To those of you who call yourselves Christians, take your time to read this article and reflect on it.... because I know of some "Christians" who actually will react the way these Churchgoers reacted in the article.

If Jesus / God can forgive.... who are WE as sinners to condemn?

Original Article : The Pastor´s Son (Clickable Link)

The Pastor’s Son

Author Unknown

Like many inspiring movies and books, this short story may be fictional. However, the impact that this work will have on its readers is very real. Enjoy!

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church.

She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.

It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans.

This is when the problem began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son.

The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting.

As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.

The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past.

As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this:

My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?

The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters.

Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely, then it cannot cleanse us completely.

If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble.

What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Psalms 55:231 John 1:9

Rescue

Friday March 6, 2015

In discussing the premise of the film The Amazing Spider-Man, director Marc Webb writes, "This is the stuff of classic tragedy. It´s about trying to do good, and by virtue of trying to do good, bad things happen. It´s what [the mythical Greek King] Oedipus does - he goes out and tries to save the city, and he ends up sleeping with his mother." Webb laughs. "His efforts are noble! But the irony of it is that he causes damage by trying to do good. That is, to me, the most resonant thing of tragedy. Spider-Man is saving people and the world, but it´s at his own expense."

In writing about how to serve others, When Helping Hurts author Brian Fikkert says, "The.... church should have a profound sense of urgency to spend ourselves 'on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed.' "

Fikkert says we should remember, however, that "good intentions are not enough. It is possible to hurt poor people and ourselves, in the process of trying to help them."

I believe that every good deed I´ve been part of in East Africa, where I live, has traces of things that went wrong or were counter productive. For example, by giving a child a scholarship to attend a school, I created a temptation for his father to stop working and providing for his son.

However, through serving, giving and doing we can play a part in expressing God´s love to others - joining Him in doing good, seeking judgement and relieving the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17). We can do the right things, even though at times imperfectly (Psalms 34:15).

May we reflect the heart of God as we reach out to those in need, living out His loving, compassionate, rescuing ways (vv. 6, 17-19, 22). - Roxanne Robbins

Read
Psalm 34:1-22
I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
my soul will boast in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles. 
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life 
and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the broken hearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.

Question to Ponder
What steps can you take to follow God´s wisdom and lead in helping others?
How has He rescued you?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Mar 2015 - May 2015 issue

Compassion - not Condemnation

Tuesday February 3, 2015

An episode of the BBC show Call the Midwife, set years ago in London, tells the story of a mother who reluctantly prepared to have her unborn baby adopted as soon as she was born. She did so because the child hadn´t been fathered by her husband. And it was probably going to be obvious, for the skin color of the baby´s biological father was black while the woman and her husband were white.

The social worker handling the adoption took a condemning look at the woman and sneered, "By the look of things, we should proceed as swiftly as we are able." Moments later, she smugly remarked to the midwife, "It never ceases to lift the soul : the type of parents willing to take on abandoned children."

"I´m not abandoning my baby!" the mother replied. "I don´t have a choice in this!" The social worker snapped, "Isn´t it more of a case of consequences? So much less palatable than the actions that led to them." To which the midwife said, "Then let us be grateful that we are not faced with them. And let us feel compassion for those who are."

The midwife´s words brought to mind the words Jesus spoke to the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:3-11). "Didn´t even one of [your accusers] condemn you?... Neither do I" (vv. 10-11). Unlike those who had condemned her, He didn´t rub her nose in the obvious. Instead, Jesus offered her rare compassion, something that showed there was hope and a future for her.

Jesus didn´t offer a "soft love" that implied, "Do whatever you please". He showed a kindness that invited the woman to turn her heart and actions in a better direction : "Go and sin no more" (v.11).

Lives are transformed when we lovingly present the unfailing compassion of Christ (Galatians 6:1-2). - Jeff Olson

Read
John 8:3-11
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Romans 2:1-4
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. Now we know that God´s judgement against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God´s judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God´s kindness leads you toward repentance?

Question to Ponder
What do you think is most important - pointing out someone´s sin or showing that person God´s love?
How has God shown you His compassionate ways?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue