April 6 2026 … Forgiven and Forgiving …

Apr 6 2026 …  Forgiven and Forgiving … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Matthew West singing Forgiveness … sharing what it takes to forgive others the way God has forgiven any Christians who have confessed themselves (ourselves). 

Worshipping the Golden Calf ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Exodus 32:24 … [NLT]  … 

...  24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire — and out came this calf!”  

… Aaron’s lame excuse for the people’s, and his, sin in casting a golden calf to worship rather than worshipping God.   

Highlight Passage in Context:  Exodus 32:15-24, [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The account of God’s people and their sin in worshipping a golden calf while Moses was on the Mountain with God.

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Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:14-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, in His sermon on the Mount, teaches truth about forgiveness.

Reference Passage: … Mark 11:25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John also repeats God’s stance on forgiveness … that The Lord will forgive Christians if - and only if - they (we) are willing to forgive others. 

Reference Passage: … Luke 6:37 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…Luke’s account of Jesus teaching on forgiveness …  

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:31-32   [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Apostle Paul calls on fellow Christians to cast aside all evil behaviors and be willing to forgive others the way God has forgiven them (us).  

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul again teaches truth of Christians willingness to forgive others the way God has forgiven them (us).

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John teaches fellow Christians about God forgiving and cleansing those Christians of their (our) sin when they’re (we’re) genuinely willing to confess of the sin. 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from James Banks …  USE THIS LINK    … The author for today’s ODB devotional uses the lame excuse of Hans Solo in the movie saga, The Empire Strikes Back, where Solo says, “It’s not my fault,” when his space ship is broken down.  The movie scene reminded the ODB author of Aaron’s lame excuse when Moses came down from the mountain with God to discover the golden calf (see photo). 

And don’t we all have the natural tendency to blame others to excuse our own failings.   And I, for one, reflexively will try to blame-shift when I’ve “blown it” and have been uncovered in my failure.  But God calls all of us (see Scriptures above), who claim the Name of “Christian,” to confess our sin to God and to be willing to forgive the sins of others in order to receive God’s forgiving and saving grace.   I’m there, confessing again today; … how about you?  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for forgiving me … AGAIN.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for being willing to forgive Your children when we forgive others.    … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.