Do You Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins?

Before the Reformation, Martin Luther was in a monk’s cell, weeping because of the guilt he felt due to the sins he had committed. Just then he heard another monk nearby who was reciting the Apostle’s Creed:

“I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the…”

Martin Luther stopped him and said, “Wait! What did you just say?” The monk said, “What do you mean what did I just say?”

Luther said, “That last part. What was that again?” The monk replied, “Oh that. I said, ‘I believe in the forgiveness of sins.’” 

“The forgiveness of sins,” Luther said, as if savoring each word. “I believe in the forgiveness of sins. Then there is hope for me. Maybe there is a way to God.”

Martin Luther must have recited that creed many times before, but he had never really thought about what he truly believed. Do you believe in the forgiveness of all your sins? When you repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord, God says, “I will remember their sins no more” (Heb. 8:12).

But what if you’ve committed the most vile and hideous sins imaginable? The blood of Jesus is MORE POWERFUL than any sin and cleanses you from every sin (1 John 1:7,9). Instead of beating yourself up with guilt, spend your time thanking God for forgiving you.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com   www.makinglifecount.net

I Touched His Sore Spot

One Sunday morning I greeted a friend as he entered the church. When I shook his hand, I placed my other hand on his shoulder. He immediately recoiled in pain, moaning "Owww!"

I had gently touched him on his shoulder, the same thing I had done to several other folks that morning. However, no one else had pulled away from me. This man reacted differently because He had injured his shoulder a few days before. He pulled away from me because I had touched his sore spot.

Suddenly I understood how physical injuries can teach us about spiritual wounds. A person with a wounded spirit will react abnormally to an innocent comment that wouldn’t hurt a healthy person. The slightest touch on their hurting area causes them to recoil in pain and lash out at others. And that’s why hurting people will hurt other people. They are protecting their sore spots to keep from being hurt again.

How can you detect when people have inner wounds? They are typically in a bad mood. If you make an innocent comment that triggers a painful memory, they will either lash out or withdraw in pain. That’s not a normal reaction.

A person with a toothache cannot fall in love because it’s hard to love others if you are hurting inside. All your attention goes to your pain. A wounded person’s greatest need is to be healed, and healing typically begins by forgiving the person who hurt you.

God can heal you. He says, “For I will restore you to health and I will heal your wounds” (Jer. 30:17). The sooner you deal with the issue that hurt you, or forgive the person who hurt you, the faster you will heal. Two weeks after I touched my friend’s sore spot, his shoulder was healed—and that’s when he started acting normally again. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

Watch the Matt Maher song “And All the People Said Amen”

Everyone is Playing "Deal or No Deal"

This devotional comes from Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals  

The popular TV show “Deal or No Deal” is a game played with 26 numbered briefcases containing different amounts of money from one cent to $1 million. The contestant doesn’t know which case has the million dollars. The player chooses to eliminate cases one at a time. Each case is opened to reveal the amount inside.

The banker then offers the player a guaranteed amount of money to quit playing. If the offer is refused, the player keeps choosing briefcases to possibly win more money or lose it all.  

On one episode, a woman had eliminated all but two briefcases. One case contained $1 million while the other only had $5,000. The banker offered her a guaranteed deal of $530,000 if she would quit playing. She could take home over a half million dollars if she would accept his deal, or she could turn down the deal and take a 50/50 chance at winning $1 million. No one in their right mind would turn down the guaranteed $530,000 deal to keep gambling.

The audience yelled for her to go for the $1 million. A family member begged her to take the guaranteed $530,000. Instead, she listened to the audience and yelled, "No deal! I KNOW that I'm going to win the million dollars!" They opened the case she had picked, which only contained $5,000. She made the wrong choice and forfeited $530,000!

Everyone is playing Deal or No Deal with their souls. Jesus said, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37). We’re betting our eternal souls that what Jesus taught about the afterlife is either true or not true. Like the woman choosing between the two suitcases, we are choosing between two eternal destinies—heaven or the place of torment.

Jesus died for your sins and is offering you a guaranteed deal of eternal life (John 3:15-17). If you will give your life to Him, He will rescue your soul for all eternity. If you ignore His offer, you’re gambling your soul. Deal or No Deal? www.makinglifecount.net   www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

Click here to find out how to make the right deal for your soul.