Hello Church Family, As we go through the Lenten Season, Holy Week, and culminating with Easter/Resurrection Sunday, our thoughts are on many of God’s promises to us John 3:16 (NIV) in particular: 16”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Thank you, God, for your many promises and sending your Son Jesus to save us from all our sins and bring those that follow your teachings taught by Jesus to have eternal life with You Lord.
This month I am focusing on Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness, complete divine forgiveness, and once forgiven—forgotten. Sometimes the part to forget is the hardest for me and I am in awe of God’s unconditional love for us to forgive and forget. You see, if you do not forget, you are not really sincere in your forgiveness. But our humanness gets in the way, and we may possibly never get there. However, that is what makes our God great, He loves us and forgives us by knowing what is in our heart, as long as we try. There are many verses in the Bible that teach us of God’s forgiveness like in Isaiah 43:25 (ESV) “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” and Hebrews 8:12 (ESV) “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” , and in 1 John 1:7-9 (ESV) “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Here is a poem/prayer I wrote asking for help with complete forgiveness the kind God has for us.
Teach Me Jesus by Gail Achilles, 6-6-20
Hanging on the cross unjustly accused
how did You forgive those from whom You were abused?
Above all, Jesus, you died to forgive our sins,
according to Your Father’s will, not once did you give in.
The grace and mercy that You have
for all the children of God leaves me in awe and wonder how I can
rise above.
Teach me how to forgive Jesus those that injure me;
help my heart grow fonder for those who cannot see.
Help me be a helper and do what is right,
and make a better world filled with peace, love, and light.
It gets pretty ugly down here on earth;
the devil is always lurking to take away our worth.
Help me love my enemies; fill me with Your Love,
so I can turn the other cheek,
and help the lost and those who are weak.
Thinking of the wonder of You and the love You shine on us,
I want to become Christlike and try to be righteous in Your sight.
Thank You Jesus for Your self-sacrifice
that is the ultimate in pure love;
help me be a helper and please the Lord above.
Help me be a helper, teach me how to forgive
so I can in pure righteousness eternally live….with You.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) 32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Your Sister In Christ, Gail J. Achilles
This month I am focusing on Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness, complete divine forgiveness, and once forgiven—forgotten. Sometimes the part to forget is the hardest for me and I am in awe of God’s unconditional love for us to forgive and forget. You see, if you do not forget, you are not really sincere in your forgiveness. But our humanness gets in the way, and we may possibly never get there. However, that is what makes our God great, He loves us and forgives us by knowing what is in our heart, as long as we try. There are many verses in the Bible that teach us of God’s forgiveness like in Isaiah 43:25 (ESV) “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” and Hebrews 8:12 (ESV) “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” , and in 1 John 1:7-9 (ESV) “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Here is a poem/prayer I wrote asking for help with complete forgiveness the kind God has for us.
Teach Me Jesus by Gail Achilles, 6-6-20
Hanging on the cross unjustly accused
how did You forgive those from whom You were abused?
Above all, Jesus, you died to forgive our sins,
according to Your Father’s will, not once did you give in.
The grace and mercy that You have
for all the children of God leaves me in awe and wonder how I can
rise above.
Teach me how to forgive Jesus those that injure me;
help my heart grow fonder for those who cannot see.
Help me be a helper and do what is right,
and make a better world filled with peace, love, and light.
It gets pretty ugly down here on earth;
the devil is always lurking to take away our worth.
Help me love my enemies; fill me with Your Love,
so I can turn the other cheek,
and help the lost and those who are weak.
Thinking of the wonder of You and the love You shine on us,
I want to become Christlike and try to be righteous in Your sight.
Thank You Jesus for Your self-sacrifice
that is the ultimate in pure love;
help me be a helper and please the Lord above.
Help me be a helper, teach me how to forgive
so I can in pure righteousness eternally live….with You.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) 32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Your Sister In Christ, Gail J. Achilles