I Can’t be Forgiven – Lies of the Enemy #4– Purity 1016

I Can’t be Forgiven – Lies of the Enemy #4– Purity 1016

Purity 1016 04/13/2023 Purity 1016 Podcast

Purity 1016 on YouTube: 

Good morning,

Today’s photo a brick tunnel pathway comes to us from my sister in law, Megan Seguin, who shared this scene on social media yesterday from her road trip family vacation that made a stop at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.  

Well, It’s Thursday and as is my habit, I am sharing today’s photo as a visual encouragement to get on or to stay on the path of Christian discipleship even if the going gets “tight” and you feel that the world is closing in on you. 

When we decide to follow Jesus Christ with the way we lead our lives, their will invariably some push back from the world as lifelong friends, or even family members, may reject your new life of faith and possibly end their relationships with you because of it! Also the spiritual forces of darkness are not happy to lose you to God’s kingdom and usually retaliate with “fiery darts” to  tempt, accuse or condemn you. 

Scripture reveals instances where the enemy influenced people in their through lives and so when we have thoughts that would cause us to go back to the sins we repented of or doubt the sincerity of our faith or our worthiness, we have to realize that those thoughts may not be our own and could be the Lies of the Enemy.   

And so today we continue our examination of some of the common lies the enemy tells us to cause us to doubt our faith or to choose not to follow the Lord with the way we live our lives. 

So today’s big lie is:

Lie # 4: I Can’t Be Forgiven.     

What better way is there to keep Christians from enjoying their lives and being a force for the kingdom of God than to make them doubt that they could ever be forgiven for their sins? 

This Lie, that “I can’t be forgiven for all the things I ‘ve done! (or that REALLY BAD THING I have done!), is in direct opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ that tells us that Christ died to pay for the penalty of all the sins of the world.

Romans 6:23 (NLT2) tells us
²³  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christ’s death paid the “wages of sin” for anyone who receives the free gift of God, forgiveness of sins and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:7 (NLT2) tells us that God
⁷  … is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

We are forgiven of our sins by grace and through faith in Jesus.

Christ, Himself, spoke of His authority to forgive sins throughout his earthly ministry.  At a dinner party of a Pharisees and\ immoral woman came and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair and anointed him with expensive perfume. It was quite a scene and it caused the host to wonder why Jesus would let a sinner do this to Him. After telling a parable about the forgiveness of debts and how we love much when we are forgiven much, Christ declared that the sinful women was forgiven and it wasn’t because of what she did. Jesus said in: 

Luke 7:47-50 (NLT2)
⁴⁷  “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”
⁴⁸  Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
⁴⁹  The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
⁵⁰  And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

She was saved not because of her foot washing ability, she was saved because she put her faith in Jesus! And likewise any of us, who put their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior are forgiven for our sins.  And that is all our sins! Past, present, and future. 

The Apostle John wrote to the early church to encourage us in our attempts to live a holy life and even gave us instructions if we should go astray.  In

1 John 1:9 (NLT2) John tells us that when we sin we only need to confess them to God and repent:
⁹  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

And if you think this is limited in some way or is inviting into a sin-confess cycle of licentious living, John goes on to say:

1 John 2:1-2 (NLT2)
¹  My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.
²  He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

So we are to endeavor to walk away from sinful living and to be assured that Christ’s work not only paid for our sins but the sins of the world.   As

John 3:16-17 (NLT2) tells us
¹⁶  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
¹⁷  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

So while Christ’s work paid for all the sins of the world, in order to be forgiven and saved from God’s wrath, we have to believe – put our faith in Jesus.  

So to combat today’s lie of the enemy, that “I can’t be forgiven”, we have to put our faith in Jesus, and know and agree with the fact that what the Bible says is true, and thus know and experience the freedom, victory, and new life that we comes from God and knowing that we have been forgiven for everything we have ever done or will do, no matter how big or how many our sins may be. 

So rejoice! You can be forgiven! If you have put your faith in Jesus, You ARE forgiven! 

Often we don’t feel forgiven, because we either dwell on our pasts or never stop living in the past by continuing to live in sin.    

Telling ourselves that we are forgiven, when we are walking in darkness can be cold comfort as the Holy Spirit convicts us that we aren’t supposed to be living that way any longer.   To alleviate the conviction and to experience the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we have to be “real” with God and ask Him to give us the strength and guidance to repent of our sins and to stop walking in darkness.  

If we “don’t feel” forgiven because we are being condemned by the thoughts of the way we used to live, but have actually not lived that for some time (even one day), we have to realize that those feelings of guilt or condemnation are not from God. Either we are beating ourselves up or the enemy is sending thoughts to condemn and accuse of “not really being a Christian” or not “really being forgiven”. 

If that’s happening we have to realize that there is no condemnation for those in Christ, and we need to choose to believe that God has forgiven us, we are really Christians and reject the lies that the enemy wants us to believe to keep us in chains.  

But we have been set free, and to experience the freedom we already have, we just have to know we are in Christ and live like it.   

So reject that lie – that you can’t be forgiven – and stand in the truth of your new life in Christ

 

For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple apologetic will provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Psalm 18:30 (NLT2)
³⁰  God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Today’s verse reminds us that God’s way is perfect and all His promises are true and that He is a shield of protection to all who put their faith in Him.   

God’s way is Jesus Christ – THE WAY – THE TRUTH - & THE LIFE.  And the promises of  the forgiveness of sins, a new eternal life, salvation, blessings, and protection are all true!   

Because we have the promise of eternal life in God’s kingdom, we have the ultimate protection. Because God’s promises are true we have the ultimate peace. And when we make the decision to put our faith in Jesus (God’s perfect way) and following Him in the way we live our lives, we can continuously discover just how perfect God’s way is!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from A.W. Pink’s “The Sovereignty of God.”

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available on many websites for less than $20.00.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

By  ARTHUR W. PINK

CONCLUSION continues

 

Once more. What a word was that of the Lord Jesus as He stood before Pilate! Who can depict the scene! There was the Roman official, and there also was the Servant of Jehovah standing before him. Said Pilate, “Whence art Thou?” And we read “Jesus gave him no answer.” Then said Pilate unto Him “Speakest Thou not unto me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and have power to release Thee?” (John 19:10). Ah! that is what Pilate thought. That is what many another has thought. He was merely voicing the common conviction of the human heart, the heart which leaves God out of its reckoning. But hear the Lord Jesus as He corrects Pilate, and at the same time repudiates the proud boasting of men in general: “thou couldest have no power against Me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:11). How sweeping is this assertion! Man—even though he be a prominent official in the most influential empire of his day—has no power except that which is given him from above, no power, even, to do that which is evil, i.e., carry out his own evil designs unless God empowers him so that His purpose may be forwarded. It was God who gave Pilate the power to sentence to death His well-beloved Son! And how this rebukes the sophistries and reasonings of men who argue that God does nothing more than permit evil! Why, go right back to the very first words spoken by the Lord God to man after the Fall and hear Him saying “I will put ENMITY between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed” (Gen. 3:15)! Bare permission of sin does not cover all the facts which are revealed in Scripture touching this mystery. As Calvin succinctly remarked “But what reason shall we assign for His permitting it but because it is His will?”

At the close of chapter eleven we promised to give attention to one or two other Difficulties which were not examined at that time. To them we now turn. If God has not only predetermined the salvation of His own but has also foreordained the good works which they are to walk in (Eph. 2:10), then what incentive remains for us to strive after practical godliness? If God has fixed the number of those who are to be saved, and the others are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, then what encouragement have we to preach the Gospel to the lost? Let us take up these questions in the order of mention.^[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

---

^[1] Arthur W. Pink, The Sovereignty of God (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1949), 244–245.

Who Christ Really is for Us Today - Lent with Bonhoeffer Day 40 – Purity 1012

(Photo credit: Paulette Hodges) 

Who Christ Really is for Us Today - Lent with Bonhoeffer Day 40  – Purity 1012

Purity 1012 04/08/2023 Purity 1012 Podcast

Purity 1012 on YouTube: Coming Soon!

Good morning,

Today’s photo of the last night’s post sunset twilight time comes to us from a FB friend who captured this scene near presumably near their home in Germantown NY and shared it on social media last evening , commenting that there was “no filter needed”. 

Well, It’s Holy Saturday and I am sharing a link to gotquestions.org’s biblical answer to the question of “What is Holy Saturday?” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Holy-Saturday.html ) to let the curious, like I was, know what happened on the day in between Christ’s death and resurrection.  

Spoiler alert, while Christ’s disciples mourned his loss, the Pharisees, remembering Jesus’ claim that He would rise from the dead, were asking Pontius Pilate for a guard to put on Christ’s tomb to keep anyone from breaking in.  

However, as we all know, the Resurrection was an “inside job” and no amount of Roman soldiers was going to stop Jesus from breaking out of that tomb to show the world that He was who He said He was, the Messiah – The Son of God and God the Son – and that even the grave could not hold Him down!

But on Saturday, the pharisees, the Romans, and may even some of the disciples, believed that Jesus was dead and gone – but just in case his enemies put a guard on him.  So “Holy Saturday” became a day of waiting  even those who didn’t believe in Him and some Christians will observe today in somber reflection remembering Christ’s death, and the death of other Christians who have gone into eternity before us, to acknowledge the loss but it will an acknowledgement and remembrance that will be tempered with a hope and a promise.  

We can mourn the loss of Christ and the departed saints today, but we will celebrate Jesus’ resurrection tomorrow and still have the hope and the promise of Christ’s return to earth to rule and reign forever and the resurrection of all His faithful followers still to come.   

So whether you choose to use Holy Saturday to remember the loss or to rejoice over the resurrection and the hope of Christ’s promised return, I hope you enjoy this day of waiting and have a wonderful Easter or Resurrection Sunday tomorrow.

But speaking of mourning our losses, it may be hard to believe but we have officially arrived at the last day of Lent, and the last day of our current series, the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, with Day 40.

As a final reminder, and as we have said each day of this journey, we took this path to mark the season of Lent and to draw closer to God in anticipation of the celebration of Easter, knowing that if we took this journey of repentance seriously, we would not only see the days and seasons change, the Lord would use it to change us too. 

And the Lord did use this walk to change us. We are at the very least were well over 40 days older (no Lent days on Sundays remember?), but if your walk has been similar to mine, the last 40 plus days has helped to deliver you from some of the darkness and chaos of winter and into a new life of spring.  It was February 24^th when I started doing this devotion on the blog, on DAY 3 of Lent, yup started late and didn’t know I was going to walk this out officially until Day 5, but it gave me a rest I desperately needed and gave me wisdom and encouragement that I didn’t have before.  This lent I have been a little more disciplined with my health and have seen some major moves of God with the Freedom in Christ course and some new insights and personal revelations through the study material, cohort community, and prayer minister that the Deeper Walk School of Prayer Ministry’s curriculum required me to see to “experience being a client.  This season of Lent just proves to me again the reason why I do this blog – share the knowledge that we are to continually lean on and learn from the Lord and if we keep “waking and talking with God” we will continue to grow and mature as we experience the grand adventure of the new life the Lord has given us to live.   

So if you are coming in late, you can walk out this 40 day journey with Bonhoeffer for yourself, at your own pace.

You can sign up to get this devotional yourself by going to the Biblegateway link on the blog ((https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/40-Day-Journey-Dietrich-Bonhoeffer/today)) . 

Day 40

Near the end of his life, Bonhoeffer was reported to have said the following:

“What bothers me incessantly is the question…who Christ really is for us today?”

Biblical Wisdom

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the son of Man is?” and they said, “some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets?” he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-16

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46

Questions to Ponder

• What is the relationship between who Jesus was two thousand years ago and “who Christ really is for us today”?

M.T. Clark: Well, We are going to have to go with Scripture on this one and proclaim that:

Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)
⁸  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And that just as Jesus was close and personal to his disciples two thousand years ago, He is close and personal to His disciples today.  To be with Jesus back then, you had to follow Him. He had places to go and people to see and if you wanted to know Him you had to follow Him. Likewise today, if we want to know Him we have to follow Him and we shouldn’t be surprised to discover that He has places for us to go and people for us to see.  The presence of the Christ in our lives is a tangible reality that requires our “asking, seeking, and knocking” for His wisdom, guidance, love, and strength but the good news is that if we seek Him, we will find Him. So if you don’t know Him or have experienced His presence, keep seeking Him – in His word, in prayer, and by walking and talking with Him – and surrendering yourself to His will for your life.

• Is there a difference between asking who Christ is for us and who Christ is for me? Explain.

M.T. Clark: While Jesus is the same for all of us – our Lord and Savior, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Our God and Brother, who Christ is “for me” will be a little different for each of us because He will heal our individual hurts and empower us with individual talents for our individual purpose for the body of Christ and the kingdom of God.  We are one body, but we are not all the same, and Christ will be “different” to each of us as our relationship with Him will be highly personal.  

• How do we go about answering the question about “who Christ really is for us today”?

M.T. Clark:  Again, I would point to Christ being who He said He was and the fact that He doesn’t change and that if we want an answer to the question of “who Christ really is for us today?”, we have to consider who we “really are” for Christ today.

If Christ is someone you only visit a couple of times a year, or just on Sundays, at a church service, He really isn’t going to be much for you. But if we are continually seeking to know Him more through consulting His word and seeking His guidance in prayer and conforming ourselves to His image in the way we live our lives, He is “really” going to be “really real” to us and He is going to really be the answer to everything in our lives. So if you want to know “who Christ really is for us today?”, you might want to ask yourself \:

“Do I really “believe this” (John 11:25-26)? Do I really believe that He is the resurrection and the life? Am I really following Him? Am I for real, in my faith?”

Psalm Fragment

“Be still, and know that I am God!
   I am exalted among the nations,
   I am exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Journal Reflections

• If someone asked you who Christ really is for you today, how would you answer?

M.T. Clark: If someone asked me who Christ really is for me today, I would tell them that, Jesus is:

·       My Lord and Savior

·       My reason for Hope

·       The One who Recued me

·       The One who gave me life

·       The One who paid for my sins

·       The One who forgives me

·       ‘The One who loves me

·       The One who has answered all my questions

·       The One who has never left me of forsaken me’

·       The One who walks with me every day

·       The Other in the Fire

·       My Brother, My Lord, and My Friend

And that’s not all, but that’s some of who Christ really is for me, today, and every day.

• You have finished a 40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. How was the journey? What did you learn from Bonhoeffer? Has your understanding of what it means to be a Christian to follow Jesus changed? If so, how? What will be different in your life of faith for having taken this 40-day journey?

M.T. Clark: The Journey was great! I am a huge Bonhoeffer fan and admirer. If you didn’t know, I am so zealous about his book, Discipleship (The Cost of Discipleship) that I did a rather amateurish walk through it on YouTube (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYr9n4D1yfkpmfKHjeP5auLNK4e27Y8AX)! So doing the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a “no brainer” when I discovered it on Biblegateway. 

My understanding of what it means to be a Christian and to follow Jesus is always changing as the Lord blesses those who seek to learn from Him and that surrender themselves to His will for their life.  I was blessed every day through this study with Bonhoeffer’s writings, the scriptures, prayers, and these questions.

What will be different because of the study? Well, it’s now on the blog, the podcast, and YouTube now so I pray that others find it and decided to be inspired by it to follow the Lord and I am sure that the Holy Spirit will reserve the right to glean from the things I have learned from it to encourage myself and others in the future. 

As for me, I was on the path of Christian discipleship before I found the study and will just keep going the way the Lord directs me. Every ending on this path is merely a new beginning, and so come Monday I will see what is next but I will always remember that the season of Lent in 2023 was spent with the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  

Intercessions

Pray for all those who will read this book, that their journey with Bonhoeffer might lead them closer to Christ.

M.T. Clark:

Lord,

I thank you for the writings and faithful example of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and pray for all who have walked out this devotional through the blog and the podcast with us, and to all who will go on to do the devotional on Biblegateway or who will read the book, that their journey with Bonhoeffer might lead them closer to Christ and to inspire to live out their Christian faith for all to see the abundant life that comes to all who learn from and follow Jesus.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Prayer for Today

Loving God, for where I have been and for where I am going on my journey with Jesus, I give you thanks and praise.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. 

 

(40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.)

***As we are being provided with Bible verses from the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we will are taking a break from sharing a verse of the day from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”. We plan on resuming that normal installment of the blog following Easter.*** 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from A.W. Pink’s “The Sovereignty of God.”

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available on many websites for less than $20.00.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

By  ARTHUR W. PINK

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE VALUE OF THIS DOCTRINE continues

 

We shall now consider the Value of the doctrine in detail.

8. It evokes a song of praise

It could not be otherwise. Why should I, who am by nature no different from the careless and godless throngs all around, have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world and now blest with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Him! Why was I, that once was an alien and a rebel, singled out for such wondrous favors! Ah! that is something I cannot fathom. Such grace, such love, “passeth knowledge.” But if my mind is unable to discern a reason my heart can express its gratitude in praise and adoration. But not only should I be grateful to God for His grace toward me in the past, His present dealings will fill me with thanksgivings. What is the force of that word “Rejoice in the Lord alway” (Phil. 4:4)? Mark it is not “Rejoice in the Saviour,” but we are to “Rejoice in the Lord” as “Lord,” as the Master of every circumstance. Need we remind the reader that when the apostle penned these words he was himself a prisoner in the hands of the Roman government. A long course of affliction and suffering lay behind him. Perils on land and perils on sea, hunger and thirst, scourging and stoning, had all been experienced. He had been persecuted by those within the church as well as by those without: the very ones who ought to have stood by him had forsaken him. And still he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord alway”! What was the secret of his peace and happiness? Ah! had not this same apostle written “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). But how did he, and how do we, “know” that all things work together for good? The answer is, Because all things are under the control of and are being regulated by the Supreme Sovereign, and because He has naught but thoughts of love toward His own, then “all things” are so ordered by Him that they are made to minister to our ultimate good. It is for this cause we are to give “thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20). Yes, give thanks for “all things” for, as it has been well said “Our disappointments are but His appointments.” To the one who delights in the sovereignty of God the clouds not only have a ‘silver lining’ but they are silvern all through, the darkness only serving to offset the light—

“Ye fearful saints fresh courage take

The clouds ye so much dread,

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings o’er your head.”^[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

 

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^[1] Arthur W. Pink, The Sovereignty of God (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1949), 233–235.

Do Good for Your Enemies - Lent with Bonhoeffer Day 38– Purity 1010

Do Good for Your Enemies - Lent with Bonhoeffer Day 38– Purity 1010

Purity 1010 04/06/2023 Purity 1010 Podcast

Purity 1010 on YouTube:

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a water pathway leading to the thawing waters of Gilbert Lake comes to us from a FB friend who shared this scene on social media two days ago commenting that it was a nice day for a walk at Gilbert Lake State Park and with the ice melting, they were “getting ready to get a line wet soon.”  While “fishing is also featured”,  Gilbert State Park has cabins and campsites and more than 12 miles of interconnecting trails for hikers, skiers, snowmobilers and snowshoers. Playgrounds and a disc golf course, as well as swimming, boat rentals, boating (car top/hard bottom boats) are also activities you can enjoy at Gilbert Lake State Park’s lake and three ponds that lie in the wooded, hilly terrain in the foothills of the Catskills, in Laurens NY. 

The park is a 2 hour car drive away from my home, Riverside or Countryside, and just may need to be added to the “go and see” list of the possible places to go this summer.  The park’s website and virtual tour reveal that the swimming facilities are a bit quaint but the cabins seem impressive ((https://parks.ny.gov/parks/19/details.aspx) and so I am sharing the link on the blog if you want to take a look and consider whether you want to “go and see” it for yourself.  

Well, it’s Thursday and am sharing this “water pathway” picture at Gilbert Lake State park (how cool would it be to go there and find this location, to stand in our friend’s footsteps?)  as a visual representation of a path that leads to something “bigger” to represent the path of Christian discipleship that leads to the really big things of finding our meaning, purpose, and freedom in Christ.  

Just like our friend has peaked our interest in Gilbert Lake State Park, I write this blog and do this podcast in an attempt to encourage others to “go and see” what the Lord has waiting for you when you decide to follow Him in earnest.  

I am rejoicing this morning because I have received the healing for Tuesday’s stomach bug, thank you for your prayers, and because last night I completed leading the final freedom appointment on my schedule with a successful resolution and the very fact that I have been given the privilege of this ministry simply blows my mind!  Don’t get me wrong, I pursued it and did the necessary course work and training that is required to be a certified CFMA with Freedom in Christ ministries but even when I completed the training I didn’t realize just how vast the scope of this ministry would be. 

Last night’s participant lives in Texas, by way of India! The gentleman I led through Monday’s appointment lives in New Jersey, by way of the Dominican Republic! A previous participant lives in North Carolina by way of Nigeria! Because of where the Lord placed me and guided me into becoming an online discipleship course leader, I have encouraged men from all over the United States, with some hailing from other countries!  This doesn’t happen in my life without Christ! When you decided to seek the Lord’s will for your life and follow where He leads you, your life becomes transformed into an amazing adventure of faith, meaning, and purpose.  

I am so humbled by the goodness of God that I am going to go to a nearby Lutheran church tonight for a Maundy Thursday service.  That’ll be a first but I figure the Lord put that on my heart, to inspire me and to seek it out, and I feel compelled to “go and see” what I will find. 

Yup, It’s Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday and we are again sharing a link on the blog to let those who are curious to “know what that is exactly” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Maundy-Thursday.html) . That comes to us from the folks at gotquestions.org which I have discovered is good resource for those who “got questions” about our faith. So if you “got questions” they provide “Biblical Answers”.

Speaking of questions and answers, I think its time to continue our current series, on this 38^th day of Lent, with Day 38 of the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 

As a reminder, and as we will say each day of this journey, we take this path to mark the season of Lent and to draw closer to God in anticipation of the celebration of Easter, knowing that if we take this journey of repentance seriously, we will not only see the days and seasons change, the Lord will use it to change us too. 

You can sign up to get this devotional yourself by going to the Biblegateway link on the blog ((https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/40-Day-Journey-Dietrich-Bonhoeffer/today)) . 

Day 38

Bonhoeffer writes:

“Words and thoughts are not enough.

Doing good involves all the things of daily life.

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink” (Romans 12:20).

In the same ways that brothers and sisters stand by each other in times of need, bind up each other’s wounds, ease each other’s pain, love of the enemy should do good to the enemy.

Where in the world is there greater need, where are deeper wounds and pain than those of our enemies?

Where is doing good more necessary and more blessed than for our enemies?”

Biblical Wisdom

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27-28

Questions to Ponder

• Does it seem counterintuitive to “do good to the enemy”? Why, or why not?

M.T. Clark: Is it counterintuitive to “do good to the enemy?  Why, Yes, Yes it is! Before His coming nobody taught the things that Jesus taught, and certainly not without the authority that Jesus had.  Most of His teachings confounded the teachers of the Mosaic Laws because Jesus had firsthand knowledge of the Author’s intentions and He taught beyond the letter of the law to the Spirit of the law.

Thus most of his teachings would present current understandings of the law and explain that there was a deeper understanding that involved the heart. God doesn’t want us to just “follow the rules”, He wants us to live from the Spirit of His heart, to love righteousness and not to even think about deviating from His pure way even if the word doesn’t specifically address a “grey” area.  It’s counterintuitive to do good for your enemy, because your enemy by definition will not be seeking to do good for you, but could actively pursue your harm or destruction!

But Christ’s example shows us that we don’t overcome evil with force, we overcome evil through love and the good we do for our enemy may change everything. Our acts of service or kindness may change everything as our gestures of love may cause their hearts to change, transforming an enemy into a brother or sister in Christ.

• Why should the needs of our enemies matter to us?

M.T. Clark: The needs of our enemy should matter to us because they are lacking in the biggest way possible. They are spiritually dead and headed for hell. They need Jesus and if we can meet some other need of theirs as a pathway of leading them to faith in Jesus Christ we should try to meet it. This could cause us to have peace with our enemy but more importantly this could cause them to find peace with God through Jesus Christ!

• What happens to the word “enemy” if we follow Bonhoeffer’s advice and treat them like brothers and sisters?

M.T. Clark:  The word “enemy” could be transformed to “friend”, “loved one” or “brother” or “sister” when we treat them like siblings in Christ.  When we authentically and continually show and share the love of God to someone, the chances of their remaining our enemy decrees.  But regardless of results, the Lord calls us to love our enemies and out of our love for Him we should seek to be obedient.

Psalm Fragment

Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
   for it is always with me. Psalm 119:98

Journal Reflections

• Does Jesus command to: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” give you strength and vision for living in the midst of enemies? Why, or why not?

M.T. Clark: Yes, it does give me strength because it changes the way I look at them.  Our human view of an enemy would cause us to defeat them. God’s view of our enemy, makes us realize that we ourselves were enemies of God and only need to know the truth and the love of God to be saved and changed to His children.  So Christ’s command reminds us of this sobering fact and causes us to humbly seek to obey this otherwise contradictory commandment.

• Jesus teaching seems to call for non-violence in dealing with our enemies. Reflect in writing what you think about that.

M.T. Clark: Jesus didn’t defend Himself even to death. Not raising a hand to someone in violence would certainly follow the example He set for us.   However, we need to be discerning and answer the Lord’s call on our lives into where ever He may lead us. In the moment, we may be called to use violent or other means to stop evil. We must listen to our hearts but always seek to, wherever it depends on us, to be peace makers.  

Intercessions

Pray that your “enemies” might receive every good from the hand of God and in response become instruments of God’s love and justice.

Lord, 

I pray for those who are hostile to me personally, or to our Christian faith, would receive good from Your Hand and in response become instruments of Your love and justice. I know that You good over came my evil and I pray for my enemies to receive the same good and grace that can give them peace with You. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen,

Prayer for Today

Holy God who loves us all with an everlasting love, let my love for my enemies be a matter not only of words or thoughts but of specific and concrete actions.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. 

 

(40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.)

***As we are being provided with Bible verses from the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we will are taking a break from sharing a verse of the day from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”. We plan on resuming that normal installment of the blog following Easter.*** 

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from A.W. Pink’s “The Sovereignty of God.”

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available on many websites for less than $20.00.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

By  ARTHUR W. PINK

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE VALUE OF THIS DOCTRINE continues

 

We shall now consider the Value of the doctrine in detail.

6. It supplies comfort in sorrow

The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is one that is full of consolation and imparts great peace to the Christian. The sovereignty of God is a foundation that nothing can shake and is more firm than the heavens and earth. How blessed to know there is no corner of the universe that is out of His reach! as said the Psalmist, “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. If I say surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee” (Psa. 139:7–12). How blessed it is to know that God’s strong hand is upon every one and every thing! How blessed to know that not a sparrow falleth to the ground without His notice! How blessed to know that our very afflictions come not by chance, nor from the Devil, but are ordained and ordered by God: “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto” (1 Thess. 3:3)!

But our God is not only infinite in power. He is infinite in wisdom and goodness too. And herein is the preciousness of this truth. God wills only that which is good and His will is irreversible and irresistible! God is too wise to err and too loving to cause His child a needless tear. Therefore if God be perfect wisdom and perfect goodness how blessed is the assurance that everything is in His hand and moulded by His will according to His eternal purpose! “Behold, He taketh away, who can hinder Him? who will say unto Him what doest Thou?” (Job 9:12). Yet, how comforting to learn that it is “He,” and not the Devil, who “taketh away” our loved ones! Ah! what peace for our poor frail hearts to be told that the number of our days is with Him (Job 7:1; 14:5); that disease and death are His messengers and always march under His orders; that it is the Lord who gives and the Lord who takes away!^[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

 

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^[1] Arthur W. Pink, The Sovereignty of God (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1949), 231–232.