Surrounded by jeering taunts, weakened by the loss of blood, Jesus’ lip were moving, the words were not a curse or request for vengeance, instead his words were for the forgiveness of His enemies. Even now, as Jesus was bearing our sin, He was pleading that His sacrifice might be effectively applied to us. The reason for the request is stated by Jesus, “They do not know what they are doing.” While those involved in this act, may have understood the facts of their guilt; in no way did they understand the ENORMITY of their crime. They did not know that they were crucifying the Son of God. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:8 says, none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Their crime was much greater than they could ever have realized because of the infinite value of the person whom they had condemned. We must remember, as we struggle to forgive others of their sinful acts against us, they do not understand the “ENORMITY” of their sin against us either. That is why we must trust their discipline to the one who understand the … READ MORE

Forgiveness sounds like a marvelous idea until you ae the one who has to do it. In Luke 23:34 Jesus says, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In this first cry from the cross, Jesus cries out to the Father not to hold this act against those perpetrating it. It was not that they did not understand their guilt, it is that they did not understand the enormity of their guilt. 1 Corinthians 2:8 says none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord ofglory.” We need to remember that when people sin against us and hurt us, they do not realize the enormity of their sin. They are often caught up in their own selfish ambition, and their idolatrous hearts. They are blind to the needs of others, and focus only on their own longings and desires. This is not to justify the behavior of others, but to remind us that we leave the “vengeance” to the Father. Don’t allow others to cause us to allow the root of bitterness in our hearts. We can allow the Father to work in the lives … READ MORE

Wisdom is not simply the gaining of knowledge. It is the ability to understand that the knowledge that we have comes from God. With that starting point, we are able to apply the knowledge we gain to the circumstances of our lives in an appropriate way. Because of our relationship with God, we are able to understand the knowledge we gain. That is why Proverbs tells us that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. This reminds us that understanding who God is and what He has done, is the foundation to our learning process. It puts everything in perspective, and allows us to deal with difficult circumstances with discernment. It also helps us accept favorable circumstances with humility. May we seek out wisdom as a great treasure, and may we live our lives with great discernment. … READ MORE