Take Up Your Mat and Walk

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him, as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:11-12)

Have you ever had a friend say sorry to you over and over, even after you’ve already forgiven them?

It’s insulting. In repeatedly apologizing, they’re saying, “I’m not sure if you’ve really forgiven me; I still feel guilty.” In essence, they’re doubting your word.

Imagine how much more insulting it is to God!

Psalm 103:12 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Just think how far the east is from the west. It’s basically infinity—the two can never meet. So, imagine for a moment, you and your sins bound together. Then God comes and separates the two of you, sending your sin traveling to the west and you to the east. But maybe you haven’t truly let go of your guilt.

Look what Jesus did:

“Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘Be encouraged, My child! Your sins are forgiven.’ But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, ‘That’s blasphemy! Does He think He’s God?’ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He asked them, ‘Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ And the man jumped up and went home!” (Matthew 9:2-7).

Now, say the newly-healed man went home with his mat and laid on it, continuing to live like he was still paralyzed.

That’s what you might be doing with your sins! Jesus has said to you, “My child, be encouraged! Your sins are forgiven! Now get up and experience life in freedom!” But you can’t fully believe it, so you lay back down on your mat of paralysis and depression, missing out on what God has for you. I have been like that. But God is making this verse real to me: “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:36).

And He wants to make it real for you.

Ask Him right now to help you truly know that your sins are forgiven. Ask Him to help you take up your mat and walk in the fulfilling life He has for you. There is so much He has planned for you to do! Today is the day for you to take up your mat and walk.

So, let’s pray that :

• We would experience true separation from our past.
• We would take up our mat and walk in God’s great will.
• We begin to run with the vision God has given us.

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What Beats Cause and Effect?

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“But God showed His great love for us

by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners”

(Romans 5:8)

They say “What comes around goes around.”

That describes the law of Cause and Effect. The Bible says it another way: “A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). What have you been sowing? Peace, love, and kindness—all of the time? If so, you’re in luck.

But if not, what fate awaits you? This is a tricky one, for the biblical principle of sowing and reaping still stands. However, there is a higher law

Forgiveness trumps Cause and Effect—every time.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross—mid-crucifixion—He said to God on your behalf, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34).

Can you believe it? It’s hard enough for me to forgive someone after they’ve hurt me, let alone while they are doing it. But in the middle of crucifixion, being tortured and killed as the Son of God for coming to save His own people, Jesus stands in the gap and tells God: I’m asking you not to hold it against them; they don’t know what they’re doing.

If you’re banking on your deeds to save you or condemn you, think again:

The fact is, you have not done more good than bad: quite the opposite. And if you’re hoping your good deeds are going to set you up for a good afterlife, guess again. Concerning Cause and Effect, we all deserve

Hell. That is the proper application of “What comes around goes around.” But there’s a higher law—Jesus’ law of love and forgiveness. The Bible says, “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). When He died for you, His sacrifice stretched over your sins and covered them completely, like a thick blanket.

Jesus completely absorbed your punishment. In doing so He wasn’t saying, “Oh, no more sowing and reaping; that rule is getting tossed out.” Instead, He said, “I’m going to take their punishment.

They’re going to get the positive consequences for my perfect actions (Heaven) and I’m going to take the dreadful consequences for their actions (crucifixion).” He took your Cause and Effect and gave you His instead.

Now, who do you need to forgive? Jesus said it plainly, “But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins” (Mark 11:26). By holding on to a grudge, you’re disqualifying yourself from Jesus’ forgiveness. Instead of holding a grudge, let someone have the grace Jesus gave you. Say, “Father forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing, just as I don’t. Thank you so much for forgiving me.”

Forgiveness is the greatest need in the world. Today, receive God’s gift of forgiveness to you and give it to someone else.

So, let’s pray together that:

• We would truly understand how forgiven we are

• We would truly forgive others from the heart

• Global Media Outreach would help many others experience Jesus’ forgiveness

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What's your Worst-case Scenario?

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“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”

(Philippians 4:6,7).

Today I want you to think about the worst thing that could happen in your life. Is it sickness? Bankruptcy? Loneliness? Normally I like to talk about nice things, but I want to share with you how God has been helping me with my worry. You see, I worry a lot. And most of my worries never come true.

But say the worst of the worst happened, whatever that is for you. There are a few things you can know will never be affected, no matter what goes wrong:

• God will still be glorified: “’As surely as I live,' says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to Me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God'" (Romans 14:11)

• God will never leave you: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)

• Jesus will never stop loving you: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39)

So I’d like you to do this exercise with me. Fill in the blank with your worst worry and say out loud: “If God wants to glorify Himself through _______________, then so be it. He will never leave me, abandon me, or take His love away from me. And I will arrive at the End of Days with Jesus in Heaven.”

Because that is the ultimate worst-case scenario: that you would arrive at the Day of Judgment and not be admitted into Heaven. But Jesus has promised you: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me” (John 10:27,28).

What are you worrying about today? Give it to God. This is how I do it: I imagine my worry as a ball that I throw to God for Him to deal with. I Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” Sometimes I have to throw my worry ball to Him just once; sometimes once an hour. But He always gives me His peace in exchange. And He will do the same for you.

So, let’s pray together that:

• We would completely give all our worries over to God and receive His peace

• We would rest in the knowledge that He will ultimately be glorified

• We would completely give God all our worries

Every time you worry this week, throw your worry ball to God.

Thank Him that He will never leave you, and ask for His peace.

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God Wants to Renew His Vows‏

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“’For the mountains may move and the hills disappear,

but even then my faithful love for you will remain.

My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’

says the LORD, who has mercy on you”

(Isaiah 54:10).

Have you ever seen a married couple renew their vows? It’s so beautiful. After years of hardships, things not going the way they thought, and weird traits they didn’t know about, they still say: I’d do it all over again. I’d marry you a million times over.

That’s what God says to you today. He knows all the sins you’ve committed—and all the ones you’re going to commit. He knows all the things you didn’t do just how He wanted and how you will resent and misunderstand Him at times. And He still says to you: I love you today like I did yesterday. And I’d die for you all over again. I don’t regret it one bit. “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love; with unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself” (Jeremiah 31:3).

I was the person Jesus was talking to when He said, “You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see” (Revelation 3:17,18).

And now He wants to hear it from you. Think how much a person wants to hear “I love you too” when they confess their own love. Would you tell Him that you would do it all over again—even though things haven’t gone the way you planned, and maybe He hasn’t answered your every prayer just how you wanted? Maybe even God is different than you imagined Him…would you still commit your whole life to Him again today? In fact, will you do it today?

Renew your Vows with God today. Maybe circumstances have caused you to drift from God. It’s not to late to return. He says, “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7). No matter what has happened in your past, God has a wonderful plan for your future. Right after He said, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love; with unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself”, He said, “I will rebuild you, My virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines” (Jeremiah 31:4).

God wants to rebuild you and your relationship with Him. He renews His vows with you today and is waiting for you to do the same. He longs to hear from you, “God, I’d do it all over again. I love you today and I will never take back my commitment to you.”

So, let us pray that:

• We would understand and feel God’s great love for us

• We would get a fresh love and passion for God

• We would hear what God wants us to do

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