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Forgiven and Released from Sin
Andrea Lende • September 2, 2020
Acts 26:18
Forgiven and Released from Sin
You can listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Forgiven-and-Released-from-Sin-ej19cm
Daily Word:
Acts 26:18
“To open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me.”
This was Paul’s destiny from Jesus Himself.
As Paul was met by Jesus on the road to Damascus, his eyes were blinded, and he heard Jesus tell him his destiny – his mission.
Paul had been persecuting Christians.
He was adamantly opposed to their message.
But he was chosen for exactly that.
He was chosen by God to open the eyes of the Jewish and Gentiles.
Jesus’ mission and gift to us did not stop after He died and was resurrected.
He tasked others to spread His message so that all people could experience forgiveness and release from their sins.
He gave the gifts of consecration and purification to us through His death.
And Paul was changed in an instant with just one experience with Christ.
His heart, his actions, and his vocation changed in a moment.
Complete transfiguration, metamorphosis, and conversion happened in that instant.
The moment the Lord truly touched his life.
He thought he was fighting for the Lord but had been fighting against Him.
But then he saw something different – something new.
The Lord is still uncovering so many new truths to me.
As such, He changes my heart which changes how I act and who I am being.
It changes my actions and behaviors.
Every new truth brings a new trajectory for me and my life.
And just as the Lord chose Paul to be His voice to His people, He has chosen us.
He will make the necessary changes in our hearts so that we may serve Him as He desires.
We are not too difficult a project for Him to make us His instruments of His peace.
Sometimes I wonder if I can truly change enough to make a difference for others.
But then He shows me differently.
He has the Power to make radical changes in our hearts and minds.
Today I choose to be open to new truths as He changes my heart to serve His purpose.
May you find that the Lord has a beautiful plan for you, and He can change you in an instant to be exactly what He desires you to be.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that You are fully able to change me to make me the person You desire me to be. Sometimes I feel like I may never get it right, act right, or say the right thing. And then You show me that You can change me in an instant. Help me give every corner of my soul to You, Lord. Help me completely surrender to You so that You can use me as You desire. Forgive me for my shortcomings and sins, Father. Strengthen me in areas where I am weak and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Only in Your strength am I strong. Your mercy floods my soul. Help me be obedient to You as Paul was. Help me do Your work, Lord. Consecrate my heart and soul as Your Word promises. Thank You for sending Your Son to make it so. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: My mercy and grace are never ending, and you are forgiven and made clean in My sight.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and loving Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.