. We heard of the 19th century bandit, named Jesse James, and how he and his gang escaped police after robbing a railroad by hiding in the caves.


Then the guide did something that stuck with me after many years. She showed us how dark, darkness can really be. We had been traveling on electrically lit footpaths and she had an assistant turn them off. It was so dark that you, literally, could not see your hand in front of your own face. You could not even see the people beside you; though by now we were uncomfortable enough to want to be assured that the guide hadn't walked off and left us down there alone. After what seemed like hours, though in fact, was only a few short minutes, the guide lit a match. That tiny speck of light was enough to dispel pitch black darkness. That little light overcame all absence of light and all was right in our world again.

Let's look at that concept of light. In the Old Testament we see that one of the first divine acts in creating the universe was to create light. God said, "Let there be", and it was. Yet Psalm 21:1 declares that "the Lord is my light." He who created light is the source of it, for He, Himself is light. Jesus tells us in John 8:12 that He is "the light of the world" and just like the moon reflects the light of the sun, we are told in Matthew 5 that "You are the light of the world." Disciples are to bear His light. We are to reflect the nature of our Saviour. We are to reveal the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ and warn those in jeopardy of losing their soul as light reveals dangers that lurk in darkness.

Yet the sad thing is this: John 3:19 tells us that "this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Jesus came into the world to save the world and yet He was rejected and despised, even hung on an old, rugged cross because of the wickednesss of mankind. The good news, however, is that He rose again and overcame the darkness of death, hell and the grave. Yes, praise the Lord, light dispels and penetrates darkness.

Jesus is the light of the world and we, as believers, cannot afford to be obscure. Light was made for shining. Let your light shine! Somebody around you is walking in the darkness of sin and despair. They need you to reveal that there is another way to live-a life of hope and love and goodness. A life fueled by the Spirit of God. When we live this life before our neighbors, family, friends and even enemies they see our good work and God gets the glory.

One of my favorite childhood songs is "This Little Light of Mine". In this simple song, a profound truth is declared and the writer says, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. All in my home, I'm going to let it shine. All in my church, I'm gonna let it shine. Jesus gave it to me, I'm gonna let it shine... Let it shine, let it shine. Let it shine."


What about you? You are the light of the world. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.

Create in Me A Clean Heart

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Imagine sitting down to a sumptuous dinner in a beautiful setting and finding to your chagrin that the forks, plates and glasses provided for your use are dirty and caked with dried food from some other diner's feast. Yuck! We expect clean utensils. We are sickened by the very thought of using unclean vessels.

In the Old Testament there was a clear division between the clean and the unclean. God wanted to be served and worshipped by a clean and pure people. They were to be physically, ceremonially, and morally clean and He still expects it of us now.

In fact, King David, after having been involved in adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, prayed to God for a clean heart. In Psalm 51, he asked to be renewed, because he knew that he had sinned and greatly disappointed his God. He knew that his actions and motives were impure and he asked God to purge him with hyssop. Hyssop, was an herb that was associated with cleansing ad purification and is used here to signify the cleansing of the soul. David asked to be washed, so that he was whiter than snow. The word that he used here in Hebrew is not the word for merely dipping a dish in water but, rather, the word used for the washing of clothes by pounding and beating. David wanted a thorough cleansing from his sin nature. He wanted a pure heart.

To be pure of heart does not mean that on our own we can be clean of every stain and blemish, for we sin and fall short of the glory of God; but rather to be single minded and sincere to God and to man. It is the passionate desire to be holy like God is holy and it is the dependence on God to make it so. To be pure is to hate evil and to cling to good.

Praise God, that Christ will purify our hearts by faith. He died to make us clean and pure in heart. His blood was shed to wash us and make us new creatures. It is through Christ that we are made acceptable vessels for God's use. It is only because of Jesus that we are no longer abhorrent to God in our sin but now pleasing to Him because of His Son.

Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. What does it mean to see Him? Check out the revelation of the end times. Revelation 22:3-5 tells us what the future holds for believers: "And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there. They need no lamp or light of the sun, for the LORD gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever."

Praise God, the pure in heart are heaven bound. Want to be pure? Be made pure by the washing of the Blood and the cleansing of God's Word, and you shall not only see Him, but He will conform you to be like Him.

Kingdom Character

Matthew 5:1-6

The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, has been called "The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached". In it, Jesus taught His disciples within earshot of the crowds that followed Him. This sermon presents the essence of Jesus' teachings on Christian conduct and character. It has been likened to a job description for Christians with a good explanation of His expectations for His disciples.

On the mount, Jesus brought words of peace and hope beginning with "The Beatitudes" as Jesus told them who is "blessed." (not just happy which often has to do with external circumstances, but rather, favored or fortunate. As we read the Beatitudes they often "read us" and we see our imperfections and our need for a Savior.

Jesus said "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."(v.3) Those who realize that they are sinful and can't save themselves are fortunate indeed, for they are the very ones that will participate in the kingdom of heaven. To be poor or destitute of anything that recommends us to the Father is an humbling experience, but a necessary one. To perceive the need for divine intervention is the first step toward responding to the free gift of salvation that Jesus purchased for us with His blood. This is in opposition to self-sufficiency and pride. The poor in spirit is the person who seeks their sufficiency in Christ.

"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." (v.4) Though we know that the Lord is merciful and will help us when our hearts are heavy in general, this verse in particular reminds us that those who are repentant for unrighteousness will especially receive the comfort of the Lord. Those who weep over ungodliness in their own lives and heart, and are saddened as God is saddened by sin, are more likely to confess it to their loving Father. To confess is to agree with God that "Yes, I have missed the mark", and "yes, I have transgressed Your boundaries". 1John 1:9 tells us that "When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness." What better comfort than to know that we are on the right foot and in right relationship with the Lord again!

Verse 5 says, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." Often people think that meekness is the same as weakness. Not so! Rather, meekness is strength under control. Think of Jesus, beaten, spit upon, lied on and He held His peace. See Him hanging on a cross for you and for me, not because He was impotent but because He chose to die for the sins of mankind. He was obedient to His Father as He bore the sins of the world. He endured separation from His Father, as He who knew no sin, became sin for us. He took the punishment we deserved. He paid the debt we could never repay. We're told that the meek inherit the earth. It is the first who shall be last and the last who will be first.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." (v.6) Have you ever been hungry? Often when we have a void or a lack, we can think of little else than getting it filled. Sometimes it results in pain until the situation is taken care of and we are satisfied. When we thirst we feel depleted and parched. Often doctors tell us that by the time we feel thirsty, we are already a bit dehydrated. Spiritual hunger and thirst are similar and we seek living water to quench our thirst. We seek Jesus, the bread of life, to renew our hungry souls.

Do you see a pattern here? Those blessed by God are those who realize that they need Him. They see Him as the All-powerful King of the Kingdom and themselves as subjects or citizens operating within His realm.The blessed ones are the ones who realize their dependence on Him and therefore live a life of gratitude and humility. The blessed ones see that only God can take care of their needs for salvation and deliverance and that their best efforts are as "filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6 Yet those who by the Spirit's power see their sin and mourn it, i.e. repent, are the ones who are promised blessings. They are the ones who will be comforted and filled and who will inherit the kingdom. Who inherits-- but the heirs, the children of the king!

Hallelujah! May He reign forever and may you be blessed!