"Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." (Hebrews 9:20 KJV)
"For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one - for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then can condemn us? No one - for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:29-34 NLT)
As it turns out, even though we have this great and wonderful gift of forgiveness, we still don't quite do everything based upon the forgiveness we have been given. Basically, what that means, is that we have not yet achieved the power to forgive, as God has forgiven us! Even though we might think we have gotten to that point, we still point our fingers at those to whom we think have offended us; sometimes by ourselves being the picture of the one that cannot be forgiven!
Pastor Bryan always says, "Don't point your finger at anyone, because you will have three more pointing back at you!" Those other three fingers represent, "Me, Myself, and I." It really doesn't matter all that much to me, mostly because I know that I deserve to be punished for all the bad things that I have done. But the wonderful news, that keeps me joyful and at peace, is that my Heavenly Father forgives me; and no matter whatever consequences I must suffer here on this earth, nothing compares to the forgiveness I have with my Heavenly Father, because of what Christ Jesus had done!
It is really hard to push those things out of our minds. There are so many instances where you see yourself in so many others, remembering the foolish and ugly things you have done. And yes, making, those kinds of things some kind of reason for not being worthy, although it might to true to some; God is the one that matters most of all; He alone is faithful and just to forgive everything we have done...
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." (Romans 8:35-37 NLT)
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