Mysteries in Forgiveness – The Presidential Prayer Team

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving. – Psalm 86:5

The late evangelist Billy Graham said, “When God forgives us and purifies us of our sin, He also forgets it. Forgiveness results in God dropping the charges against us. … When God forgives, there is an immediate and complete change in relationship. Instead of hostility, there is love and acceptance; instead of enmity, there is friendship. … Christ can take the most sin-laden, selfish, evil person and bring forgiveness and new life.”

When Jesus healed a paralytic man in Capernaum, He first said to him, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Jewish leaders mentally questioned this, asking themselves who can forgive sins but God alone, and they began accusing Jesus of being a blasphemer. And He, sensing their questions, asked them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘rise, take up your bed and walk?‘“ He did these things to show that He indeed had all the authority of God Almighty to forgive sin (Mark 1:1-12).

There is a mystery that the debt of sin can be expunged, forgiven by a God who longs for relationship with you. But a second mystery is that your sins are no longer remembered (Hebrews 8:12). The mysteries are wrapped in one word—mercy! His mercy is there because He is also just.

Pastor Carter Conlon, general overseer of Times Square Church, said, “Mercy moments are initiated by God. We see these moments throughout the Bible and throughout history. Moments where God has already decided to move and to show mercy, but He is looking for people who will agree with Him. … We are going to believe God for a mercy moment for our nation.” He added, “The future of America depends on our prayers.” As you pray today, ask God to continue to have mercy on this nation.

Today’s Verse: Psalm 86:5

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.