His Name is Forgiveness Micah 7:14-end
"The God who Pardons"
This has been probably the worst couple of weeks in the life of the United Kingdom outside of declaration of war.
It has shown what a divided nation this is with great chunks of society having no idea what problems others have in their lives.
At a time when the country needs leadership our two main parties are in turmoil soon we will have a new prime minister, and I have no idea what the others are up to.
Humanly speaking I can see no solution to the round of name calling and family and friends turning on one another.
It says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways , then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
In the Lord’s prayer it says: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us"
These are hard words because it is not the normal way, it is why we see violence around the world such as the 5 policemen killed in America.
We keep praying for peace in the middle east mainly between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
I was in Liverpool, it never makes the media perhaps someone doesn't want us to know, but a rise in shootings and stabbings between two gangs.
Yes, it is about drugs and turf wars but also revenge for killing family and friends, one family are well known to me one brother of theirs was killed over twenty years ago it has gone on ever since.
Unforgiveness is like a cancer eating away within us and God knowing what is best for us wants to set us free from that.
Moses was a man who wanted to know God and in Exodus 34:6-7 he was told the name by which God wanted to be known,
"The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin"
King David was like many Christians today, He was a faithful devoted believer, he served the Lord gladly.
But because he was human he fell into sin.
From this point on he thought God was keeping a record of his sins and his failures. David knew he could never survive God’s judgement
He cried out to God If you are keeping a record of my failures so I have to face them at the judgement I can’t make it.
Lord who can make it? Who can stand? Who can be saved? Because we have all sinned, all of us are condemned.
Suddenly the Holy Spirit brings David out of the depths of despair, how did He do this? He gave David a revelation of who God is, David declares triumphantly
"But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared" David was delivered from his terror by being shown who God is.
We have an even greater assurance when Jesus died on the cross of Calvary He demonstrated His love for us
"How much does He love us - this much"
It is often said those who are forgiven much love much that is true for me.
The Krays used to say "Revenge is best served cold" it was the way we lived, it is the way many people live their lives today.
But Jesus turns it all upside down by telling us not only to forgive but to love our enemies.
A few years back a Christian couple who I had been very friendly with made my life hell and I could not forgive them but then the husband died and I visited his wife.
Her words to me,“I can’t believe you have turned up after the way we treated you, we know you didn't do anything wrong, don't think bad of him, he didn't think bad of you”.
I went to the funeral, how I wish he had said sorry how I wish I had not borne a grudge.
The last thing I want to say about forgiveness is this,at times it is hard to forgive someone else but it is even harder sometimes to forgive ourselves.
I have mixed with some of the toughest men in Britain and people are afraid of them, but when you are sat in a cell talking to them and the mask falls down we are all very similar.
I remember a Roman Catholic nun once saying to me guilt is a useless emotion you can do nothing with it.
I thought about that a lot and it is true but going back to the guys in the cells.
To show forgiveness to others would be in their eyes a sign of weakness but the thing they beat themselves up for was where they had messed up and let down family and friends.
Often it was letting down family the biggest one was if parents died and they were too dangerous to take to the funeral, they used to say I can’t forgive myself for this.
I don't know about you but I am a star at getting things wrong but I have come to the conclusion if God has forgiven me I must forgive myself and move on.
Yes, we must repent, be really sorry and do all we can not to do it again, we are then forgiven.
What did Jesus say to the woman caught in adultery, "Go and sin no more"
She should have been stoned to death but Jesus forgave her.
If you have things that you have done wrong, I urge you to put them at the bottom of the cross and walk away.