Matthew Henry teaches us, “The way to preserve peace among relations and neighbors is to make the best of every thing, not to tell others what has been said or done against them when it is not at all necessary to their safety, nor to take notice of what has been said or done against them when it is not at all necessary to their safety, nor to take notice of what has been said or done against ourselves, but to excuse both, and put the best construction upon them.” He continues: It was an oversight; therefore overlook it. It was done through forgetfulness; therefore forget it. It perhaps made nothing of you; do you make nothing of it?” The ripping up of faults is the ripping out of love. “ …and nothing tends more to the separating of friends, and setting them at variance, than the repeating of matters…
Healing at the Cross Posts
Eve was the mother of all living. Many years later, one of those “living,” Mary, became the mother of Christ — and the mother of all those living in truth. That truth, enduring for all generations, has seen many an opposing foe. However that truth cannot be extinguished, it marches on and on. John, who had received the book of Revelation contained in our Bible, wept in chapter 5 at the prospect of a certain scroll, one held in God’s hand, going unopened. He wept at the possibility of truth stifled in time, reality extinguished for the redemption of mankind, past, present and future. But, in Revelation 6 a seal is opened of that scroll of heaven. The Lamb has prevailed to open the scroll, it’s seals are removed one by one. Upon the opening of seal #1, “…behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a…
“…and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf (bullock), and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. (pouncing on its prey as a vulture) Revelation 4 They had six wings, as did the Seraphim of Isaiah 6. We find that Cherubim guarded the path to the tree of life in Genesis 3:24. ” And he drove out Man; and he set the Cherubim, and the flame of the flashing sword, toward the east of the garden of Eden, to guard the way to the tree of life. “ In Ezekiel 1:13-14, “…their appearance was like burning coals of fire, as the appearance of torches: it went up and down among the living creatures; and…
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. ” Revelation 3:8 “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” 2Corinthians 4:1 “For who hath despised the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:3 “…thou hast kept the word of my patience,” Revelation 3:10 Somehow we get to walk with God alone. Often that walk can be lonely, for God dwells in the thick darkness. I too must acclimate to that darkness, for in that darkness I find true light.…
God’s love covers a multitude of sins. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it. Proverbs 16:14 A person brings in a propitiation, anger is pacified. Yes, the sin, the offense, the fault — he removes it from the equation. There is no imputation of sin. God has called us to a tender reply, even a show of weakness. It repels the malignant part in the other, as it sides with the sinner, not to condone his sin, or sinful behavior — but to identify with it as also me-owned, admitting fulness of potential to self-display the very same sin — at any moment. I have always been amazed at God’s words to Cain in Genesis 4:6; “‘Why hast thou displeasure? and why hath thy countenance fallen? ” YLT. Cain displayed dismay, even anger and sorrow at the rejection by God of his…
Restoration must be included in all of a Christian’s thinking, since he or she will need it many times. Psalm 23 teaches us that God “restores our soul.” In Psalm 51:12 David prayed after he had fallen into sexual sin. God had sent Nathan the prophet to David in an effort at restoration. David was living in denial. Nathan told David a story of deceit and abuse — and then came the words to David. “thou art the man.” from 2 Samuel 12. It worked, and David prayed to God: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: “Restore unto…
The perfect love of Jesus casts out fear. 1John 4:10-18 makes this clear. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” “We love because he first loved us. “v19 ESV Propitiation? “ …the scriptural conception of the verb is not that of appeasing one who is angry, with a personal feeling, against the offender; but of altering the character of that which, from without, occasions a necessary alienation, and interposes an inevitable obstacle to fellowship.” quote is from Vincent “Word Pictures.” Christ, our sin-bearer, altered the character of sin by becoming sin for us, and taking it to a bloody cross, so sin died. Access to the Father resulted. So: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever…
Sin describes a continual attempt at hitting a target but a constant missing of that target. More than isolated failures ,sin actually combines the stigma of “missing the mark” with every thought or subsequent action which proceeds from an unregenerate person. It always misses because it can only function from its inherent nature — one tainted by the power of self-perception and adding self-evaluation to all of its functioning. This “conscience” of man, which was added to mankind at the fatal eating of the knowledge tree in the garden, gave man a scale of “good” versus “evil” for all future self-evaluations. So, this moral compass of man, conscience, educates itself with childhood taboos, classroom ethics, family rules, church taught laws and guidelines, cultural “yea and nay” and of course the guide of economic living — the model of finding provision for food and shelter. All of these are necessary paths…
Love is long spirited. “When tempering your anger, you do not immediately avenge the wrong, but you leave an opportunity for repenting to the one who has transgressed.” Origen Love pervades and penetrates the whole nature, it mellows anything harsh or austere.” Trench Love does not desire to make war upon the good it beholds in another — and to trouble that good and make it less. Shakespeare Love is not a braggart, does not sound it’s own praises or show off. Vincent Love does not self-display, employing rhetorical embellishments in extolling (glorifying), one’s self excessively. Thayer Love does not make sacred things “natural, “to cause a thing to pass into nature. ” Thayer Love does not run the risk of bringing the virgin daughter into shame, as in 1Corinthians 7:36.(a daughter who has passed the marriage age and father has not yet given her to marry.) He doesn’t shame…
“And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1 David never forgot the love of his friend, Jonathan. This man had helped David escape at a time when Saul’s jealous wrath was pointed toward him. Jonathan was a friend that loved at all times, a brother born for adversity — a rare, but loyal and true friend. As we navigate the perils of the Christian’s call, we certainly have a similar friend, Jesus. Touched with the feelings of our infirmities, He meets us at the Throne of grace. Here we find acceptance in spite of our broken hearts, mercy that rejoices against a certain judgment. As the story of 2 Samuel goes, found in the shadows of Lodebar (pastureless), was a forgotten son of Jonathan whose name was Mephibosheth. “Then King David sent and brought…