Knowing God - Luke 23:24

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Your Name is LOVE

Use this day, O Lord, to assure me that you have my picture on your refrigerator

and that I am wonderfully yours!

Consider God love: If you were the only person in the world who sinned, he would have died just for you!

Then said Jesus,

Father, forgive them;

for they know not what they do.

Luke 23:34

Guilt and shame.

It seems like I do battle with those two words -- and the three-toed character who whispers them -- every single day. Satan holds millions upon millions captive with these four little words, "God can't forgive you."

And too many of us believe the lie. Why? Because, basically, we're ashamed of ourselves. And/or we're riddled with guilt. And because we can't forgive ourselves, we believe that God can't forgive us either.  [emphasis added]

And so we confess and confess and confess. And every time we confess, we make God smaller and smaller and smaller. Instead of believing that God could forgive us once and for all, repeated confessions convince us that our god is small and weak and unforgiving.

My constant assurance to people is, "If Jesus could forgive those who nailed him to the cross, don't you know that he can forgive you?!!"

John 3:16-17 assure us of God's amazing love! "For ... God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Indeed ... God so loved the world that he gave his only Son [just for you]."

Just for you!

God gave his only Son just for you.

No matter what you've done ... no matter what you've left undone ... God loves you. 

You weren't one of the soldiers who nailed him to the cross. And if he can forgive them, he can forgive you. Why? Well, that's the truth to bathe in today ... it's just because he loves you!!!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants you to share this

with someone who needs to hear

of God's grace and forgiveness

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This is one I need to print out and read hourly.  I am so thickheaded and hardhearted.

God is good. All the time. 

All the time. God is good. 

I went to a concert and heard an artist I didn't really know.  He had some merch that said, "Grace is enough."  I bought one of the smaller items so that I can put it somewhere where I will see it often ... I need that constant reminder that his grace IS enough.  I AM forgiven. He DOES love me. And since I love music, here are lyrics to a song by another artist whose song has been in my head often tonight (at least the chorus):

Your Grace is Enough

by Chris Tomlin

Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters in to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice God of Jacob
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me [x2]

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me