Tag: Delights

God Doesn’t Remember Our Sins

God Doesn’t Remember Our Sins

Isn’t this wonderful to consider that God does not remember our sins, nor does He ever use them against us.  Glory to God most high! 

Here are some Scriptures to review:

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  (Ps 103:12 NIV)

I, I am the one who wipes out your rebellious behavior for my sake. I won’t remember your sin.  (Isa 43:25 CEB)

In the above passage, the Lord assures us that He has wiped away what was written against us, and the reason is because Jesus Christ has paid the debt.  And He also says that He will not remember our sins which means that He will never punish us for them.

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?  He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  (Mic 7:18 ESV)

Rather than remembering our sins, the Lord delights in His steadfast love for each and every one of us!  God says that He WON’T remember our sin; it is an intentional decision on His part.  And He does this for His own plans and purposes, not because of anything that man can or ever will do.

We serve a powerful, merciful and loving Savior and Redeemer.  Let us rejoice in His love!

Jesus, Beloved of the Father

Jesus, Beloved of the Father

Jesus is the cherished and treasured Son of the Heavenly Father. 

He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  (2 Pet 1:17 NIV)  The Father declared His great love and approval of Jesus.

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”  (Mk 9:7 NIV)  Not only does God, the Father, say again that He loves Jesus, but He tells us to listen to Jesus.  The Lord wants us to not only listen to Jesus, but to OBEY Him.

The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands.  (Joh 3:35 CEB)  Again we see a declaration of the Father’s love for Jesus, as well as the truth that the Father has given Jesus authority over ALL THINGS.  (See Mt 11:27; 28:18; 1 Pet 3:22)

Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights!  I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.  (Isa 42:1)  In this passage of the Bible, we hear the Lord describing His Son, and reminding us that the Father defends and endorses His Son.

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.  (Lk 10:22)  This Scripture verse highlights the close relationship between God, the Father, and Jesus.  It also establishes the truth that Jesus will reveal the Father to those who trust in Him as Savior.

In Christ, all believers have been made complete.  (Col 2:10)  He has redeemed us from sin, death, and eternal damnation.  Jesus is approved of and dearly loved by our heavenly Father.  Jesus is God’s Elect One.

How many more reasons do we need for us to love and honor Jesus with everything we are and everything we have?  Hallelujah!

Planted by Rivers of Water

Planted by Rivers of Water

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers [channels] of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.  (Ps 1:3)

This passage of Scripture is referring to the person who delights in the Word of the Lord and meditates upon it day and night.  Such a person is just like a well-watered tree that has a constant source of water and refreshment.

Here is advice for people who have just planted a tree on their property, and it demonstrates how seriously a newly planted tree needs water.  

How much water does the tree need? 25 gallons once a week. A deep soaking is needed for enough water to penetrate the root ball. A deep soaking also will allow the water to reach deeper levels of the soil so that new roots will establish well below the surface enabling the tree to have a higher capacity to withstand future droughts. Water your tree EVEN WHEN IT RAINS! Most storms do not produce enough rain (at least one inch) to keep up with the amount of water the tree needs. **

Since a natural, physical tree needs so much water to enable the roots to grow and to become well established, so too does a spiritual tree need the water of the Word of God. Below are a couple of Scriptures:  one equates words with water, and the other demonstrates the importance of water.

The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.  (Prov 18:4)

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  (2 Pet 3:5)  

And like the physical tree, we need liberal amounts of the water of God’s Word daily.  This watering produces stronger roots in us, enabling each of us to withstand future droughts. A drought for us would mean that we would not have access to the Bible, or to Biblical preaching and teaching, or to Christian fellowship for prolonged periods of time.

To be assured that you bring forth your fruit in its seasons, and that your leaf does not wither, make daily Bible reading an abiding habit in your life.  In doing so, you not only protect your spiritual life but your physical life, as well.  

Blessings upon you!

** Source:  http://environment.yale.edu/uri/files/WATER%20WHEN%20IT%20RAINS.pdf

The Path to Pleasures Forevermore

The Path to Pleasures Forevermore

Psalm 16:11 says:  You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Fullness means completeness; extensiveness; or richness.  Pleasures means delights; gratifications; choices; blisses; or options.

I believe that we understand that path of life refers to salvation as provided to us in Jesus Christ.1  Jesus certainly is the pathway to salvation. The Word tells us that time spent in the presence of the Lord produces a deep, rich experience of joy.  What a blessing to see from this verse that there are many benefits that we receive from God’s presence.

The verse above says that there are pleasures forevermore at the Lord’s right hand.  That sounds really good to me!  You would like to experience pleasures forevermore, too, right?  I believe that when we’re aware of God’s presence with us continuously, and are able to praise Him at all times, we tap into the blessings promised to us here.

At the right hand of Jesus is honor!  Do you know that because we are His sheep that we are already in position AT His right hand?  According to Matthew 25:33-34:   And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . . .

According to Matthew, the sheep spoken of in the verse above receive the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.  Each one of us is represented in that group of sheep referred to in this passage, so there is a kingdom prepared and awaiting us.

If that were not enough, we also receive pleasures forevermore in the here and now.  While we are on earth, we receive the blessings of our relationship with Jesus through the great and precious promises given to us in the Word.  Jesus has given us His answer to every Bible promise; the answer is:  “Yes.”2

Do you need protection?  He says, “Yes” in Psalm 91:9-12 as well as other Scriptures. Do you need health?  We know that Jesus took care of that because Isaiah 53:5 states: . . . by His stripes we are healed. Do you need an escape from death?  See God’s answer in Psalm 68:20: Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death.

Do you need:

  • Financial blessings? The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. (Pro 10:22)
  • Help in trouble? (See Ps 46:1)
  • Sleep? (Read Ps 3:5; 4:8)

Do you need something that the Bible doesn’t address specifically?  Then check out these Bible passages:  Ps 68:19; Mt 19:26; 21:22; Mk 9:23.  God is so good and loving that He wants to give us our hearts’ desires!3

Understand that whatever belongs to God belongs to Jesus; and whatever belongs to Jesus, He shares with each and every one of us.  These blessings belong to us.  Use the gift of faith that God has given to every believer and receive the blessings of spending time in His presence.  Praise the Lord!

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  1. John 5:21b; 11:25
  2. 2 Co 1:20
  3. Ps 37:4; 84:11; Mt 7:7