Forgiveness Equals Pure Love

Forgiveness is the purest expression of love.  God forgives sin, but it cost Him dearly.

(John 3:16), “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

This scripture says it all regarding the plan of salvation.  It refers to God’s perfect plan for you and me and those seeking forgiveness of their sins.  God provided the spotless, sacrificial lamb, Jesus, His Son, who was perfect in all ways.  He died in our stead.

The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, (Hebrews 9:22).

(Hebrews 9:27-28), “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” (vs 28) “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many…”

Jesus gave His all on that gruesome day when He was tortured and scourged beyond recognition; a crown of thorns driven into His scalp; spit upon; His beard ripped out; and nailed to a cross to enable us to have life and life more abundantly.

Jesus provided the only means to approach God in the holy of holies.  We can go to the throne of God through His Son.  No other person in the world could have accomplished God’s loving plan to save mankind from a devil’s hell—only Jesus.

(Acts 4:12), “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

(John 15:13), “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Forgiveness equals pure love.  Who among us would be willing to give his or her life or the life of their child for a wicked, career criminal on death row?  Were it not for the Godman, Jesus, I would be lost in sin.  I was a sinner on death row awaiting punishment for my sinful lifestyle.

I was in prison of my own making, shackled by sin because of my transgressions against God.  I was condemned to hell because of rebellion and walking away from the Lord.  But wait, a miracle took place.

Freedom and forgiveness were just a prayer away when I asked God to forgive my sins.  He had mercy on me and cleansed me from all unrighteousness, because of love.

Yes, He disapproved of my sinning, but He first loved me even though I was misbehaving, before I loved Him.  God graciously pardoned me and took away the penalty of death.  He gave me life, not in hell, but in heaven, because of the sacrifice He made on the Hill of Golgotha when His only Son died on a cross for sinners like me.

I’m just a sinner saved by grace, not of my own righteousness lest I should boast.  My righteousness was as filthy rags in God’s sight.

You or I cannot begin to fathom what was required to save mankind from total separation from God.  The depth and breadth of God’s amazing grace and His love for fallen man is far beyond our understanding.

God adored us and made salvation easy to attain through Jesus.  The Bible says that even a wayfaring man cannot err therein.  We need only to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as the atonement for our sins, and we will be saved.

Jesus took humanity’s sins upon Himself when He paid the debt He did not owe, the debt we could not pay.  When I cried out, “Please Lord, save my soul and forgive me of my sins!” Jesus washed my sins away, because of the blood He shed on Calvary.

I now sing a brand-new song; it’s about God’s amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.  The purest form of love is God forgiving sin through Jesus Christ, Savior of the world.

The following words describe my condition when I was in sin: ‘tired’ and ‘under a heavy burden’.  When I was walking away from God, my lifestyle consisted of unrest and lacking peace of mind. 

Because I was self-indulgent, sin took its toll on me.  It was like carrying a heavy burden like a millstone strapped to my back.  I had no one to cast my cares upon because the company I kept had problems of their own.

Jesus cared for me like no other person could.  He assuredly cares for you as well!  The Lord removed the burden of sin and gave me a new life; freedom to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

(1 Peter 5:7), “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

I knew where my soul was headed if I were to die in my sleep.  This fear, on occasion, would bring tears to my eyes.  I was lost and without hope when living away from God’s grace and mercy.  I was ready for a change; I needed a Savior to help me put off the old man.

God was waiting patiently all the while for my cry for help.  My soul was set free when God forgave my sins.  I could breathe effortlessly when I experienced forgiveness, which was God’s pure expression of love to me.  This experience is called being born-again.

(Matthew 11:28-30), “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (vs 29) “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (vs 30) “For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

If you are looking for something or someone to bring harmony to your life, cast all of your questions and cares upon Jesus, because He cares for you.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

The Are Factor vs. Satan's Lies

No matter how far a person imagines themselves to be away from Him, He comes to where they are; ‘He’, being Almighty God.  He is the Great I Am, the Way, the Truth, the Life and the Creator of all things, including beautiful sunsets and the magnificent firmament above that we enjoy so much at night.

Allow me to bring the title of this writing to your attention lest you not understand the scope of what my thoughts revolve around.  The ‘Are Factor’ is the emphasis of this writing.  I trust these thoughts will speak to your heart and bring solace when needed.

You and I ‘are’ so important to God that He will go out of His way to embrace us with agape love wherever we may roam.  Christians ‘are’ positively the apple of God’s eye; not perhaps, hopefully, maybe, should be, probably, who knows, perchance, or conceivably; we ‘are’ important to Him!

The preceding is a truth that we need to retain in the recesses of our mind, especially for those times when the devil lies to us.

The truth of God’s love calls out to us, because of the blood that Jesus shed at Calvary for our redemption.  The Lord goes the extra mile to find us no matter how far we may wander or get off-track, God cares!

Know this, God comes to where we are because He wants us safe and secure from all alarm, protected in His care.  He desires to hold us tightly against His bosom and speak to us by name. 

God’s amazing love reminds me of a mother hen that looks out for her chicks and protects them under feathered wings to keep them safe from the elements and predators.

(Psalm 91:1-4), “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (vs 2) “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ ”  (vs 3) “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.” (vs 4) “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”

The Lord is our shepherd who is very much aware when a lamb has strayed from the sheep of His pasture.  Consider the following parable.

(Matthew 18:11-14), “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” (vs 12) “What do you think?  If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?” (vs 13) “And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.” (vs 14) “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

A point to remember is this: Satan is the father of lies and full of deception!  No matter how often he tries to convince us that God is too busy to come to where we are if we stray from the fold, Satan’s rhetoric is always false.  His narrative is full of lies when he tells us that God is not concerned about our affairs.

These lies are generated from the pit of hell to cause doubt that God loves us.  Satan wants us to stumble, but God does care and goes before us in power and might.

God cared so much that He gave His only Son to die on a cross for our sins so that we would not be lost but have everlasting life in heaven with Him.  God adores us!  He desires that we become part of His family, a son or daughter.

Not only is the devil a liar, but he is also a thief in sheep clothing.  He wants to steal our joy, peace of mind, and blessings from God.  Satan attempts to discourage and cause doubt in our mind when he bombards us with narratives that we are too far gone, regarding sin, to ever be forgiven by God.

The devil is nothing more than a deceiver of humanity and is hell-bent on stealing the ‘hope’ we have in the promises of God, while giving nothing in return.  Satan pollutes the mind with negativity, which causes uncertainty about the fact that God truly cares for us.  The Lord emphatically cares for our wellbeing.  He has given the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth.

(1 Peter 5:6-7), “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,” (vs 7) “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Satan is anti-God in all things.  He combats good with evil by hook or by crook, and rebels against God in any way, shape, or form.  He is nothing more than a thief that goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, disguised as a sheep.

When God forgives our sins, there is no question that we ARE, at that moment, His child.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God or steal the “Are Factor” from born-again Christians.  We ‘are’ adopted into the family of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

(1 John 1:9), “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Awareness of Who's Watching

Have you ever had a strange sensation that someone was watching you?  At times, I have experienced this uncomfortable feeling that I couldn’t shake or explain.  But wait, perhaps this uncanny feeling is nothing to fear.  It may be a good thing.

This situational awareness could possibly be a warning to those that are walking in what’s called ‘living in yellow’, which is maintaining one’s mind to be aware of their surroundings rather than ‘living in white’ where a person is oblivious to things happening around them.

It seems like most people focus on their cell phone so intently that they walk as if they are in a cocoon of unawareness and wearing blinders. 

I have seen distracted people almost get hit in crosswalks where I’m sure they felt protected in a supposed safe zone.  Their mind was elsewhere, not on things that matter.  They are probably ‘living in white’.

Talk about zones; there is a spirit world that is invisible to the naked eye.  This zone exists within the natural realm where flesh and blood reside, inhabitants like you and me.  I am talking about the unseen world, or spirit zone where God and His angels are.  Satan and the fallen angels are also in this zone, lurking about wreaking havoc.  I am not referring to heaven.

God is spirit, not flesh and blood, although He became flesh and dwelled among humans in the personage of Jesus Christ.  Jesus was 100% man, yet 100% God.

There is more to be said about living life and walking in awareness rather than just existing in a bubble of unawareness and seeing only what the naked eye sees.  Everyone needs to strive to find real solace by walking in the Spirit, while connecting with the Lord in the spirit world.

We are confronted by ungodly spirits of darkness that are in the spirit world.  They are united and focused on a common goal to deceive and devour as many unaware souls as possible.  The Bible talks about this world.

(Ephesians 6:12), “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

(1 Peter 5:8), “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

I will go as far as to suggest that ‘living in yellow’ runs close parallel to walking in the Spirit where awareness and safety become our refuge.  To affectively walk in the Spirit, it is necessary to maintain a connection with the spirit world, through prayer, where God reigns supreme.

The Bible says that we must worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, because God is spirit.

(1 Corinthians 2:14), “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.”

The natural world holds little peace and limits us regarding spiritual awareness if we fail to walk in the Spirit.  The natural world that we are so familiar with is a mere habitat in which we abide that lacks hope for those that choose not to walk in the Spirit.

This world lends itself to natural thinking, only, of which people rely on as their guide through life, whereas Godly direction provides hope of eternal life in heaven for those that choose to walk circumspectly before God and in the Spirit; led by the Holy Spirit.

I love the times when I become aware of the spirit world; I do not fear it.  It supersedes the natural environment where I live.  This phenomenon happens when I remain focused with my God-mind, while walking in the Spirit.

Though I cannot see or touch the spirit world, I am cognizance of its presence, which exceeds the range of limited emotions and normality in our natural world of existence.  At these junctures in life, I truly believe I am in contact with the spirit world where God’s angels are active.

(Psalm 91:11-12), “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” (vs 12) “In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

As a side note: In (Acts 2:17) the Bible says that young men shall see visions, and old men shall dream dreams.  No doubt they are seeing the spirit world in dreams and visions, which are connected to and part of the God-mind in Christians.

Sometimes I have such an awareness of the spirit world that I can almost reach out and touch it, figuratively speaking.  It is very pronounced and stimulating, almost mind boggling.  I call this feeling my ‘sixth sense’ that I have written about in other writings.

As an example, I endeavor to be sensitive to my feelings and walk away from things that do not seem right in my spirit.  Not stepping into an elevator with two or three seedy-looking characters is a prime example.  I wait for another car. 

I believe it could very well be the spiritual realm of evil that I am sensing, because I walk in the Spirit and ‘live in yellow’.  I would be remiss if I failed to recognize the angels of God that protect me.  I believe they speak to my God-mind while I am in ‘yellow awareness’.

I know we can’t live by feelings alone, but I try to stay alert and aware of people and things around me, because I live in a world of evil doers.  When walking to my car from a store, I am not on my cell phone, I am in awareness mode ‘yellow’ and not in ‘white’ where the mind is taken up by things on the phone.

Evil is lurking everywhere and looking for those ‘living in white’ and not walking in the Spirit, to take advantage of their unawareness.  The feeling that someone is watching us may or may not be evil, it could very well be the Holy Spirit making us privy to things that might, in some way, harm us.

I also take note when I feel that something is about to happen, especially when I’m ‘living in yellow’, which can quickly turn to ‘red’, which is being engaged with matters that can injure me physically or spiritually.  It is the fight-or-flight physiological reaction that occurs in response to the perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival.

I believe in guardian angels that protect us from the wiles of the devil that is seeking to hurt us in some way.  I believe the angels of God fight off the adversaries of darkness that try to devour us.

If we could only see, with spiritual eyes, what is going on in the spirit world around us, we would be astonished and amazed, thanking God for His protection.  We must listen to the Holy Spirit and do or not do what He is pointing out to us from the spirit realm.  Remember, this realm is present within the natural realm that is occupied with good and evil.

Things that involve God’s children are not beyond His awareness or capability of protecting His own.  He is the “I Am that I Am” …the ultimate power that exceeds everything that Satan tries to attack us with as we walk in the Spirit and ‘live in yellow’.

God is always watching us, because He is not only omnipotent (having all power), but also omnipresent (in all places) at the same time.  He is God Almighty!  If God’s eyes are on the sparrow and concerned for their wellbeing, how much greater love does He have for you and me?

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are watching us, not to condemn our every move, nor harass us with the law of Moses.  They are Trinity who care deeply for us and watch our every move, even when we lie down to rest.  (Psalm 139:1-24) Please read it.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Look For The Good

Life is not always a bowl of cherries.  Everyone has their ups and downs no matter what their status is in life.  Nothing and no one are perfect.   The only person that was perfect and good in all ways was Jesus.  He was crucified on a cross and died for the sins of humanity.

Miraculously, He rose from the dead on the third day, which confirmed the fact that the dead in Christ will also resurrect to join all Believers that are still living at the time Jesus returns to receive His bride—born-again Christians that are living for God.

After Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead, He then ascended into heaven a short time later to sit at the right hand of God.  Jesus, the Son of God, is making intercession for you and me.  He is our advocate before the Father, our attorney who is pleading our cases before God, because we are imperfect.

Before surrendering my life to the Lord and becoming a child of God, I wallowed in sin for years.  Sinning took me to dismal depths of despair where there was little good to be appreciated.  When God saved my soul, He made all things new.

The difference He made in my life was amazing and still is.  I am bathed in peace and learning how to look for the good around me.  Jesus, alone, made it possible to walk a victorious life, while providing the hope I have of eternal life in heaven.

With so much negativity going on around us, it is hard to adjust one’s mindset to look for the good when so much pessimism is in the world.  When my dad was living, he was strong-willed and had a ‘glass half-empty’ type personality rather than a ‘glass half-full’.

Dad was negative and pessimistic.  Rather than looking for the good in people, I always heard him point out the bad.  Little did he realize that my young mind was being negatively influenced by his comments.  Anyway, this is how I perceived him to be.  I grew up thinking, “That’s just the way he is.”

Perhaps Dad’s demeanor was due to his upbringing or what he faced in life before becoming a Christian.  I really don’t know, because he never talked about his past.  My older brother told me that Dad was a rough character before he met the Lord.

Sadly, negativity followed him, which influenced his personality even as a Christian.  It’s wonderful that God saved his soul and set him free from sin, but I am convinced that he had to plead the blood of Jesus over himself, time after time, to keep the old nature in check after his conversion.  He claimed the following Bible scriptures as his own.

(Philippians 3:12-14), “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (vs 13) “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” (vs 14) “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

It is the process of learning, which teaches negative people how to walk away from their old nature and leave it in the past.  The Holy Spirit gives strength to overcome the haunting of old ways.  As we put off the old nature, peace takes its place in our soul.

I am the last child born to Mom and Dad; I have three older siblings.  I knew Dad only as a Christian, but my brother and two sisters knew him before he became a born-again Believer.  They seldom talked about those days with me.  I know very little about what Dad’s life was like, just bits and pieces, and it wasn’t good.

It is common for some people to blame their past for who they are in the present.  In my humble opinion, my perception of this statement is this: I believe it is easier for people to live with old personality traits than to put forth an effort to change them. 

This kind of thinking can become a crutch or even a copout when people convince themselves that it is too hard to change their personality after coming to the Lord.  Let’s face it, if a person is prone to look for the bad rather than the good, it requires a lot of hard work to change negative viewpoints into positive thinking.

I believe when a person determines in their heart to overcome past failures, it is spiritually profitable, because the old skeletons stop rattling around in their brain.  They live in harmony.  Yes, change requires discipline to be able to look for the good rather than focusing on the bad, but it’s worth it!

Fruit does not fall far from the tree.  I know, firsthand, what this statement means.  There are those that convince themselves that they are a product of their environment when growing up, because of being saturated with negative input.  I am no exception, but I strive every day to not be pessimistic like my dad.

In my heart I want to be an overcoming optimist, but it is a challenge at times, because of the influential environment in which I was raised.  Wait a minute!  Although I just wrote the last statement, I do not agree with the last part.  It gives too much latitude to one’s mental ascent when it comes to making changes.

This negative thinking makes it easy to hide from the truth if a person gives into the lie that they are stuck where they are.  Christians can be deceived by Satan if they listen to his rhetoric.  If they are lured into the negative, they may hang onto the phrase, “I am who I am.”  If this happens, a Christian sometimes gives up trying to change.  But it need not happen.  We must not listen to the lies from the pit of hell.  God is change.  He is the positive aspect in looking for the good rather than the bad as we listen to Him.

I endeavor to hold onto the following Bible scripture when trying to be a ‘glass half-full’ Christian, rather than a ‘glass half-empty’.

(2 Corinthians 5:17-18), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (vs 18) “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ…”

With God’s help and my wife’s positive influence, I have grown in the Lord as I strive to me more like Him.  It is the process of leaning upon Jesus and listening to His encouragement that teaches us how to put off the old nature by allowing the Lord to keep His foot on the neck of the past.

I have always said that my wife, my ‘better half’, is opposite to me.  Katie, as I call her, is at the other end of the spectrum of attitude and giving away from herself.  She is very optimistic in the way she faces life.  Katie lives every day with a smile on her face, while looking for the good around her.

Katie has influenced my personality in such a positive way that I am becoming more like her, thus more like the Lord.  She is very open when using the words, “I love you.”  I’ve heard them so much in our marriage that the words have rubbed off on me, whereas it is now easier for me to say them than ever before.

When I was growing up, I never heard the words, “I love you.” spoken by Dad.  Mom and Dad’s personalities were also completely opposite.  He showed love through his actions rather than using words.  Let’s face it, we all want to be loved and hear the words, “I love you!”  while knowing that someone is looking for good in us.

I am striving, every day, to look for the good in things, but it is a challenge.  I believe change is a choice that everyone can make if they truly want to change something they don’t like in themselves.  Blessings follow when I look for the good, but to focus on the bad creates feelings of despair.

I am glad that I don’t have to lean on my own strength to do better in this area, because the Holy Spirit leads and guides me into all truth.  In God there is joy unspeakable with fullness in living.  When I look for the good, Jesus smiles and I maintain a happy relationship with Him who is perfect.

Remember.  You can change if you want to!  You will look for the good when you lean upon the Holy Spirit and stop relying on your own strength to change.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

No Thanks

The title of this writing is not a statement, it’s a question.

It is a privilege to send prayers to heaven requesting help from God.  It’s always wonderful to experience the blessings that come when He answers them.

I consider it shameful when a person fails to thank God for His faithfulness, because they are too busy living life, doing “more important” things.  I am sure God appreciates praise.  He expects us to be thankful in all things.  He wants us to express our gratitude for the miracles He brings our way.

When I sometimes fail to recognize God for who He is, or forget to thank Him for answering prayers, I can almost hear Him ask, “What?  No thanks?”  When I am not diligent in thanking God like I should, more than likely I have gone my merry way without even a nod of thanks to Him.

Of course, this is wrong, but God is patient, and He lovingly teaches me the importance of giving thanks.  This is where discipline is learned and respect steps in.

It is rude and dilatory for a person to not express their appreciation for needs met and the food they eat.  Everyone likes to hear the words ‘thank you’ when they do something nice for someone.  God is no exception.

It must grieve God’s heart when we fail to honor His supremacy and neglect to reverence Him for the love He demonstrates to us each day.  It is sad when people take His love for granted and do not give thanks for prayers answered.

When my children were young, if they failed to say ‘thank you’ to someone that gave them something, I would make them aware of what they should have done so they could do better next time; God does this with us, His children.  This teaching comes under the heading, “respecting others.”

To bring it closer to home, I offer this question.  Have you ever held the door open for someone, or allowed a person to go ahead of you in a grocery store line, or waved someone into traffic when it seemed difficult for them to get out, but they failed to recognize you in some way with a simple wave or thank you?

I think we have all experienced non-appreciative behavior in people.  Sadly, it seems the lack of respect is becoming more prevalent in the day in which we live than ever before.

I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t leave a good taste in my mouth, but looking at it from God’s perspective, it pleases Him when we ignore negative thoughts and put into practice certain Bible scriptures.

(Acts 20:35), “…And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

(Hebrews 13:16), “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

Sometimes this is hard to do.  God’s Word teaches that we should not expect anything in return when we do something nice for someone, but it is always nice to be recognized and appreciated. 

With God’s help and being the source of my strength, I try not to get my knickers in a twist when someone ignores my kindness.  As for me, I endeavor to exercise common courtesy and respect to others, especially Almighty God.

I feel that it is my duty as a child of God to respect our heavenly Father when He does something nice for me by audibly saying, “Thank you.”  He shouldn’t have to nudge me and ask, “What?  No thanks?”

The Bible says that we are to give thanks in all things, but it is hard to do when situations go south, contrary to the direction we want them to go.  When we thank God in both good and bad, it helps us cope with the downside of situations that can impact our emotions negatively.  We then walk in peace.

(Romans 8:28), “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

We remain levelheaded with the knowledge that if God is for us then who can be against us.  We walk in victory without slumping our shoulders because someone offended us by not saying thank you. 

God is sovereign over every situation.  Nothing takes Him by surprise.  We may not receive praise on earth, but God is smiling in heaven when we give away from ourselves without expecting something in return.

(Psalm 37:23), “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”

As hard as it may be to praise God in every trial of life, we need to give Him thanks anyway, because He has everything in control.  When we believe that He does is when we walk circumspectly before Him.  Remember, God is bigger than what we face.

Written by,

Papa Boyd