Author: Jack Flacco

God promised He would forgive us our sins. When he gave His son Jesus as a sacrifice to redeem us to Him, we would forever have a mediator, who would intervene on our behalf. No longer would sin bind us to death, but God would free us from its penalty.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

(2 Peter 1:3-4)

We were once slaves to iniquity, imprisoned by the flesh. We knew nothing of the Spirit; for by the Spirit, if we had knowledge of His power, we would have been free, instead of being captives to our inward lusts. Christ our Savior has freed us.

God’s forgiveness is beyond measure. His grace is beyond our understanding. We may feel our sins are unpardonable, but God’s patience is long and enduring. He will keep forgiving us as many times as we bow our knee to Him and repent with our whole heart.

Therefore, it is with great joy that we have God as our king. He will pardon us from the penalty of our sins, bless us with the knowledge of His coming kingdom and prosper us with the gift of the Holy Spirit because God has granted us His promises.

No evil is too great that it can overtake us. No power is too strong that it can overwhelm us. And no spirit is higher than that of God’s spirit, comforting us in our time of need. For we have accepted Christ as our Savior, and knowing this, we have cause for great celebration.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.

(Isaiah 40:28-29)

As many times as we cry out to God, He is always there. He listens to our pleas, he answers us in the stillness of the night, and when we are most vulnerable, He sends someone to comfort us. The fiery trial remains, but He provides the perseverance we need to move forward.

Nothing is so great that God cannot intervene on our behalf. His power is beyond measure, and through it, He sustains all things. Therefore, how hard would it be for God to rescue us in our time of need? For nothing in this lifetime is greater than the crown set aside for us.

All glory belongs to the Highest, King of Heaven and Earth. Let all the angels praise His name, for He is good. There is no one greater than God. He reigns supreme above all things. Nothing exists that He has not made. He is the beginning and the end, the creator of all.

God is forgiving in all things, who would not want anyone to perish. His mercies are from sunset to sunset; there is no end. He is patient, kind and loving. No matter what we have done, He is ready to forgive. God’s love for us will never fail.

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”

(1 John 3:16)

If we repent and give our heart to the Lord, His spirit will live in us, and we will live in Him. We will want to forgive others as He has forgiven us. His grace will be upon us, and we will fellowship with Him in the fullness of joy.

When we believe in Jesus, we believe God will forgive us. We no longer have sin as our master, but we have true freedom, where we are no longer bond slaves to iniquity. Our liberty is in God the Father, the one and only true God, who loves us without restraint.

We have freedom to love, to be at peace, to have patience with one another, to be kind and good, to have faith, and to show gentleness and self-control. Our greatest joy comes from knowing God has redeemed us with Christ’s sacrifice.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus died so that we might live. No other event in history is as important as Christ giving up His life in order that God might save us. No longer do we have a penalty hanging over our heads for the wrongs we have committed.

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’”

(Mark 16:15)

As the Holy Spirit lives in us, God’s purpose lives in us and becomes our purpose. We will want to draw others to Jesus, so that they might experience the same joy we experience when we fellowship with God. There is no substitute for His love.

Whatever rejection we may feel from those who do not want to follow Christ, is a rejection of God Himself. We have done what Jesus had commanded, to act as God’s instrument in His hands. If others reject us, then they are rejecting God.

Bless everyone with the good news of God’s salvation, Jesus Christ. Give them peace by giving them hope. Show them what Christ living in us could do for them. Preach the gospel to the whole world.

No love is greater than giving one’s life for a friend. Jesus said this and by His giving of Himself on the cross, lived this. We also ought to love one another as much as we love ourselves.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

(John 13:34-35)

To love one another, we ought to forgive one another. True love is forgiving. When others wrong us, the spirit within us, God’s spirit, leads us to show mercy on others, not because they deserve it, but because it is within us not to hold them guilty for their sins.

God has forgiven us of all our sins. If we repented and gave our hearts to Him, He no longer holds anything against us. He did this because He loves us and does not want anyone to perish. In so doing, He shares His joy with us through the Holy Spirit, who comforts us.

Be joyful, for as God has forgiven us, we ought to forgive others. By this, others will know God is living in us and us in Him; and we have hope. That hope will never fade, for God’s love never fades.

Beloved, love one another.

We will sing praise to the Lord our God. He knew us in our mother’s womb, nurtured us, taught us His ways and raised us to speak His heart. We will take refuge in Him, for we know He will deliver us from all our trials.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works,
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

(Psalms 104:31-33)

Though the earth closes its clefts around us; though the water seeps above our chin; though the light of day diminishes into night, our God will never forsake us. He will restore our soul and save us from the hands of the grave.

God knows when we are hungry and will feed us. He knows when we are thirsty and will give us drink. He knows when we fall asleep and when we awaken from our slumber. He knows all things and will not leave us to the lions, but will chastise the wild beasts, for we are His children.

Sing praise to the Lord our God, for He is good. We will give thanks for all His gracious deeds. His loving kindness is beyond measure. His power sustains all things. We will sing praise to the Lord our God.

Great is the Lord in all His majesty; His works fill the earth and there is no end to his glory. O how great is our God that He should consider us heirs to all He has.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!

(Psalms 34:8-9)

Great is the Lord, for He forgives us of all our sins. He sacrificed His son Jesus so that we would have salvation; because of His forgiveness, we are at one with Him. No longer does sin bind us, but we are free.

Great is the Lord, for His mercy never fails. As many times as we fall, He is there to raise us to our feet. His patience for us endures forever and His grace upon our lives is from everlasting to everlasting.

Great is the Lord, for His love is as the stars; for as deep is the ocean and as high is the sky, His love for us will never depart. He will fill our heart with His spirit so that we will want to love Him as much as He loves us.

O how great is the Lord, for He is good!