Matthew 18:24-27 talks about a servant owing a debt of about $10 million in our time. When the servant fell on his knees and begged for his master to be patient with him, the master had pity on him and canceled his debt.
I started thinking about my debt of sin, at everything wrong which I have done, or thought, and at how God has put up with me, and loved me, and forgiven me over and over again. It is like a $10 million debt that is impossible for me to repay. There’s no way I can pay my debt of sin. There’s no way I can deserve forgiveness. God looked down out of heaven and he loved me so much that he forgave me my debt on Calvary‘s cross, just because he loved me.
God looked down out of heaven and he loved me so much that he forgave me my debt on Calvary‘s cross, just because he loved me.
Galatians 3:13, Jesus was damned for my sins. Jesus was cursed that I might not be cursed. Jesus was damned that I might not be damned. He died that I might live. And this is the reason why I can be forgiven. Not because I am good. Not because I am righteous. But because Another died for my sins. He was my substitute. He was judged for my sins, I don’t have to be judged. He loved me that much.
However, at times I have struggled in believing Jesus has, does, and will forgive me of my sins. One day when I was in prayer I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, “Paula, it is your choice to believe that you are forgiven. It is not an emotion, it is an act of faith.”
As I pondered on, “it is my choice,” I started thinking not only on forgiveness but on the fruits of the Spirit and the nature of God, his attitude, his character, his speech. How many times have I strived to be like Christ and failed?
I went to God‘s word which says in Philippians 2:13, “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.” In Matthew 6:7, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
The very secret of prayer is that when we choose to have the character of Christ, his attitude, speech, and action and to have the fruits of the Spirit in Jesus name, then the Holy Spirit is released by God inside our inner man to change us in accordance with our request.
The very secret of prayer is that when we choose to have the character of Christ, his attitude, speech, and action and to have the fruits of the Spirit in Jesus name, then the Holy Spirit is released by God inside our inner man to change us in accordance with our request.
We can choose against our own will – this is the power of prayer. We are not left dependent upon our own ability or strength.
We can’t live the Christian life-never have been able to never will be able to. The only One Who can live it is Jesus, and we must let him live it through us instead of us striving and straining and working. We must all start choosing and believing.
Romans 7:19b “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
Romans 7:26, “Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Our own nature is crucified with Christ on the cross. It is by faith, as we choose to believe we enter into rest, and we can say, “ Lord love through me, be sweet through me. Here I am Lord, just live your life through me.”
Paula E Mace
