A Personal Pardon

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1.
We should remember that all make mistakes; even men and women who have had years of experience sometimes err; but God does not cast them off because of their errors; to every erring son and daughter of Adam He gives the privilege of another trial.
Jesus loves to have us come to Him just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent. We may come with all our weakness, our folly, our sinfulness, and fall at His feet in penitence. It is His glory to encircle us in the arms of His love, and to bind up our wounds, to cleanse us from all impurity.
Here is where thousands fail: they do not believe that Jesus pardons them personally, individually. They do not take God at His word. It is the privilege of all who comply with the conditions to know for themselves that pardon is freely extended for every sin. Put away the suspicion that God’s promises are not meant for you. They are for every repentant transgressor. Strength and grace have been provided through Christ to be brought by ministering angels to every believing soul. None are so sinful that they cannot find strength, purity, and righteousness in Jesus, who died for them. He is waiting to strip them of their garments stained and polluted with sin, and to put upon them the white robes of righteousness; He bids them live and not die….
Can you believe that when the poor sinner longs to return, longs to forsake his sins, the Lord sternly withholds him from coming to His feet in repentance? Away with such thoughts! Nothing can hurt your own soul more than to entertain such a conception of our heavenly Father…. Come with your whole heart to Jesus, and you may claim His blessing.
He who through His own atonement provided for man an infinite fund of moral power will not fail to employ this power in their behalf.
The Faith I Live By p. 134
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Prayer Requests
—-I am feeling unmotivated to job hunt & for life in general. Pray God will intervene and change my attitude. Ann
—-Please pray for my daughter and my other kids too. She has been sick and throwing up for two days and I know she’s miserable. Juliette
—-Please pray for Carol. Her brother had a massive stroke while riding his motorcycle. She had the make the agonizing decision to take him off life support. She is struggling with her disabled husband and mother. Shirley
—-Please pray for our friend, Pastor David Wolkwitz. He just lost his precious wife, Gaylene, this past Sabbath. Joyce
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Dear Friends,
When my mother was a very little girl, her grandmother gave her several books for her very own. She instructed her to be very careful with these books as someday she could give them to her little girl. One was a fanciful story entitled “Honey Bear.” It was about a bear who invited the woodcutter’s toddler to supper. The other two were “Flower Children.” These books had illustrations of flowers, each made to look like a child. The stem was the body, the leaves were the arms, and the blossom, the hat. Under each drawing was a poem that told a little about the flower. My mother was thrilled. She loved her father’s mother dearly and cherished those books. Eventually, the cover of “Honey Bear” became torn, so her father bound it in fine, red leather.
When my mother had me, she sometimes would read those books to me or let me sit on my grandmother’s horsehair sofa and look at the illustrations. I was instructed to be very careful with those books. Eventually, my mother gave me those three books. I especially liked the “Flower Children” book. For hours I would look at those books noticing every detail of each blossom and leaf. I can still see some of those illustrations in my mind’s eye.
Throughout the years, I kept those books as nice as the day I received them. I had intended that someday I would give them to my children. No matter how many times I moved from place to place, I carefully guarded those books. They were very dear to me. Not only did I enjoy them, but the fact that my great-grandmother had given them to my mother when she was a small child made them very precious.
When Ronnie Jay was two months old, our house caught on fire. It destroyed everything: my piano, my accordion, my guitar, all my photographs, my collection of piano music (some of which dated back into the 1860’s and had been my great-grandfather’s) all our books including those cherished books. All we had left were the clothes we were wearing, yet I was very thankful that we were unhurt.
How quickly the things of this world can pass away. We can not rely upon them for in a few moments, all of our possessions can be destroyed. Our Loving Saviour advises, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt 6:19-21 Like Abraham, we can sojourn in this land “as in a strange country. . . [looking] for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb 11:9,10
Although the things of this earth are fleeting, we have an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. God’s Word endures forever! It will never be destroyed! Jesus assures us, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” Luke 21:33 “The word of the Lord endureth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:25 “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven….Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” Ps 119:89,160
“Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” Ps 119:12-16 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee.” vs 11 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Rom 11:33 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Ps 1:1,2
Let us keep our eyes on the promise that our Loving Redeemer will soon take us to His Heavenly Country. (John 14:1-3) Let us meditate upon God’s Holy Word which is the one sure thing on which we can rely. Let us turn aside from the things of this world that can perish in a moment and keep our focus on the Firm Foundation which will never pass away, even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Rose