Christian Reflection and Prayer

With my authority, take this message of repentance to all
the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: "There is forgiveness
of sins for all who turn to me."
Luke 24:47 NLT

More Words of Forgiveness from the Bible

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not
forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive
us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 43:25-26
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my
own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the
past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the
case for your innocence.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be
wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come!

Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

Daniel 9:9
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we
have rebelled against him;

(from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation)

Scripture:

“That night all the members of the community raised their
voices and wept aloud.”—Numbers 14:1

There is a story told about the famous French emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte. He was traveling through a Jewish
town in Europe when he entered a synagogue. There he
saw men, women, and children, all sitting on the floor,
weeping and reading from ancient texts. The room was
almost completely dark and the atmosphere was gloomy.

“What great misfortune occurred?” Napoleon wanted to
know. He assumed that something terrible must have just
happened to the Jews. The Jewish officer with him knew
otherwise. He explained, “It is the ninth of Av on the
Hebrew calendar. On this day, every year, Jews around
the world gather to mourn the destruction of the Temple in
Jerusalem.” Napoleon asked, “When did that happen?”
The officer replied, “Two thousand years ago.” Napoleon
was shocked and said, “Any people that still cry for their
land and their Temple after two thousand years will surely
merit seeing both returned to them.”

Indeed, the land of Israel has been returned to the Jewish
people. But as the Temple still lies in ruins,

Friends, let’s consider what we cry about. If we whine and
complain for no good reason, it won’t go over well with God.
When we cry for good reasons, we will be rewarded. Those
who weep over the Temple will get to see it rebuilt. Those
who cry for the sake of God will see God do great things for
them.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

Scripture:

[Jesus said], "Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive
on the clouds with power and great glory. So when all these
things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your
salvation is near!"
Luke 21:27-28 NLT

Reflection:

No fear of judgment

What images come to mind when you think of "end times
prophecies"?…Most people, if they were honest, would admit
that their view of the end times is a frightening one.…They
imagine an angry and vengeful God hovering high above it all,
bent on destruction and raining terror on all who have rejected
him.

Have we missed something? In many ways I think we have.
God didn't reveal these graphic images of the coming judgment
to express his wrath or even to frighten us into believing. He
revealed them to show us his wonderful grace and mercy in the
midst of our sin and unworthiness. The story isn't about pending
gloom and doom, but it's about a loving Father who will do
anything he can to help people escape the consequences of evil.

Bible prophecy isn't intended to frighten us, but it's to prove
beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is real and omnipotent and
active in our lives; to warn us of the very real danger lying ahead
for those who reject his love and mercy; and to encourage us to
accept his gracious and free offer of salvation through his Son,
Jesus.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul tells us that God "wants
everyone to be saved and to understand the truth" (2:4).…Time
and again in Scripture we are told that God longs for his people to
be with him in heaven. The Bible is not a story of wrath and
judgment but of unconditional love and redemption. God longs to
be with us and wants desperately for us to accept his hand of
salvation. What we do is up to us.

Adapted from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins
and Frank M. Martin, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), entry for
January 3.