Forgiveness Brings Freedom

“At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, ‘Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?’ Jesus replied, ‘Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.'” (Matthew 18:21-22)

A few years ago, I was hurt by a friend in my church. Her careless words really pierced my heart. The hurt I felt was deep, and for a long time I waited for an apology. None came. Rather than confessing my hurt, I held it all inside, allowing it to fester. Time turned my hurt into anger, and anger turned into bitterness.

Bitterness is not without consequences, though. It affects you emotionally, spiritually and often physically. You relive the hurt again and again when you don’t forgive. Because I couldn’t forgive my friend, my wound couldn’t heal.

Fortunately, God began reminding me that Jesus instructs us to forgive not once or twice or even seven times–but seventy times seven. That’s 490 times! This seemed too hard at first, but I knew I had to take a step in that direction. Slowly, I begain to surrender my feelings to Him. In the beginning, I didn’t feel any change, but as time passed God softened my heart and enabled me to forgive her. As I poured out my hurt, God poured in His peace.

Choosing to forgive is a critical lesson you need to learn. Forgiveness brings freedom. Be like Jesus and forgive thos who hurt you–your friends and enemies alike.

What’s Your #Hashtag?

“I’m not asking that you take them out of the world but that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world than I am defined by the world. Make them holy–consecrated–with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth.” (John 17:15-17)

#Hastags are everywhere. You see them on buses, at grocery stores, schools, and churches. I’m sure you’ve used quite a few in social media posts! The world is searching for meaning. People look to friends, movements, organizations, politics, and entertainment to define them. What would your #hashtag say to define you?

A friend of mine designed a cute t-shirt that declares a simple French phrase: Je Suis Moi. I Am Me. Her vision for promoting this message is this: Be who you are and who God created you to be. Don’t be defined by the world, but be defined by God’s truth. How does God define you? In the Bible, there are dozens of verses proclaiming who you are. To name a few, you are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14), “redeemed and forgiven” (Ephesians 1:7), a “child of God” (John 1:12), a “friend of Jesus” (John 15:15), a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 3:16), and a “citizen of heaven” (Philippians 3:20). When these truths get into your heart, you will be transformed!

Stop for a moment and picture the Son of God praying for you. That you would be guarded from the evil one. That you would not be defined by the world but by His truth. Now that’s #crazygood.

Tap Into It

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible… All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16)

Creativity is a huge part of today’s culture. Just look at social media apps like Snapchat and Bitmoji. How many different ways can you create an image, whether pretty, funny, or scary? Did you make your own personal emoji serious or silly? It’s in your nature to create because you are made in the image of your heavenly Father–the original Creator, who made heaven and earth. He made you, too!

God has empowered you with creativity just as He has empowered you with love. If you approach creating things as if God’s holding your hand, imagine what you could do. You could find solutions to world problems, discover medical breakthroughs, create art that brings hope, write books that inspire, or play music that draws others to Him. The possibilities are endless. Tap into God’s creativity that runs through your veins! How, you might ask? Offer to God your ability to create and ask Him to download you with supernatural ideas. Let Him fill your imagination. You never know what will happen!

You, beautiful one, were created for His glory. With this mindset, whatever you created–whether small or large, local or international–use it to impact the world around you. Aim to relect the kingdom of heaven and be a blessing to others!

The Greatest Attorney

“Therefore [Jesus] is also able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.“

Picture a courtroom where you are the person on trial. Your accuser, Satan, sits across the aisle, full of vengenance and retribution. He has a stakc of papers proving your sin and he’s eager to prosecute you before the Highest Judge. You are so nervous even though you chose the best attorney in the world–Jesus himself, the Judge’s own Son!

Satan stands and begins to outline all your faults. The list is long and comprehensive, covering most of your life. All the negative things you’ve said and done to others as well as the things done to you. As you hear the list of grievances, you start to shrink in your seat from fear, embarrassment, and guilt. He demands punishment for it all. Tears run down your face. After what seems like an eternity, Satan rests his case.

Then, Jesus takes your hand and smiles at you. Calmly, He stands and faces the Judge–God the Father. But instead of pleading your case based on guilt or innocence, He surprises the courtroom and submits the crucifixtion and resurrection as evidence. Checkmate. What took Satan hours and hours to prove takes Jesus mere seconds to refute. Suddenly, the gavel cracks loudly agasint the block. The Judge announces the verdict: Innocent.

You jump up and hug Jesus tightly, thanking Him over and over! Tears of joy replace the fear. Satan fumes across the room. Another case lost. As he leaves the courtroom, he vows to return with more evidence to convict you. But Jesus looks you in the eyes and says, “I will always represent you and interecede for you, through every trial and tribulation of your life. You are my beloved, and I allowed my blood to be shed for you. It’s the only way to be blameless before God. Now, let’s dry those tears and go celebrate!”

True or False?

“But there were also lying prophets among the people then, just as there will be lying religious teachers among you. They’ll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against one another… They’ve put themselves on a fast downhill slide to destruction, but not before they recruit a crowd of mixed-up followers who can’t tell right from wrong.” (2 Peter 2:1-2)

Have you ever felt conflicted in knowing what’s true or false? Have you ever had a hard time telling right from wrong? Sometimes situations are gray–even when you wish for clear black and white. In a culture with loud voices in media, politics, and entertainment, it can be challenging to filter out the truth. Sadly, this happens in Christianity as well.

The Bible teaches that not every religious teacher will espouse God’s truth. Due to selfish motives or spiritual deception at the hands of Satan, some will seek to lead listeners down a different path that what’s outlined in God’s Word. They give the way of truth a bad name (vs 3). This warning to Christians in 2 Peter 2:1-3 is not to scare you but to embolden you to search out the truth! God, in His faithfulness, has given you everything you need in order to walk in truth and understanding.

He wants you to walk in the light as He is in the light (! John 1:17) and recognize right from wrong. How does this happen? First, search the Scriptures for truth. Jesus prayed this over His followers: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). As you study God’s Word and allow it to sink into your heart, anything that declares the opposite will be immediately apparent. Second, the Holy Spirit has been given to believers as the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). Ask the Holy Spirit for discernment–He loves to guide you!

God’s Never Late

“This means that, contrary to man’s perspective, the Lord is not late with his promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, his ‘delay’ simply reveals his loving patience toward you, because he does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

There’s a saying that goes, “God in never late, He’s always on time.” While it can sometimes feel that God is late or has forgotten you, His timing is perfect. This applies to any personal promise God has given you, as well as any promise given corporately to the entire body of Christ.

Every generation since the first century has eagerly awaited the return of Jesus Christ. The Passion translation of 2 Peter 3:9 reveals God’s heart so beautifully. He’s not too late in sending Jesus back for His bride, but rather He is waiting for lost souls to repent and turn to Him! For the sake of thousands upon thousands of lost sould, I’m thankful that Jesus has not yet returned to earth.

God does not wish for anyone to perish–that means the just and the unjust, your friends as well as your enemies. Maybe you have been praying for a friend or family member to give their heart to Jesus. Maybe you are waiting for someone who’s walked away from God to come back into His loving arms. Maybe you are praying for an enemy/bully in your life. Keep praying! Keep sowing seeds in their life. God’s heart is for them and not agains them. Just as He waited for you to come to repentance, He’s waiting for them!

Build Up

“But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit. Fasten your hearts to the love of God and receive the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gives us eternal life.” (Jude 20-21)

Imagine you could build your own room without any limitations. What would it look like? Perhaps it would be a glass solarium full of light and color. Maybe it would resemble a castle tower and be strong and impenetrable. Maybe it would be a mixture of designs with traditional and eco-friendly aspects, such as shag carpets and solar panels. Whatever the design, you would have to start with some basic construction elements. The same is true when building your life.

A strong foundation is required to build just about anything. The Word of God is the foundation for your “most holy faith.” The gospel of Jesus is the most dependable groundwork available. You build upon this foundation by praying in the power of the Spirit, under the direction of the Spirit, and with the language of the Spirit however He leads. Prayer is like the walls, ceiling, and windows of your house of faith. Each of your rooms will look different, but they are all unique and beautiful to behold.

Jude also says to “fasten your hearts to the love of God…” Love is the door to your room–the entrance to your heart. You get to choose what you let into your heart as well as what you keep out. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” It’s imperative to fasten your heart to God’s love because everything comes from this place! God’s love is safe and secure and always strong. When Jesus enters our heart (and rooms), He helps you decorate with His mercies and blessings.

You Must Prophesy Again

“And he [the angel] said to me, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” (Revelation 10:11)

The words “prophesy” or “prophecy” can seem like a totally foreign concept or a daunting spiritual gift. But prophecy is really simple. Prophecy is speaking what is on God’s heart and mind, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, for a person or group of people. God has been speaking to you through this devotional. In fact, before writing each devotion, the authors prayed for direction and asked God what He wanted to share with every reader. That’s prophecy!

God’s Word explains the purpose of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 4:13. “But when someone prophesies, he speaks to encourage people, to build them up, and to bring them comfort.” The Holy Spirit resides in all believers, s if you’ve given your heart to Jesus you are equipped to prophesy over someone. It doesn’t have to be grandiose or mysterious. In fact, it should be simple, direct, and full of love.

A friend once confessed that she doesn’t like to be in front of a camera because of deep personal insecurity. At that moment, I felt God gave me a message for her: God wants you to know that He sees you and thinks you’re beautiful and wonderful, and He values you because He created you. That was a prophetic word meant to encourage her, build her up, and bring her comfort! When the Holy Spirit communicated to you, you can then share that encouragement with others. Remember, God can use you to speak to those around you, so plug into His heart nad hear what He has to say.

All Things Made New

“And God will wipe every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away… Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:4-5)

Have you ever had a friend or family member die? Do you know someone who has a disease that causes ongoing pain? I certainly do. My daughter has lived with an incurable disease for over nine years now. Every day is a struggle to maintain health and balance with the correct amount of medication. Too much medication and she can die. Too little medication and she can die. It’s a scary reality.

Recently, she came hom from school after a rough day dealing with this disease. She collapsed on her bed and wept. “It’s not fair!” she protested. “It’s too hard. Why me?!” As I rubbed her back, watching her tears decorate the pillow, two Scriptures came to my mind.

First, Jesus says in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” What does this mean? How can you be cheerful in the midst of difficulty? Life is full of pain and sorrow as a direct result of sin entering through Adam and Eve. You can count on having challenges and trials throughout your life, but you can also count on having Jesus walk you through them. When you partner with Him, He will never leave or forsake you. He will enable you to rise above circumstances through His power and love.

Second, Revelation 21:4-5 promises that suffering has an end. God will, in His perfect timing, establish a new heaven and a new earth. At that point, He will wipe away every tear, and you won’t have to worry about the destruction that comes with a sinful world. You will be living on a new earth, full of happiness, safety, and eternal life. He makes all things new!