Blessed Forgiveness

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Blessed Forgiveness

Psalm 32
Blessed is he:
- whose transgressions are forgiven.
- whose sins are covered.
- whose sin the Lord does not count against him anymore.
- whose spirit is not deceitful.
For these things to happen to us, we must ask for forgiveness from the Lord, but many times, our pride gets in the way.
We have two choices:
1. The first choice-- Be silent in our pride or silent because we're ashamed of sin-- either way, silent! This choice brings us:
  - A wasted life-- our bones are wasting away. Without the Lord, our life is truly nothing more than a wasting away.
  - Day and night, nothing but heaviness.
  - Completely weak as though the heat of summer zapped away your strength.
  - Notice, it was the Lord's hand upon you. He wants us to choose Him. He loves and cares about us enough to keep after us about sin. He doesn't give up on us-- day or night.
2. The other choice-- Drop the pride or our own self pity, and ask for forgiveness. This choice brings us:
  - Forgiveness-- no guilt, no questions asked, no more heaviness or groaning over past sin-- the burden is lifted!
  - All it took was confession and repentance towards the Lord. Confession that we did wrong and repentance meaning we don't plan to go back to it again.
The choice must be made sometime, though, while the Lord can be found.
Look at the promises we receive when we confess and allow the Lord in our life:
- He becomes our hiding place, our refuge to go to when things are bad.
- He will instruct us on how to live and the things we should do-- our counselor.
- He will watch over us. (He can see things that we can't.)
- We will be surrounded by His unfailing love. This does not mean we'll have no troubles or problems. It does mean that we have someone to rely on when troubles come. The "wicked" have nothing to rely on.
With all these promises, how can we not rejoice?
Praise the Lord for His blessed forgiveness!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 –