Weekly Devotional: Gems From Pastor Jim by Jim Hughes 2/26/2024

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by Jim Hughes

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Cross

Ps. 103:12 He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.

How can it be? How can God take our sin away from us and cast them away from himself and us as far as the east is from the west? How is it possible for God to look upon us in a different light, as if we had never sinned? For us, it is impossible. We cannot forget many of the things we have done, even after we know we have been forgiven. We have flashbacks and our hearts are grieved because we did some of the things we have done. There are many, many things I don’t remember, but there are some things I do. Each time they come back to haunt me, I am grieved in my spirit. I know I am forgiven by Christ and the Spirit helps me to then rest in his forgiveness and grace. I can’t undo the past, but I can live in the present and future in the knowledge that I am forgiven.

Sometimes we can go to people we have hurt and seek forgiveness from them, but sometimes we can’t. When we can, we get a sense of closure, even if others do not forgive us. When we can’t do anything about what we have done, we cling onto our forgiveness in Christ and strive to sin no more.

God is able to forgive and forget because when we are forgiven the righteousness of Christ stands between God and us. God sees Jesus instead of us, and all is well with our souls. God never looks beyond the sacrificial death of Christ. He only sees the present and not the past.

“Thank you, Jesus, for keeping God from looking into our past to see our sins. Thank you, Jesus, for purifying our hearts and pouring into us your righteousness so that God will see you in us instead of our sin. Thank you, Lord, for saving our souls and making us whole. When we remember what we did, help us to flee to Calvary and rest underneath Your shed blood. Help us to know that You have done the impossible. You have forgiven us of all our sins and cast them from us as far as the east is from the west. In Your precious name we pray and give you the glory. Amen.”

About the Author:

Jim Hughes

Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.

C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one’s self from such failures.

I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn’t broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.

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