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rl69
01-29-2017, 07:56 AM
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.“ -(1 John 1:9)

The murderer was condemned to life in prison. Then one day something amazing happened. The guard came and opened the jail cell. “You are free to go. Someone else is taking your place,” said the guard. “How can this be? I am still guilty!” said the prisoner. “Your debt has been paid. You are free to leave,” said the guard once more. The prisoner decided not to leave. “I cannot allow another to pay my debt,” said the prisoner. Because of his pride he chose to remain in bondage.

Imagine the guilt Peter must have felt when he denied the Son of God three times by saying he never knew him. Imagine what he must have felt the moment he reunited with Him after the resurrection.

The hardest person to forgive sometimes is ourselves. It is especially hard for high achievers to forgive themselves. We think we are above such failure. However, the Bible says we all sin and it is impossible to remedy that sin by ourselves.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives?” (1 John 1:8,10). The question is not whether we will sin, the question is what we will do when we do sin.

There is only one thing for us to do. Go to the cross. Jesus paid for that sin by dying on the cross. Picture yourself writing your sin on a white piece of paper, then pinning it to the cross. Now, leave it there. The cross is for sinners. When Jesus looks at you, He no longer sees your sin. He cannot see the sin because He can only see the cross.

When you come to Jesus with your sin, there is nothing more you can do besides confessing and renouncing your sin. Sometimes it may require restitution with others. However, once you confess your sin and ask forgiveness, it is no longer on the ledger of debts.

Why not choose to walk free. The cell has been opened

Pine Baron
01-29-2017, 08:33 AM
Thank you, rl. "The hardest person to forgive sometimes is ourselves."
Absolutely, the most humbling task of all.

buckwheatpaul
01-29-2017, 08:55 AM
Thank you, rl. "The hardest person to forgive sometimes is ourselves."
Absolutely, the most humbling task of all.

Pine Barron is right....self-forgiveness is the hardest to do because it is hard to admit that we failed. rl69, great post and thank you both for the lesson.....have a blessed day ladies and gentlemen.....Paul

USMC87
01-29-2017, 09:37 AM
Great lesson and yes ole self is sure hard to forgive at times.

Blackwater
01-29-2017, 03:37 PM
Amen to all the above. In a way, it's good to WANT to try to be perfect, but only the humble CAN receive the messages of Christ, so we MUST temper our aspirations with humility enough to keep our aspirations from becoming an imagined "reality" that always winds up being nothing but a lie, in the end. Christ has so many ways of bringing us to our knees, and humbling us so we CAN receive His messages. It's amazing how gentle He truly is with us along our way. But the "harder" we hold to misconceptions, like that we COULD ever be anywhere near "perfect," the harder we make Him have to be with us to keep us humble enough to realize what He's trying to say to us. Staying humble will always be the greatest mark of a true Christian, I believe. We SERVE a risen savior, and servants are always wise to stay humble. It helps them be better servants, and keeps them out of needless trouble and strife. It's really so simple, it's kind'a a wonder that we can sometimes miss that.