Jul 30 2024

Afternoon Bible Verse

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

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In the average year, firefighters respond to nearly a half-million structure fires. These range from homes to commercial buildings to barns. The job of a firefighter is to rescue people from fires and extinguish the fire from doing further damage. Often, fires are caused by human error—a dropped cigarette, a child playing with matches, a candle left burning overnight, and so forth.

When a firefighter rescues a family caught in a fire, there is much rejoicing when everyone has escaped. Even if the fire was started by somebody's mistake, that is not the focus at the time of rescue. The overwhelming peace that everyone is okay outweighs the reason why it started.

When God sent Jesus into the world, humanity was in a place where we were doomed. We needed a Savior. God didn't send Jesus down to make us aware of all of the fires we had started and to reprimand us—He came to rescue us. There is much rejoicing when someone is saved from the results of their sin. The focus then becomes knowing God and growing closer to Him. The focus is not on the wrongs of the past.

This can be difficult to understand because our human nature wants retribution. We do something wrong and we are punished to the extent of the law. But God operates differently. He is aware of everything we have done but still offers us His unconditional love.

The next time we have the urge to condemn others for the bad choices they have made, we should remember the pain that we have been spared and the grace we received ... even when we were sinners.

Afternoon Prayer

Jesus, there was a time when I was starting a lot of fires in my life. Without your help, they would have burned out of control and destroyed me. Thank you for salvation. I'm so grateful that you offer grace without condemnation and love without hesitation. Help me to do the same even when I don't feel like others deserve it. Thank you for saving me, Jesus. In your name, amen.

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Jul 29 2024

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible Verse

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. :

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Yesterday Afternoon's Bible study

Forgiving others does more for us than it does for them. When we hold bitterness inside, our hearts become hardened to God's love. If we aren't in a place to give love, then we can't receive it.

Unforgiveness is an issue in the lives of believers and also those who don't know Christ. No one is exempt from the hurt that people cause each other. All of us have to choose to extend forgiveness to people when they do us wrong. It is important.

Jesus set this example for us in how He lived and interacted with others. He was ridiculed and tormented to the point of death. With His dying words, He offered forgiveness to those who had murdered Him.

In our daily lives, forgiveness means letting go of the hurt that comes when someone lies to us or offers unfair criticism. More pressing matters of the heart, like divorce or abandonment, require selfless forgiveness that pushes aside our personal feelings for the sake of being able to accept God's love freely.

Forgiving others keeps us from holding grudges and keeping track of how others have wronged us. We know that God doesn't hold our sin against us. He actually chooses to forget it. He loves us unconditionally, and we should offer that same kind of love to everyone, without any strings attached.

It can be difficult to forgive, but because of the example Jesus set for us, it is possible with His help. If there is someone we need to forgive, today would be an excellent time to reach out and offer that to them.

Yesterday Afternoon's Prayer

Dear God, you know the people in my life that have caused me the most pain. You also see the hurt that I have caused others. Please forgive me for the times I have held grudges and built walls in my relationships. You have been so gracious in extending forgiveness to me when I didn't deserve it. It is a beautiful gift. Help me to be that willing to show love and forgiveness without expecting anything in return. I know it can only be accomplished with your help, so thank you for providing everything I need to forgive and be forgiven. In Jesus' name, amen.
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