Tag Archive - forgiveness

He Will Be Called Prince of Peace

December 19, 2011 in Sermons with 0 Comments

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We apologize for the poor audio in this recording. We will try our best to improve future recordings.

Today is the fourth and final message in our Advent series – “He Will Be Called.” We have been looking at the 4 names given to Jesus is Isaiah 9:6. You can follow the links to previous messages below:

November 27: Wonderful Counselor December 4: Mighty God December 11: Everlasting Father December 18: Prince of Peace

Join us on Christmas Eve at Lord of Life at 5pm or 7pm for a special Christmas message: He Will Be Called Jesus!

Daily David, Week 8, Day 5

October 21, 2011 in David with 0 Comments

The story of David and Absalom ends tragically. The end of the story is recorded in [2 Samuel 18-19](http://biblia.com/books/nlt/2Sam18]. In this story Absalom becomes the third son of David to die after he committed the sin with Bathsheba.

How does Absalom’s delay benefit David (18:1-3)?

David was able to rally his troops and to gather his men. He was able to organize his army and prepare for a battle with Absalom’s men.

Why did David order for Absalom’s life to be spared (18:5)?

Absalom was David’s son. David wanted to believe that this could all turn out well. That everything that was broken could be restored. He did not want to believe what was happening and what Absalom had done. It was too much for him to bear the death of another son after he had already lost two.

What was the result of Absalom’s selfish play for the throne and lust for power (18:7,14-15)?

Absalom was troops were beaten. 20,000 men lost their lives. Absalom himself was killed by Joab, the commander of David’s army.

Why do you think Joab was able to so easily disregard David’s order not to kill Absalom and even reprimand David (18:14-15; 19:1-8)?

Joab knew that Absalom could not live if David was going to be king. It was either Absalom who would die or David who would die. Joab was a harsh man. He took matters into his own hands. David had allowed Joab to get away with so much in the past. If David had not stood up to Joab in the past, he was not going to stand up to Joab now. Joab had done all the dirty work that David was not willing to do. An example was the killing of Uriah the Hittite. David sent the command for Joab to carry out the order. I am sure Joab had enough dirt on David that Joab knew he was safe.

Why was David so shook up over Absalom’s death (18:33)?

David’s world was crashing in down around him. He had got this throne back and peace was restored, but it was a tremendous cost. David wept over the turmoil that he caused for the kingdom and for his family.

Most of chapter 19 deals with the aftermath of Absalom’s revolt. Describe the relationship between justice and forgiveness. How are both practiced in this chapter?

David practices mercy and forgiveness. There were those who had been loyal to him during this difficult time. David rewards them for their loyalty. At the same time there were also those who had not been loyal and had even sought to take advantage of David in this situation. But David practices mercy. He knew that punishing them would have done no good and was not in the best interest of the kingdom or his throne. Although, I am sure he had a personal grudge against Shimei.

Daily David, Week 8, Day 4

October 20, 2011 in David with 0 Comments

In 2 Samuel 16-17

Who was Ziba (16:1; see 2 Samuel 9:1-13)? Mephibosheth?

Ziba was the servant of Mephibosheth. David had put Ziba in charge of all Mephibosheth’s property. Mephibosheth was a son of Jonathan, son of Saul and friend of David. David had made a promise to Jonathan that he would not destroy his family. David desired to honor Mephibosheth and so he provided for Mephibosheth and had him live in his royal palace.

What is Ziba’s motive in this story (16:1-4)?

Ziba’s motive was to acquire Mephibosheth’s property. He saw an opportunity in this moment.

Why is it easy to taunt, criticize, ridicule someone when they are down? Is it the godly response to gloat over someone else’s misfortune? How about the misfortune of our enemy?

It is much easier to be a part of the crowd than to go against the crowd. We see in the world of celebrities that when one of these celebrities is going through a rough patch, it is easy for the world to pile on. It is dangerous to gloat over someone’s misfortune because the same misfortune might be lying just around the corner for us. God calls us to encourage those who are down and to speak hope into their lives. This is hard to do when it comes to our enemies. Jesus teaches us to pray for their well-being.

Compare David’s response to Abashai (16:9-10) to that of Jesus’ response to Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:10-11)?

David has a response of mercy. He does not have Abashai killed because it would do no good. It would only cause more pain. It would have been easy for David or Jesus to have desired to have harm done to those who insulted them. But instead their response is one of grace.

Where did Ahithophel’s advice come from (16:23)? Why is Ahithophel’s advice confused (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)?

Ahithophel’s advice seemed like it came directly from the Lord. But not everything that appears to be from God, is from God. Satan is the great deceiver. He does not come to us as the prince of darkness, but clothed as the prince of light. We must carefully seek and discern that which is from the Lord and that which is not. Do not take anything for granted no matter who it is from.

Ahithophel’s wisdom is confused because it is not from the Lord. If it had been from the Lord, Ahithophel would have advised Absalom to make peace with his father and to submit to the king rather than claim the throne for himself. Absalom was not the rightful king.

In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul tells us that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent. It cannot stand in the face of God’s wisdom.

Why does Ahithophel commit suicide (17:23)? Does his reaction seem extreme?

He commits suicide because he knows how this is going to end. He likely understood that he was going up against God and that was not a battle he was going to win. He likely did this out of shame that he could not bear to face the consequences of his actions.

His action does seem a bit extreme. But in the same way, the consequences of our sin are extreme. They exact a heavy burden. The full extent we will not fully realize until the final day of judgment.

Who do you seek advice from? Is it godly advice or worldly advice you are receiving? What will happen if you follow the right advice? What will happen if you follow the wrong advice? How do you determine between the right and the wrong advice?

Too often I do not seek advice or wisdom. I do what I think is best. This is a bad mistake. God has given wisdom as a gift. There are things we can learn from believers and non-believers alike. But above all, we seek wisdom that is godly. There is nothing better for seeking wisdom than turning to the Word of the Lord in the Scriptures.

When we follow wise advice we will prosper. When we follow ungodly advice we may prosper for a time, but that prosperity will not last. When determining right from wrong the only way to know is to hear from the Lord. This takes time and it takes effort.

Some thoughts on sin

October 19, 2011 in Weekly Email with 0 Comments

Whether we admit it or not, we are all experts on the subject of sin. Unfortunately, we are experts for all the wrong reasons. It is a topic we know all too well.

Sin is something that must be dealt with. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. Sin is what separates us from God and creates a barrier between us.

I share with you this week’s email, some thoughts on sin from last Sunday’s message on David and Bathsheba.

  • We like sin. Sin tastes good and feels good. There is no doubt that sin brings pleasure. It is desirous.

  • Sin is debt. There is literally hell to pay for sin. We might receive pleasure from sin upfront, but there is a cost that follows. Long after the pleasure we derived from our sin is gone, we will still be paying the consequences.

  • Sin has an irresistible pull. As irrational as it may be, we are still attracted to sin. If David had knew what his sin with Bathsheba would cost him, he would have ran as fast as he could. But the pull of sin is so strong, we let our guard down, and forget the consequences.

  • We can try to resist. There are certainly efforts we can make to avoid sin. We can get an accountability partner who will pray with and for us while holding us accountable for our actions. We can safeguard ourselves by avoiding situations where we are tempted towards sin. These are good, but . . .

  • The only thing that overcomes temptation is divine power. As much as we rely upon human will-power for over-coming temptation, we will eventually fall without God’s divine power. This is why Jesus teaches us to pray, lead us not into temptation. Jesu knows that without the Spirit of God at work in us we will never be able to overcome temptation.

  • When you stumble into sin, admit it. Sin loves to hide in the dark. It does not want to be exposed. When the time comes that you fall into sin, don’t keep it inside. Confess it to another believer or pastor. Write it down. Don’t make excuses or try to rationalize it. Just come clean. Do more than just think thoughts about how you are sorry. Externalize it. Until you get it out of you, it is going to continue to hurt you.

  • After you admit your sin, ask God for forgiveness. Don’t ask for forgiveness expecting him to forgive you. There is nothing that you have done to make you worthy of God’s forgiveness. It is not God’s obligation to forgive you. There is no reason he should forgive you. Ask humbly. Appeal to his mercy and kindness.

  • Receive God’s forgiveness by faith. Know that your sins are forgiven because Jesus died on the cross. There is no sin that God cannot forgive. If God can forgive David, who was a murderer and adulterer, then he can forgive you. To say that my sin is so bad that God cannot forgive me is to say that the cross is not sufficient enough. It is to say that Jesus needed to do more than be beaten and die an excruciatingly painful death. Don’t think your sin is so bad that God’s love cannot cover it.

  • Make restitution for your sins. You can see the word restore. Making restitution is about making right was is wrong. Unfortunately, sometimes we cannot fully restore the damage we have done. In these moments we do everything that we can in our power no matter how much it costs us, trusting God will do the rest of the work.

  • Live a 180° life. This is what we call repentance. In the ancient Greek of the New Testament the word for repentance means to turn around and go the other direction. When I receive God’s forgiveness, I now seek to live differently than I lived before. I take a different road to travel. Jesus has given me a new life and a fresh start. I desire to honor him by doing everything possible to avoid going down the same road again and falling into that sin.

Daily David, Week 8, Day 2

October 18, 2011 in David with 0 Comments

David’s family is in turmoil. A daughter has been raped by her brother. Then that brother was killed by another brother. The brother who killed his other brother then flees in exile. The situation is nothing short of a mess. David is left to pick up the pieces. However, instead of doing something about all of this, David does nothing. That is where we pick up the story in 2 Samuel 14.

Whose best interest is Joab serving? Absalom? David? Himself (14:1-3)?

The text reads that Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. He is seems to be serving the kings interest. But at the same time Joab realizes that what is best for David is also best for Joab.

Even though the woman was deceptive towards David, why does avoid still concede (15:19-21)?

David knew she was right. She had exposed David’s hypocrisy.

Why is the reconciliation between David and Absalom not a full reconciliation (14:23-24)? Why do you think David did not allow Absalom back into his house?

Even though Absalom came back to Jerusalem, he did not see the king. David did not allow Absalom into his presence. A full reconciliation would have brought them together.

We might say that Absalom had to set a fire under Joab to get his attention (14:28-32). Why is it difficult to respond to the needs of others or for them to get our attention?

Most of the time we are focused on self. We don’t see the need or the hurt in others because we are too preoccupied with our own hurt and need.

Do you have disputes in your family? How might you be a catalyst to bring restoration and reconciliation?

Every family has disputes. We can simply wait around for others to say they are sorry, but we are going to wait for a long time. God did not wait for us to make peace with him, rather he sent Jesus to make peace with us. Jesus said blessed are the peace-makers. As followers of Jesus our calling is to be the ones to make the first step to make peace.

Avoiding Sin

October 17, 2011 in Sermons with 0 Comments

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Sin is fun, but there is literally hell to pay. The cost of sin is never upfront. We always pay on the back side. There is nothing rational about sin. There is just such a gravitational pull towards it.

In this message we will talk about what sin is, what sin does, how to avoid it, and what to do when we fall into it. The reading for today is the infamous story of David and Bathsheba found in 2 Samuel 11-12.

Daily David, Week 7, Day 4

October 13, 2011 in David with 0 Comments

We turn to the New Testament today. We have look at the impact of sin in the life of David, but Jesus has much to say about sin as well. Two places we will look are Matthew 5:17-37 and Matthew 18:1-9.

What is the consequence of violating God’s commands (5:19)?

Jesus says you will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Violating God’s commands will not jeopardize your salvation. You are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But there is still reward for obedience and consequences for disobedience.

What does Jesus say about being angry with another person (5:22)

It says you will be subject to judgment. It puts you in danger of the fires of hell.

What does Jesus say constitutes adultery (5:28)?

It says to look lustfully at another woman is to commit adultery. We can imply it also applies towards women looking at men as well.

What steps should be take to avoid sin (5:29-30, 18:8-9)? Do think Jesus is talking literally or figuratively here?

Jesus uses what is call hyperbole for emphasis here. But he is not really exaggerating here. Sin is serious business. Sin reaps heavy consequences in our lives. We should not take sin lightly. We typically blow sin off. We know Jesus died for us. We say thank you Jesus and then we move on without much thought. But do not take Jesus’ forgiveness for granted and do not disregard the serious consequences sin will bring into your lie. It will devastate your life if you overlook it.

Is your attitude toward sin – “how much can I get away with?” or “avoid it at all cost?” What is the godly response? Why would “how much can I get away with?” be considered playing with fire?

Too often our attitude is about what we can get away. We try to push the limits. We look to see how far we can bend without breaking. But this is not he attitude God desires. It should not be how much we can get away with in our life. It should rather be about how much we can honor him with our life. If our faith is right and our attitude is right, then our desire will be to have nothing to do with sin and to avoid any potentially compromising situations.

Daily David, Week 7, Day 3

October 12, 2011 in David with 0 Comments

Psalm 51 is an incredible Psalm. It is a Psalm where David is so transparent. His sin against Bathsheba has been exposed. The only thing he can do now is come clean and he does. Here he asks for God’s forgiveness. He asks for God to restore him.

When celebrities and politicians get caught in sin, they are often sorry they got caught. They are not so much sorry for having sinned. But David is a breath of fresh air. In the words of these Psalms we can see that he is not just sorry he got caught, but that he is sorrowful over his sin.

What is mercy (51:1)?

Mercy is undeserved kindness. It is act of giving grace. It is allowing a person to live even though they deserve to die. It is canceling a debt a debtor cannot pay back. It is allowing a person to maintain their position even though their actions warrant removal. To give mercy is to treat someone better than their actions deserve.

When we sin, who are we ultimately rebelling against (51:4)?

We are rebelling against God. God has given us his commandments. Sin at the heart is doing what God has told us not to do. He is our creator and he did not create us to sin.

If I was to build a computer, but the computer did not do what I wanted it to do, it would not be a very useful computer. There would not be much purpose for it. I would either throw it away or tear it down and sell it for parts. In much the same way when we do not do what God created us to do, then we are an offense to him.

What does it mean to have a pure heart? A steadfast spirit (51:10)?

A pure heart is to have a right motive. It is do good simply for the purpose of doing good and serving the Lord. Sometimes we have an agenda. Our motives are not pure. We do “good” for self gain.

To have a steadfast spirit is to remain loyal and true. It is is being true to ourself and to God. It is about doing what we say we will do no matter how hard it might be. It is to not give up and stand strong in the face of temptation.

Why would David need to be worried about being cast from God’s presence (51:11)?

God is holy. He is righteous. He is without sin. God and sin do not mix. David had committed a great sin. When we sin, we are essentially telling God that we don’t care what he thinks or what he says. We are essentially saying, “God, I don’t need you. I think I can do better.”

What is the response to God’s healing and forgiveness (51:13-15)?

David says that he will teach others about God’s goodness. He will speak the truth to others who are engaged in sin, that they might turn from their ways. He says he will sing praise unto the Lord with his lips.

What does God desire of us when we fall to temptation (51:16-17)?

God knows there are times when we will stumble and fall. In these times, God desires for us to turn from our sin and to turn back to him. It is more than just saying, “God, I am sorry, I will not let that happen again.” It is taking a serious hard look at how we got ourselves in the situation in the first place and then doing everything in our power not to let it happen again.

At the same time, no amount of will power is going to keep us from sin and help us resist temptation. Ultimately, it goes back to God. God’s Holy Spirit living in us is the only way to overcome sin. The more and more he dwells in us the more and more we will be able to stand strong. So the more and the more we need to go to the places where we know he dwells, and go less and less to the places we know we are given to temptation.

Overcoming Anger

September 29, 2011 in Weekly Email with 1 Comment

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Ephesians 4:26–27 (NLT)

Yikes! Anger gives the devil a foothold in your life. That is not something I want. The devil looks for that “in” into your life anywhere he can get it. He works to exploit your weakness.

For years King David had been on the run from King Saul. King Saul was out to murder him. Yet, David showed great restraint and mercy. When he had the perfect opportunity to exact his revenge on King Saul, David relents and spares Sauls life (see 1 Samuel 24 & 26).

When we come to 1 Samuel 25, a wealthy man by the name of Nabal insults David and his men. Yes, Nabal insulted David. Yes, David had every right to feel slighted. But Nabal’s insult was minor in comparison to what Saul had attempted to do with David. After having seen how David showed such restraint towards King Saul, we would have thought we could have expected more of David. But David flies off the handle. He gets word of Nabal’s insult and David tells his men to stap on their swords. They are going kill Nabal.

Satan had lost so many battles with David. Time after time David had shown himself to be a man after God’s own heart. But now Satan finds and exploits David’s anger problem. If not for the intervention of a wise and godly woman by the name of Abigail, Davids’s entire life would have been set off course and he would have never fulfilled the calling for which he was destined. If David was going to be King he would need to show greater restraint than this. It is interesting that Nabal’s name means fool. But the real fool in this story is David.

In verse above from Ephesians, it says do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Anger is a real and raw emotion. We all experience it. Even Jesus became angry. He got angry towards his disciples when they rebuked the little children. Jesus said, “let the children come to me.” Jesus became angry when he saw the corruption in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the money changers and lamented how they had changed his Father’s house into a den of thieves.

You will get ngry. It is part of life. But don’t let the devil get a foothold in your life. Don’t let the sun go down on that anger. Release that anger. Give it to the Lord. Recognize that whatver wrong has be committed against you, that God sees. He knows about it. Pray to him about your anger. Ask him to create within you a pure heart. Ask for a heart that is filled with love, mercy, and grace. Nothing good will ever come from holding on to your anger.

No amount of effort on your part is ever going to rid you of anger. It is ony by the Spirit of God working in your life that you will overcome anger. That is why we let him do his work in us. In the story of David and Nabal, it was Abigail who interced in behalf of the Lord. She spoke the Word of God into the life of David. I have no doubt in my mind that God sent Abigail to speak into David’s life And praise the Lord that David had the sense to listen. When we find ourselves angry, the best thing we can do is listen. We listen to God first and then others. But when we are angry we are not often in listening mode. We are in revenge mode.

Do you find yourself angry towards another person? Then take your mind off that person, and set your mind on Jesus. When you continue to stew over the person who made you angry, your anger will continue to grow, but when you put your mind on Jesus anger will start to lose its grip. Reflect on Jesus’ goodness towards you. Reflect on how Jesus has every right to be angry at you, but he has replaced his anger with love and grace. When we see how good Jesus is to us and are confronted by amazing grace the anger will begin to melt away. The burden of revenge will be replaced with the burden of forgiveness.

I would love to hear from you. When you struggle with anger, how do you seek the Lord to overcome that anger? Feel free to leave a comment and share.

Daily David, Week 4, Day 4

September 22, 2011 in David with 0 Comments

Today, we turn to the new testament. We will look at Colossians 3.

Are there times when you are less than appreciative of Jesus’ sacrifice (3:1-2)?

Wow, I think a better question might be if I am ever truly appreciative of Jesus’ sacrifice in the way that I should be. I think about the words in the song Here I am to Worship. The lyrics read, “I’ll never no how much it cost to see your Son upon the cross.” It is so true. I cannot fully grasp how powerful and how difficult the sacrifice was.

Describe some of the things we participate in when we seek to please ourselves (3:5-9).

Colossians 3 lists sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. It goes on further to speak of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

What do you think is the new self described in verses 10-11?

The new self is a person who continually grows and lives more Christ like. As Jesus lives in that person that person begins to look and act more and more like Jesus.

How are we called to respond to others according to verses 12-14? Should we expect others to respond in kind to us?

We respond to others with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We practice forgiveness just as Jesus forgave us. Through it all we show love.

We should not expect others to respond in the same way to us. There is a higher expectation of those who follow Christ. We should not expect every good deed to be returned.

Where should we find our satisfaction (3:15-16)? Who are we working for (3:17, 23-24)?

We find our satisfaction and approval in Jesus. What he thinks about us is what matters most. It does not matter what another’s opinion is of us, if we are following Jesus with our whole heart. We discover Jesus’ approval of us when we turn to his Word and gather with other believers in worship, singing psalms, hymns, and other spiritual songs with thankful hearts.

In the end we recognize we are working for the Lord. Whatever we do, we are doing it for Jesus. So that whatever we do we do it to the best of our ability, relying upon the Spirit. We should not be content to give Jesus less than our best.

What does verse 16 say about the role of music in worship and our lives?

Music is a gift from God. It has a way of touching our spirit. God tells us to make use of it. That is why we use music in worship. It encourages us and moves us to give thanks for what he has done.

What will happen to those who mistreat us (3:25)? How should we respond to them knowing this?

It says that those who do what is wrong will be paid back for the wrong they have done. This knowledge leads me to respond with compassion towards others when they have wronged me. I am not the judge. God is the judge. My role is to love them.

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