MARCH

Forgetting What God Forgets

            In Psalm 51:3, David wrote, “. . . my sin is ever before me.”  This is the sad state of many people today.  They live in life-long torture from thinking of what might have been.

            “If only” seems to be a major theme.  When the past moves into the present and makes the future look very dark, Satan is mentally crucifying us.  We are between the regret of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.  This keeps us from enjoying the blessings of today.

            Jesus Christ was crucified for us.  When we repent of our sin and receive Him as our personal Lord and Savior, God takes our sin away.

            “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more” (Heb.10:17).  When we live in regret, we are remembering what God forgets and forgetting what God tells us to remember.

            When God forgives sins, He gets the glory.  He gives us grace to live each day and to make the most out of our lives.  Just because the vessel is cracked, He does not throw it in the trash.  He remakes us.  (Jeremiah 18:4). 

            We all wish we had done something differently.  Maybe we wish we had treated our parents better; or, maybe we would like to change the way we reared our children.  When we sin, we must confess it to be happy.  But, once God forgives us, we must let the past be just that – past.  We must trust God with each present day and live it to the fullest. 

            Remember, God knows our hearts.  He can take our mistakes and make something beautiful out of them.

            God knows our intentions (Heb. 4:12).  He can take the desire of our heart and use it for His honor and glory.

            Remember, Jesus Christ heals the broken-hearted and sets the captive free.  Do not become a prisoner of your past.  Rather, let God make you at peace in the present as you await the promise of the future (1 Thess. 4:13-18). 

Pastor Allshouse

 


“Hosanna, Loud Hosanna”

 On Palm Sunday, many congregations sing a hymn written for children but loved by adults, too. Jeanette Threlfall, an Englishwoman, composed “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” in 1873.

Threlfall’s parents died when she was still very young, so she was sent from one relative to another. She also had two serious accidents during childhood, leaving her disabled.

Threlfall handled her difficulties by developing a beautiful, cheerful character. She was more concerned about others than herself. People loved to visit her because they left feeling uplifted and joyous. Threlfall became known for her sacred poems and hymns. Many are considered classics, filled with sound doctrine and fervent devotion.

Here is the first stanza of her Palm Sunday anthem:

Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang;
Through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang.
To Jesus, who had blessed them close folded to his breast, 
The children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

 

What is faith?

“Sight is not faith, and hearing is not faith, neither is feeling faith; but believing when we neither see, hear nor feel is faith; and everywhere the Bible tells us our salvation is to be by faith. Therefore we must believe before we feel, and often against our feelings, if we would honor God by our faith.”

—Hannah Whitall Smith



 

 

 


 



 


 

 

 

 


 



 

 


 

 



 

 

 

 










 

  
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