“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34 NKJV)

At Jesus’ most painful and darkest hour, and from the very cross where He was being crucified, He looked beyond what was happening to Himself and focused instead on the needs of others. He asked for forgiveness for them and said something very interesting and powerful, “forgive them for they know not what they do!”

Jesus knew that if they had truly understood who He was, God’s very son, (1 John 4:15 & John 3:16), they would never have attacked Him! He had all the information. He knew why He was there, and what He was there for; “the Lamb of God, willingly laying down His life for the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) This information helped Him to do what was right in spite of how He felt!

Having the right information will help you treat others with kindness and forgiveness

In the same way, knowing that you are a redeemed person (1 Peter 1:18), and knowing that you have been forgiven and bought at the price of Jesus’ death on the cross, (1 Cor. 6:20), and knowing that you are a member of God’s family, (Eph. 2:19), and knowing that you are God’s Ambassador, (2 Cor. 5:20), then you too, can do the right thing as needed, even in difficult or extreme circumstances!

“We know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1 NIV)

“Remember the Alamo!”

While visiting San Antonio, Texas, for a conference I was speaking at, Susan and I visited the Alamo. It was a stark reminder of what had happened there during the Texas Revolution, February 23 to March 6, 1836, where so many had died. According to eye witness accounts it was a slaughter with perhaps as many as ten-to-one against those who were garrisoned within the walls of the Alamo. They didn’t have a chance and were brutally and mercilessly destroyed. Santa Anna’s cruelty during the battle outraged and emblazoned great numbers of Texans to rise up with the now famous battle cry, “remember the Alamo!” and they defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836, ending the revolution.

The Alamo is now called the “Alamo Shrine” and as you walk through it, you see many displays depicting what had happened during that battle, including lists of names of those who had died there, including Davie Crocket.

All are only temporary here

In the promise scripture passage above, we are reminded of several important things.

“If the earthly tent we live in (our body) is destroyed.” – All will die someday, some even tragically (destroyed).

As terrible as the Alamo battle was, it is now history! It is an undeniable fact that every single person involved in every aspect of the Texas Revolution is now dead! And it is a stark reminder to us that all people will die. Some tragically, as in the Alamo, some by natural causes, and some for many other reasons. There are no exceptions. The Bible says that everybody will eventually die. (Heb. 9:27)

“we have a building (body) from God” –  When we die we will get a new body to live in. There will come a day at the appearing of Jesus that our bodies, too, will be transformed and we will then have brand new transformed ones. (2 Cor. 5:3)

“an eternal house (body) in heaven” –  We will have a new body that will last forever. The body we have now is only temporary, but our resurrected body will be made perfect and will last indefinitely. (1 Corinthians 15:35-58)

“in heaven” –  It will be in Heaven. And, Jesus has prepared a wonderful place in Heaven for you to live.  (John 14:2-4)

“not built by human hands.” – It’s made by God.  Everything God creates is perfect and made with absolute excellence! (Psalm 86:8-10)

To recap:

Someday, we too will be a part of history, because all die and we will too. But, no matter how we die, if we have received Christ (John 1:12), we will receive a brand-new body made by God that will last forever in Heaven! It’s a promise!

“Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6a NKJV)

I have a friend who says, “I have two angels following me and I will tell you their names. One’s name is ‘Goodness’ and the other’s name is “Mercy.”

Even though my friend says it In a humorous way, it is still very much true! God is all about “goodness and mercy” and he provides loads of it to you!

Goodness – “God’s goodness and love last forever. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NIV).

Mercy – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (Matt. 6:26 NASB)

God wants you to look at the birds of the air and notice something important about them. They are constantly being fed and taken care of by Him, and you are more important to Him than the birds! Which means, “God will supply to you what you need, just as he faithfully does for His birds!”

So, don’t worry about your “needs!”

Instead, expect God to do what he says He will do, and He will! That is how faith works! “And my God shall supply all your need!”  (Phil. 4:19a NKJV)

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 NASB)

A few years ago, when I was going through a particularly rough time, a friend said to me, “How are you doing?”

I answered, “Okay, I guess, under the circumstances!”

He then said, “What are you doing under there!?”

I laughed, at the time. But as the years have passed I have come to realize that there was a great truth in that simple statement made by my friend so long ago. I don’t have to remain “under any circumstance” because of Christ living in me and also because of the many Bible promises that cover every possible thing!

One scripture passage says, “they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev. 12:11 NKJV).

Notice that they overcame their adversary two ways:.

1. By the Blood of the Lamb (what Jesus did for them on the cross)

2. By what they professed with their mouth (they testified)

So, no matter what negative “circumstance” comes your way, you can victoriously rise above it by standing firmly on God’s Word and by saying boldly and confidently, “I am an overcomer because of what Jesus has done for me! And greater is He (Jesus) who is in me, than he (the devil) who is in the world! Therefore, I am an overcomer!”

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:9-10 NIV)

God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. (1 Cor. 1:27b NKJV)

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV)

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

When You confess your sins to God, He forgives and forgets them and cleanses you completely from all unrighteousness! That means you are made completely clean and righteous in His sight!

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3:22-24 NIV)

He has the ability to totally forget and remember your sins no more! And, they will never be brought up against you again!

And, why does God do this wonderful thing for you?

The Bible says that He does it for his own sake! “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isaiah 43:25 NIV)

And, how far does he blot out your sins? “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalms 103:12 NIV)

Notice that this passage says that God has removed them as far as the “east from the west” and not “as far as the “north from the south”. It’s because “east from west” is immeasurable, but “north from south” is measurable! God’s amazing forgiveness is without measure!

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Your.” (Psalm 86:5 NIV)

God is the embodiment of perfect goodness, and is kind, benevolent, and full of good will toward all creation

“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)

“O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (1 Chr. 16:34)

“Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me.” (Psalm 69:16)

“For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17)

“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)

“Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.” (Psalm 25:8)

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us.” (Eph. 2:4 NIV)

Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. It is leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, charity, forgiveness, forbearance, soft-heartedness, tenderheartedness, kindness, sympathy, liberality, indulgence, tolerance, and generosity.

God is rich in mercy!

We have a powerful and merciful God. He knows we have all fallen short of His glory, but His mercy is incredible.

“For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call on you.” (Psalm 86:5)

Come boldly to obtain mercy

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)