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Today is Tuesday May 18, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of I Chronicles, chapters 21-23. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-may-18

Title: Bible Study: From Suffering to Forgiveness
As Christians we can rejoice in the fact that our God is faithful and just to forgive us of all our sins and show us the way out of them should we fall from time to time. Because we have this flesh we are going to be constantly tempted and tricked into sin by Satan. Even little, simple sins done ignorantly can have serious consequences. Sin not only wrecks our relationship with God, it also wrecks our relationship with family and friends. When we sin, everyone around us suffers. The hard part is that sometimes we know we have sinned, but many times we really have no idea we have sinned and it is not until we see people suffering that we realize what we have done. The amazing thing is that God is still merciful and forgiving regardless of what we get ourselves into and will always give us an end to the suffering and a way out of every sin we commit as long as we are willing to accept responsibility for what we have done and ask Him for help.

David was one of the most godliest men we have ever known about, but he was just like the rest of us, he had this flesh that Satan could get a hold of sometimes. The stronger our faith in God, the more he will attack us and all it takes is one moment of weakness or feeding the ego and we fall right into sin, such as we learn about David. “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem....And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.” - I Chronicles 21:1-4,7-12. David knew what he did was wrong, but the damage was done, he had to choose which form of punishment that Israel would have to endure for his sin. Satan, the adversary, was permitted to influence David to authorize the census. We do not know why David felt he needed to number the people, but this one little sin caused suffering for all the people. Few are aware that Satan is so near or so powerful in prompting sin that appears on the surface to be innocent. Be assured that wherever there is a ministry being done for Christ, Satan's strategy of discrediting the believer and God Himself must be recognized. It is of utmost importance that we read the Lord's directions in the Bible. It alone is our weapon, and armor against our most dreadful adversary.

Although God can become angry and make us suffer and allows Satan to cause evil upon us, He is still a loving God and wants the best for us. He allows these things because He knows that we are much stronger than we think we are or that we are liars and really are not sincere in seeking forgiveness. When we are sincere, God can be persuaded to lessen the suffering. “So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.....And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.” - I Chronicles 21:14-18,26,27. David's sin caused pestilence, a deadly plague to hit the people and 70,000 lives were lost. Then God sent the angel of the Lord to Jerusalem to destroy it, but David begged and pleaded with God not to let the people suffer for what he had done. Because of his sincerity and obedience God changed His mind and Jerusalem was saved.

It is important that we seek forgiveness, but equally important that we forgive others as well, even those who cause us to suffer for sins they committed. Jesus Said, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” - Mark 11:25,26. We must forgive those whom have wronged us if we want God's forgiveness. Because God is merciful to everyone that means all deserve forgiveness. I know it can be hard to forgive people, especially when they have caused harm to a child, but we must let it go and let God handle it. Holding on to these things only causes us more pain. God knows what we have gone through and He will take care of it. Jesus Said, “It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” - Luke 17:1-4. My father cheated on my mother and had another family on the other side of town. My mother was forced to raise three kids on her own in the ghetto. We suffered and went through one struggle after another for his sin, but God pulled us through it. It was important that I forgive my father for what he had put is through. Oh, I have dealt with some bitterness at times, but God has blessed me through my sorrows, as He will anyone else, and to see my father now I know that God has taken care of the situation. God takes care of anyone who comes to Him. Satan may provoke us to sin and he may even cause others to sin against us, but one thing he can never do and that is take away our Salvation. Any person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior is saved from their sins and nothing can take that away. Praise God! We may suffer from time to time, but we have a great and mighty God on our side, ready and willing to let by gones be gones and is always faithful and just to forgive us of all of our sins. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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